Tag: canada

A Rule Against Murder (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #4) by Louise Penny

A Rule Against Murder (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #4) by Louise Penny

When a body is discovered near a retreat in the woods, Chief Inspector Armand Gamache happens to be staying at the Manoir Bellechasse, the lodge, with his lovely wife, Reine-Marie. Now, their peaceful get-away has devolved into a murder investigation. Someone at the hotel is a killer.

Can Gamache figure out who before it’s too late?

“But just as their waffles arrived they heard a faraway sound, something so unexpected it took Gamache a moment to recognize it. It was a scream.” pg 84

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As delightful as this entry is in the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series, I had trouble getting into the story. It has Louise Penny’s usual eccentric characters and thoughtful insights into universal emotions like love and despair.

And, as usual, I guessed completely wrong on the resolution and enjoyed the nail-biting conclusion.

“His team had a near perfect record, and they did it by sorting facts from fancy from wishful thinking. They did it by collecting clues and evidence. And emotions.” pg 95

I think what I was missing from the mystery was the setting of Three Pines itself. Honestly, it was nice to branch out a little and see many of Penny’s beloved characters in a different place, but Three Pines is so delightful that I missed it.

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To be fair, it does make a bit of a cameo with a village festival, but it wasn’t the same. The irascable poet, Ruth Zardo, is almost completely absent, except for a one-liner, and I missed her. I’m also inordinately fond of the bed and breakfast owners, Oliver and Gabri. But we didn’t see much of them because the action was taking place at a different hotel.

Here’s hoping the next book takes place back in Three Pines. I’d still recommend this one to readers who love cozy mysteries. Louise Penny has a gift for writing them.

Thanks for reading!

The Cruelest Month (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #3) by Louise Penny

The Cruelest Month (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #3) by Louise Penny

“But Three Pines itself was a village forgotten. Time eddied and swirled and sometimes bumped into it, but never stayed long and never left much of an impression. For hundreds of years the village had nestled in the palm of the rugged Canadian mountains, protected and hidden and rarely found except by accident.” pg 10, ebook

Readers are back with Chief Inspector Armand Gamache for another unlikely murder in the village of Three Pines. This time, it appears as if someone was scared literally to death.

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“Eight of them had gathered in the cozy back room of the bistro to raise the dead this Good Friday, and the only question seemed to be, who would do it.” pg 17, ebook.

Why is it that such a lovely place continues to experience such horrors?

“Was it possible the old Hadley house was full of their anger and sorrow? Was that why it attracted murderers? And ghosts?” pg 26, ebook.

Meanwhile, Gamache is haunted by a ghost from his past, the Arnot case. Claire continues to work on her painting while Peter tries not to be jealous of her talent. And for fans of the irascible poet, Ruth has a special role in this story.

I think what sets Louise Penny apart from other mystery authors is that she has created an entire community full of humorous and welcoming characters that I find myself wanting to return to. That’s not as simple as she makes it seem.

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“One by one they entered the old Hadley house. It was colder inside than out and smell of mold. The electricity had long since been turned off and now the circles of torchlight played on the peeling floral wallpaper, stained with damp which they all hoped was water.” pg 35, ebook

My only criticism is that I didn’t enjoy the mystery in this book as much as the previous ones. There was a lot of side drama that did a lot to build the characters but not to advance the plot. Otherwise, highly recommended for readers who enjoy cozy mysteries.

Thanks for reading!