Synopses & Reviews
Winner of the 2007 Agatha Award for Best Novel! Welcome to winter in Three Pines, a picturesque village in Quebec, where the villagers are preparing for a traditional country Christmas, and someone is preparing for murder.
No one liked CC de Poitiers. Not her quiet husband, not her spineless lover, not her pathetic daughter—and certainly none of the residents of Three Pines. CC de Poitiers managed to alienate everyone, right up until the moment of her death.
When Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, of the Sûreté du Quebec, is called to investigate, he quickly realizes he's dealing with someone quite extraordinary. CC de Poitiers was electrocuted in the middle of a frozen lake, in front of the entire village, as she watched the annual curling tournament. And yet no one saw anything. Who could have been insane enough to try such a macabre method of murder—or brilliant enough to succeed?
With his trademark compassion and courage, Gamache digs beneath the idyllic surface of village life to find the dangerous secrets long buried there. For a Quebec winter is not only staggeringly beautiful but deadly, and the people of Three Pines know better than to reveal too much of themselves. But other dangers are becoming clear to Gamache. As a bitter wind blows into the village, something even more chilling is coming for Gamache himself.
Review
Praise for
A Fatal Grace:"The cozy mystery, which aims to charm as much as challenge, has a graceful practicioner of that artful dodge in Louise Penny."
—The New York Times Book Review
“A traditional and highly intelligent mystery….sure to create great reader demand for more stories featuring civilized and articulate Chief Inspector Gamache…. Highly recommended.”
—Library Journal (starred review)
“Remarkably, Penny manages to top her outstanding debut. Gamache is a prodigiously complicated and engaging hero, destined to become one of the classic detectives.”
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"For all the perplexing mechanics of the murder, and the snowed-in village setting, this is not the usual "cosy" or even a traditional mystery. It's a finely written, intelligent and observant book. Imbued with a constant awareness of the astonishing cold, this perfect blend of police procedural and closed-room mystery finds its solution, as in the best of those traditions, in the slow unlayering of a sorrowful past."
—Houston Chronicle
"Gamache, a smart and likable investigator--think Columbo with an accent, or perhaps a modern-day Poirot--systematically wades his way through the pool, coming upon a few surprises along the way....This is a fine mystery in the classic Agatha Christie style, and it is sure to leave mainstream fans wanting more."
—Booklist
“This book is a small and perfect literary jewel. Penny is the best writer of traditional mysteries to come along in decades. I havent read a book this beautifully written since A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell.”
—Kingston Observer
“Very simply, I loved this book. I expect you will, too.”
—Mystery Scene magazine
“The cast of A Fatal Grace is a marvelous mystery….the plotting is intricate, the pacing perfect, the writing brilliant….Ms. Penny leaves a bit of a cliffhanger for readers to ponder until the next installment. It cant come soon enough for me.”
—Cozy Library blog
“A cerebral, satisfying novel….it transcends genre, giving a thoughtful look at the human soul and the divine presence….A Fatal Grace has a grace all its own.”
—I Love a Mystery blog
"Louise Penny's A Fatal Grace is one of the best mysteries I've read this year." —Lesa's Book Critiques
“There are portions of this book that are so beautifully written they stick with the reader for months….As I read this I thought if Emily Dickinson ever came back to Earth, it might be an a mystery writer.”
—Aunt Agathas Mystery Bookstore
And acclaim for the first Three Pines Mystery, Still Life:
"The beauty of Louise Penny's auspicious debut novel, Still Life, is that it's composed entirely of grace notes, all related to the central mystery of who shot an arrow into the heart of Miss Jane Neal....The dear old thing had hidden depths, courtesy of an author whose deceptively simple style masks the complex patterns of a well-devised plot."
—The New York Times Book Review
"Terrific. Like a virtuoso, Penny plays a complex variation on the theme of the clue hidden in plain sight. A winning traditional mystery."
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Cerebral, wise, and compassionate, Gamache is destined for stardom. Don't miss this stellar debut."
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"A gem of a book....a beautifully told, lyrically written story of love, life, friendship, and tragedy."
—Booklist (starred review)
"This cerebral mystery...is a rare treat."
—People
"A perfectly executed traditional mystery."
