Donna Leon

Donna Leon, born in Montclair, New Jersey, in 1942, is an acclaimed American author, well-known for her series of crime novels set in Venice, Italy. Featuring the fictional hero Commissario Guido Brunetti, Leon's books have been praised by fans and critics alike for their thoughtful and descriptive content. Although she is a New Yorker by birth, Leon has lived in Venice for over twenty-five years, providing her with a deep understanding of the city that she brings to life in her writing.

Leon has had a varied career, including teaching English literature in countries such as Switzerland, Iran, China, Italy, and Saudi Arabia. Her experiences living and working abroad have greatly influenced her writing, providing her with a unique perspective that she brings to her novels. In addition to her work as an author, Leon has also worked as a lecturer for the University of Maryland University College - Europe (UMUC-Europe) in Italy and as a professor at the American military base in Vicenza, Italy.

Leon's first novel, "Death at La Fenice," was published in 1992, and she has since written twenty-three crime novels, all of which are set in or near Venice. Despite her success, Leon has chosen to keep a low profile, and not much is known about her personal life. However, her work has spoken for itself, earning her numerous awards and accolades, including the CWA Macallan Silver Dagger for Fiction and the German Corine Prize. By her request, her books are not translated into Italian, but they have been translated into many other languages, making them accessible to readers around the world.