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Chief Inspector Armand Gamache #9
Светлина в пукнатините
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Mystery & Thriller (2013)Коледа наближава и повечето жители на Квебек са обхванати от еуфорията на празничния дух. За главен инспектор Гамаш обаче мразовитият сезон носи само поражения. Повечето му служители са напуснали отдел „Убийства”, старият му приятел и заместник Жан Ги Бовоар не му говори от месеци, а началството си е поставило за цел да го отстрани.
Именно тогава Мирна Ландерс се свързва с Гамаш, за да му каже, че нейна дългогодишна приятелка е обещала да й гостува в Трите бора, но така и не е пристигнала. Озадачен от нежеланието на Мирна да разкрие истинското й име, Гамаш скоро разбира, че изчезналата жена е една от най-известните личности не само в Северна Америка, но и в целия свят.
Главният инспектор се заема да разнищи мистерията, но едновременно с това му се налага да разкрие престъпление, назрявало с десетилетия в самото ядро на квебекската полиция. Престъпление, в което инспекторът не знае кой е замесен и на кого може да се довери. Времето изтича, а той на всяка цена трябва да стигне до истината. Или да стане свидетел как светът около него се пропуква и рухва…
„Навсякъде има пукнатини, през които навлиза светлината.”
Ленард Коен
Именно тогава Мирна Ландерс се свързва с Гамаш, за да му каже, че нейна дългогодишна приятелка е обещала да й гостува в Трите бора, но така и не е пристигнала. Озадачен от нежеланието на Мирна да разкрие истинското й име, Гамаш скоро разбира, че изчезналата жена е една от най-известните личности не само в Северна Америка, но и в целия свят.
Главният инспектор се заема да разнищи мистерията, но едновременно с това му се налага да разкрие престъпление, назрявало с десетилетия в самото ядро на квебекската полиция. Престъпление, в което инспекторът не знае кой е замесен и на кого може да се довери. Времето изтича, а той на всяка цена трябва да стигне до истината. Или да стане свидетел как светът около него се пропуква и рухва…
„Навсякъде има пукнатини, през които навлиза светлината.”
Ленард Коен
512 pages, Paperback
First published August 27, 2013
About the author
Louise Penny
49 books22.8k followersLOUISE PENNY is the author of the #1 New York Times and Globe and Mail bestselling series of Chief Inspector Armand Gamache novels. She has won numerous awards, including a CWA Dagger and the Agatha Award (seven times), and was a finalist for the Edgar Award for Best Novel. In 2017, she received the Order of Canada for her contributions to Canadian culture. Louise lives in a small village south of Montréal.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 7,964 reviews
December 5, 2013
While I enjoy a good series, there are few books that are part of a series that leave me with a book hangover when I am finished with them. How the Light Get In left me with that hangover. I finished it this afternoon, and since that time I've not wanted to read anything. I've just wanted to live with the emotional reverberations this book created within me. I have read the entire series, and I suspect that some of this reaction is a cumulative effect: I've spent a lot time with these characters, and there are many I care deeply about. I suspect part of the reaction is that the book reads as though it may be the last in the series, and I'm actually okay with that. It ended perfectly, although not without pain and loss, grace and redemption.
What has drawn me to Penny's work all along is her profound belief that despite the darkness there is goodness and that there are people in the world who live that goodness even when it costs them much to do so. A friend once bashed Inspector Gamache because he wasn't damaged enough to be interesting. I argued that one does not have to be damaged to be interesting. One only has to be authentic to be interesting, and Gamache is authentic. He is not perfect, but he is true to himself and to his beliefs. All of these elements: darkness, goodness, grace, redemption, the struggle to be the authentic self weave through this book in ways both profound and subtle. While some might say the ending Penny wrote is predictable and treat this predictability as a bad thing, I argue that the ending is one that is authentic to the world that Penny has created in this series and to the seeds of love, kindness, belief, and loyalty that Gamache has shown throughout the series. In Penny's world, the light does get in, and, as always when I've finished one of her novels, I want to live in that world of light.
What has drawn me to Penny's work all along is her profound belief that despite the darkness there is goodness and that there are people in the world who live that goodness even when it costs them much to do so. A friend once bashed Inspector Gamache because he wasn't damaged enough to be interesting. I argued that one does not have to be damaged to be interesting. One only has to be authentic to be interesting, and Gamache is authentic. He is not perfect, but he is true to himself and to his beliefs. All of these elements: darkness, goodness, grace, redemption, the struggle to be the authentic self weave through this book in ways both profound and subtle. While some might say the ending Penny wrote is predictable and treat this predictability as a bad thing, I argue that the ending is one that is authentic to the world that Penny has created in this series and to the seeds of love, kindness, belief, and loyalty that Gamache has shown throughout the series. In Penny's world, the light does get in, and, as always when I've finished one of her novels, I want to live in that world of light.
December 18, 2022
How the Light Gets In (Chief Inspect. Armand Gamache #9)
by Louise Penny, Ralph Cosham (narrator)
Having enjoyed the first eight books in this series, the ninth is now my new favorite of the series, so far. Two things are going on in the story, Gamache is still battling the people who want to destroy him and others, no holds barred. And we also get to spend time in Three Pines, as Gamache helps to find out why Myrna's old friend doesn't show up for an expected visit. As always, both plotlines are extremely complicated and I consider this author a constant unreliable narrator in all of these books. I know it happens and I'm just absorb the stories as they take place, this is a world I'll never figure out but never want to leave. The entire story pulled at my emotions, but I know it's going to happen and I can't help wanting to know what is going to happen next, no matter how afraid I am to face the future in this world. Once again, I have enjoyed reading this series with DeAnn, we have such wonderful discussion about these books.
***I love this narrator. There is an interview at the end of this audiobook between him and the author and it was so interesting. These stories are so long and complex, very emotional, and I'm amazed at how the late Ralph Cosham approached the reading of the books he narrated. When he would make the recordings, he read the books cold, never having looked ahead before he's reading the story for the recording. He did have to go back when recording a book by another author, when ten pages in he found out a certain character should speak with a different accent than the one he was using for that character. I'm so impressed with how well he emotes for the characters in this series without knowing, before he read the words, what the words were going to say. But he knows these characters so well and it shows in his work.
Pub August 27, 2013 by Macmillan Audio
by Louise Penny, Ralph Cosham (narrator)
Having enjoyed the first eight books in this series, the ninth is now my new favorite of the series, so far. Two things are going on in the story, Gamache is still battling the people who want to destroy him and others, no holds barred. And we also get to spend time in Three Pines, as Gamache helps to find out why Myrna's old friend doesn't show up for an expected visit. As always, both plotlines are extremely complicated and I consider this author a constant unreliable narrator in all of these books. I know it happens and I'm just absorb the stories as they take place, this is a world I'll never figure out but never want to leave. The entire story pulled at my emotions, but I know it's going to happen and I can't help wanting to know what is going to happen next, no matter how afraid I am to face the future in this world. Once again, I have enjoyed reading this series with DeAnn, we have such wonderful discussion about these books.
***I love this narrator. There is an interview at the end of this audiobook between him and the author and it was so interesting. These stories are so long and complex, very emotional, and I'm amazed at how the late Ralph Cosham approached the reading of the books he narrated. When he would make the recordings, he read the books cold, never having looked ahead before he's reading the story for the recording. He did have to go back when recording a book by another author, when ten pages in he found out a certain character should speak with a different accent than the one he was using for that character. I'm so impressed with how well he emotes for the characters in this series without knowing, before he read the words, what the words were going to say. But he knows these characters so well and it shows in his work.
Pub August 27, 2013 by Macmillan Audio
December 5, 2013
I would give this book 10 stars or more if I could. When I was approved for the egalley, being the mature professional librarian that I am, I went up to one of my coworkers who also reads the series and basically said Nya! Nya! I got to read the book early. That is the level of devotion that this entire series inspires in its readers.
After the emotional ending of the previous book, I was prepared for this one to be heavy duty but I had no idea how much this emotion this book would evoke. I literally sat on my couch for hours barely able to take a breath because I was so caught up into the story. Looking back at the previous books, one can see all of the clues leading up to the finish of this book but it is absolutely stunning to see how they all come together.
When this book begins, Gamache is seemingly hanging on by a thread. His agents have been scattered all through the department and he has a group of disrespectful yahoos working for him. But his enemies haven't won the war, only the first skirmish. Gamache still has some fight left in him and he has friends in powerful places. As in all of Ms. Penny's books, there are side stories that seem to have no reflection on the main plot but everything, I mean everything is important!
Inspector Gamache gets involved in the disappearance of a woman who had visited Three Pines and planned to return but never showed up. As he digs deeper into her life, he discovers facts about her life that will surprise all who knew her. Readers over a certain age will remember the actual situation that inspired this story line and what a huge story it was in its day.
Anyone who has followed this series will be crazy while reading this book, so just leave them alone and be prepared for a lot of emotion after they are done. While one part of Gamache’s life is resolved, the ending opens up a lot of questions about what the future holds for Gamache and all of us loyal readers!
After the emotional ending of the previous book, I was prepared for this one to be heavy duty but I had no idea how much this emotion this book would evoke. I literally sat on my couch for hours barely able to take a breath because I was so caught up into the story. Looking back at the previous books, one can see all of the clues leading up to the finish of this book but it is absolutely stunning to see how they all come together.
When this book begins, Gamache is seemingly hanging on by a thread. His agents have been scattered all through the department and he has a group of disrespectful yahoos working for him. But his enemies haven't won the war, only the first skirmish. Gamache still has some fight left in him and he has friends in powerful places. As in all of Ms. Penny's books, there are side stories that seem to have no reflection on the main plot but everything, I mean everything is important!
Inspector Gamache gets involved in the disappearance of a woman who had visited Three Pines and planned to return but never showed up. As he digs deeper into her life, he discovers facts about her life that will surprise all who knew her. Readers over a certain age will remember the actual situation that inspired this story line and what a huge story it was in its day.
Anyone who has followed this series will be crazy while reading this book, so just leave them alone and be prepared for a lot of emotion after they are done. While one part of Gamache’s life is resolved, the ending opens up a lot of questions about what the future holds for Gamache and all of us loyal readers!
November 22, 2023
This is probably one of the most important books in the series, in terms of the personal lives of the characters. For fans who read the series in order it concludes a few narratives lines that were left unresolved, one way or another. It was nice to return to Three Pines, after visiting a monastery in the previous volume. The crime mystery was well done, but, as I wrote above, the personal drama kept me more at the edge of my seat.
If you haven't read this series, you should. That's all I'm saying.
If you haven't read this series, you should. That's all I'm saying.