—The Denver Post
"Don't look for the hamlet of Three Pines anywhere on a map of the countryside outside of Montreal, although Louise Penny has made the town and its residents so real...that you might just try to find it."
—Chicago Tribune
Review
"Penny has been compared to Agatha Christie, and while there is a surface resemblance there, it sells her short." --
Booklist (starred review)
"[Penny] continues to deepen and modernize the traditional 'village mystery.'" --People
"Louise Penny applies her magic...giving the village mystery an elegance and depth." --New York Times Book Review
Review
Praise for
A Fatal Grace:"The cozy mystery, which aims to charm as much as challenge, has a graceful practicioner of that artful dodge in Louise Penny."
—The New York Times Book Review
“A traditional and highly intelligent mystery….sure to create great reader demand for more stories featuring civilized and articulate Chief Inspector Gamache…. Highly recommended.”
—Library Journal (starred review)
“Remarkably, Penny manages to top her outstanding debut. Gamache is a prodigiously complicated and engaging hero, destined to become one of the classic detectives.”
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"For all the perplexing mechanics of the murder, and the snowed-in village setting, this is not the usual "cosy" or even a traditional mystery. It's a finely written, intelligent and observant book. Imbued with a constant awareness of the astonishing cold, this perfect blend of police procedural and closed-room mystery finds its solution, as in the best of those traditions, in the slow unlayering of a sorrowful past."
—Houston Chronicle
"Gamache, a smart and likable investigator--think Columbo with an accent, or perhaps a modern-day Poirot--systematically wades his way through the pool, coming upon a few surprises along the way....This is a fine mystery in the classic Agatha Christie style, and it is sure to leave mainstream fans wanting more."
—Booklist
“This book is a small and perfect literary jewel. Penny is the best writer of traditional mysteries to come along in decades. I havent read a book this beautifully written since A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell.”
—Kingston Observer
“Very simply, I loved this book. I expect you will, too.”
—Mystery Scene magazine
“The cast of A Fatal Grace is a marvelous mystery….the plotting is intricate, the pacing perfect, the writing brilliant….Ms. Penny leaves a bit of a cliffhanger for readers to ponder until the next installment. It cant come soon enough for me.”
—Cozy Library blog
“A cerebral, satisfying novel….it transcends genre, giving a thoughtful look at the human soul and the divine presence….A Fatal Grace has a grace all its own.”
—I Love a Mystery blog
"Louise Penny's A Fatal Grace is one of the best mysteries I've read this year." —Lesa's Book Critiques
“There are portions of this book that are so beautifully written they stick with the reader for months….As I read this I thought if Emily Dickinson ever came back to Earth, it might be an a mystery writer.”
—Aunt Agathas Mystery Bookstore
And acclaim for the first Three Pines Mystery, Still Life:
"The beauty of Louise Penny's auspicious debut novel, Still Life, is that it's composed entirely of grace notes, all related to the central mystery of who shot an arrow into the heart of Miss Jane Neal....The dear old thing had hidden depths, courtesy of an author whose deceptively simple style masks the complex patterns of a well-devised plot."
—The New York Times Book Review
"Terrific. Like a virtuoso, Penny plays a complex variation on the theme of the clue hidden in plain sight. A winning traditional mystery."
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Cerebral, wise, and compassionate, Gamache is destined for stardom. Don't miss this stellar debut."
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"A gem of a book....a beautifully told, lyrically written story of love, life, friendship, and tragedy."
—Booklist (starred review)
"This cerebral mystery...is a rare treat."
—People
"A perfectly executed traditional mystery."
—The Denver Post
"Don't look for the hamlet of Three Pines anywhere on a map of the countryside outside of Montreal, although Louise Penny has made the town and its residents so real...that you might just try to find it."
—Chicago Tribune
Synopsis
Welcome back to Three Pines where the villagers are preparing for a traditional country Christmas…and murder.
When Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is called to investigate a womans death, it doesnt take long for him to realize that no love was lost on Miss de Poitiers. But even if everyone hated her—her husband, lover, and daughter among them—how is it that no one saw her get electrocuted in the middle of a frozen lake in the center of town? A FATAL GRACE Gamache digs beneath the surface of Three Pines to find where the real secrets are buried. But other troubles lie ahead for the detective. It seems he has some enemies of his own…and with the coming of the bitter winter winds, something far more chilling is in store.
