STILL LIFE
by Louise Penny
Thinking about my favorite kind of novels, I must admit that mysteries fall towards the bottom of my list. I feel like I’m not good at keeping track of all the clues that should lead me to figure out “who done it” before the writer actually reveals the killer. I know I’ve said this before, but this is one of the reasons why I love being in a book club. We make our book selections and inevitably some of those books I would never have read on my own. And guess what? Sometimes I really enjoy the books. Louise Penny’s Still Life is a perfect example of this phenomenon. Before Still Life, the only book of hers I had read was State of Terror, which she co-authored with Hilary Clinton. (read review here). Besides State of Terror and Still Life, native Canadian Penny has written 18 other novels.
Still Life introduces Inspector Gamache, the Chief Inspector of the Surete du Quebec and the headliner in Penny's subsequent 17 books. Empathetic, kind and a team player, Gamache is not your typical detective. Penny introduces other key characters as well in Still Life. Her loyal readers have come to love these characters with each subsequent novel. In Still Life, Gamache and his team are called into the fictitious small town of Three Pines to solve the murder case of beloved community member, Jane Neal who is found dead from an arrow wound. As the novel progresses, Gamache assesses the community and its residents, using his astute observational powers and winning personality.
Still Life appeals to me because it does more than tell a good “who done it” story. Penny writes beautifully, always describing nature and the living world around her characters. She also includes interesting information related to her plot, giving the reader the joy of learning along the way. For example, in Still Life, I learned about certain aspects of the art world and about different types of bows and arrows. Overall, Still Life entertains in a big way and I recommend it as a great summer read. (Also, I plan on reading Dead Cold, the second Gamache book as soon as I can get my hands on a copy.). (Liz)
