Take a photo of a barcode or cover
cro777 's review for:
The Cruelest Month
by Louise Penny
In this novel, a murder/death has taken place at a seance held at the Old Hadley House. It is spring and new life is budding all around picturesque Three Pines while a murder walks around the town free and hoping to not get caught. As always, Chief Inspector Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec is called in to solve the crime and find the murderer amongst the townspeople. While investigating this, Gamache and his team are also working on the old Arnot case as it seems that someone is still creating trouble tied to it and creating chaos for Gamache and his family.
As you would expect from Louise Penny, Three Pines is still perfect in this book. I truly love the way the town is described and how *perfect* it seems to be. I love reading Penny's books because they always have the ability to transport me away to a quiet, quaint, and perfect storybook village hidden away in Canada amongst the forest. This is all that I ever want. But seriously, Penny knows how to write landscape and setting so perfectly to make it always cosy and inviting. Louise Penny books are easy one of the ultimate cozy reads for me. They always beckon me to sit somewhere comfy and have a hot drink to enjoy while dreaming of Three Pines.
It seems like the first two book focused more so on central characters in Three Pines versus this book. I don't dislike that at all, but it made miss the normal crew of Three Pines. You do get a nice dose of Clara and her art, but I really missed Ruth and her antics. In this book she is busy with something that is adorable. Although you don't see or hear from her much, what happens to her in the end says a lot about her character. The same is true with Clara and her husband, although I did detect something strange there so I will see if it comes back up in another book. This book also gave me a new interest in Agent Nichol. I won't say much more, but I'm keeping an eye out!
There are several smaller things in this book that I also loved. First, the attention to trees and horticulture by several characters. Namely, the appreciation for the gingko tree in all its glory. Gingkos are one of my favorite trees and one of the most amazing! Next, several nods to Paganism, Wicca, and witches in general. There are a few places where traditional ideas of witches are knocked down and expounded upon to be positive and nature based. Love that! And lastly, Penny's skill at writing a murder mystery and setting clues out in front of her readers. I wont give anything away, but there is a point where something is mentioned in the story and is later brought up in another setting. It was fun to recognize a clue and know it while feeling like I was also working to solve the case.
This book seemed to be a pivotal point in the series for me, although early on. Things are revealed in the first two books, but this book will really give you a run for your money and turn things upside down! I am so curious to see what happens in the next book and what, if any, major changes will occur.
All in all, Louise Penny is one of the *best* current writers in my opinion. Her books always leave me with a feeling of hope and I always cry because the way she writes just feels so real. There are always human elements in her stories, ones that are so brilliant and poetic. Her books always seem to be actively working to redefine humanity and demonstrate the layers in which it exists everywhere and in everyone.
As you would expect from Louise Penny, Three Pines is still perfect in this book. I truly love the way the town is described and how *perfect* it seems to be. I love reading Penny's books because they always have the ability to transport me away to a quiet, quaint, and perfect storybook village hidden away in Canada amongst the forest. This is all that I ever want. But seriously, Penny knows how to write landscape and setting so perfectly to make it always cosy and inviting. Louise Penny books are easy one of the ultimate cozy reads for me. They always beckon me to sit somewhere comfy and have a hot drink to enjoy while dreaming of Three Pines.
It seems like the first two book focused more so on central characters in Three Pines versus this book. I don't dislike that at all, but it made miss the normal crew of Three Pines. You do get a nice dose of Clara and her art, but I really missed Ruth and her antics. In this book she is busy with something that is adorable. Although you don't see or hear from her much, what happens to her in the end says a lot about her character. The same is true with Clara and her husband, although I did detect something strange there so I will see if it comes back up in another book. This book also gave me a new interest in Agent Nichol. I won't say much more, but I'm keeping an eye out!
There are several smaller things in this book that I also loved. First, the attention to trees and horticulture by several characters. Namely, the appreciation for the gingko tree in all its glory. Gingkos are one of my favorite trees and one of the most amazing! Next, several nods to Paganism, Wicca, and witches in general. There are a few places where traditional ideas of witches are knocked down and expounded upon to be positive and nature based. Love that! And lastly, Penny's skill at writing a murder mystery and setting clues out in front of her readers. I wont give anything away, but there is a point where something is mentioned in the story and is later brought up in another setting. It was fun to recognize a clue and know it while feeling like I was also working to solve the case.
This book seemed to be a pivotal point in the series for me, although early on. Things are revealed in the first two books, but this book will really give you a run for your money and turn things upside down! I am so curious to see what happens in the next book and what, if any, major changes will occur.
All in all, Louise Penny is one of the *best* current writers in my opinion. Her books always leave me with a feeling of hope and I always cry because the way she writes just feels so real. There are always human elements in her stories, ones that are so brilliant and poetic. Her books always seem to be actively working to redefine humanity and demonstrate the layers in which it exists everywhere and in everyone.