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sdovi's review
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
The plot was interesting but the writing style was intentionally vague. The author would reference that the characters knew something but didn’t specify what that knowledge was to keep driving the narrative. It may be loved by some, but not by me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Death, Murder, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Blood, and Violence
simply_fran's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Grief, Murder, Gun violence, Violence, Trafficking, and Drug abuse
sofiam19's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Addiction, and Murder
kimveach's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
So good
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Addiction, Drug abuse, Medical trauma, Violence, Alcoholism, Drug use, Toxic friendship, Death, Blood, Excrement, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Suicide
atamano's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse and Gun violence
Moderate: Addiction, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Suicide, and Violence
franklola's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug abuse, Suicide, Alcohol, Blood, Grief, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Addiction, Gun violence, Alcoholism, Death, and Murder
cathepsut's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
My first Gamache, but the 13th of the series, so I am most likely missing some context.
Gamache, the chief of police of the province of Quebec, is in the witness stand of a murder trial. The chief prosecutor is pretty hostile towards his main witness. Through the questioning we are told the story of the murder that happened in the village of Three Pines. So much for the beginning. There is more to it, with a pretty modern problem.
Slow. A lot of talking and reminiscing. Set-up for the community that lives in Three Pines and its guests. More talking. Little doing. The murder only happens a third into the book. And the accused sitting on that bench during the trial is never named, which in my opinion is a pretty lame gimmick to create suspense. Of which there was little to none. The last 30% are a bit more speedy, but the wrap-up is quite repetitive.
Some of the characters stay one-dimensional, I struggled to keep them apart until the end. The woman with the duck was just a silly caricature.
Many of my reading buddies love Gamache, but this was way too cozy for me. And the plot was a little silly. It is very unlikely that I will pick up another one of the series or by this author, unless I come by it very cheaply. Maybe #14…
2.5 pine cones, rounded up to 3 for the tears-inducing ending.
PS:
– Initially bought for my mum, who did not finish it. I should have listened to her reasons.
– I don‘t read many straight mysteries anymore and never in German, so this was a bit of an an uphill struggle.
– Reading a novel in German again wasn‘t as much work as I had feared.
– The first book of the series, Still Life, was made into a movie and I would watch it.
– The English original is called Glass Houses: A Novel, which is more meaningful for the book than the German title „Behind the Three Pines“.
– Initially bought for my mum, who did not finish it. I should have listened to her reasons.
– I don‘t read many straight mysteries anymore and never in German, so this was a bit of an an uphill struggle.
– Reading a novel in German again wasn‘t as much work as I had feared.
– The first book of the series, Still Life, was made into a movie and I would watch it.
– The English original is called Glass Houses: A Novel, which is more meaningful for the book than the German title „Behind the Three Pines“.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Gun violence, and Murder
Minor: Drug abuse
laurenleigh's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
In the 13th Inspector Gamache novel, Louise Penny really mixes it up! The non-linear story structure was quite different from previous books in the series. It was tricky to do, starting at the trial but not revealing the killer/the defendant until the very end. Penny totally pulled it off, as expected! This series continues to feel fresh and exciting, even this far in, because Penny isn’t really writing about murder mysteries. She’s writing about larger concepts. In this case, the conscious. How do we depend on a conscious to steer us the right way when each person’s consciousness is so different? If our conscious tells us a law is immoral, which code do we follow? There is certainly a lot of gray area here, and it was interesting to watch Gamache struggle with these questions himself.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Murder
Moderate: Drug abuse, Violence, and Stalking
luveloise3's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Murder
Moderate: Addiction and Suicide
Minor: Abortion
katypicken's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The tension in this one is incredible. It's told to and fro in time, with a court case in the height of summer flashing back to events in a freezing and wet November. The story centres on a murder, but there is so much more at stake, both personally and professionally for Gamache, his family and the whole of Three Pines.
One of my favourites in the series so far (though I love them all).
One of my favourites in the series so far (though I love them all).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Murder
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Abortion