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carolsnotebook 's review for:
A Rule Against Murder
by Louise Penny
A rich setting and well-developed characters make A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny a good mystery. The beautiful language and thoughtfulness of the narrative make it stand out.
This fourth in the series steps away from the town of Three Pines. Happily, in my opinion, because really the village needs a break from murders occasionally. Inspector Gamache and his wife are celebrating their anniversary at Manoir Bellechasse, a luxurious inn isolated on the shore of Lac Massawippi. The other rooms are occupied by the Finney family, as unpleasant as they are wealthy. The Gamaches are surprised when Peter and Clara arrive for the Finney reunion too. Of course, this is a mystery, so it’s not long before one of the Finneys is dead, crushed by a statue of her father, and all the family’s secrets, jealousies and insecurities come boiling to the surface.
Penny’s mysteries are about more than clues and suspects. They are about feelings, passions. Gamache realizes that at heart, most murders are real people who have let their emotions overcome them, who have reached a dark place and murder is the only way out. I was actually surprised by who the killer was in this one. The clues were there, but I guess I was looking in one direction, ignoring the other possibilities.
This installation can definitely be read as a stand-alone. We learn a lot about Gamache’s childhood and his parents. He’s a wonderful character, multi-dimensional, caring, a believer in hunches. He also leads his team of younger officers who were seen as misfits at one time or another well, providing support and independence. Each of the characters, from the police to the hotel staff to the Finney’s are well-drawn. You almost feel like you’re a guest yourself, seeing all the interactions, feeling the tension in the family, wishing you could relax down at the dock.
This is one of my favorite series at the moment. I’m glad I still hvae a few to read before I’m caught up.
This fourth in the series steps away from the town of Three Pines. Happily, in my opinion, because really the village needs a break from murders occasionally. Inspector Gamache and his wife are celebrating their anniversary at Manoir Bellechasse, a luxurious inn isolated on the shore of Lac Massawippi. The other rooms are occupied by the Finney family, as unpleasant as they are wealthy. The Gamaches are surprised when Peter and Clara arrive for the Finney reunion too. Of course, this is a mystery, so it’s not long before one of the Finneys is dead, crushed by a statue of her father, and all the family’s secrets, jealousies and insecurities come boiling to the surface.
Penny’s mysteries are about more than clues and suspects. They are about feelings, passions. Gamache realizes that at heart, most murders are real people who have let their emotions overcome them, who have reached a dark place and murder is the only way out. I was actually surprised by who the killer was in this one. The clues were there, but I guess I was looking in one direction, ignoring the other possibilities.
This installation can definitely be read as a stand-alone. We learn a lot about Gamache’s childhood and his parents. He’s a wonderful character, multi-dimensional, caring, a believer in hunches. He also leads his team of younger officers who were seen as misfits at one time or another well, providing support and independence. Each of the characters, from the police to the hotel staff to the Finney’s are well-drawn. You almost feel like you’re a guest yourself, seeing all the interactions, feeling the tension in the family, wishing you could relax down at the dock.
This is one of my favorite series at the moment. I’m glad I still hvae a few to read before I’m caught up.