November 1, 2018
Louise Penny impresses as she pulls on a major event in Quebec history, weaving it effectively into the premise of this next novel in the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series. Major changes have begun with the Homicide squad of the Sûreté du Québec, including the removal of Inspector Jean Guy Beauvoir. It would seem that the fallout from their case at a rural priory created more ripples than anyone could expect, with Chief Superintendent Francoeur still sharpening his knives with hateful eyes focussed on Gamache. Newly promoted Inspector Isabelle Lacoste accompanies Gamache on a pre-Christmas jaunt to Three Pines, where they respond to a call from Myrna Landers, the local bookshop owner. It would seem that Constance Pineault was expected the day before at lunch with Myrna and has yet to show up. While this may not seem like much, Constance has not made contact and his known for her punctuality. Gamache agrees to make some inquiries back in Montreal, where he discovers that Pineault has been found slain in her home. After agreeing to take the case for himself, Gamache returns to Three Pines, where he discovers that Pineault is not who she appears to be. It would seem that locals know her secret, that she is actually Constance Ouellet, one of the Ouellet quintuplets that made headlines in the middle of the Depression. Gamache sifts through much of the information available, as well as scores of documents long sealed, to learn more about the Ouellet quints and how they were ‘sold’ to the Quebec Government, thereby turning them into a public spectacle. Surely, Constance wanted nothing more than to live outside of the limelight as soon as she could, though someone must have wanted to extinguish that light for some unknown reason. Meanwhile, the story arc surrounding that bloody raid gone wrong has reached its zenith, with Gamache using covert means to finger the individual who leaked the video of the event. Gamache learns snippets of Inspector Beauvoir’s new cases, all of which include dangerous raids that could easily neutralise his former second-in-command. Might Gamache have to make the ultimate move and how does this all link to the Arnot case, which filled the pages of early novels in the series? Penny continues to dazzle with layered narratives that keep the reader gasping for breath as much comes to a head in the intense closing chapters of this novel. Highly recommended to series fans who have a great handle on the characters and writing style. I hold firm in my suggestion that new readers begin where the series began and progress accordingly.
This series keeps finding new ways to impress me, particularly with this exploration of one of Quebec’s black marks of the mid-20th century. Penny touches on some of the events that occurred with these quints, likely mixing fact with fiction to keep the story moving forward. As always, Chief Inspector Gamache plays a central role in the novel and one can see the intensity surrounding the two major events that have overshadowed his investigations finally coming to a head. Gamache doesn’t let anything derail his concentration, though there is a strong sense that he wants these monkeys off his back, however that might be possible. His determination with a new and severely pared-down team shows his determination to find a killer without letting the politics deter him. Using his sharp skills, Gamache exemplifies his superior skills, even as those around him begin to lose faith in his work. The handful of others around him remain questionable characters, including Inspector Lacoste and former black sheep Agent Yvette Nichol. Both these women hold integral parts in the novel, though readers should not expect smooth sailing or strong support for their superior. The Three Pines residents retain their unique personalities, though there is little that surprises in this piece. Some development and character movement is apparent during the one novel hiatus, something that the attentive reader will notice early in this piece. The story has two significant narratives that run in parallel, complementing one another. Penny balances them, though neither can be seen as taken a backseat to the other. Readers should expect a bumpy ride as the novel pushes forward and takes little time for those who need time to process, while also inundating the attentive reader with much Quebec history and shaming society all these years later. Far from derailed or rogue, as some would have me believe, this series gets better as it progresses.
Kudos, Madam Penny, for another stellar novel. Chief Inspector Gamache and Three Pines are in great hands and I cannot stop wanting more, particularly with that cliffhanger. Thankfully, there are still a handful of novels left in my binge.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
This series keeps finding new ways to impress me, particularly with this exploration of one of Quebec’s black marks of the mid-20th century. Penny touches on some of the events that occurred with these quints, likely mixing fact with fiction to keep the story moving forward. As always, Chief Inspector Gamache plays a central role in the novel and one can see the intensity surrounding the two major events that have overshadowed his investigations finally coming to a head. Gamache doesn’t let anything derail his concentration, though there is a strong sense that he wants these monkeys off his back, however that might be possible. His determination with a new and severely pared-down team shows his determination to find a killer without letting the politics deter him. Using his sharp skills, Gamache exemplifies his superior skills, even as those around him begin to lose faith in his work. The handful of others around him remain questionable characters, including Inspector Lacoste and former black sheep Agent Yvette Nichol. Both these women hold integral parts in the novel, though readers should not expect smooth sailing or strong support for their superior. The Three Pines residents retain their unique personalities, though there is little that surprises in this piece. Some development and character movement is apparent during the one novel hiatus, something that the attentive reader will notice early in this piece. The story has two significant narratives that run in parallel, complementing one another. Penny balances them, though neither can be seen as taken a backseat to the other. Readers should expect a bumpy ride as the novel pushes forward and takes little time for those who need time to process, while also inundating the attentive reader with much Quebec history and shaming society all these years later. Far from derailed or rogue, as some would have me believe, this series gets better as it progresses.
Kudos, Madam Penny, for another stellar novel. Chief Inspector Gamache and Three Pines are in great hands and I cannot stop wanting more, particularly with that cliffhanger. Thankfully, there are still a handful of novels left in my binge.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
September 10, 2022
4 bright stars for a pleasant read in the Armand Gamache series. This is book 9 in the series, and they are best read in order, as there is a story arc that concludes in this book which started earlier in the series.
This book has Gamache investigating two cases: One, a missing person who he finds dead and later decides was murdered. The other is a conspiracy within the Surete, which is the case that I mentioned that started earlier in the series. The missing person is a friend of Myrna, bookstore owner in Three Pines and Gamache's friend from previous cases in Three Pines. Three Pines is a fictional village in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, between the Vermont/Quebec border and the St. Lawrence river.
Gamache does solve both cases, with a satisfying ending. One quote, from Gamache: "He needed to keep his fear at bay. A little was good. Kept him sharp. But fear, unchecked, became terror and terror grew into panic and panic created chaos. And then all hell broke loose."
My wife read this book before me and agrees 4 bright stars. We have visited the Eastern Townships part of Quebec, to see some of the covered bridges there.
My review of Still Life book 1 in the series https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I read this library book in 2 days.
This book has Gamache investigating two cases: One, a missing person who he finds dead and later decides was murdered. The other is a conspiracy within the Surete, which is the case that I mentioned that started earlier in the series. The missing person is a friend of Myrna, bookstore owner in Three Pines and Gamache's friend from previous cases in Three Pines. Three Pines is a fictional village in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, between the Vermont/Quebec border and the St. Lawrence river.
Gamache does solve both cases, with a satisfying ending. One quote, from Gamache: "He needed to keep his fear at bay. A little was good. Kept him sharp. But fear, unchecked, became terror and terror grew into panic and panic created chaos. And then all hell broke loose."
My wife read this book before me and agrees 4 bright stars. We have visited the Eastern Townships part of Quebec, to see some of the covered bridges there.
My review of Still Life book 1 in the series https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I read this library book in 2 days.
September 21, 2013
SPOILERS BELOW
Yes, I gave this one only three stars. I have read and really liked the other books in the series, but I thought this one was subpar -- not bad but not as excellent as its predecessors. Here's why.
1. Penny's writing style seemed almost a caricature of itself. All of those sentence fragments. Done for emphasis. Getting on my nerves. Time after time. In an overly dramatic way. I don't recall being so aware and irritated by the writing in past books but the jerky style of this one grated on me. It intefered with my ability to lose myself in the story, and that's a big flaw for me.
2. The plot lines just didn't hold together. There are really two separate tracks in this story, one involving the death of a famous quintuplet (think Dionne quints) and one involving the continuing politics and corruption that Gamache has fought against in the Surete. The former was a far more interesting story to delve into, although the solution to this murder seemed rushed and forced, almost an afterthought to the corruption story. The second plotline focuses on Gamache's attempts to uncover and counteract an ongoing plot that reaches the highest levels of Canadian government, as well as the Surete. I found this entire story line to be silly. It didn't make sense from the very beginning (the whole business about the Cree reservation and the dam? nonsensical), it didn't hang together well, and it made me think of a cartoon like Underdog or Powerpuff Girls, with an evil genius trying to carry out some nefarious plan so he can take over the world. Unfortunately the focus of the second half of the book is mostly on the corruption storyline, and it left me shaking my head in disbelief. Even the ending is just too much: ludicrous, not well thought out, a too-clever-by-half solution to an bizarre and unbelievable problem.
3. The character of Gamache is starting to become less real and less believable, and more of a superhero. Everything he does is perfect, he never makes a mistake, he is always a gentleman and noble and patient and wonderful in every way. (Could it be Mary Sue syndrome?) No one could ever be that one-sided and perfect and it makes him seem like some fantasy superhero rather than a genuine human being--especially in the context of this novel, where he must deal with so many challenges. Other characters (the imperfect ones, like Nichol) were much more believable and compelling.
4. The ending was just too pat and perfect from an emotional standpoint, as well as a plot standpoint.
5. The book is less of a police procedural, becoming more like a thriller with the corruption storyline. I hope Penny goes back to a more traditional police procedural in any future books.
6. I'm really, really sick of everyone quoting the work of an imaginary poet. The same line, over and over again. ENOUGH ALREADY.
Yes, I gave this one only three stars. I have read and really liked the other books in the series, but I thought this one was subpar -- not bad but not as excellent as its predecessors. Here's why.
1. Penny's writing style seemed almost a caricature of itself. All of those sentence fragments. Done for emphasis. Getting on my nerves. Time after time. In an overly dramatic way. I don't recall being so aware and irritated by the writing in past books but the jerky style of this one grated on me. It intefered with my ability to lose myself in the story, and that's a big flaw for me.
2. The plot lines just didn't hold together. There are really two separate tracks in this story, one involving the death of a famous quintuplet (think Dionne quints) and one involving the continuing politics and corruption that Gamache has fought against in the Surete. The former was a far more interesting story to delve into, although the solution to this murder seemed rushed and forced, almost an afterthought to the corruption story. The second plotline focuses on Gamache's attempts to uncover and counteract an ongoing plot that reaches the highest levels of Canadian government, as well as the Surete. I found this entire story line to be silly. It didn't make sense from the very beginning (the whole business about the Cree reservation and the dam? nonsensical), it didn't hang together well, and it made me think of a cartoon like Underdog or Powerpuff Girls, with an evil genius trying to carry out some nefarious plan so he can take over the world. Unfortunately the focus of the second half of the book is mostly on the corruption storyline, and it left me shaking my head in disbelief. Even the ending is just too much: ludicrous, not well thought out, a too-clever-by-half solution to an bizarre and unbelievable problem.
