Still Life - Louise Penny

 Still Life - Louise Penny

She read

I don’t know why I put Louise Penny’s books off for so long, but I did.  Fortunately, I have a friend who likes her writing and she started me off with the first book (there are 18!) in the Armand Gamache series.  I don’t know if I would have been disciplined enough to start with book #1 if she had not lent it to me.

Still Life introduces Gamache, his associates, and the small town of Three Pines.  Gamache, from the Surete du Quebec is called to Three Pines when a body of a beloved resident is found dead in the woods.  Could her painting, recently accepted for a local exhibition,  be a clue?

Usually I devour a book; this one I limited to only a certain number of pages a day so I could savor it. It is well written, with strong characters who are interesting and unique.  Yes, it is a bit of a slow burn, but that gives the reader time to become well acquainted with the local residents as well as the police inspectors. Gamache is someone I’m glad I met and cannot wait to read more of this series. 

*****