A Rule Against Murder

I am a big fan of Louise Penny’s, murder mystery writing and did enjoy this novel. I always like to revisit Three Pines and the cast of quirky characters there. At last, in this book, we find out more about the family of Peter, the artist married to Clara, another artist who both find their inspiration in the hidden valley of Eastern Quebec.

In this book, Ms. Penny explores the endless subject of “one never knows why someone is what they are, until one meets the family that brought them into the world and took them to adulthood, good, bad or indifferent to the world around them”. Families are a package deal and in this novel, we find out the complicated background of one of the featured characters, in Ms. Penny’s work. Later, Louise Penny develops this character, in a different way but, from this novel, we understand why that person pursues life as they do.

The story begins in a remote exclusive inn, where the Gamaches are celebrating their wedding anniversary. As usual, Armand is caught up in a murder investigation, even though he had promised himself and Reine-Marie that he would just relax and enjoy the country air, the lake and the cuisine of the lodge. A new cast of characters come to holiday and soon one of them is dead, supposedly flattened by a newly-erected monument to that upper class family’s patriarch, long dead. Also mixed up in the murderous fray are the young and old staff of the auberge, all lorded over by its long-standing owner and hostess, plus the older butler (really!) and the mature head chef.

The plot develops and the reader soon learns that the errant son is none other than the Gamaches new friends in Three Pines, Peter and Clara. Then the plot really thickens and no one is beyond suspicion, neither the guests or the workers at the lodge. As usual, Chief Inspector Gamache is aided by his erstwhile underlings, Jean-Guy and Isabelle.

The climax is a teetering, literally, display of having to save a pawn of the murderer. Of course, Gamache must overcome some of his fears to save the day, if not one of the wronged family. What’s also interesting in this book, is that Madame Gamache’s character is further developed, as she proves useful in the quest to catch the murderer and prevent further deaths.

I’m not exactly sure how the murder was accomplished, since the evidence was taken to a slightly unresolved conclusion. Some side plots’ conclusions are also not revealed, which was a bit frustrating and odd. In my mind, some loose plot ends were left dangling.

But, at the end, Ms. Penny produced a wonderful cast of characters; a complex plot; and a deeper understanding of why some residents of Three Pines, or the lodge in the woods, had chosen those sanctuaries to pursue their muses and live a simpler, more reclusive life.

I was not disappointed with this book but did want some more literary devices and facts used to more fully explain the outcome of all the plot lines.

I am, always, an avid fan of Louise Penny and love revisiting Three Pines and my new “friends” there.

If you’ve never read one of Louise Penny’s Gamache novels, this isn’t a bad place to start. There’s an advantage to reading them in sequence, but they are fine also standing alone and, for me, this is a particularly good one, with it’s almost Gothic setting and amazing cast of quirky characters.
There are many things that make these cop tales wonderful. First, there’s the place. French Canada is a world apart and a wonderful one. The author has it down pat. Second, the plots are interesting and generally believable in terms of the solution to the ‘who dun it.’ I’d have to say, in this particular one, I wasn’t quite as convinced as I am usually, but it’s plausible enough. The really great strength, though, is in Ms. Penny’s development of these characters, both major and minor. One has the sense he/she knows these people, understands them in all their complexity. The side kick, Beauvoir, in particularly is brilliantly rendered, so likable, so aggravating, so complicated. And, of course, there are Inspector and Madame Gamache whom we cannot help but like and admire. One could go on and on. If you like mysteries, these work in that vein, but they are so much more. I’ve liked every one I’ve read so far and will read them all. I can recommend this one with great enthusiasm.

This Louise Penny novel is the 4th in the series and the 4th book that I’ve read. I’m trying to read them in the order of publishing. It is different than the first three in that the Inspector is not solving a murder in the town of Three Pines but in a mansion type resort with many new characters. I enjoy the descriptions of the locations, landscaping and the characters. Penny makes one feel that they are part of the novel with detailing the personalities of each character and setting up the scenes with such specific particulars.
Mid-way through the book I found the story to be a bit murky with mixing the murder story with the Inspectors background history. I found it a bit difficult keeping all the details straight, however, it all molds together towards the surprising ending. The reason I entitled my review as Eerily Suspenseful is because of the mansions history, the weirdness of the murder as though it was supernatural, and the strange family members of the person murdered. All in all, a very good read that kept me interested.

So far this is my favorite in the series, and from what I hear it will just keep getting better and better. I loved that Armand and his wife were on an anniversary trip, and others began showing up, including a couple from Three Pines. I enjoyed that there was some consistency in the characters, but that it was an unrelated party that died, and that we got to know a little more about the ancillary characters in this book rather than the main ones, excluding Armand. I loved that his wife was around for the first part of his investigation, it was a joy to watch them work together somewhat, and to see the respect that he has for her. I cannot wait to start book #5, as I am thoroughly enjoying this series, and so glad I decided to start it.

Slightly different from the first three books of the series. It took a while to get “into” this story because it’s more subtle than the others, but it rewards patience as it develops into a more complex fusion of modern life with an old-fashioned country house hotel retreat.
I think the story could have stood perfectly well without the Three Pines dimension and would have been better for it. The central detective team are strong enough to carry the story, whereas writing the Three Pines characters as fringe bit parts diminished them. I’m looking forward to meeting them again but not until a different part of Quebec has been made safer by the intervention of Chief Inspector Gamache and his team.

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