Donna Leon's interest not only in criminal injustice, but also in the pleasures of life, was already apparent in her Brunetti novels. The stories collected here are not only about fine dining, but also her passion for books and the opera and recuperation in the mountains. As an American woman in Venice, Donna Leon does not write merely of bella Italia, but also about machos and the mafia. From Venice, she looks out on America, Iran and Saudi Arabia. In her direct fashion, Donna Leon takes aim at the unexpected: Why is it undesirable to become the American special consul? How to find a husband for her best friend in New York? What do crime ladies such as Barbara Vine and Donna Leon speak about when they dine together? And why is it easier to cry when reading a novel than in real life? On the subject of novels, how does one write a crime story? And what do moles do at half past eight on a Sunday morning?