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There are currently 39 member reviews
for How the Light Gets In
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Andrea B. (Clinton, WA)
Excellent mystery
This well written mystery has much to recommend it. The main character of Inspector Gamache appears here in the 9th of this series. His character is well developed and I really cared about what was happening to him. Although I had read only the 1st book of this series, I was able to follow the story line due to the explanations of previous circumstances. All of the characters were interesting, some sympathetic and some quirky. The layering of two mysteries gave this story some complexity, which kept me fully engaged. The conclusion of one of the two mysteries was dramatic as this mystery was a story of big dimensions. The final wrap up of this story was a bit convoluted. There were a couple of circumstances that affected the outcome of this situation that were surprising. They were surprising as there had been no hint that these advantageous circumstances were in place. That made the final explanation just a bit too convenient and undermined somewhat the careful construction of this story line.
That fairly minor quibble kept me from giving this book a rating of 5.
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Susan S. (Lafayette, CA)
A page-turner (mostly)
It's hard to review any Louise Penny mystery without reviewing the whole series. One could read her latest book as a stand-alone mystery, but I think it suffers if you do because there is so much in it that refers to people and events from previous books and so much of the plot is dependent on events for which the groundwork was laid many books ago. So, to discuss this book as part of the series: If you love Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache series, you will love this one. One of the major plot threads that has been simmering in the background for many of the previous books is finally resolved here, in what I found to be a satisfying, if not particularly believable way. But the book also contains the same flaws that have always prevented me, at least, from loving her books. For me, the village of Three Pines and its inhabitants are a little bit precious and annoyingly melodramatic. And I thought the actual murder mystery part of the plot was somewhat thin, with a motive that I did not find credible (and I generally feel that the motives for the murders in her books are not credible). But in this book solving the murder kept seeming like kind of an afterthought in the midst of what was really the major story relating to corruption in the Quebec government and police department, and even with my less than total devotion to this series, that part of the plot made this a page turner.
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Jeanne B. (Takoma Park, MD)
There is a Crack in Everything
This is a lovely book by a deeply compassionate and seasoned author. Although this was my first Inspector Gamache mystery, I had no trouble following the many plot lines from earlier books, which were deftly woven throughout the story. And her characters. They are just incandescent! My favorite: the seemingly bitter and demented old poet, Ruth, and her companion duck, Rosa. The story is tightly plotted, but Penny writes from a very emotional place. The pacing feels slow, almost contemplative at times, and she lavishes a great deal of attention on small details. This had the effect for me of dissipating any real buildup of suspense, which is why I gave the book four stars instead of five. It was still a very rewarding read.
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Marion W. (Issaquah, WA)
Gamache encore!
Fans of Louise Penny's Chief Inspector Gamache will welcome her latest book, "How the Light Gets In", (much better, IMHO, than the preceding "The Beautiful Mystery").
In this novel, we have both the seemingly motiveless murder of an older woman, once world-famous because of the circumstance of her birth, and Gamache's continuing suspicions of corruption within the Sûreté du Québec, the provincial police force. His young former second-in-command, Jean-Guy Beauvoir, has been left in
a parlous state following the previous situation.
This is a richly atmospheric book, Gamache's frequent visits to the remote hamlet of Three Pines evoking Christmas card scenes of snow-covered cabins, and quaint inhabitants enjoying la cuisine Québecoise. The plethora of individuals can be confusing to the reader encountering them for the first time; and the references to computer technology can be baffling (but aren't they always, to the layman?). That said, "How the Light Gets In" is a very entertaining read, which could spark interesting discussions if it were a book club choice. Amusez-vous bien! (Have a good time!)
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