Louise Penny
January 2022
The discovery of a dead body in the woods on Thanksgiving Weekend brings Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and his colleagues to a place called Three Pines. Gamache cannot understand why anyone would want to deliberately kill well-loved artist Jane Neal, especially any of the residents of the village - a place so free from crime it doesn't even have its own police force.
But Gamache knows that evil is lurking somewhere behind the white picket fences and that, if he watches closely enough, Three Pines will start to give up its dark secrets.
Between The Pages
Still Life is an engaging debut mystery that introduces the memorable Chief Inspector Gamache in the charming Quebec village of Three Pines. The characters are well developed and interesting, the storyline is compelling, and the many twists keep you guessing throughout. Louise Penny's writing is smooth, creating a rich sense of place that makes the Quebec setting particularly appealing. Gamache is an excellent lead character. He’s thoughtful, intelligent, and genuinely likable. My only minor criticism is that the story is told through multiple points of view, and the transitions sometimes occur abruptly within a scene. Despite this small issue, Still Life is a thoroughly enjoyable read. Looking forward to continuing the Chief Inspector Gamache Mysteries Series.
Rating: 4 Stars
