In each story, Venetian detective commissioner Guido Brunetti investigates and solves one or more crimes, usually including murder, in the doges' city, with some help from uniformed sergeant Lorenzo Vianello. Meanwhile, both Brunetti's family (wife Paola, daughter Chiara, and headstrong son Raffi) and superiors, especially the jurisdiction's "vice-questore" Patta, more an ambitious politician then a law officer, often cause distractions or worse.