Still Life is a murder mystery set in a small Canadian town, the first book of Louise Penny’s Three Pine series. Chances are you’ve heard of Louise Penny before — she’s sort of a modern-day Agatha Christie and has written eighteen novels in the past eighteen years (!). Like Christie’s Hercule Poirot, Armand Gamache leads Penny’s novels as Chief Inspector of the Sûreté du Québec (i.e. he’s a lieutenant of the Quebec police force). He’s a respected, kindly, somewhat quirky detective who’s highly gifted at reading people and situations. In Still Life, we’re introduced to Gamache as he investigates a homicide in Three Pines, a quaint village south of Montreal. A woman named Jane Neal has been found dead in the woods; no one knows why anyone would want to kill Jane, a sweet woman in her late seventies and beloved member of the community, and so everyone assumes it must have been a hunting accident. And yet, as Gamache and his team dig deeper into the case, clues arise that point them towards murder. Three Pines residents Clara and Peter, Ben and Ruth, Gabri and Olivier and others welcome Gamache with open arms and plenty of baked goods, hopeful that he’ll bring Jane’s killer to justice. However, as it becomes apparent that the murderer is likely a local, hidden among them, terror starts to infiltrate the tight knit community.
Mystery/thriller is a genre I dip my toes into occasionally, but to be honest, I’m a bit of a scaredy-cat when it comes to murder and can only handle it when packaged in a fun or cozy setting (think Big Little Lies, Murder on the Orient Express, etc.). I’m always keeping an ear out for books that fit this description, so was excited when my friend told me about these cozy Canadian mysteries. I started with Book 1 as recommended by Penny herself (although she says her books can be read in any order), and it was a delightful introduction to the series. Still Life is clever and suspenseful and draws you in quickly; I found myself switching suspects up until the very end, excitedly following every turn Gamache takes. And Gamache is everything a detective protagonist should be — trustworthy, warm, and just enough of a closed book to keep you curious. But on top of that, Still Life is surprisingly compassionate. Penny focuses more on the goodness of her characters than the evil lurking in the shadows, and her wise insight into human nature gives the novel authenticity. Even with the murder of it all, Still Life makes for a pleasant, life-affirming read, and I’m already looking forward to my next visit to Three Pines.
I’d recommend this book to…
- Anyone looking to be led through a murder investigation by a charming, venerable detective… it’s similar in theme to The Murder of Roger Ackroydby Agatha Christie
- Anyone who loves a novel written with tongue-in-cheek humor and deep compassion… it’s similar in tone to Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
- Anyone interested in a cleverly plotted mystery laced with psychological insight… it’s similar in style to Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear
