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An obsessive historian's quest for the remains of the founder of Quebec, Samuel de Champlain, ends in murder. Could a secret buried with Champlain for nearly 400 years be so dreadful that someone would kill to protect it? Although he is supposed to be on leave, Chief Inspector Gamache cannot walk away from a crime that threatens to ignite long-smoldering tensions between the English and the French. Meanwhile, he is receiving disquieting letters from the village of Three Pines, where beloved Bistro owner Olivier was recently convicted of murder.… (more)
I said the last book broke me a bit. This one finished the process. While I can’t believe it took me so long to discover this series, I’m so happy that there are so many for me to binge read! ( )
The Inspector goes to Quebec to recover from the grief and injuries from a shocking terrorist attack against both the department and potentially millions of people. Very intricate plot detailing the actions of both Gamache and his agents as well as the arrogant and foolish decisions of his supervisor which cost lives. At the same time, another murder is under investigation in Quebec. The double story, laid on top of each other, is intriguing and slowly unfolds. L. Penny is a genius. ( )
Book 6-Excellent story. KIRKUS REVIEWThe sixth appearance of Armand Gamache, North America?s most humane detective.Chief Inspector Gamache of the Canadian S?ret? and his associate Jean Guy Beauvoir are slowly healing from a case that turned horribly bad. Gamache spends hours reading in Qu?bec?s Literary and Historical Society library. Beauvoir, at Gamache?s instigation, reopens the Three Pines murder enquiry that sent B&B owner Olivier to prison. While Beauvoir quietly interrogates the gently eccentric residents of Three Pines (The Brutal Telling, 2009, etc.) to see whether anyone else had motive to kill a hermit for his antique treasures, happenstance lands Gamache in the middle of another murder case. Augustin Renaud, obsessed with finding the burial place of idolized Qu?bec city founder Samuel de Champlain, lies dead in the library?s basement. The riddles of who killed him and why force Gamache and his aging mentor Emile to examine 400 years of Qu?bec history. As they delve for clues among the library?s old journals and diaries, they focus ever more closely on the endless rancor between the French and the English.Gamache?s excruciating grief over a wrong decision, Beauvoir?s softening toward the unconventional, a plot twist so unexpected it?s chilling, and a description of Qu?bec intriguing enough to make you book your next vacation there, all add up to a superior read. Bring on the awards.
(2010) Gamache is back to wrap up the mystery from his last book. He had caught who he thought had killed the Hermit, but something still nags. Why did Olivier move the body. He sends Beauvoir, his 2nd in command to figure it out. Beauvoir does in Gamache style by finding that Old Mundin had killed the man he thought had killed his father years ago. In a final irony, Mundin does not kill that person but instead his father who had faked his death. Wrapped up with this story is one about the amateur archeologist murdered while trying to find remains of Champlain, the founder of Quebec City. Also, thrown in is a terrorist plot that Gamache thwarts but at the cost of one of his men plus others as he rushes to find the answer. KIRKUS REVIEWThe sixth appearance of Armand Gamache, North America's most humane detective.Chief Inspector Gamache of the Canadian S?ret? and his associate Jean Guy Beauvoir are slowly healing from a case that turned horribly bad. Gamache spends hours reading in Qu?bec's Literary and Historical Society library. Beauvoir, at Gamache's instigation, reopens the Three Pines murder enquiry that sent B&B owner Olivier to prison. While Beauvoir quietly interrogates the gently eccentric residents of Three Pines (The Brutal Telling, 2009, etc.) to see whether anyone else had motive to kill a hermit for his antique treasures, happenstance lands Gamache in the middle of another murder case. Augustin Renaud, obsessed with finding the burial place of idolized Qu?bec city founder Samuel de Champlain, lies dead in the library's basement. The riddles of who killed him and why force Gamache and his aging mentor Emile to examine 400 years of Qu?bec history. As they delve for clues among the library's old journals and diaries, they focus ever more closely on the endless rancor between the French and the English.Gamache's excruciating grief over a wrong decision, Beauvoir's softening toward the unconventional, a plot twist so unexpected it's chilling, and a description of Qu?bec intriguing enough to make you book your next vacation there, all add up to a superior read. Bring on the awards.Pub Date: Oct. 5th, 2010ISBN: 978-0-312-37704-5Page count: 384ppPublisher: MinotaurReview Posted Online: June 4th, 2010Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1st, 2010
This book is dedicated to second chances— Those who give them And those who take them
First words
Up the stairs they raced, taking them two at a time, trying to be as quiet as possible.
Quotations
(p. 31) "My English isn't very good. It's OK, but you should hear the head librarian speak French. At least, I think she's speaking French. She clearly thinks she is. But I can't understand a word. In the entire interview she spoke French and I spoke English. It was like something out of a cartoon. She must think I'm a moron. So far all I've done is grinned and nodded and I think I might have asked whether she's descended from the lower orders." "Why did you ask that?" "I didn't mean to. I wanted to ask if she had access to the basement, but something went wrong," he smiled ruefully. "I think clarity might be important in a murder case." "I think you might be right. What did she say to your questions?" "She got quite upset and said that the night is a strawberry." "Oh dear." Langlois sighed a puff of frustration. "Will you come in? I know you speak English. I've heard you at conferences." "But how do you know I wasn't mangling the language too? Maybe the night is a strawberry."
(p. 37) "I understand that the night is a strawberry," said Gamache, smiling slightly. "Oh, you heard about that, did you?" Elizabeth smiled. "Poor Winnie. No ear for languages. Reads French perfectly, you know. Always the highest marks in school, but can't seem to speak it. Her accent would stop a train."
(p. 62) Winnie Manning came in next and confirmed that the night was indeed a strawberry, but added that the English were good pumpkins and that the library had a particularly impressive section on mattresses and mattress warfare.
(p. 141) ...Winnie had greeted them, given them the bilingual brochures, and invited them to join. She'd even given some of the more brazen a brief tour of the library, pointing out the fine pillows on the walls, the collection of figs on the shelves, and asking if any of them would like to become umlauts. Not surprisingly, few did. But three people actually paid twenty dollars and joined, shamed into it by Winnie's obvious kindness and handicap. "Did you mention that the night is a strawberry?" Elizabeth asked when Winnie returned with a membership payment. "I did. They didn't disagree."
Last words
There was only silence then, and from very far away, the sound of children playing.
An obsessive historian's quest for the remains of the founder of Quebec, Samuel de Champlain, ends in murder. Could a secret buried with Champlain for nearly 400 years be so dreadful that someone would kill to protect it? Although he is supposed to be on leave, Chief Inspector Gamache cannot walk away from a crime that threatens to ignite long-smoldering tensions between the English and the French. Meanwhile, he is receiving disquieting letters from the village of Three Pines, where beloved Bistro owner Olivier was recently convicted of murder.
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Wikipedia in English
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