If you like mystery, intrigue, a beautifully told story, and a hint of love added in for good measure, you're bound to love the novel, Still Life.
Jane Neal was a fixture in the small town of Three Pines. The retired teacher and budding artist was well-known in the area, so when she was found dead, the entire community was shocked. Being a rural town where hunting is prevalent, and the fact that she was found with an arrow in her by the woods made it a pretty much open and shut case. When investigator Armand Gamache arrives from Montreal, he sees things through different eyes. As he and his assistants delve deeper into the lives of the people in the town, they discover unexpected and sinister information that they didn't expect. The plot unravels slowly, and with each twist and turn, the truth slowly comes to light.
Still Life is the first book in Louise Penny's Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series, and has won several awards. The second book, A Fatal Grace, won the Agatha Award in 2008. To date there are 9 books in the series. Before writing, Penny worked for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation for several years. She spends her time in her home south of Montreal, Canada writing, skiing, and helping others.
If you enjoy reading a story with some mystery and an unpredictable storyline, Still Life is a great choice. Being the first story in the series, you may find you can't wait to listen to the whole collection.
"Thoroughly enjoyed a mystery after not having read one for some time...the Quebec setting was also new to me and I found the characters interesting and the final chapters surprised me- love it when I can't pick the "who done it" character. Looking forward to going through more investigations with Mr. Armand and his crew- except that Yvette Nichol, didn't care for her one bit!"
— Cari (4 out of 5 stars)
“A rare treat.”
— People“A perfectly executed traditional mystery.”
— Denver Post“It’s hard to decide what provides the most pleasure in this enjoyable book: Gamache, a shrewd and kindly man constantly surprised by homicide; the village, which sounds at first like an ideal place to escape from civilization; or the clever and carefully constructed plot.”
— Chicago Tribune“A gem of a book.”
— Booklist (starred review)“Filled with unexpected insights, this winning traditional mystery sets a solid foundation for future entries in the series.”
— 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 debut novel—clever, charming, with perceptively realized characters…and the enormously appealing Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. I can’t wait for the next installment.”
— Deborah Crombie, New York Times bestselling author“An excellent, subtle plot full of understanding of the deeper places in human nature, and many wise observations that will enrich the reader long after the pages are closed.”
— Anne Perry, author of Long Spoon Lane“Georges Simenon kept Maigret going for over a hundred books. It will be a delight for all of us who love detective fiction if Louise Penny can stay around long enough to do the same for Gamache.”
— Reginald Hill, author of The Stranger House“Still Life is a masterpiece of a traditional drawing room mystery, repainted in the autumnal colors of the Canadian countryside. Louise Penny is a storytelling artist.”
— Julia Spencer-Fleming, author of To Darkness and to Death“What a joy it is to discover a detective like Armand Gamache, strong, calm and charismatic and at work on a good mystery in a believable setting.”
— Peter Lovesey, author of The Circle“Penny has a gift with dialogue, and Cosham makes that gift pop for the audience…there is no mystery about the allure of Louise Penny's series or the beauty with which Ralph Cosham continues to narrate it. This is a series that should be experienced at least once on audio, and THE BEAUTIFUL MYSTERY is the perfect choice.
— Shelf AwarenessNot enough praise can be accorded Ralph Cosham, who has served as the reader for all the audiobooks in this series. His voice is simply magnificent.
— Newark Star-Ledger" My first Penny experience. I was so disappointed when I finished the Martha Grimes series, I wasn't sure where to go. Now I know. Louise Penny is the real deal. "
— christi, 6/1/2018" I'very read all Louise Penny's novels and loved them. So, I was anxious to try an audiobook. The audiobook was true to the novel, but a more animated narration would have made it wonderful. Thus, the narration was often monotone and drug at times. "
— Shari, 7/25/2017" Lovely little read. Intriguing characters. Just a fun mystery. I enjoyed it. It gets a 7 on my 10 scale. "
— Louise, 2/10/2014" After Maisie Dobbs, this is my new favorite detective series. "
— Danielle, 1/30/2014" I was so excited to begin a new mystery series. I was so hoping to adore it. It's very slow and very well written and I hated it until three quarters through it. I was just incredibly bored and looked forward to being finished so I could try again. I think it's a nice book as a novel, but complete crap as a mystery, even a cozy. "
— Nerfzilla, 1/27/2014" Lovely read, looking forward to the next one. "
— Esther, 1/22/2014" This book is a mystery my mother would enjoy, but a little too tame and predictable to get more than 2 stars from me. The head inspector guy was like able, though! The look at Canadian culture was interesting. "
— Catherine, 1/19/2014" Really enjoyed this book. Has the feel of an Agatha Christie or Ruth Rendell's Inspector Wexford stories. Looking forward to reading on in the series! "
— Jill, 1/19/2014Louise Penny is the author of the #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Toronto Globe and Mail bestselling series of Chief Inspector Armand Gamache novels. She is also coauthor with Hillary Rodham Clinton of the #1 New York Times bestselling thriller State of Terror. She has won numerous awards, including eight Agatha Awards and a CWA Dagger, and was a finalist for the Edgar Award for Best Novel. In 2017, she received the Order of Canada for her contributions to Canadian culture.
Geoffrey Howard (a.k.a. Ralph Cosham) was a stage actor and an award-winning narrator. He recorded more than 100 audiobooks in his lifetime and won the prestigious Audio Award for Best Narration and several AudioFile Earphones Awards.
Geoffrey Howard (a.k.a. Ralph Cosham) was a stage actor and an award-winning narrator. He recorded more than 100 audiobooks in his lifetime and won the prestigious Audio Award for Best Narration and several AudioFile Earphones Awards.