Dead Lagoon: An Aurelio Zen Mystery ~Michael Dibdin
–published 1994
–Vintage Books
–297 pages
–7/10 stars
In this fourth novel featuring Criminalpol detective Aurelio Zen, Michael Dibdin sends his gritty sophisticate back to his native Venice, ostensibly to investigate alleged attacks against an aged contessa, an old family friend. Zen’s real motivation is to dig into the disappearance of a wealthy American whose case has been closed and declared unsolvable. That is no barrier to Aurelio Zen, for he is motivated by that which sets all things into motion–money.
I became enamored of Venice-born Aurelio Zen thanks to the BBC adaptations of the first three of Michael Dibdin’s novels, which aired here in America back in July courtesy of Masterpiece Mystery on PBS. Actor Rufus Sewell played the part of this upscale, Rome-based police detective whose famed reputation for integrity seemed at odds with the choices he made in order to get the job done. When I heard that the series was cancelled and at this time no more of Dibdin’s novels are set to be adapted, a sad fact that I hope changes soon, I decided I wanted to know more about Aurelio Zen and I picked up a copy of the next book in the series.
Michael Dibdin passed away in 2007 and thus had no hand in the adapting of his works. Knowing the liberties that are often taken with novel to film adaptations, I had no idea what to expect.
While I had no trouble picturing Rufuss Sewell as the “urbane and skeptical Aurelio Zen”, the detective that Michael Dibdin unleashed in Dead Lagoon was as unlike the films’ version as often as they were mirror images of one another. It made for an interesting read.
If you are expecting a formulaic mystery in which the bad guys are all bad and the good guys are all good and everything is tied up with a neat bow at the end, I can tell you right now that Aurelio Zen is not for you. If, however you are looking for a detective novel that at times reads like a work of literary fiction with a protagonist who is hell bent on doing things his way in a world that is becoming increasingly more legalistic and regimented, then I would recommend you give Dibdin’s series a try.
I couldn’t help but imagine Aurelio Zen as a sophisticated, uptown Andy Sipowicz (NYPD Blue). In the Italian world of corrupt politics and police on the take, Aurelio Zen walks a fine line between being a clean cop while being willing to bend the rules and outright lie if it means moving the case towards a satisfactory conclusion. In Dead Lagoon Zen returns to Venice on the pretext of investigating the accusations of threats and home invasion of an aristocrat who is an old friend of Zen’s mother. Zen agrees to take the case, knowing that previous investigations have revealed the woman to be mentally unstable. He does so in order to work off the record on a high profile case of a wealthy kidnapped American. No ransom has ever been requested and no clue as to the American’s whereabouts have been discovered. Zen’s motivation is that he is being payed under the table, a handsome sum of money that will allow him to move to a bigger home in order to accommodate his mother, with whom he still lives, and his new girlfriend Tania.
I mentioned that Dead Lagoon is not formulaic and that is evident from the very start. Much of the first half of the novel is spent watching Aurelio Zen acclimate to his former city, and in doing so Michael Dibdin makes the Venice of the late 20th century come alive, in all its beauty and all of its corruption. It is almost a cliche these days to mention that a city, real or imagined, is in itself a character but that is indeed the case in Dead Lagoon. I truly felt like I was seeing the city through the eyes of one who had loved but abandoned Venice because it was a formerly shining jewel that had lost its shimmer. Italy itself during the setting of Dibdin’s novel is going through massive political upheaval because of the public exposure of the deep corruption in all avenues of politics and government. Part of what makes Didbdin’s Zen novels interesting is that Zen is not by nature a deeply corrupt official and yet he is used to practicing his trade with a much more free hand. Now that the rules are changing he is caught up in the pressure of having to do things “the right way” or else risk not only his investigation but perhaps his long-standing job status as well.
Zen’s fortunes in Dead Lagoon rise and fall as frequently as Venice’s tides and the reader is brought along on this sometimes triumphant, sometimes tragic journey that Dibdin’s protagonist takes. Things are not neat and tidy in Zen’s world. Actions taken have consequences, often unforeseen and sometimes deeply tragic ones. People are multi-dimensional and at times Dibdin allows the reader to see some of the obvious motives of characters before his detective becomes aware of them. It all comes together to make for a very interesting, while sometimes frustrating, read.
The book, like the television series based on the previous three novels, is slow to bring to boil. The increase of tension is subtle, matching the sophisticated world in which Aurelio Zen operates. I admit that I enjoy that aspect. When the story picks up, it does so at a rapid pace and the reader is drug along on a roller coaster ride of emotions as hopes rise in the solving of the case and fall over and over again. There is something both satisfying and unsatisfying about this kind of mystery, and what ultimately matters for the reader is what you care about. I wanted to read more about Aurelio Zen because I like Aurelio Zen. The cases he investigates, while interesting, are just the motivations that drive the character. I learned more about Aurelio Zen, including things I did not particularly like about the character, but it did not change the fact that I was, and still am, interested in just who this man is and what makes him tick.
While Dead Lagoon is certainly not the best book in this genre that I have ever read, and I recommend it solely with the above qualifications, it might be good to note that immediately after I closed the final page I got on my library’s website and ordered the next book in the series. I am ready to follow Aurelio Zen into the next chapter of his life.
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This book is a selection for the 6th Annual R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril (R.I.P.) Challenge. For more information and/or to take part in the event please visit the introductory post here.