3. The character of Gamache is starting to become less real and less believable, and more of a superhero. Everything he does is perfect, he never makes a mistake, he is always a gentleman and noble and patient and wonderful in every way. (Could it be Mary Sue syndrome?) No one could ever be that one-sided and perfect and it makes him seem like some fantasy superhero rather than a genuine human being--especially in the context of this novel, where he must deal with so many challenges. Other characters (the imperfect ones, like Nichol) were much more believable and compelling.
4. The ending was just too pat and perfect from an emotional standpoint, as well as a plot standpoint.
5. The book is less of a police procedural, becoming more like a thriller with the corruption storyline. I hope Penny goes back to a more traditional police procedural in any future books.
6. I'm really, really sick of everyone quoting the work of an imaginary poet. The same line, over and over again. ENOUGH ALREADY.
December 4, 2013
For readers unfamiliar with Louise Penny's mystery series, this is #9 with Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. Although this is only my second foray into her Quebec crime series (my first being her last book, BEAUTIFUL MYSTERY), I was impressed with her ability to create multiple plots and weave them together. There's a fresh murder to solve in the town of Three Pines (where some of her series takes place), as well as an arc that started several books ago--the malfeasance of the Sûreté du Québec (police dept). additionally, Armand's close colleague and personal friend, Jean-Guy Beauvoir, is suffering from addiction problems.
HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN takes us back to Three Pines, where I met several quirky/eccentric people for the first time, but am well aware that they are repeating characters, (or sometimes just former ones). Penny does a solid job of bringing new readers into this small village and allowing us to meet the inhabitants naturally and unaffectedly. She doesn't broadcast their histories with awkward exposition, but rather lets pieces of their past unfold with the present events. That takes subtlety and finesse, something that Penny astutely possesses. The truculent poet, Ruth, for example, may be on the periphery of a scene periodically, and then take center stage. Penny juxtaposes scenes and events that progress the various plots and develop the characters with riveting tension.
The murder of septuagenarian, Constance Pineault, who had just recently visited Three Pines bookstore owner, Myrna, brings Gamache back to investigate. This is right before the Christmas holidays, where the deep snow and cold air tends to create gatherings at the warm village bistro. At the same time, Gamache is struggling to keep his decimated homicide department together. He has been undermined by Superintendent Sylvain Françoeur, who has effectively fouled Gamache's reputation and is honing in for the final blow. Armand's relationship with Jean-Guy has also been maimed, thanks to Françoeur and Jean-Guy's torment with his own personal demons.
Penny also devotes ample space to suspenseful cyber hacking, and does it nimbly and accessible to even the low-tech reader. My nails were bitten to the quick! And she demonstrates the truth in human nature, as colleagues claw each other with raw vitriol, and yet show genuine compassion, too.
Treachery; suspense; still voices; moving targets; exquisite plotting--the reader will be satisfied AND nonplussed in equal measure by the end of the book. I don't want to spoil this potent novel for anyone, but I will say that I am glad I read BEAUTIFUL MYSTERY first, because I was already involved before this book began, with a gestating inevitability that has been underpinning much of Gamache's current directives. I am speculating that this is Penny's most heightened and cataclysmic book to date.
As an end note, Penny tells us that the title of this book is based on a Leonard Cohen song called Anthem.
"Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering,
There's a crack in everything,
That's how the light gets in."
Besides those beautiful words germane to the substance of this book, the title itself is apropos to one of the definitions of anthem: a hymn sung alternately by different sections of a choir or congregation.
An anthem it is.
HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN takes us back to Three Pines, where I met several quirky/eccentric people for the first time, but am well aware that they are repeating characters, (or sometimes just former ones). Penny does a solid job of bringing new readers into this small village and allowing us to meet the inhabitants naturally and unaffectedly. She doesn't broadcast their histories with awkward exposition, but rather lets pieces of their past unfold with the present events. That takes subtlety and finesse, something that Penny astutely possesses. The truculent poet, Ruth, for example, may be on the periphery of a scene periodically, and then take center stage. Penny juxtaposes scenes and events that progress the various plots and develop the characters with riveting tension.
The murder of septuagenarian, Constance Pineault, who had just recently visited Three Pines bookstore owner, Myrna, brings Gamache back to investigate. This is right before the Christmas holidays, where the deep snow and cold air tends to create gatherings at the warm village bistro. At the same time, Gamache is struggling to keep his decimated homicide department together. He has been undermined by Superintendent Sylvain Françoeur, who has effectively fouled Gamache's reputation and is honing in for the final blow. Armand's relationship with Jean-Guy has also been maimed, thanks to Françoeur and Jean-Guy's torment with his own personal demons.
Penny also devotes ample space to suspenseful cyber hacking, and does it nimbly and accessible to even the low-tech reader. My nails were bitten to the quick! And she demonstrates the truth in human nature, as colleagues claw each other with raw vitriol, and yet show genuine compassion, too.
Treachery; suspense; still voices; moving targets; exquisite plotting--the reader will be satisfied AND nonplussed in equal measure by the end of the book. I don't want to spoil this potent novel for anyone, but I will say that I am glad I read BEAUTIFUL MYSTERY first, because I was already involved before this book began, with a gestating inevitability that has been underpinning much of Gamache's current directives. I am speculating that this is Penny's most heightened and cataclysmic book to date.
As an end note, Penny tells us that the title of this book is based on a Leonard Cohen song called Anthem.
"Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering,
There's a crack in everything,
That's how the light gets in."
Besides those beautiful words germane to the substance of this book, the title itself is apropos to one of the definitions of anthem: a hymn sung alternately by different sections of a choir or congregation.
An anthem it is.
April 11, 2023
Still attached to the series!
February 10, 2019
4.5 stars
After the misery of the previous book in this series, I am happy to report that it was a one-time fluke (so far) and Penny is now back to her usual wonderful writing in this book! I'm also going to keep saying this until I turn blue in the face: if you aren't reading this series, you are missing out.
Gamache is both more broken and more forceful than we have ever seen him before. The 'case' being investigated is inspired by a real-life event that even I, an American, knew about, which was a pleasant surprise. I like the artistic license Penny used to portray their story in a new way. Also, the cast of characters from Three Pines are again part of the story, and their involvement towards the end was heartwarming, funny, and emotional in turns. Speaking of, THAT ENDING!! I didn't see any of it coming, including the reveal, the hard choice that was made, or that epilogue of sorts. I'll be interested to see where things go from here with so many changes on the horizon.
FYI: this series MUST be read in order to really enjoy it fully. Which is no hardship because all the earlier books are great, minus #8
After the misery of the previous book in this series, I am happy to report that it was a one-time fluke (so far) and Penny is now back to her usual wonderful writing in this book! I'm also going to keep saying this until I turn blue in the face: if you aren't reading this series, you are missing out.
Gamache is both more broken and more forceful than we have ever seen him before. The 'case' being investigated is inspired by a real-life event that even I, an American, knew about, which was a pleasant surprise. I like the artistic license Penny used to portray their story in a new way. Also, the cast of characters from Three Pines are again part of the story, and their involvement towards the end was heartwarming, funny, and emotional in turns. Speaking of, THAT ENDING!! I didn't see any of it coming, including the reveal, the hard choice that was made, or that epilogue of sorts. I'll be interested to see where things go from here with so many changes on the horizon.
FYI: this series MUST be read in order to really enjoy it fully. Which is no hardship because all the earlier books are great, minus #8
February 9, 2020
5★
“Anyone who placed himself within Ruth’s orbit, and certainly within her walls, and wasn’t prepared for dementia had only himself to blame. What often came as a surprise to people was that the dementia would be theirs, not Ruth’s. She remained sharp, if not clear.”
I must first acknowledge the irascible, foul-mouthed old poet, simply because I was so glad she’s still in the picture-book township of Three Pines. At its heart is a village green surrounded by houses of all different kinds in a communication blackspot, which frustrates those addicted to screens but offers respite for those who are harried by ‘urgent’ beeping notifications.
Myrna, the colourful owner of the bookshop (‘library’, insists Ruth, who ‘borrows’ books), has asked for help when her former client and friend hasn’t turned up as intended for a Christmas visit. Myrna is a retired psychologist, and she’s sure Constance was going to reveal a secret that has plagued her forever.
She contacts her (and my) favourite Canadian detective, Armand Gamache, Chief Inspector of Homicide of the Sûreté du Québec, to ask his advice. He decides to look into it himself. He’s lonely, since his wife, Reine-Marie is already in Paris with their kids, waiting for him. He’s home for another week with Henri, the big German Shepherd he adopted when the dog’s Three Pines owner died. Henri is loving and loyal but not known for his intelligence.
“Gamache beckoned the large German shepherd into the backseat of the cat and Henri, his satellite ears forward, received this command with delight. He leapt in, then, fearing Gamache might change his mind, immediately curled into as tight a ball as he could manage. You can’t see me. Yoooou can’t seeeeemeeee.”
A personal note.
A dog gives Gamache plenty of opportunity to step outside to walk in the snow and invite someone to walk with him for a private talk. It’s a clever plot device and full credit to Penny for not using Henri to help solve any crimes himself.
While this case leads to a famous (fictional) event in Canada’s past, it’s a distraction. His priority has been trying to catch the high-ranking evil-doers in the Sûreté who are hatching some deadly plot which he knows is happening soon, but he has no idea what it is. He has a pretty good idea who’s behind it, though.
So, what’s happened to Constance, and why? Why has the Chief’s team been transferred, scattered to other departments? And why does Jean-Guy loathe Gamache, whom he used to idolise, and instead work with Gamache’s powerful enemies in the Sûreté?
“Unlike Gamache, Francoeur gave his agents freedom. He didn’t worry about how they got results. Just get it done, was what he said.
The only real law was Chief Superintendent Francoeur. The only line not to be crossed was drawn around him. His power was absolute and unquestioned.
Working with Gamache was always so complicated. So many gray areas. Always debating what was right, as though that was a difficult question.
Working with Chief Superintendent Francoeur was easy.”
Of course I want to know all the answers to that, but the page-turning in an Armand Gamache story is not the blood-curdling chill of a noir thriller. The ‘chill’ and the ‘noir’ are the freezing snows of this village near the American border, and the noir is the black of a winter’s night when the villagers are enjoying hot chocolate and warm cider by their fires.
I want the atmosphere, the rooms, the weather, the FOOD, and what’s been happening to the people - to Jean-Guy, who was not in great shape the last time I saw him, and to Ruth, Myrna, Gabri of the B&B and his partner, Olivier of the Bistro, and Clara, the artist whose life was also recently turned upside down.
Old-school charm with cyber-warfare, violence, blood, and some unlikely gunslingers! (I’ll hide one name so it’s not a spoiler.)
“She looked at the gun in Myrna’s hand, and the one in [X]’s. They were terrifying and repulsive, and Clara wanted one.”
She didn’t get one, and just as well, since Clara’s known for splashing paints and spilling things.
