So recently we took a trip to Georgia to see some family. My daddy was not able to go, but he sent us along with an audiobook. A Better Man, by Louise Penny. I haven’t read such an entertaining book for years. I immediately read the next one after it, and am reading some of the others now. My Daddy has no idea what he has done to me. This should keep me busy for a minute. Have you read these? What do you think? Let us discuss.
I’ve read several of them. I have mixed feelings, because most people seem to think the village is a cozy and friendly place, but there are a lot of murders for a tiny village. Some of the murder plots are very convoluted and wouldn’t really work. And I don’t understand how this small village can support so many businesses. I’ll probably read the whole series anyway.
I have read a few of them. A departure from my usual tastes, they really pulled me in. I think a lot of the credit for that must belong to author Louise Penny, as the individual elements would not normally be of interest to me. I really like Mssr. Gamache!
One thing that kind of distracts me, and this is very much a “me” issue; I have a picture in my mind of Gamache and it is a character I’ve seen in a movie. It is not Peter Sellers as Clouseau, but someone similar. I can see him in my mind’s eye but if I try to concentrate on who it is, it fades away. I had forgotten about it until this thread and now I’m obsessed again 
I’ve read pretty much all of them. The earlier books are far better than the last few. I very much enjoyed the first ten or so. One book is set in Quebec City and I read it just before a vacation there. That made it extra fun. Unfortunately, the recent books are kind of terrible. I’ve come to the point where I am done with the series.
There is a small village with ‘quaint’ characters. I don’t really love these characters, but I still enjoyed the books. People who love these characters will enjoy the books more. If you find you hate these characters, stay away!
In the later books these village characters become ever more one dimensional. So easier to dismiss, but also useless.
Oh another thing. You kind of have to read them in order. I read one out of order and it pretty much spelled out what happened in the previous book. So that previous book is the only one I haven’t bothered to read.
I’ve been reading them in order, and so far I’m up to #14, Kingdom of the Blind. The body count for Three Pines is pretty high, but not nearly as bad as Jessica Fletcher’s Cabot Cove, and a fair number of murders take place elsewhere in Quebec.
The first few books were much better than the later ones, and I’m only reading the rest because I don’t like to quit 
The convoluted corruption schemes within the Surete du Quebec are over-the-top for my taste, as are Gamache’s occasional decisions to flout the laws of common sense. There’s also a “weapon of mass destruction” story that is pretty ridiculous.
For me he’s nothing like Clouseau. For some reason he’s a francophone Inspector Morse as played by John Thaw.
I’d be with you except they keep publishing more. My wild guess/accusation is that now the books are ghost written and they just keep churning them out to make more money. The writing in the recent books is so much worse than the first ones. Also the recent ones are more “action adventure” than “mystery.” The first ones were just so charming!
Bumped slightly to say that I stayed up late last night to finish reading How the Light Gets In. I disagree with the common consensus, I think the latest books are just as good as the first ones. That being said oh, I wish I had been reading them in order no, but they’re just too darn good for me to be patient and wait for them to come available in order. (I’m getting them out of the library app) The ending of this one made me go to Weepytown, I ain’t going to lie.
The audio book voice actor for the first several novels was fantastic. Then…he died. The newer voice actor is not as good. But I’ve enjoyed most of the books so far, even if they do spend extravagantly on food and have some over the top stories.
According to the blurb the weapon of mass destruction was based on a true story. I also found it over the top and was surprised that something like that was actually built.
I listen to the series as audiobooks and have had a hard time with the new narrator. He’s fine, but the first narrator was perfect.
I finally figured out that I’ve been picturing Gamache as Jean Reno.
I also found out that a movie was made out of (I think) the first book : Still Life.
I’m reading that one right now… That thing was real? Huh!
Bumped to ask if anyone else has read her latest, World of Curiosities. What did you think?
BTW, Amazon recently started a series based on these. With Alfred Molina. Three Pines (TV Series 2022– ) - IMDb I’ve never read any of the books, but I’m enjoying the show.
I have a post about the show… If you read the books, it’s disappointing.