Still Life (2005)

I really enjoyed this. The characters are so well crafted and I really loved the setting the author chose. This was a re-read for me. I read and liked it very much years ago and never carried on with the series because there was such a long wait for them at the library. I circled back and reread this hopefully in preparation to sink into more of the series. ( )

Not bad, but not great either, despite so many positive reviews. It just kind of dragged on and on, tediously. I did like Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, but the remainder of the characters didn't make much of an impression, other than many of them being quite unpleasant. I understand the series gets better after a few books, but this first one doesn't inspire me to continue. ( )

The comfort of Penny's settings draw you in and the mystery keeps you there. I listened to the audio but next one I am going to read. ( )

A thoroughly enjoyable mystery, in a style very similar to P.D. James. However, while I often find James' forays into side characters a bit distracting, Penny's are always intriguing and meaningful. A wonderful cast of characters and a nicely complex mystery, perfectly narrated by Ralph Cosham for Blackstone Audio. I've already started listening to the next in the series! ( )

Although I love mysteries, this was more like the kind I read years ago rather than the current style. Slow moving but became interesting by ending. Characters are introduced so you have a potential group of suspects but not a lot of info about them. There is the police team with the respected detective, Gamache (humor, insight, team player) and his sidekick (Beauvoir (serious, rule follower) plus another bumbling type, Nichol (thinks she is smarter than others, cocky) : assume they will be part of series. The small town with its residents that think they know everyone well enough to believe that it had to be an accident yet accept quirky behavior as OK. Liked how the painting Jane did played an interesting twist into solving the murder. Her friend was an excellent character. Spoiler: liked how Jane's house was painted, disappointed that Nichol not following up about the will/inheritance was never brought up in ending. ( )