Another top-notch outing in the frozen north. I like to read these slowly, for the mood and the company. I’m never tempted to skim, and I’m trying to space the series out so I still have some to look forward to, but it’s hard waiting.
“Anyone who placed himself within Ruth’s orbit, and certainly within her walls, and wasn’t prepared for dementia had only himself to blame. What often came as a surprise to people was that the dementia would be theirs, not Ruth’s. She remained sharp, if not clear.”
I must first acknowledge the irascible, foul-mouthed old poet, simply because I was so glad she’s still in the picture-book township of Three Pines. At its heart is a village green surrounded by houses of all different kinds in a communication blackspot, which frustrates those addicted to screens but offers respite for those who are harried by ‘urgent’ beeping notifications.
Myrna, the colourful owner of the bookshop (‘library’, insists Ruth, who ‘borrows’ books), has asked for help when her former client and friend hasn’t turned up as intended for a Christmas visit. Myrna is a retired psychologist, and she’s sure Constance was going to reveal a secret that has plagued her forever.
She contacts her (and my) favourite Canadian detective, Armand Gamache, Chief Inspector of Homicide of the Sûreté du Québec, to ask his advice. He decides to look into it himself. He’s lonely, since his wife, Reine-Marie is already in Paris with their kids, waiting for him. He’s home for another week with Henri, the big German Shepherd he adopted when the dog’s Three Pines owner died. Henri is loving and loyal but not known for his intelligence.
“Gamache beckoned the large German shepherd into the backseat of the cat and Henri, his satellite ears forward, received this command with delight. He leapt in, then, fearing Gamache might change his mind, immediately curled into as tight a ball as he could manage. You can’t see me. Yoooou can’t seeeeemeeee.”
A personal note.
A dog gives Gamache plenty of opportunity to step outside to walk in the snow and invite someone to walk with him for a private talk. It’s a clever plot device and full credit to Penny for not using Henri to help solve any crimes himself.
While this case leads to a famous (fictional) event in Canada’s past, it’s a distraction. His priority has been trying to catch the high-ranking evil-doers in the Sûreté who are hatching some deadly plot which he knows is happening soon, but he has no idea what it is. He has a pretty good idea who’s behind it, though.
So, what’s happened to Constance, and why? Why has the Chief’s team been transferred, scattered to other departments? And why does Jean-Guy loathe Gamache, whom he used to idolise, and instead work with Gamache’s powerful enemies in the Sûreté?
“Unlike Gamache, Francoeur gave his agents freedom. He didn’t worry about how they got results. Just get it done, was what he said.
The only real law was Chief Superintendent Francoeur. The only line not to be crossed was drawn around him. His power was absolute and unquestioned.
Working with Gamache was always so complicated. So many gray areas. Always debating what was right, as though that was a difficult question.
Working with Chief Superintendent Francoeur was easy.”
Of course I want to know all the answers to that, but the page-turning in an Armand Gamache story is not the blood-curdling chill of a noir thriller. The ‘chill’ and the ‘noir’ are the freezing snows of this village near the American border, and the noir is the black of a winter’s night when the villagers are enjoying hot chocolate and warm cider by their fires.
I want the atmosphere, the rooms, the weather, the FOOD, and what’s been happening to the people - to Jean-Guy, who was not in great shape the last time I saw him, and to Ruth, Myrna, Gabri of the B&B and his partner, Olivier of the Bistro, and Clara, the artist whose life was also recently turned upside down.
Old-school charm with cyber-warfare, violence, blood, and some unlikely gunslingers! (I’ll hide one name so it’s not a spoiler.)
“She looked at the gun in Myrna’s hand, and the one in [X]’s. They were terrifying and repulsive, and Clara wanted one.”
She didn’t get one, and just as well, since Clara’s known for splashing paints and spilling things.
Another top-notch outing in the frozen north. I like to read these slowly, for the mood and the company. I’m never tempted to skim, and I’m trying to space the series out so I still have some to look forward to, but it’s hard waiting.
February 10, 2019
What a wonderful book. This is my introduction to the Chief Inspector Gamache series. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Ralph Cosham and really enjoyed his French Canadian accent. His voice made the listening experience that much better.
Louise Penny's eccentric characters in the village of Three Pines make such an interesting story. I'm looking forward to starting this series from the beginning to learn more about the background of the characters.
How The Light Gets In is one of the finest books I have read in the crime/mystery gendre. A definite 5 out of 5 stars.
Louise Penny's eccentric characters in the village of Three Pines make such an interesting story. I'm looking forward to starting this series from the beginning to learn more about the background of the characters.
How The Light Gets In is one of the finest books I have read in the crime/mystery gendre. A definite 5 out of 5 stars.
April 3, 2018
How the Light Gets In is possibly my favourite of this series so far! It had everything I look for in these books - Three Pines, snow (lots of), Armand Gamache being his wonderful self, great police work, lots of excitement and a duck.
It was pretty essential to have read the previous books in order to get the most out of this one. Some long standing plot lines were brought to a conclusion and the characters are so much better for having known them a long time. Three Pines is a character in itself, especially at Christmas with log fires, hot chocolate and good friends.
There was a lot of action and considerable suspense and by the last quarter of the book there was no way I was going to stop reading just because it was the middle of the night and I had to get up early. I read through to the last delicious page and went to sleep happy.
It was pretty essential to have read the previous books in order to get the most out of this one. Some long standing plot lines were brought to a conclusion and the characters are so much better for having known them a long time. Three Pines is a character in itself, especially at Christmas with log fires, hot chocolate and good friends.
There was a lot of action and considerable suspense and by the last quarter of the book there was no way I was going to stop reading just because it was the middle of the night and I had to get up early. I read through to the last delicious page and went to sleep happy.
June 17, 2019
Oh my word!! What an episode! Heart pounding, breathtaking, chilling reading from Louise Penny in this the 9th of the Armand Gamache series. The best so far in my humble opinion!
When Myrna contacted Chief Inspector Armand Gamache it was for his help. Good friends by now, Armand left Montreal immediately and headed for Three Pines. The story Myrna told Armand was the beginning of a case that went back decades – on the back of another that Armand had been following, digging, searching for a long time.
Nearing Christmas, the snow flurries of the deep winter were beautiful in Three Pines – and the bitter cold made their bones ache. With Armand telling all in Three Pines that his second in command, Jean-Guy Beauvoir, was on another case, Agent Lacrosse was his off-sider. But Armand could feel the secrets tightening around him. He knew he didn’t have much time; he also knew he needed somewhere safe to keep his allies. Was Three Pines that place? Could he find what he was searching for before it was too late?
How the Light Gets In was brilliant and gets a high recommendation from me. BUT this series must be read in order for this one to be fully appreciated 😊
When Myrna contacted Chief Inspector Armand Gamache it was for his help. Good friends by now, Armand left Montreal immediately and headed for Three Pines. The story Myrna told Armand was the beginning of a case that went back decades – on the back of another that Armand had been following, digging, searching for a long time.
Nearing Christmas, the snow flurries of the deep winter were beautiful in Three Pines – and the bitter cold made their bones ache. With Armand telling all in Three Pines that his second in command, Jean-Guy Beauvoir, was on another case, Agent Lacrosse was his off-sider. But Armand could feel the secrets tightening around him. He knew he didn’t have much time; he also knew he needed somewhere safe to keep his allies. Was Three Pines that place? Could he find what he was searching for before it was too late?
How the Light Gets In was brilliant and gets a high recommendation from me. BUT this series must be read in order for this one to be fully appreciated 😊
February 18, 2015
Louise Penny is my favorite mystery author, and this is the best book yet!
Read my review at on my library page: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Read my review at on my library page: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
November 16, 2021
In this 9th book in the 'Chief Inspector Armand Gamache' series, the detective investigates the death of an elderly quintuplet. The book can be read as a standalone, but familiarity with the characters and background is a bonus.
*****
Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is a troubled guy: his best homicide detectives have been transferred out of his squad and he's been saddled with a bunch of lazy losers.
His former mentee Lt. Jean-Guy Beavoir is not speaking to him and is once again abusing prescription drugs; he's still trying to ferret out corrupt individuals in the Sûreté du Québec (police department) and in return the powers that be want him gone; and he's landed a homicide investigation involving elderly Constance Oullet, the last member of the once famous Oullet quintuplets.
Turns out Constance Oullet recently visited the village of Three Pines, where Gamache has good friends and where he adopted his beloved German Shepherd Henri. Gamache simultaneously investigates the Oullet murder.....
…..and assembles a secret squad that retreats to Three Pines in an effort to foil an evil plot hatched by the above-mentioned corrupt individuals.
The story is well-crafted and engrossing though there are some slow spots about the lives of the quints and the 'voyeur-industry' that sprang up around them.
The characters are well-drawn and the residents of Three Pines are the kind of loyal friends we'd all like to have.
Every book needs a light side and there's an endearing scene where Henri (the dog) falls in love with Rose (the duck).
All of Gamache's determined activity leads to an excellent, exciting conclusion. A good mystery.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....
November 13, 2015
"Ring the bells that still can ringIngenious and sinister. These words form part of the official blurb for this ninth book in the Inspector Gamache series. The intrigue and animosity around Chief Inspector Armand Gamache are closing in when his enemies, with his senior manager, Francoeur, as the front runner in the Sureté de Quebec, slowly pulls the plug on his honorable career. They have dismantled his department, spread his agents into every other division, such as Traffic, Serious Crimes, Public Safety, Emergency Response, Cyber Crime and brought in their own people, watching a respected and admired division getting gutted.
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in"......
Leonard Cohen
He takes it in his stride, not commenting, not reacting. Always polite and calm. He does not get distracted from the latest murder case which brings him back to Three Pines.
Myrna's friend, and also ex-patient, Constance Pineault, has a secret she wishes to share with her after many years. She asks Myrna, the bookstore owner in Three Pines, if she can come back to Three Pines for the Christmas Season, but never returns. Inspector Gamache is called in. Three Pines becomes his safety net - a village so hidden that is not even indicated on any maps and almost non-detectable from space. While the mystery around the famous Constance is investigated, Gamache must deal with the hostile forces bringing his lifelong dedication and reputation to an end. He also follows the destructive path of Inspector Jean-guy Beauvoir as it is opened up for him by the people who are manipulating him to establish Camache's downfall.
The events is kicked off by a metaphoric incident in the Ville-Marie Tunnel that is supporting the city. Audrey Villeneuve, an employee in the department of Transport, discovers a secret which will destroy the city and change the history of Montreal forever.
"She could see it. Hear it. Feel it happening.The most important aspect in this book is that all the previous threads are pulled together in this one and leaves the devoted readers with a sense of contentment and even happiness. In fact, I could stop reading this series here and now, and live happily ever after on the good memories.
