I’ve been reading Louise Penny lately. Specifically, her series which is set in the village of Three Pines with chief inspector Armand Gamache. In this latest book (that I read), ‘A Rule Against Murder‘, we learn not only about a new set of characters with wealth, power, and problems, but the author reveals new idiosyncrasies of depth about the characters that have been with us since book #1.
I truly enjoy Ms. Penny’s character development and the wide variety she puts together in her stories. While I tend to be a city boy myself, her choices of people to bring together to make up the village of Three Pines make me want to visit this lost and somewhat abandoned burg. How I would love to chat about psychology, philosophy, and books with Myrna and later walk through the Bed and Breakfast with Gabri getting stories and prices from him on all his furnishings. Of course, I’d like to eat his food all day long. I would probably be too shy to go one-on-one with Ruth regarding poetry, but let me get my third bourbon and ice started and I may jump into that conversation as well.
Throughout all four books of the series that I’ve read so far Ms. Penny’s primary character remains faithful and true to his vocation and his subordinates. He is also committed to his philosophy of working with and developing the outcasts in the Quebec Provincial Police Force, even when he is presented with numerous people and reasons to abandon this practice.
One of the big reasons to read stories from outside my home country for me is to learn the way things are done differently in different countries. The way that the Quebec Provincial Police descend on Three Pines with staff enough to solve the crime impresses me in a way that makes me hope her research shows this as reality. In real life, I would think twice before moving to an area as remote and lightly populated with such a high murder rate, but that might just be the city boy in me talking.
If you’re looking for a good Canadian police procedure mystery set in a quaint, Canadian village, look no further. Give Louise Penny and Inspector Gamache a try!
This article can also be found in Book Club News and Reviews.