There is one last Favourite Author to post, shared by Marcia Century in April 2018. Marcia’s favourite genre is crime fiction and her favourite author is Donna Leon. Almost none in the audience have read this author, and we are grateful Marcia made this recommendation!

Donna Leon was born in New Jersey in 1942. This is the only consistent fact Marcia found in her research. The author has lived her adult life between Venice and Switzerland, where her books were published in German. Leon refuses to have her books published in Italian to retain her privacy in Venice. Her works are translated in 35 languages.

Since Marcia’s presentation, a new novel (29th in the series) has come out. In other words, her non-stereotypical Commissario has solved more than a major crime a year in Venice since 1992. Yes, this author was first published at 50! She finds writing effortless, doing one scene every morning and starting the next one before turning off the computer. Critics call her prose “exquisite.” Marcia described her writing as intelligent, intense, subtle, funny, satirical and angry — “character studies wrapped around the heart of a mystery.” There are three more Donna Leon books to discover: a cookbook, a book of essays on Venice and a multi-sensory publication of music, painting and the literary arts.