The first sign would be a blast as drivers hit their brakes. The truck ahead would veer, skidding, slamming sideways. An unholy shriek would bounce off the hard walls and race towards her, all-consuming. Horns, alarms, brakes, people screaming...
...Audrey's eyes widened. This has never happened before. Moving through the tunnel was bad enough. Stopped in it was inconceivable. Her brain froze.
"It'll be all right." But she couldn't hear her voice, so thin was her breath and so great the howl in her head ..."
The cracks.
Dear God, cracks.
And the half-hearted attempts to plaster over them, but hide them ...
Louise Penny's books can be read as stand-alones, but each one of them picks up a thread from a previous book, developing all the characters. This book, in my opinion, needs the previous two, to fully explain the relationship between Gamache and Beauvoir.
My personal opinion: The intrigue surrounding the scandal of corruption, murder and mayhem in the police department, went a little too far, pulling this saga out of the bucolic, yet high voltage field of all the previous ones in the series. I did not appreciate the new element, of high profile politics and destructive elements in society, bringing Penny's writing into the folds of international bestselling oevre of high-speed action, mega catastrophes and surreal actions. That is not the reason why I love her books so much, and if she moves more into that direction, my days in Three Pines will be numbered.
When Wilbur Smith left behind his unique stories told in his unique voice, I stopped buying his books. It's as simple as that. The bestselling template used by editors are simply not my style. My loss of devotion to her books will undoubtedly not be a catastrophe since millions of new readers will be gained and that's okay too. For her. One person's loss is another person's gain. I just hope that her unique writing style will not get lost in the newly-acquired fame.
Overall though, this book was a tremendously enjoyable read. Rich in prose and intrigue. Multi-leveled issues is addressed. Harmony and happiness form an underlying thread weaving through the tumult and scandal and mayhem. Honor and dignity's two sides are exposed. Friendships are tested. Sanity wins in the end.
My Three Pines-fix did not disappoint! I am as hooked as I was with Still Life, the first book in the series. Louise Penny remains my all-time favorite murder mystery writer with this particular series.
October 1, 2014
While checking Goodreads to see how many ratings Louise Penny’s very new novel has received (over 2,000 so far), I couldn’t help noticing that it has earned a collective rating of 4.65. That eye-popping score just had to be one of the highest ratings I have noticed. For the sake of comparison, I decided to check the Goodreads ratings of some of the best books ever. Thomas Fagles’ brilliant translation of The Odyssey earned a 3.65; Toni Morrison’s Beloved has a 3.69; Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway merits a 3.76; David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas rates a 4.04; and Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried tops this group of five favorites with a 4.09. Respectable scores all, but none even close to Penny’s 4.65.
What can account for the extraordinarily high rating of this very fine book? Don’t get me wrong; I love reading Louise Penny, and I think How The Light Gets In, her ninth Gamache novel, is her best so far. But these scores got me thinking: why does this book outscore my five great books listed above? Why does it outscore (by 0.4 points or more) Penny’s own first eight novels? Here is my best attempt to solve that mystery.
Penny’s books hit us where we live, that is, in our belief that somewhere there must be a place as magical and comforting as Three Pines, that somewhere there must be a man as compassionate and professionally competent as Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. Three Pines isn’t on the map; those who find their way there do so because they somehow need to be there. A good example would be Myrna Landers, the psychotherapist turned bookseller of used and new books. She arrived there by chance at a time of personal need, a time when she was wearying of her profession. She felt so welcome in Three Pines she opened a bookstore and stayed. Now she is a core character appearing in all the books set in Three Pines. The town bistro is the comfiest place on earth with its twin hearths at either end of the room and a menu consisting entirely of comfort gourmet food. The service is beyond excellent; during snowstorms Gabri (a co-owner of the bistro) walks through the snow delivering hot chocolate and crispy croissants to those who cannot walk to the bistro to get their breakfasts. We never read about septic tank service providers or school board fights; instead, Three Pines is home to artists, poets, and craftsman farmers and their families.
Chief Inspector Gamache, Penny’s lead character, heads the homicide department of the Montreal office of the Sûreté of Québec. There he takes in broken-winged police officers unappreciated by the department at large and trains them to be the very best homicide detectives. Through Gamache’s instruction they come to embody humility and wisdom by learning and using Gamache’s core four statements: I was wrong, I’m sorry, I don’t know, and I need help. Penny herself on her website says that if there is just one thing she wishes her readers would take from her books, it’s that kindness exists. And if we read her books, we believe it does. Just look at Gamache.
While the Gamache books are indeed murder mysteries, it almost always seems that what goes on around the murder is somehow infinitely more important than the mere trying to figure out who done it. The interpersonal relationships of people is paramount, even more so in this ninth book than in any of its predecessors. Yes, there is a mysterious murder in How the Light Gets In, and the victim (and her murderer) turn out to be very interesting indeed. But that seems almost incidental to the more pressing plot elements focusing on the problems within the Sûreté. Resolving those issues which concern Gamache’s very place in this world seems entirely more important than solving the murder. Her readers certainly agree, even though some might wonder at the end of this book in which direction the next book might go. I trust that Penny knows her way, and I can’t wait to see where she’ll lead me.
Then there’s the writing itself. While Penny is not trying to rival Toni Morrison or David Mitchell, she writes a stylish, literary, and lucid prose filled with insight into the human condition. And her books have been getting better. It matters if you read them in order, and if you do, you will watch a master writer honing her craft. This ninth book soars above the eighth. Can anyone continue to improve as much as Penny has, even though I her very first book (Still Life) is both eloquent and excellently well-written. I bet Penny can.
What can account for the extraordinarily high rating of this very fine book? Don’t get me wrong; I love reading Louise Penny, and I think How The Light Gets In, her ninth Gamache novel, is her best so far. But these scores got me thinking: why does this book outscore my five great books listed above? Why does it outscore (by 0.4 points or more) Penny’s own first eight novels? Here is my best attempt to solve that mystery.
Penny’s books hit us where we live, that is, in our belief that somewhere there must be a place as magical and comforting as Three Pines, that somewhere there must be a man as compassionate and professionally competent as Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. Three Pines isn’t on the map; those who find their way there do so because they somehow need to be there. A good example would be Myrna Landers, the psychotherapist turned bookseller of used and new books. She arrived there by chance at a time of personal need, a time when she was wearying of her profession. She felt so welcome in Three Pines she opened a bookstore and stayed. Now she is a core character appearing in all the books set in Three Pines. The town bistro is the comfiest place on earth with its twin hearths at either end of the room and a menu consisting entirely of comfort gourmet food. The service is beyond excellent; during snowstorms Gabri (a co-owner of the bistro) walks through the snow delivering hot chocolate and crispy croissants to those who cannot walk to the bistro to get their breakfasts. We never read about septic tank service providers or school board fights; instead, Three Pines is home to artists, poets, and craftsman farmers and their families.
Chief Inspector Gamache, Penny’s lead character, heads the homicide department of the Montreal office of the Sûreté of Québec. There he takes in broken-winged police officers unappreciated by the department at large and trains them to be the very best homicide detectives. Through Gamache’s instruction they come to embody humility and wisdom by learning and using Gamache’s core four statements: I was wrong, I’m sorry, I don’t know, and I need help. Penny herself on her website says that if there is just one thing she wishes her readers would take from her books, it’s that kindness exists. And if we read her books, we believe it does. Just look at Gamache.
While the Gamache books are indeed murder mysteries, it almost always seems that what goes on around the murder is somehow infinitely more important than the mere trying to figure out who done it. The interpersonal relationships of people is paramount, even more so in this ninth book than in any of its predecessors. Yes, there is a mysterious murder in How the Light Gets In, and the victim (and her murderer) turn out to be very interesting indeed. But that seems almost incidental to the more pressing plot elements focusing on the problems within the Sûreté. Resolving those issues which concern Gamache’s very place in this world seems entirely more important than solving the murder. Her readers certainly agree, even though some might wonder at the end of this book in which direction the next book might go. I trust that Penny knows her way, and I can’t wait to see where she’ll lead me.
Then there’s the writing itself. While Penny is not trying to rival Toni Morrison or David Mitchell, she writes a stylish, literary, and lucid prose filled with insight into the human condition. And her books have been getting better. It matters if you read them in order, and if you do, you will watch a master writer honing her craft. This ninth book soars above the eighth. Can anyone continue to improve as much as Penny has, even though I her very first book (Still Life) is both eloquent and excellently well-written. I bet Penny can.
April 20, 2022
Good mystery/suspense novel. I really enjoyed it, and I would have liked it *much* more had I read the first few books in the series before picking this one up. This is an excellent series, I just recommend you start at the beginning.
*Note, I went back and read the books in order and this one was much better for having done that.
*Note, I went back and read the books in order and this one was much better for having done that.
November 9, 2015
A 2013 staff fiction favorite recommended by Jo, Andrea, Connie, Jane, Mary Ann, Sonia and Ellen.
Jo's review:
I adore Louise Penny’s Chief Inspector Gamache series. I want to move to Three Pines, the imaginary, serene village in Quebec that somehow ends up having an unusual number of murder investigations. I want to eat in the bistro and stay at the inn and shop in the bookstore. I want to argue and share insults with Ruth, the local curmudgeonly poet. Most importantly, I want to have deep conversations over a café au lait with Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, Penny’s thoughtful, compassionate protagonist.
A great novelist transports the reader into a fictional world with characters who are unforgettable. That’s exactly what Penny has done with her wonderful world in Quebec. Although Penny is considered a mystery writer, she also is a great novelist who adeptly studies the light and dark in her characters. She introduced readers to Three Pines in her first novel, “Still Life’’, which I have placed in many library patrons’ hands with excitement when I find out they haven’t read Penny.
“How the Light Gets In’’ is the ninth and best book in the series yet. Gamache begins investigating a murder of a once-famous celebrity who also was a friend of the bookstore owner in Three Pines. While he uncovers clue after clue, he also deals with enemies in his own Sûreté du Québec police department who are trying to destroy his career. He faces the wrenching realization that he may not be able to help his former colleague, Jean-Guy Beauvoir, defeat his personal demons.
The writing is wonderful, the plot is intricate, and the character development is breathtaking. When I finished the last page, I said to myself, “Wow.’’ Many characters from previous books return, which is why I always encourage patrons to start with the first book in the series. “How the Light Gets In’’ will be among my favorites of 2013. I can’t wait for the tenth book so I can escape once again in Louise Penny’s vivid imagination.
Check our catalog: http://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/... the light gets in penny
Jo's review:
I adore Louise Penny’s Chief Inspector Gamache series. I want to move to Three Pines, the imaginary, serene village in Quebec that somehow ends up having an unusual number of murder investigations. I want to eat in the bistro and stay at the inn and shop in the bookstore. I want to argue and share insults with Ruth, the local curmudgeonly poet. Most importantly, I want to have deep conversations over a café au lait with Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, Penny’s thoughtful, compassionate protagonist.
