Still Life ~ Louise Penny

“As the early morning mist clears on Thanksgiving Sunday, the homes of Three Pines come to life—all except one…

Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec and his team of investigators are called in to the scene of a suspicious death in a rural village south of Montréal and yet a world away. Jane Neal, a long-time resident of Three Pines, has been found dead in the woods. The locals are certain it’s a tragic hunting accident and nothing more but Gamache smells something foul this holiday season…and is soon certain that Jane died at the hands of someone much more sinister than a careless bowhunter…” [Publisher's Summary]

The first of Penny’s Inspector Gamache novels was wonderfully executed. Rich in atmosphere, plentiful in likable, authentic characters, and smartly plotted, Still Life delivered more than I expected. And I expected a lot.

Now, because I’ve been trying to write this review for a week with little success, I’m going to borrow a page from my friend’s playbook and do something different.

5 Reasons Why I Thoroughly Enjoyed Still Life:

1. I’ve lately come to understand that, regarding mysteries, atmosphere is every bit as important to me as character. Three Pines, a small town on the outskirts of Montreal, is laid out like a map in my mind thanks to Penny’s deft hand with details. The atmosphere borne of this cozy, tight-knit community enveloped me from the first chapter and held steady throughout the novel.
2. Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and Inspector Jean Guy Beauvoir of the Sûreté du Québec. Because I went looking for it after the fact I can’t find the quote I want to insert here, but I can paraphrase. Beauvoir makes a wonderful observation about the dynamic between himself and Gamache while working on a case; he calls Gamache “the master of the hunt” and himself “the alpha dog.” And it’s so true. I love the working relationship between these two; even more I love what lies underneath the professional respect and admiration. Because there’s true caring and concern there, and I think they both need it.
3. Trouble’s afoot with another of member of the Sûreté du Québec. A junior officer assigned to work with Gamache has quite the chip on her shoulder; her know-it-all, disdainful attitude heightens the tension and gets to all of the players at some point. You just know that Gamache finally having to put her in her place is going to mean trouble for him down the line. And since that particular plot point wasn’t resolved by the novel’s end, I’m feeling a bit of dread about what damage this other character may inflict on the Chief Inspector in future books in the series.
4. I mentioned that this book was smartly plotted and it really was. Penny layers her clues, casts them out with a subtle hand, but they’re there almost from the beginning, and when the murderer is fingered they jump out at you in sharp relief. But, see, you get so wrapped up in the characters as they try to unravel the case that solving the mystery yourself takes a back seat. This rarely happens to me, but it made me enjoy the book that much more.
5. What made me realize that I really liked this book? I wanted the next one in the series right away. And that I felt unsettled when I couldn’t get my hands on it. See, I tried reading other things, but all I wanted was to be back in Three Pines. And as soon as I pull A Fatal Grace out of my mailbox, that’s exactly what I intend to do.

Reviews Around the Blogosphere: Carol’s Notebook Word Lily Geranium Cat’s Bookshelf

Author Website | Blog Books in Series: Still Life A Fatal Grace The Cruelest Month A Rule Against Murder The Brutal Telling

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