Canadian Reading Challenge 5; Mystery and Suspense Challenge
Every time I start reading these books, I wonder why although I have stuck with them through book number six. The writing is so dramatic. Questioning. Continually. Half sentences to make the point. It's like a book full of dramatic pauses. Wondering.
But then, the plot takes over, and Penny does her plotting and pacing and her characters become a little less annoying and I get sucked in. I particularly like how she essentially took two stories and wove them together to pull me through this story where she could have written two books. Gamache is recovering from his last case, spending time in Old Quebec City when a murder occurs that he is asked to help with. At the same time, Jean-Guy Beauvoir goes to Three Pines to look into the death of the hermit, from the last book, again. During both of these stories the past case is remembered and seamlessly written into the present case. Balancing these three stories kept me enthralled and turning pages. (Other than the dramatic pauses) The entwining of these cases makes this one of the best books in the series for me.
Still Life, the first book in the Three Pines mystery, was chosen by our local library as a big read for the summer. The 'read' ends with Louise Penny coming in September as her latest book, A Trick of the Light, is released.
I have never read her before, but she is someone I am aware of. One day I might give her a try...
ReplyDeleteI was wondering about whether I'd continue after the second book, too, but I'd already picked up a copy of the third, so I took the plunge (summer...mystery...recent -- likely soon to be broken -- vow to complete all library books borrowed, etc.) and think I'll read on to the fourth after all. Interesting to find that you're still uncertain after all those books though!
ReplyDeleteKailana - lots of people really love this series. Some day...
ReplyDeleteburied in print - I do like the characters, and there are some ongoing stories that I want to keep up with. The writing style just irks in the beginning. About half way through, I don't notice as much, and then I have a satisfied remembrance of the book.
I have really enjoyed this series, the bump being The Murder Stone, when I really questioned Gamache being allowed to run the investigation even though he technically should have been a suspect. The follow-up, The Brutal Telling, was gripping, though I had to reread the ending twice to really get what happened. I have Bury Your Dead on my TBR shelf. I'll look for those starts and stops you mention.
ReplyDeleteIs it me, or is Penny building up to something happening with Peter and Clara?
I have to admit I really with Three Pines existed. I'm not sure I could live there with all the deaths they have, but I sure want to visit there! lol