A great novelist transports the reader into a fictional world with characters who are unforgettable. That’s exactly what Penny has done with her wonderful world in Quebec. Although Penny is considered a mystery writer, she also is a great novelist who adeptly studies the light and dark in her characters. She introduced readers to Three Pines in her first novel, “Still Life’’, which I have placed in many library patrons’ hands with excitement when I find out they haven’t read Penny.
“How the Light Gets In’’ is the ninth and best book in the series yet. Gamache begins investigating a murder of a once-famous celebrity who also was a friend of the bookstore owner in Three Pines. While he uncovers clue after clue, he also deals with enemies in his own Sûreté du Québec police department who are trying to destroy his career. He faces the wrenching realization that he may not be able to help his former colleague, Jean-Guy Beauvoir, defeat his personal demons.
The writing is wonderful, the plot is intricate, and the character development is breathtaking. When I finished the last page, I said to myself, “Wow.’’ Many characters from previous books return, which is why I always encourage patrons to start with the first book in the series. “How the Light Gets In’’ will be among my favorites of 2013. I can’t wait for the tenth book so I can escape once again in Louise Penny’s vivid imagination.
Check our catalog: http://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/... the light gets in penny
November 27, 2017
I can't believe it. I just can't. But here it is:
I'm done. I'm done with Three Pines.
After 8 novels mostly set in this lovely remote Quebec village, interesting characters and storylines, it was looking as if Louse Penny couldn't lose me if she tried. If you read my review for her previous book, The Beautiful Mystery, you may remember I cut into Nancy Pearl, a well known US Librarian and book reviewer/recommender. I took her to task on the comment she made about this series, how the setting in Three Pines was "cloying" (I don't recall how many books she was into the series at that point). I couldn't have disagreed more. Each time I picked up a new Penny novel, to be once again in the village was again and again a comfort for me.
Until now.
Cloying? Jesus. If only it was just that. I still can't believe how this novel annoyed me on so many levels. I'm going to have to hide some of these behind spoiler tags. How did How The Light Gets In annoy me? Let me count the ways:
It's early morning in Three Pines. A visitor wakes at 6am after an overnight snowfall and goes to the window. There's Olivier already out shoveling walkways, and has totally cleared off her car. Aaaaw. And there's Gabri, out delivering coffee and bagels to the villagers who can't make it out to the Bistro. Oh, and he's shoveling off everyone's porches to boot. Give me a break.
Gamache returns to his B & B room at 12:30am, after telling Gabri earlier in the evening he was ok, didn't need anything to eat, and Gabri has an early morning. Yet, in his room are two ham sandwiches, cookies, and hot chocolate. Aaaaw.
This, yes, cloying behaviour of the villagers was running so rampant as to be nauseating.
At any given point I was expecting a unicorn to come prancing out of the woods.
Penny's annoying habit of throwing brief French words into dialogue. Look, most of these characters are francophones. They are obviously speaking French to one another, so what is the point of throwing in a "Oui" or "C'est ca"? Seriously.
Poetry. My God, I hate poetry. This novel innundates the reader with it. Over and over with the same damn quotes.
And in what world is everyone, and I mean everyone in the area, digging poetry and making it soooooo relevant to the case at hand. Everyone in this story seems so annoyingly refined with their loves of poetry, classical music, and art. God, LET ME OUT!!!
The villagers are so selflessly protective of the Surete. To the point they're risking their lives. Yes, it's getting annoying.
So senior Surete officers need to get to Three Pines pronto. But no one seems to know exactly where this tiny village exists. Hmm...let's see, somewhere south of Montreal, north of Vermont, ummm....
THERE HAVE ONLY BEEN NINE FREAKING MURDERS THERE IN AS MANY YEARS.
And, this, la piece de resistance:
And there you have it. I am dumbfounded at the 4.41 rating (the highest in the series) for this novel.
Is this a case of familiarity breeds contempt? Perhaps. Perhaps there's just something wrong with me.
But I'll have you know that while it pained me to shoot down a work by the lovely Ms Penny, I have to be completely honest with how I feel.
And I feel I won't be reading more of this series for a long, long time, if at all.
One of the biggest reading disappointments I've ever had.
(The quint plotline barely saves this novel from a one-star review. But I'm rounding down.)
I'm done. I'm done with Three Pines.
After 8 novels mostly set in this lovely remote Quebec village, interesting characters and storylines, it was looking as if Louse Penny couldn't lose me if she tried. If you read my review for her previous book, The Beautiful Mystery, you may remember I cut into Nancy Pearl, a well known US Librarian and book reviewer/recommender. I took her to task on the comment she made about this series, how the setting in Three Pines was "cloying" (I don't recall how many books she was into the series at that point). I couldn't have disagreed more. Each time I picked up a new Penny novel, to be once again in the village was again and again a comfort for me.
Until now.
Cloying? Jesus. If only it was just that. I still can't believe how this novel annoyed me on so many levels. I'm going to have to hide some of these behind spoiler tags. How did How The Light Gets In annoy me? Let me count the ways:
It's early morning in Three Pines. A visitor wakes at 6am after an overnight snowfall and goes to the window. There's Olivier already out shoveling walkways, and has totally cleared off her car. Aaaaw. And there's Gabri, out delivering coffee and bagels to the villagers who can't make it out to the Bistro. Oh, and he's shoveling off everyone's porches to boot. Give me a break.
Gamache returns to his B & B room at 12:30am, after telling Gabri earlier in the evening he was ok, didn't need anything to eat, and Gabri has an early morning. Yet, in his room are two ham sandwiches, cookies, and hot chocolate. Aaaaw.
This, yes, cloying behaviour of the villagers was running so rampant as to be nauseating.
At any given point I was expecting a unicorn to come prancing out of the woods.
Penny's annoying habit of throwing brief French words into dialogue. Look, most of these characters are francophones. They are obviously speaking French to one another, so what is the point of throwing in a "Oui" or "C'est ca"? Seriously.
Poetry. My God, I hate poetry. This novel innundates the reader with it. Over and over with the same damn quotes.
And in what world is everyone, and I mean everyone in the area, digging poetry and making it soooooo relevant to the case at hand. Everyone in this story seems so annoyingly refined with their loves of poetry, classical music, and art. God, LET ME OUT!!!
The villagers are so selflessly protective of the Surete. To the point they're risking their lives. Yes, it's getting annoying.
So senior Surete officers need to get to Three Pines pronto. But no one seems to know exactly where this tiny village exists. Hmm...let's see, somewhere south of Montreal, north of Vermont, ummm....
THERE HAVE ONLY BEEN NINE FREAKING MURDERS THERE IN AS MANY YEARS.
And, this, la piece de resistance:
And there you have it. I am dumbfounded at the 4.41 rating (the highest in the series) for this novel.
Is this a case of familiarity breeds contempt? Perhaps. Perhaps there's just something wrong with me.
But I'll have you know that while it pained me to shoot down a work by the lovely Ms Penny, I have to be completely honest with how I feel.
And I feel I won't be reading more of this series for a long, long time, if at all.
One of the biggest reading disappointments I've ever had.
(The quint plotline barely saves this novel from a one-star review. But I'm rounding down.)
January 10, 2022
Although Quebec is awash in seasonal decorations and the frequent snowfalls are picturesque and should bring serenity, all is not merry with Armand Gamache and the Quebec du Serete. This highly principled head of homicide has his work cut out for him.
Armand's once close friend and second in command, Jean-Guy Beauvoir, is plummeting into the abyss of drug addiction. There is vast corruption suspected in the upper echelons of the Quebec Police Department. If this is not enough to ruin the Christmas spirit, Gamache also needs to find the murderer of the last living member of a famous Canadian set of quintuplets.
Louise Penny does a great job of emotionally involving the reader with the recurring characters. Armand Gamache, his family, and the people of Three Pines become your family and friends. Three Pines becomes your idyllic village, your home away from home. I have to stop myself from binging on the yet unread Penny mysteries. Although Gamache retires in How the Light Gets In, there are, thankfully, at least seven more books in the series. I know Gamache will be back to protect the people of Quebec. Please keep these wonderful mysteries coming, Ms. Penny!
"He (Gamache) had arrested more unlikely killers than obvious ones. And he knew the strong, wretched emotions that drove the final blow could live anywhere. Even in these people. Even in the quiet home with the scent of pot roast."
Armand's once close friend and second in command, Jean-Guy Beauvoir, is plummeting into the abyss of drug addiction. There is vast corruption suspected in the upper echelons of the Quebec Police Department. If this is not enough to ruin the Christmas spirit, Gamache also needs to find the murderer of the last living member of a famous Canadian set of quintuplets.
Louise Penny does a great job of emotionally involving the reader with the recurring characters. Armand Gamache, his family, and the people of Three Pines become your family and friends. Three Pines becomes your idyllic village, your home away from home. I have to stop myself from binging on the yet unread Penny mysteries. Although Gamache retires in How the Light Gets In, there are, thankfully, at least seven more books in the series. I know Gamache will be back to protect the people of Quebec. Please keep these wonderful mysteries coming, Ms. Penny!
"He (Gamache) had arrested more unlikely killers than obvious ones. And he knew the strong, wretched emotions that drove the final blow could live anywhere. Even in these people. Even in the quiet home with the scent of pot roast."
September 6, 2013
I absolutely love this series as I am sure you can see by my rating, but I am always sad when I am done because now I have to wait for another year or so for a new one. I become so immersed in Three Pines and these people's lives it is often a shock to realize they are not real, but are characters in a novel. I wish they were real, I wish Three Pines was a place I could visit.
Part of this story, concerned quints born during the Great Depression, and though there were real quints born, only the idea of them sparked this part of the story. These are character driven novels and the characters are unique and wonderful, full of insight, courage and love. This is a place where people come when they are at the end of something and looking for something different. It is a place not easy to find and modern technology has a way of not working here. It is a true quiet zone.
Has a wonderful bookstore, and I can;t help feeling that Ruth and her duck may be the two best characters ever written. If you have not read these, start at the beginning. They get better with each successive book.
Part of this story, concerned quints born during the Great Depression, and though there were real quints born, only the idea of them sparked this part of the story. These are character driven novels and the characters are unique and wonderful, full of insight, courage and love. This is a place where people come when they are at the end of something and looking for something different. It is a place not easy to find and modern technology has a way of not working here. It is a true quiet zone.
Has a wonderful bookstore, and I can;t help feeling that Ruth and her duck may be the two best characters ever written. If you have not read these, start at the beginning. They get better with each successive book.
December 5, 2013
I love this book! I was fortunate to receive an advanced copy of Louise Penny's latest mystery novel "How the Light Gets In", the ninth in the series about Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and the Homicide Division of the Surete du Quebec. I had already reserved a hard copy for the August 2013 release date because this is one author I buy in hardcover; the better to savor her writing. This truly gifted author has the ability to make you FEEL - so much so, that this is almost more novel than mystery - although there are three compelling mysteries entwined in this latest book.
