the brutal telling
synopsis
Chaos is coming, old son.
With those words the peace of Three Pines is shattered. As families prepare to head back to the city and children say goodbye to summer, a stranger is found murdered in the village bistro and antiques store. Once again, Chief Inspector Gamache and his team are called in to strip back layers of lies, exposing both treasures and rancid secrets buried in the wilderness.
No one admits to knowing the murdered man, but as secrets are revealed, chaos begins to close in on the beloved bistro owner, Olivier. How did he make such a spectacular success of his business? What past did he leave behind and why has he buried himself in this tiny village? And why does every lead in the investigation find its way back to him?
As Olivier grows more frantic, a trail of clues and treasures from first editions of Charlotte’s Web and Jane Eyre to a spider web with the word “WOE” woven in it lead the Chief Inspector deep into the woods and across the continent in search of the truth, and finally back to Three Pines as the little village braces for the truth and the final, brutal telling.
NY Times bestseller for three weeks
Winner, The Agatha Award for Best Traditional Mystery, 2009
Winner, The Anthony Award for Best Novel, 2009
Barnes and Noble Recommends Main Selection
USA Today bestseller for 2009
Entertainment Weekly bestseller for 2009
Chosen by the prestigious Dorothy L as best novel for 2009
American Library Association (ALA) Selection for Best Mystery 2009
Audiofile - Ear-Phones Award for 2009
Golden Archer Award for Best Mystery from the Journal Sentinel. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
…Penny has only gotten better with each succeeding novel. Her fifth in the series is the finest of all….this literary mystery explores the ways in which sins of the past have a way of resurrecting themselves, wreaking havoc upon their perpetrators, and, unfortunately, the innocent…. Fortunately, sagacious Gamache possesses the acumen to peel away the layers of deceit and to expose the truth. This superb novel will appeal to readers who enjoy sophisticated literary mysteries…
Penny has been compared to Agatha Christie, and while there is a surface resemblance there, it sells her short. Her characters are too rich, her grasp of nuance and human psychology too firm for the formula-bound Christie. No, Penny belongs in the hands of those who read not only P. D. James but also Donna Leon, who, like Penny, mixes her hero’s family and professional lives fluidly and with a subtle grasp of telling detail.
When the body of an unknown old man turns up in a bistro in Agatha-winner Penny’s excellent fifth mystery set in the Quebec village of Three Pines (after Jan. 2009’s A Rule Against Murder), Chief Insp. Armand Gamache investigates. At a cabin in the woods apparently belonging to the dead man, Gamache and his team are shocked to discover the remote building is full of priceless antiquities, from first edition books to European treasures thought to have disappeared during WWII. When suspicion falls on one of Three Pines’ most prominent citizens, it’s up to Gamache to sift through the lies and uncover the truth. Though Gamache is undeniably the focus, Penny continues to develop her growing cast of supporting characters, including newcomers Marc and Dominique Gilbert, who are converting an old house-the site of two murders—into a spa. Readers keen for another glimpse into the life of Three Pines will be well rewarded.
I was prepared to be vastly entertained by a witty, sometimes funny and intricately plotted mystery whose solution always lies in the hearts of men and the ability of Gamache to suss out what lies within….I was not prepared for this compelling and unflinching look into the heart of darkness that resides within us all. It is a universal truth that we can never fully know another human being and many times, not even ourselves. But Penny shows us a unique insight into the very "black box" of her characters…This is a terrific read if you like mysteries but it is also a stunning look at our universal condition. In a brutal telling itself, Penny connects us with our own humanity as well as others. She shows us the fragility of our existence and that even living within the pale doesn't exempt us and we can have everything taken away in a very short time.
...Penny isn't Christie. For one thing she's a far more accomplished craftsman, relying more on depth of character than formula. She also likes a complex plot that owes more to human emotion and psychology than to clockwork timing. This puts her closer to PD James....The best Gamache novel so far.
The Canadian village of Three Pines is given a shocking awakening when a stranger is found dead in the local bistro. But soon Chief Inspector Gamache discovers the bistro owner had a shady past. Brilliant.
It's Louise Penny's writing which adds a glow to this book. It's not just the skill of the plot, but the way that words are never wasted and that so few of them can produce a vivid picture. Dialogue is perfect and there's a real talent for capturing the one-liners which make you laugh out loud.
I have always been dismissive of the expression "I couldn't put it down", but after reading Louise Penny's latest story of the idyllic French Canadian village of Three Pines I acknowledge that there is some truth in it. I read this book in one session, anxious to reach the unravelling of a complex plot dealing with mystery, artistic integrity, murder, of course, and relationships.
I’ve got to that stage in The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny, where I want to finish so that I know the outcome but I’m enjoying it so much that I don’t want it to end.
A Great Read by the American Booksellers Association (ABA) in their IndyNext pics
Independent Mystery Booksellers Association (IMBA) bestseller list for September
Mystery Salon Blog, Best Book of 2009
Strand Magazine, top Mystery of 2009
Finalist, Dilys Award of the Independent Mystery Booksellers of America (IMBA)
Finalist for The Macavity Award for Best Novel, 2009