“This is a fine mystery in the classic Agatha Christie style and it is sure to leave fans wanting more.”—Booklist
“The cozy mystery has a graceful practitioner…in Louise Penny.” —The New York Times
Synopsis
CC de Poitiers managed to alienate everyone in the hamlet of Three Pines, right up to the moment she died. When Chief Inspector Armand Gamache begins his investigation, it seems like an impossible murder: CC was electrocuted on a frozen lake, in front of the entire town, during the annual curling tournament. With compassion and courage, Gamache digs beneath the idyllic surface of village life to find long buried secrets, while his own enemies threaten to bring something even more chilling than the bitter winter winds to Three Pines.
Synopsis
Winner of the 2007 Agatha Award for Best Novel!When Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is called to investigate a womans death, it doesnt take long for him to realize that no love was lost on Miss de Poitiers. But even if everyone hated her—her husband, lover, and daughter among them—how is it that no one saw her get electrocuted in the middle of a frozen lake in the center of town?
Gamache digs beneath the surface of Three Pines to find where the real secrets are buried. But other troubles lie ahead for the detective. It seems he has some enemies of his own…and with the coming of the bitter winter winds, something far more chilling is in store.
About the Author
Louise Penny, author of the New York Times bestselling Chief Inspector Gamache novels, worked as an award-winning journalist for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation before leaving to write crime fiction. Her first mystery, Still Life, was the winner of the New Blood Dagger and the Arthur Ellis, Barry, Anthony, and Dilys Awards; and was also named one of the five Mystery/Crime Novels of the Decade by Deadly Pleasures magazine. Louise went on to become the first writer ever to win the Agatha Award for Best Novel four times, as well as an Anthony Award for The Brutal Telling and the Dilys, Arthur Ellis, Macavity, and Anthony Awards for Bury Your Dead. Her novels are bestsellers in the United States and Great Britain and have been translated into twenty languages. She lives with her husband, Michael, in a small village south of Montréal.
Reading Group Guide
Discussion questions for The Three Pines Mysteries, by Louise Penny
1. How important is the use of humor in this book?
2. Which Three Pines villager would you most like to have cafe au lait with at the bistro?
3. Why is Ruth a villager?
4 Louise Penny says her books are about murder, but at their heart they're about other things. What else is this book about? What are some other themes?
5. Agent Nichol is an extremely controversial character in the books. What do you think of her? What purpose does she serve?
Discussion questions for A Fatal Grace
1. In the golden age of classic murder mysteries, the Detection Club, whose founders included Dorothy L. Sayers and Agatha Christie, drew up a list of rules for crime fiction that included the following: “No clue that is important to the solution of the puzzle may be concealed from the reader.” What are the clues to the murders in A Fatal Grace, and how does Louise Penny hide them in plain sight?
2. Consider the lines (from “A Sad Child,” by Margaret Atwood”): “Well, all children are sad/but some get over it.” A number of the people in the novel have had damaging childhoods. What helps or hinders them in moving beyond those childhoods?
3. Discuss the different meanings in the book of “Be Calm” (and B KLM).
4. Beauvoir regards Gamache as having saved him. Is Gamache trying to do the same for Nichol, and what do you think his chances are for success? What do you think it takes to get on what Beauvoir calls Gamaches legendary, albeit well hidden, “bad side”?
5. Why does Gamache laugh with joy when Ruth Zardo says that CC de Poitiers “wasnt very good, but she wasnt so bad either. I mean really…who isnt cruel and selfish?” Do you think Gamache agrees with this idea? Do you agree?
6. Three Pines is described as enchanted and magical, a fairy-tale world—but its also a world where Dr. Frankenstein creates a monster. How do you view the village and the people who live there?
7. Clara says, “At two in the afternoon my art is brilliant, at two in the morning its crap.” Peter doesnt understand her art, but Gamache calls it marvelous. What do you think this says about her art and about her marriage? Why does Gamache tell Clara that she has “an instinct for crime”?
8. What impression do you get of Reine-Marie from her relatively brief appearances in the story? What do you think of her marriage to Gamache?
9. Both Clara and Gamache believe they see God in the course of this story. How do you view their experiences (and why lemon meringue pie)?