In talking about this book, Ms. Penny says "My books are about terror. That brooding terror curled deep down inside us. But more than that, more than murder, more than all the rancid emotions and actions, my books are about goodness. And kindness. About choices." I guarantee she will make you feel all this and so much more. She will bring you to the edge of your seat, make your heart pound in anticipation and ache as you feel the suffering of her always well-constructed characters. Because she also lets you feel hope and joy, the struggle between the light and the dark is that much more vivid.
This book opens as Christmas approaches and the author deftly portrays the joy and anticipation of the season played off against the sadness as Gamache's elite squad is dismantled and scattered, while unscrupulous forces are at work in the Surete. Who will settle for nothing less than Gamache's destruction? and that of his next in charge Jean-Guy Belavoir? A terrible alliance that has been 30 years in the making will once again bring evil into the heart of the tiny village of Three Pines and threaten all that the inhabitants hold dear.
To those who have read all the previous books in the Chief Inspector Gamache series, you will not be disappointed, as her writing somehow is brought to an even higher level, her plots are even more complex, her characters more finely drawn. We know these people and we care about them; we feel with them.
I highly recommend this book, but if you find yourself curled up in your chair, unable to stop reading far into the night, remember you were warned....
This is writing at its' very best. Bravo Ms. Penny, you are a Master!
In talking about this book, Ms. Penny says "My books are about terror. That brooding terror curled deep down inside us. But more than that, more than murder, more than all the rancid emotions and actions, my books are about goodness. And kindness. About choices." I guarantee she will make you feel all this and so much more. She will bring you to the edge of your seat, make your heart pound in anticipation and ache as you feel the suffering of her always well-constructed characters. Because she also lets you feel hope and joy, the struggle between the light and the dark is that much more vivid.
This book opens as Christmas approaches and the author deftly portrays the joy and anticipation of the season played off against the sadness as Gamache's elite squad is dismantled and scattered, while unscrupulous forces are at work in the Surete. Who will settle for nothing less than Gamache's destruction? and that of his next in charge Jean-Guy Belavoir? A terrible alliance that has been 30 years in the making will once again bring evil into the heart of the tiny village of Three Pines and threaten all that the inhabitants hold dear.
To those who have read all the previous books in the Chief Inspector Gamache series, you will not be disappointed, as her writing somehow is brought to an even higher level, her plots are even more complex, her characters more finely drawn. We know these people and we care about them; we feel with them.
I highly recommend this book, but if you find yourself curled up in your chair, unable to stop reading far into the night, remember you were warned....
This is writing at its' very best. Bravo Ms. Penny, you are a Master!
September 7, 2013
I am kind of surprised by the remarkably high reviews this novel has received especially since it's as if Lee Child kidnaped Louise Penny and wrote the last fifty plus pages of the novel. The conclusion begs belief since there is way too much exposition to tie up an already outrageous plot. What is even more disturbing is the pat happy ending appended to a critical supporting character struggling in the throes of drug addiction who all of sudden is sharing bon mots with his boss and mentor as best man and now father-in-law after causing him such psychic pain over the course of the novel. I have seem Hallmark cards less schmaltzy than this. The integrity of Inspector Gamache as envisioned by Penny-a literate, thoughtful, and humane individual- is diminished by this sort of cheap sentiment. In addition, the technology-related subplot was written as if Penny read an "Encryption For Dummies" book and decided she felt competent enough to structure key scenes around it. Alas, compared to the beautiful, thoughtful, humane characters and literary writing that usually marks the Gamache series, this book is a huge disappointment to the otherwise superlative series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 20, 2022
What a thriller - her best book I've read to date.
There were two parts to the story and I found there was lots of fast moving, non-stop action between "the good guys", Gamache, Brunel, Lacoste and Agent Nicol, all of the townsfolk who played brilliant and mischievous roles, Beauvoir and "the bad guys", Francouer, Tessier, Lambert to wrap up what had been bothering Gamache with the factory explosion story that began in the previous book(s).
And, interspersed and somewhat connected with that story, was this one with the murder of Audrey Villeneuve as she had proof of political corruption with the construction industry with the above named "bad guys" on a bridge and the warehouse where Gamache's issues began.
Plus, all those twists and turns regarding the Ouellet Quints and the reasons why the sixth child was hidden, the initials in the touques, hockey game and religious overtones were well written and conceived. Lots of clues sprinkled about in this part of the book to who was murdered and who did it for people to figure it out - I was not one of them.
Anxiously awaiting the next adventures for Gamache and his crew & let's not forget the residents of Three Pines whose characters grow better and better with each book.
Recommend for Penny fans and those looking to read a great series by a talented Canadian author.
There were two parts to the story and I found there was lots of fast moving, non-stop action between "the good guys", Gamache, Brunel, Lacoste and Agent Nicol, all of the townsfolk who played brilliant and mischievous roles, Beauvoir and "the bad guys", Francouer, Tessier, Lambert to wrap up what had been bothering Gamache with the factory explosion story that began in the previous book(s).
And, interspersed and somewhat connected with that story, was this one with the murder of Audrey Villeneuve as she had proof of political corruption with the construction industry with the above named "bad guys" on a bridge and the warehouse where Gamache's issues began.
Plus, all those twists and turns regarding the Ouellet Quints and the reasons why the sixth child was hidden, the initials in the touques, hockey game and religious overtones were well written and conceived. Lots of clues sprinkled about in this part of the book to who was murdered and who did it for people to figure it out - I was not one of them.
Anxiously awaiting the next adventures for Gamache and his crew & let's not forget the residents of Three Pines whose characters grow better and better with each book.
Recommend for Penny fans and those looking to read a great series by a talented Canadian author.
July 27, 2023
I said that I would savor the Gamache series or I would catch up before Louise Penny writes another book, leaving me at the end. As a one book at a time reader, I figured I would space these books out, one a quarter, until I completed the series, so that I could savor every word. Here, I am a mere three weeks later, eating my own words. It was by chance that I discovered Louise Penny when my parents happened to bring the first book in the Gamache series in a bag of paperbacks to our shared vacation. Needing a new mystery series, I picked up and devoured the first book. At the time, I saw it as Hercule Poirot meets Cecily, Alaska, a detective sent to bring law and order to a quirky village where murders just happen to occur. As I have moved on in the series, I have come to savor Penny’s writing, learning about events in Canadian history, and grown to love the characters that she has fleshed out. After the cliff hanger at the end of the last book, it would be impossible for me to wait an entire quarter to read the next book in this revered series.
If one were to place Hercule Poirot in 21st Century Québec, one would get Armand Gamache. A noble detective who is classically educated and smells of rose water and sandalwood, Gamache is a throw back to men of yesteryear. After tracking down the murderer of a monk, Gamache and his second in command Jean Guy Beauvoir have parted ways, as Beauvoir is at the throes of a drug addiction and believes that Gamache left him for dead at a raid on a factory. Beauvoir has chosen to align himself with the sinister Chief Superintendent Sylvain Francoeur, whose life mission, it appears, is to bring down Gamache at all costs. Gamache and Beauvoir have not spoken in over six months while the Chief Inspector brings those who are close to him into his hunt for the people in the Sureté who threaten to reek chaos on life in Quebec as everyone currently knows it. Few people it appears still believe in Gamache, feeding off of Francoeur’s lies. As Gamache searches for his nemesis before it is too late, this book was not like reading a 21st century Poirot; it was as if James Bond or Ethan Hunt had been placed in the Sureté and had to find the rogue agent responsible for destruction before it was too late.
Contrasting the impending doom on Quebec, Penny stages this mystery around the December holiday season. Gamache and his allies have all but tracked down the man behind the destruction so he has planned to visit his son and his family in Paris for the holidays, sending his wife Reine-Marie early. Ready to settle in with his family, Gamache receives a call from Myrna Landers of Three Pines because a friend who was supposed to spend the holidays is presumed missing. This is not just any friend as it turns out but the last remaining Ouellette quintuplet (based on the real life Dionne quintuplets). In the 1930s well before anyone had heard of ivf, the Ouellettes were considered a miracle and a ray of hope during the depression. Everyone of a certain age knew who these world famous girls were, but their life was shrouded in falsehood. As adults they kept to themselves and their true identity secret, with few knowing who they actually were. Constance, the last remaining quint, had confided in Myrna, her former therapist turned acquaintance, and days before the holidays she is found murdered in her home. It is up to Gamache and now second in command Isabel LaCoste to find out who would kill such a private woman while also racing against time to find out who wants to destroy them.
With the previous case taking place at a monastery, it felt refreshing to return to Three Pines for the holidays albeit on strained terms. Gamache sets up shop at a home on the village green that used to belong to a woman whose murdered he investigated. The village isolated and not on the map is the perfect location to track crime and the entire village wants to help; Armand is one of their own. The entire cast of characters is there to pitch in, all in a joyous mood due to the holiday season. With a murder case to solve as well as his own complex case, Gamache does not want assistance from anyone outside of the Sureté. Lives are at stake and he does not want to place any of his friends at risk. The contrast between light and dark, as it is in many of the cases in this series, is striking. Just when there appears to be light at the end of the tunnel, Penny surprises readers with a twist that is right out of a spy novel. Will the good and the evil reveal themselves before it is too late.
Toward the second half of the book it appeared as though Penny was writing this book as though it was the last in the series. Gamache reminiscing. Gamache frustrated with the direction the Sureté had taken. Gamache feeling at home in Three Pines and thinking how he could retire there. I know that I have many books to look forward to, more time to savor Armand Gamache. I could not help but wonder if this was meant to be the end, Penny tying up loose ends and even inserting the current state of Quebecois separatist politics into the narrative. Yet, like many fictional characters who have had a long run, it would take more than a plot to fell Armand Gamache. A homicide inspector is not what he is, it’s who he is and we know that, like James Bond at the end of Skyfall, he will be back. I am salivating at the opportunity to see where Gamache’s life will take him next.
4 plus stars
If one were to place Hercule Poirot in 21st Century Québec, one would get Armand Gamache. A noble detective who is classically educated and smells of rose water and sandalwood, Gamache is a throw back to men of yesteryear. After tracking down the murderer of a monk, Gamache and his second in command Jean Guy Beauvoir have parted ways, as Beauvoir is at the throes of a drug addiction and believes that Gamache left him for dead at a raid on a factory. Beauvoir has chosen to align himself with the sinister Chief Superintendent Sylvain Francoeur, whose life mission, it appears, is to bring down Gamache at all costs. Gamache and Beauvoir have not spoken in over six months while the Chief Inspector brings those who are close to him into his hunt for the people in the Sureté who threaten to reek chaos on life in Quebec as everyone currently knows it. Few people it appears still believe in Gamache, feeding off of Francoeur’s lies. As Gamache searches for his nemesis before it is too late, this book was not like reading a 21st century Poirot; it was as if James Bond or Ethan Hunt had been placed in the Sureté and had to find the rogue agent responsible for destruction before it was too late.
