Book Summary and Reviews of A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny

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Cathryn_Conroy

A Literary Murder Mystery: Complex Plot, Perfect Pacing, and Words of Wisdom for Living a Good Life
Ah, lovely and tranquil Three Pines, a Canadian village so small that it isn't on any map, has had its loveliness and tranquility shattered once again when a dead body is found in Peter and Clara Morrow's garden. And the corpse is not a stranger. She is Lillian Dyson, Clara's best friend growing up before the two became bitterly and irrevocably estranged decades ago.

Written by Louise Penny, this is the seventh of 20 (and counting) Chief Inspecter Gamache mystery novels. And, yes, you MUST read them in order because each volume contains references to the previous books—what are essentially big time spoilers.

The book opens at Clara Morrow's much-anticipated solo art show—a vernissage—at the prestigious Musée in Montreal. Everyone in the Canadian art world who matters is there, as well as many of the Morrows' good friends. Most, but not all, are invited back to Three Pines for a celebratory reception there. And all is well until the next morning when Peter and Bistro owner Olivier Brulé encounter the body in the peaceful garden.

Calling Chief Inspector Gamache! What he and his team find are secrets and lies, and they must unravel them to find the truth behind this coldblooded murder.

This is not a spoiler, even though Chief Inspector Gamache says this near the end of the book to summarize what happened. Instead, it is poetic and says so much about the writing: "This murder is about contrasts," said Gamache, his voice low, soft. "About sober and drunk. About appearance and reality. About change for the better, or for the worse. The play of light and dark."

As all the books that preceded it, this is a literary murder mystery. The plot is grounded in references to both the creative and often lonely world of artists and the competitive and often cut-throat world of art dealers. In between the storyline of the murder investigation, you'll learn a lot, too!

Every Louise Penny book is a delight to read. The plots are complex enough that most readers won't figure it out too early, the pacing is perfect, and her words of wisdom about living a good life are sagacious and spot-on. She carefully examines the psychology and emotions of all her characters, which serves to bare their souls in such a way that we readers fully understand their motives and actions.

Just a culinary note: As with all her books, Louise Penny writes descriptively about the food her characters eat. So delicious! This time we encounter blueberry pancakes, eggs Benedict, warm croissants, grilled garlic shrimp with mango salad, and so much more. Try not to read this when you're really hungry.

diwolter

Louise's BEST yet!
I longingly wait months and months for Louise Penny's newest release of her Inspector Gamache and Three Pines series....and this edition was very much worth the wait! She continues to explore the complexities of each of her enduring characters and the culture of the small town in which they live and connect on every level. I feel, with each novel, that I gain a closer relationship with each of these people and am always sad when the books comes to an end --- missing them until the next book! Along with the rich story and hard-to-figure-out mystery plot, I feel that I learn a good deal about the history and culture of Quebec and it's people. Fascinating! Highly recommended.

Diane S.

A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny
Three Pines is a village in Canada that can not be found n any map, yet reading her mysteries is like coming home and revisiting friends you have not seen for a while. Penny mixes regular people and their human failings with humor, love and insight. Her story lines explore the mystery needing to be solved with psychological insights into their motives and personalities. Just love her writing.

Fran T. (San Diego, CA)

A Trick of the Light--not your typical "Cozy"
A Trick of the Light is the first of Louise Penny's mysteries which I have read. I selected this book because I love mysteries and I was well aware of all the awards and accolades which Louise Penny has received. Now I understand indeed why she has garnered such high praise. Her stories rise to a much higher level than simply a cozy mystery. Her characters are complex mixtures of light and dark
as all real human beings are--but many characters in novels are not. In addition to being so conscious of human psychology, Louise Penny writes in an appealing and yet cerebral style. She and the best of her characters, particularly Chief Inspector Gamache, are deeply introspective and philosophical. The denouement of this novel, in my opinion, is amazing. As Hercule Poirot did in Christie's stories, Gamache assembles all the major players and reveals the murderer. But Gamache is far more broadly intelligent and humane than Poirot ever was. As he reveals the solutions of the mysteries, he also reveals his knowledge of and compassion for all the major characters in this novel--their strengths and weaknesses. Louise Penny, through Gamache, shows us some of her thoughts about life--the giving and receiving of forgiveness, wanting peace more than pain and never giving up on hope.

I now intend to go back, so to speak, and read all of Penny's previous mystery novels with the consciousness that her writing is superb and that the questions she raises about life are deep.

Kristina G. (Aiken, SC)

A Trick of the Light
Wow! What a great surprise - in addition to being a well-written murder mystery, this book has humor, information on the art world, and a bit of French. The characters are real, flawed, and believable. The author ties the ending together neatly in a way that made sense. Very readable!

Karen M. (Great Falls, VA)

Excellent Mystery in the Agatha Christie Tradition
We have a cozy village tucked away where it cannot be found on any map and where murder is always afoot. We have the Chief Inspector Gamache, a loveable, brilliant, renaissance man, with keen insight into the hearts of people. And we have a village full of eccentrics who return to enchant in nearly every novel. Trick of the Light is the seventh book in Louise Penny’s award-winning series. I’d plan on sitting down and reading this book in one sitting. It’s quick-paced, well-plotted and clever in its’ twists and turns. It’s rare that I solve the “who-done-it” puzzle before the Chief Inspector and his team.

I have to admit that I am always a bit sad when the book is finished and I have to leave the world that Penny has created. Strong, original and fully developed characters are her strong suit. She also writes with great intelligence and passion. Her books contain alot of research and information. Often when solving the murder, we may also learn about the indigenous tribes of Canada, the stolen artworks of Eastern Europe, or the importance in Quebec’s history of Samuel de Champlain and his missing body. In this book, the struggles, jealousies, and triumphs of the tight art community in Quebec are our education.

If you are new to this author, I’d start with the first book, the award-winning Still Life. In addition to the murder plot central to the novel, in each subsequent book Penny continues story lines from previous books. Starting at the beginning helps put certain revelations about a character in context.

For more on her awards, kudos, and book tour, visit www.louisepenny.com.

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