For one, Penny can hardly keep herself from overloading it with meaningful, so-telling, moments - the moth that by nature relentlessly batters against the hot light bulb (think Gamache), or the splat of strawberry jam in Peter's studio (you know…). And, while snarky chitchat between Three Pines' eccentric cast of affectionate neighbors can sound too clever, too precious, it nonetheless creates an air of intimacy binding characters and plot together.Īrguably, there are cracks in this novel. Penny again flavors the novel with savory dishes that will send readers Googling for recipes. Typical of the series, these pages are accented with French words used as scene setters. The Long Way Home will quickly engage readers who appreciate Penny's character-driven and dialogue-fueled mysteries. Suddenly, without literary neck snap, the reader is pulled into an investigation that intensifies page by page. Her husband, Peter, an artist once more acclaimed than she is, has gone missing. Seems neighbor Clara Morrow, Three Pines' famous resident artist, needs his help. In her understated narrative, Penny hints often that while time may stand still in Three Pines, it won't for Gamache. But, then, life in Three Pines is supposed to be mundane. The Long Way Home starts in slow motion, almost sedating the reader. But she has grown a loyal international following with her detective mysteries that masterfully blend heart and soul with intelligent, suspense-escalating crime tales populated with deeply drawn characters and sinister villains. But he's struggling to embrace retirement, despite being surrounded by loving wife Reine-Marie and quirky friends in the cozy, southern Québécoise village of Three Pines.Īward-winning, best-selling author Penny herself lives in a village south of Montreal.

Now, in The Long Way Home, the 10th of the series, Gamache has recovered physically. But that high-octane and brutal case, presumably his last as chief inspector of the Sûreté du Québec, left Gamache with nearly fatal wounds and a scarred spirit. In Louise Penny's previous novel, How the Light Gets In, legendary homicide detective Armand Gamache uncovers corruption and murder at the highest levels of Canada's government and police force.

The long way home penny