Contrasting the impending doom on Quebec, Penny stages this mystery around the December holiday season. Gamache and his allies have all but tracked down the man behind the destruction so he has planned to visit his son and his family in Paris for the holidays, sending his wife Reine-Marie early. Ready to settle in with his family, Gamache receives a call from Myrna Landers of Three Pines because a friend who was supposed to spend the holidays is presumed missing. This is not just any friend as it turns out but the last remaining Ouellette quintuplet (based on the real life Dionne quintuplets). In the 1930s well before anyone had heard of ivf, the Ouellettes were considered a miracle and a ray of hope during the depression. Everyone of a certain age knew who these world famous girls were, but their life was shrouded in falsehood. As adults they kept to themselves and their true identity secret, with few knowing who they actually were. Constance, the last remaining quint, had confided in Myrna, her former therapist turned acquaintance, and days before the holidays she is found murdered in her home. It is up to Gamache and now second in command Isabel LaCoste to find out who would kill such a private woman while also racing against time to find out who wants to destroy them.
With the previous case taking place at a monastery, it felt refreshing to return to Three Pines for the holidays albeit on strained terms. Gamache sets up shop at a home on the village green that used to belong to a woman whose murdered he investigated. The village isolated and not on the map is the perfect location to track crime and the entire village wants to help; Armand is one of their own. The entire cast of characters is there to pitch in, all in a joyous mood due to the holiday season. With a murder case to solve as well as his own complex case, Gamache does not want assistance from anyone outside of the Sureté. Lives are at stake and he does not want to place any of his friends at risk. The contrast between light and dark, as it is in many of the cases in this series, is striking. Just when there appears to be light at the end of the tunnel, Penny surprises readers with a twist that is right out of a spy novel. Will the good and the evil reveal themselves before it is too late.
Toward the second half of the book it appeared as though Penny was writing this book as though it was the last in the series. Gamache reminiscing. Gamache frustrated with the direction the Sureté had taken. Gamache feeling at home in Three Pines and thinking how he could retire there. I know that I have many books to look forward to, more time to savor Armand Gamache. I could not help but wonder if this was meant to be the end, Penny tying up loose ends and even inserting the current state of Quebecois separatist politics into the narrative. Yet, like many fictional characters who have had a long run, it would take more than a plot to fell Armand Gamache. A homicide inspector is not what he is, it’s who he is and we know that, like James Bond at the end of Skyfall, he will be back. I am salivating at the opportunity to see where Gamache’s life will take him next.
4 plus stars
October 29, 2017
"There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." —Leonard Cohen
This is the ninth entry in the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series and the second time that I have read this book. As enjoyable as it was the first time I read the book and was introduced to Armand Gamache and the village of Three Pines the second time around was even better. There were many events that took place prior to this story and the only way to gain a full understanding of what happened and why we are where we are is to read the earlier books in the series. I had a deeper appreciation as I read this book for the second time.
Christmas is approaching and the snow is a dazzling pure white lit by bright festive lights. Carols are sung, friends gather together in front of the hearth sipping hot chocolate. But for Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec shadows have fallen. His friend and lieutenant Jean-Guy Beauvoir hasn't spoken to him in months. Most of his best agents in the homicide department have left and forces seem to lining up against him. He is considering retiring.
Then he receives a message from Myrna Landers, his friend from Three Pines, that a friend failed to show up for Christmas. He welcomes the opportunity to get away from Montreal. Myrna's missing friend was known as Constance Pineault. But that was not her original name. Once she was one of the most famous persons in Quebec, in North America, and perhaps the world. When it is discovered that she has been murdered Inspector Gamache begins to dig deeper into her past life. The one she tried to hide from. Who would want to kill her? And why?
The murder of an elderly woman with a hidden past is not the only mystery in this story. There is plenty of political intrigue too. There is corruption at the highest levels in the Surete de Quebec and political offices. Gamache is hot on the trail and it seems everything is going to reach a climatic conclusion in the small village of Three Pines. A place so remote that there is no internet. No e-mail. No cell phones. Totally cut off from everyone. It is up to Inspector Gamache, a handful of trusted colleagues, and the residents of Three Pines to uncover the truth. What will be the cost to Gamache, his few trusted friends, and the village of Three Pines?
Louise Penny does an excellent job of developing characters and place. When you read one of these books you feel as though you know the characters and care about them ... excluding corrupt and evil Chief Superintendent Francoeur of course. You wish that Three Pines was real and that you could stay at the B&B and have a meal at the bistro. She even makes winter sound idyllic. Like stepping into a Norman Rockwell painting. I am left anticipating reading The Long Way Home and finding out what happens next with Armand Gamache, friends, and Three Pines.
This is the ninth entry in the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series and the second time that I have read this book. As enjoyable as it was the first time I read the book and was introduced to Armand Gamache and the village of Three Pines the second time around was even better. There were many events that took place prior to this story and the only way to gain a full understanding of what happened and why we are where we are is to read the earlier books in the series. I had a deeper appreciation as I read this book for the second time.
Christmas is approaching and the snow is a dazzling pure white lit by bright festive lights. Carols are sung, friends gather together in front of the hearth sipping hot chocolate. But for Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec shadows have fallen. His friend and lieutenant Jean-Guy Beauvoir hasn't spoken to him in months. Most of his best agents in the homicide department have left and forces seem to lining up against him. He is considering retiring.
Then he receives a message from Myrna Landers, his friend from Three Pines, that a friend failed to show up for Christmas. He welcomes the opportunity to get away from Montreal. Myrna's missing friend was known as Constance Pineault. But that was not her original name. Once she was one of the most famous persons in Quebec, in North America, and perhaps the world. When it is discovered that she has been murdered Inspector Gamache begins to dig deeper into her past life. The one she tried to hide from. Who would want to kill her? And why?
The murder of an elderly woman with a hidden past is not the only mystery in this story. There is plenty of political intrigue too. There is corruption at the highest levels in the Surete de Quebec and political offices. Gamache is hot on the trail and it seems everything is going to reach a climatic conclusion in the small village of Three Pines. A place so remote that there is no internet. No e-mail. No cell phones. Totally cut off from everyone. It is up to Inspector Gamache, a handful of trusted colleagues, and the residents of Three Pines to uncover the truth. What will be the cost to Gamache, his few trusted friends, and the village of Three Pines?
Louise Penny does an excellent job of developing characters and place. When you read one of these books you feel as though you know the characters and care about them ... excluding corrupt and evil Chief Superintendent Francoeur of course. You wish that Three Pines was real and that you could stay at the B&B and have a meal at the bistro. She even makes winter sound idyllic. Like stepping into a Norman Rockwell painting. I am left anticipating reading The Long Way Home and finding out what happens next with Armand Gamache, friends, and Three Pines.
July 7, 2013
You shouldn't be reading this book unless you're already familiar with the Armand Gamache/Three Pines series, so I'll get right into the setup. It begins shortly after The Beautiful Mystery ended, and things are just as grim as you would imagine for Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. His longtime enemies at the Sûrété du Québec are circling, sharklike, and taking bites out of his Homicide team. All of his team members have been moved to other departments, with the exception of Isabelle Lacoste, and the officers moved to his team in their place are slackers, insubordinate and obviously playing for the bad guys.
Gamache's second-in-command, Jean-Guy Beauvoir, has made a complete break with Gamache, is now working for Gamache's arch-enemy, Superintendent Francoeur, and is again hooked on painkillers. The sharks have isolated their prey and are coming in for the kill.
Considering what his office has become, it is almost a relief to Gamache when Myrna Landers, Three Pines's flamboyant bookseller, asks for his help to find a missing friend. This seemingly simple case unexpectedly becomes a last chapter in the story of Québec's most famous baby boomers, the first quintuplets to survive their birth (obviously based on the Dionne quintuplets).
The Sûrété corruption plot that we've been following for this entire series takes center stage in this book, and it's a nail-biter that puts all of the characters under make-or-break stress. For those who have been wondering about the reach of the corruption and what its long-term goals are, this will be a particularly satisfying read.
Though some call Louise Penny's books cozies, those who are familiar with the series know that's completely wrongheaded. She has transformed the police procedural and village mystery genres into not a mash-up, but something unique, original and genuine. There is no distance between the reader and the lives of the characters; their thoughts and emotions, what they eat and drink, how they interact with each other and, most important, how they react when bad things happen.
Penny is such a keen observer that it's all too easy to believe that you can travel to Three Pines, sit down at the Bistro and join in the conversation with all these characters, or walk the green with them and watch the village children playing hockey. My annual visit was all too short and I can't wait to return next year.
Gamache's second-in-command, Jean-Guy Beauvoir, has made a complete break with Gamache, is now working for Gamache's arch-enemy, Superintendent Francoeur, and is again hooked on painkillers. The sharks have isolated their prey and are coming in for the kill.
Considering what his office has become, it is almost a relief to Gamache when Myrna Landers, Three Pines's flamboyant bookseller, asks for his help to find a missing friend. This seemingly simple case unexpectedly becomes a last chapter in the story of Québec's most famous baby boomers, the first quintuplets to survive their birth (obviously based on the Dionne quintuplets).
The Sûrété corruption plot that we've been following for this entire series takes center stage in this book, and it's a nail-biter that puts all of the characters under make-or-break stress. For those who have been wondering about the reach of the corruption and what its long-term goals are, this will be a particularly satisfying read.
Though some call Louise Penny's books cozies, those who are familiar with the series know that's completely wrongheaded. She has transformed the police procedural and village mystery genres into not a mash-up, but something unique, original and genuine. There is no distance between the reader and the lives of the characters; their thoughts and emotions, what they eat and drink, how they interact with each other and, most important, how they react when bad things happen.
Penny is such a keen observer that it's all too easy to believe that you can travel to Three Pines, sit down at the Bistro and join in the conversation with all these characters, or walk the green with them and watch the village children playing hockey. My annual visit was all too short and I can't wait to return next year.
November 18, 2023
4.0 Stars
After reading and loving The Beautiful Mystery, I finally came back to this series to see what happened next. I loved the Christmastime winter setting. This is not the most interesting mystery in this series but it is still one enjoyable to spend time with the characters in this quaint French town. I appreciated the character development in this one.
After reading and loving The Beautiful Mystery, I finally came back to this series to see what happened next. I loved the Christmastime winter setting. This is not the most interesting mystery in this series but it is still one enjoyable to spend time with the characters in this quaint French town. I appreciated the character development in this one.
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