Ann Lambert

This was a really good quick to read murder mystery. It takes place in a small village in the Laurentians, near Mont Tremblant. An elderly widow is living on her own in a remote, rural setting. She was a bit of a hermit so no one knew her well except the local handyman who did some work for her. He’s the one who finds her body outside in the cold fall weather.
The story involves a long hidden identity, Nazis hiding in Canada at the end of WW2, and family conflict. It highlights a very good police detective Romeo Leduc and a local resident Marie Russell who unearths long hidden memories of her own during the investigation.
I had trouble putting this down…always a good sign.… (more)

I listened to an unabridged copy of this boo. It was read by the author, which I think is a plus. At times this book seemed too long. It wasn’t character development, which was fine, not outstanding. An older woman is killed in her home and it’s up to Romeo LaDuc to solve the case. The other protagonist, Marie,is dealing with putting her mom’s house in order for it to be sold, her sister who doesn’t help, two adult children, and her mother’s Alzheimer’s, all while working on a book. The plot is realistic and the ending lends itself to a sequel. Marie recalls two disturbing sexual incidents when she was younger, once with a father of a friend and the other with a 17 yo male babysitter. These don’t seem to have shaped her but it is interesting that the author included them. Thanks NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for this review.… (more)

I listened to an unabridged copy of this boo. It was read by the author, which I think is a plus. At times this book seemed too long. It wasn’t character development, which was fine, not outstanding. An older woman is killed in her home and it’s up to Romeo LaDuc to solve the case. The other protagonist, Marie,is dealing with putting her mom’s house in order for it to be sold, her sister who doesn’t help, two adult children, and her mother’s Alzheimer’s, all while working on a book. The plot is realistic and the ending lends itself to a sequel. Marie recalls two disturbing sexual incidents when she was younger, once with a father of a friend and the other with a 17 yo male babysitter. These don’t seem to have shaped her but it is interesting that the author included them. Thanks NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for this review.… (more)

I think this is another series I'm giving up on. Although I love the Montreal setting, and the author does a great job of reading her work in the audiobook version, there are just too many digressions and agendas going on. Not that I disagree with Lambert's concerns about the treatment of women, especially indigenous (mostly Inuit) women in Canada. Even since this book was written, more horror stories have emerged and there was even a movement to cancel Canada Day (Canada's version of the Fourth of July) over them. Lambert also takes on a Harvey Weinstein-stand in (although French Canadian) who thinks he can commit sexual assaults whenever he pleases--abetted by the lies of his female assistant. Then there is the story of the woman who has become famous as a proponent for women's empowerment, but then....well--I won't get into spoilers. But I will say that Lambert seems to completely lose track of this plot element by the end of the book and we are left to speculate about what happens to her. Too much plot for one book! There are also other threads that have continued from the first book in the series, and I presume they will continue into the third. If Lambert could focus a bit more and not feel the need to basically make speeches throughout her books, they would be much better.

If you want a series set in Montreal that also deals with serious issues, but is much better written, check out the work of John Farrow.… (more)