I’ve always thought this a series best read in order, beginning with Vendetta (1990) (Ratking barely counts, in my opinion), then Cabal (1992), Dead Lagoon (1994), Cosi Fan Tutti (1996), A Long Finish (1998), Blood Rain (1999), And Then You Die (2002), Medusa (2003), Back to Bologna (2005), and End Games (2007). These are not books that benefit from reading one on the heels of the other, allow some time between.
I definitely want to read them in order, but I just wasn’t interested in reading the first three, although probably very different from the films, so close after seeing the film adaptations. I agree that they seem like the kind of books that need to be spread out. I feel the same way about the Bond books, despite my love for them. I would like to go ahead and read one more now while I have a window in my reading schedule. We’ll see how long the library takes getting it to me. That window may close really soon.
Probably not my thing, but I do like the cover… That’s something!
I haven’t read too many of these kind of books so I’m enjoying branching out into little seen territory.
I branch out too much… It’s all good to go out of my comfort zone. It is very bad when I can go an entire month without reading any authors for the second time. 🙂
I’m the opposite I think, but I don’t usually feel any compulsion to get too far out of my comfort zone, mostly because there are so many books in my preferred genre that I still want to read, and ones I want to re-read. When I do go outside it and find something interesting then of course I am thrilled, but I then like to return to familiar places, not keep adventuring far and wide.
It’s great when a TV adaptation can pull you back into an older series of books: I like that. I haven’t read the Dibdin novels, but I’ve heard lots of good things and might yet get sucked in: glad to hear you’ve enjoyed them so far.
I read some complaints about the adaptations but I really liked them. They were low key but still interesting and they felt “different” for lack of a better word from a lot of the BBC mysteries I watch.
A pretty good mystery set in Venice? I’m sold. I’ll have to start at the beginning of the series, though.
Do, and check out the film versions too, the film locations were great.
We’ve been meaning to get around to the BBC shows (I think they are Netflix streaming even)… would you recommend reading the series start first, or does one way or another even harm the experience?
I know they were, and may still be, streaming on the Masterpiece website as well. Having only this one novel under my belt I’m not sure. I’m glad I watched the shows, but then I like nearly all the BBC detective shows I’ve ever seen. The film adaptations have a running storyline through them and actually the Ratking story, which is the first novel, is the third of the series. Not sure why they made that decision. I guess I’d recommend you do whichever fits in easier with your schedule and also based on availability of each medium.
What L asked. I read and enjoyed Blood Rain and am wondering if I should read the rest before taking in the Beeb’s version.
It is hard telling. I can tell you from reading Dead Lagoon that his relationship takes a turn that is not quite the same as what they did with it in the adaptations, so that will be somewhat different. Although they did sort of set up a similar scenario at the end of the third film. Again, I think it depends on if you are in the mood to watch some decent BBC detective films or if you would rather be reading.
I loved the Zen mysteries on PBS this summer! In fact, I got the DVD set out from the library to watch them again–already. I really want to read the novels, too, and I’m even more intrigued on learning that the fourth novel is set in Venice. On the list it goes.
I will watch them again at some point. Rufus Sewell was really good and Caterina Murino was an excellent choice for his love interest. And I really enjoyed all the side characters too.
Carol – Donna Leon also writes a very good mystery series set in Venice.
Just to butt in, I’ve always wondered about her books. I see them often at the store. Thanks. 🙂
Would you have rather not found out the aspects of Aurelio Zen that you didn’t like? Did it put a damper on the character for you? Wonderful review as always 😉
No, not really. I still like the character, he was just a little more mid-life crisis like than I would have suspected, and he “fell in love” a bit too conveniently in the book. I expected something a bit deeper than that with the character, but I don’t know why because it sort of happened in the films that way as well. I do like the character enough that I want to read the next one soon.
First off…I love mysteries, and I’m definitely intrigued by the Venice setting. Per RKR’s suggestion above, I’m going to go check for Vendetta at my local library. I’m an ardent supporter of reading series in order (especially since I haven’t seen the movies). I think I will also see if they have the BBC series available, since I adore Rufus Sewell. Thanks for opening my eyes to this series. Isn’t it wild, when you really sit and think about it, that there are books out there that we’ll never, ever encounter in our lives? There are just too many for that to even be a possibility, and I admit, it makes me sad.
I agree. I don’t understand how people can start reading series out of order. I had already determined not to read the first three books because of the films, but otherwise I would never have just picked this up and read it. I’ll be interested in your review of the books. Although I need to point out that Ratking is the first book and Vendetta the second. They did the films out of order.
And yes, we have so many books we would probably love that we’ll never get to. But I think that is a good problem to have, as the alternative would be too sad to consider.
Another blogger and I will be hosting a Venice reading challenge in February; this is one of the titles on the suggested reading list. I, personally, am really looking forward to the treasures within this challenge; your review has me all the more excited. Even the cover is glorious!
I am commenting on this about 18 months late, and I actually did see this post around the time it came out. I sent it to my husband in October 2011 (I save everything). I am glad I reread it now, because I will go read the 2nd and 3rd in the series before I watch any of the BBC adaptations, which are in our Netflix queue. Great review, and a reminder that I need to get back to this series.
Cool! I want to go re-watch this series at some point. I think they did a great job with the cast. I also need to make time to get to the next book in this series as I did enjoy reading this one even though the adaptation changed some details.