A Brutal Telling Is Not A Brutal Read!

Meet as charming and clever a cast of characters as a reader would ever want to know. Add to that a setting that is as important as any character as it sets the stage so well for this mystery that Louise Penny you can tell pours her heart and soul into. This is my first Chief Inspector Gamache novel, but it won't be my last. Gamache is from Surete du Quebec and he and his men handle some of the worst crimes there are.This story takes place in the small village of Three Pines, where the people are warm, loyal, and all seem to know each other. The description of Three Pines and the surrounding area is a lovely countryside setting that leaves you wishing you could visit, at least at first. The bistro where the action in the story is centered comes alive with the people, and the food. You can almost taste the roasts, cheeses, and hot, buttery bread. The bistro owner, Olivier, is every one's favorite until he becomes the prime suspect in the crime that rocks this village and the p
eople who love spending time in it.So what happens to all this warmth and charm that brings it to a screeching halt? A dead body! It is found and the police must solve the crime. This is a who-done-it with all the good parts that leave you questioning what will happen next, and what does each clue mean, until you realize you already know, except---you really don't. Just when you think you are having that ah-ha moment, things go off in another direction. The villagers you loved and "knew" in the beginning begin to make you doubt them as everyone seems to be a suspect with the bistro's owner seeming to be at the top of the list. Inspector Gamache is clever and follows every lead, even when it takes him to other parts of the country.The people in Three Pines start to look at each other and suddenly, everyone could be guilty and nobody trusts anyone any more. The more we find out about the characters who live here, the more secrets are revealed. Gamache knows they are hiding som
ething but it is a while before he figures out who is hiding what and who isn't hiding anything at all. We discover the body wasn't killed in the bistro as is first thought but rather was moved. Nobody even knows who the dead man is...or do they? This is just plain fun if you are a mystery lover. No tricks or techno unrealistic garbage...just pure mystery a la "the butler, in the pantry, with the candlestick" (Fans of the game CLUE will understand). This is a trail that you will follow to the end with great anticipation and if like me, certainly you know who did what, only to find you were wrong!Inspector Gamache is a smart and savvy character as he calls in witnesses and experts to analyze the crime. It isn't long before all the villagers who were so trusting realize that the murderer must be one of their own! So many COULD have done it and had cause but their motives are all different. The puzzle gets more tangled and although the clues are there to be seen, there just isn
't a way to put it all together...at least it wasn't for me. However, I didn't care as all the characters, the setting, and actions/reactions, come together to give us one fine and fun mystery to read. I will certainly be looking for more about the inspector and also from author Louise Penny.Submitted Originally to BOOKIN' WITH BINGO by Karen Haney, August, 2009

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