Audio Review: The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny (Chief Inspector Gamache #3)

As this series continues, Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Surete is once again called to Three Pines to investigate another death. Gamache has become very fond of this quaint little village that lies south of Montreal, and many of its inhabitants, so its a double-edged sword to return there for this purpose.

It is now Spring and with the arrival of a visiting phychic to their community, the villagers plan a seance, though not everyone thinks its a good idea to do this at Easter time. Nonetheless, they hold a first seance in Olivier's Bistro with lackluster results, so they hold second seance at The Old Hadley House, well known to everyone for having evil spirits. It is during that second gathering that the unthinkable happens and one of their own dies in the process. Gamache arrives and confirms that the death was a murder and sets out to find the killer. Again, he relies on the residents of Three Pines to help put the pieces together and find out who had the means and the motive to commit murder right under their noses.

While Gamache is busy with his list of suspects, someone within the Surete is stepping up their plot to bring down Gamache and ultimately humiliate him into resigning. But this time, they are also going after his family, whom Gamache will do anything to protect.

My Thoughts on the Book:

Louise Penny is one of those mystery writers who does not rush anything in her stories. As with her previous installments of this series, this is a slow-paced thought-provoking journey into the minds of both the killer and the Chief Inspector. If you're looking for edge-of-your-seat thrills, you won't necessarily find them here, but you will find smart, provocative characters, with interesting backgrounds and insights weaved together with believable murder plots. Penny's who-dun-its unfold methodically, slowly showing that anyone could be the murderer. That's what I love about her books.

In this third book, I had a real feel for the Surete officers on Gamache's investigative team and I knew for the most part who to trust and who not to trust, but that is not to say there weren't some surprises in that regard.

I love the character of Gamache and I instantly dislike anyone who goes against him. His second in command, Jean Guy, is also a favorite, though he can be brash, but his loyalty to Armand Gamache is unshakable. I also enjoy the familiarity of the core group of villagers of Three Pines. They can be strange, loving, funny and even down-right odd but they are good people. They each have their own quirks about them but that is what makes them interesting. Now that I am well into the series, I get the little inside jokes and jabs the villagers have with each other, not to mention the name-calling that would seem mean or harsh to an outsider but comes across lovingly if you know the source. One of my favorite things about this installment is the lovely, metaphorical way in which Penny allowed us to learn more about Ruth Zardo, one of the core group who always has come across as the mean and nasty poet who doesn't think twice about telling you exactly what she thinks of you. The realization of who Ruth really is underneath all that gruff was beautifully done using two baby ducklings to do it. It was fantastic and makes me appreciate Penny's writing even more.

In these last three books, along with the main plot of the murder, there has been an underlying ongoing plot of who is trying to bring down Gamache. I'm anxious to see where that story leads us in the fourth book, as much of that story has now been brought to light. In my opinion, this series is more for the mature reader who enjoys uncovering and learning the physic of its characters. Not to stereotype, but some younger readers may find it a bit slow and lack the excitement they are looking for, though, if given a fair chance, I believe they would appreciate the provocative storytelling these books offer.      

Audio Review:

This is the first time I've chosen the audio version for this series and though at first, I didn't feel like I was going to enjoy the narration by Ralph Cosham, I did end up changing my opinion. At first I thought he was a bit drab, but soon I realized his voice was very suitable, especially for the voice of Chief Inspector Gamache. I'm relieved that I ended up favoring his performance because I very well may choose to listen to more based on that decision.

THE CRUELEST MONTH (Unabridged Audio Version)
Author: Louise Penny
Narrated by: Ralph Cosham
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Published: March 2008
Length:  11 hrs 46 mins

Review: A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny

A FATAL GRACE is the second book in the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache Series that is set in Canada.  Again, the brilliant, thoughtful inspector is called to the tiny village of Three Pines, south of Montreal to investigate a murder. He is not new to the community since he had another investigation there about a year and a half earlier. He took an instant liking to the close-knit and friendly village as well as the townspeople.

In this case, he is investigating the death of a woman who had recently moved to Three Pines but was not well-liked by the villagers. She was a brash, ambitious, rude woman in search of her fortune by way of writing books and selling products to promote her self-proclaimed philosophy of life, which was to not show any emotion. In her mind, keeping your feelings hidden was the secret to success and fortune. Chief Inspector Gamache sets out to learn about her life and to figure out who would profit from her death. Since CC was not a nice person,  there are several prospective suspects to choose from: her unlikely  match of a husband, her lover who really can't stand her, or it could even be a fellow villager since it is obvious no one seems to be mourning the loss of CC de Poitiers.

My Thoughts:

I was so excited to get further into this series because Chief Inspector Gamache is such a wonderful character. His kind, observing eyes and quiet demeanor are attributes for his job of finding murderers. All of the characters of  Three Pines are so interesting and their quirky relationships with each other are genuine and even funny.

In A FATAL GRACE, there are actually two deaths being investigated and though I thought I had the mystery solved halfway though, I still kept questioning if I was right. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey through the story and that is because of the likable characters and well thought out plot. The stories in the series are slow paced and thoughtful, filled with smart characters who know their way around books and art and so much more. They are interesting people and they make for interesting stories.

What I also like about this series is that as we get to know the people, we realize there are many layers to them and even though the book has ended, not all of the revelations have been made. There is always something left to carry on into the next installment.  More layers to peel away, you could say. There is also the underlying notion that someone is out to get Gamache. Maybe even someone from his own team. It wasn't so clear in the first book, but it is undeniable in A FATAL GRACE.

The bottom line is, if you're looking for a  fast, edge of your seat thriller, you won't find it here in this series. What you will find is a carefully revealed mystery woven around many twists and turns so that in the end, the true killer is still a surprise.  I've enjoyed the first two books very much and, in fact, since they take place around Thanksgiving and Christmas, respectively, now is the perfect time to get started with the series. They have helped get me into the holiday spirit that is upon us.

A FATAL GRACE
Author: Louise Penny
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Published: May 2007
Length: 332 pp
Source: Borrowed from public library

Review: Still Life (A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel) by Louise Penny

I came across this book while perusing Goodreads a few weeks ago. It seemed to be exactly the type of mystery I was looking for. I love mystery series and this one seemed a little different than the 'cozy' mysteries I've been reading, though I suppose, technically it still is classified as a 'cozy'.

In STILL LIFE, the first book of the series, veteran Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, with the Surete du Quebec, is called to a crime scene on Thanksgiving Day to the small village of Three Pines outside of Montreal where an elderly woman has been killed, possibly murdered, by an arrow through the heart. Gamache and his team quickly descend on the tight-knit community and begin their investigation. With it being hunting season, the suspect list starts out very broad, but as Gamache observes the residents and gets to know some of them, important clues come to light. On top of heading this disturbing investigation, he is also tasked with training a new recruit to his team, Agent Nichol. Though she first appeared bright and promising, she soon shows her immaturity and lack of respect to both the residents of Three Pines and to Gamache, himself.  For reasons that are beyond some, Gamache continues to try to help her learn not only how to be a good investigator, but also to learn something of herself as well.

My Thoughts:

I am so happy that I found this series! When I was on Goodreads, I noticed that several of my friends had read it and really enjoyed it and I wondered how I'd missed it. The characters, especially the chief inspector completely drew me in. Gamache has a fatherly sense to him that makes you instantly trust him to do what's right. What I also enjoyed was getting to know the different residents of Three Pines and their quirks. Some of them are likable right away, while others were not likable at all to me. But they were all so believable and they each added to the story.

Speaking of story - Louise Penny sure knows how to write a compelling tale. Let me be clear, this is not a fast-paced who-dun-it. It is a slower paced, methodical mystery that patiently weaves through time and character to create a suspenseful outcome. I also have to mention that I love the title of this first book, STILL LIFE. Before reading it I thought I knew what the title meant, but as I read on, other meanings began to develop in my mind.   A great title always gives me an added appreciation for the author and their work that was definitely the case here.

 I'd heard of Louise Penny before, but had never taken the time to look into her work. Now that I have, I am a big fan. For me, all other series are going to be put on the back burner for awhile until I read a few more of this wonderfully engaging series. I guess you could say I'm hooked. For lovers of mystery series, in my opinion, you can't go wrong with this series. If you hurry, you can pick it up for $2.99 at the Kindle Store!

STILL LIFE (Chief Inspector Gamache #1)
Author: Louise Penny
Publisher: September 2008
Published: Minotaur
Length: 321pp
Source: Purchased as Kindle Daily Deal