Still Life

Penny, Louise

ISBN 10: 0786171421 ISBN 13: 9780786171422

Publisher: Blackstone Pub, 2006

Synopsis

Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of Canada's S ret du Quebec is called to Three Pines, a tiny hamlet south of Montreal, just north of the U.S. border, to investigate the suspicious hunting "accident" that claimed the life of Jane Neal, a local fixture in the village. A first novel. Simultaneous.

About this title

Review

"Louise Penny's "Still Life" is a gem of a debut novel---clever, charming, with perceptively realized characters, a setting to die for, and the enormously appealing Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. I can't wait for the next installment."---Deborah Crombie, author of "Water Like a Stone"
"An excellent, subtle plot full of understanding of the deeper places in human nature, and many wise observations that will enrich the reader long after the pages are closed."---Anne Perry, author of "At Some Disputed Barricade"
"A cast of fascinating and beautifully sketched characters, deep insight into human motives and relationships . . . Georges Simenon kept Maigret going for over a hundred books. It will be a delight for all of us who love detective fiction if Louise Penny can stay around long enough to do the same for Gamache."---Reginald Hill, author of "The Stranger House"
""Still Life" is a masterpiece of a traditional drawing room mystery.... Louise Penny is a storytelling artist." ---Julia Spencer-Fleming, author of "All Mortal Flesh"
"What a joy it is to discover a detective like Armand Gamache, strong, calm and charismatic and at work on a good mystery in a believable setting."---Peter Lovesey, author of "The Circle"
""Still Life" is a lovely, clever book and I hope I shall be reading a lot more by Louise Penny!"---Ann Granger, author of "That Way Murder Lies"
"What a joy to read a crime novel written with such skill and integrity, strong on character and atmosphere . . . I couldn't put it down."---Margaret Yorke, author of "Deceiving Mirror"

" A rare treat." -- "People "magazine " It' s hard to decide what provides the most pleasure in this enjoyable book: Gamache, a shrewd and kindly man constantly surprised by homicide; the village, which sounds at first like an ideal place to escape from civilization; or the clever and carefully constructed plot."
-- "Chicago"" Tribune"
" Cerebral, wise and compassionate, Gamache is destined for stardom. Don' t miss this stellar debut." -- "Kirkus Reviews" (starred review)
" Terrific. Like a virtuoso, Penny plays a complex variation on the theme of the clue hidden in plain sight." -- "Publishers Weekly" (starred review)
" A gem of a book." -- "Booklist" (starred review) " [An] auspicious debut... [Penny' s] deceptively simple style masks the complex patterns of a well-devised plot." -- Marilyn Stasio, "The New York Times Book Review"""
" A perfectly executed traditional mystery." -- "Denver"" Post""" " A stellar debut novel. The setting is entrancing... Well done!" -- "Deadly Pleasures"
" A gem of a debut novel-- clever, charming, with perceptively realized characters... and the enormously appealing Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. I can' t wait for the next installment." -- Deborah Crombie, author of "Water Like a Stone"
" "
" An excellent, subtle plot full of understanding of the deeper places in human nature, and many wise observations that will enrich the reader long after the pages areclosed." -- Anne Perry, author of "Long Spoon Lane"
" Georges Simenon kept Maigret going for over a hundred books. It will be a delight for all of us who love detective fiction if Louise Penny can stay around long enough to do the same for Gamache" -- Reginald Hill, author of "The Stranger House"
" "Still Life" is a masterpiece of a traditional drawing room mystery, repainted in the autumnal colors of the Canadian countryside. Louise Penny is a storytelling artist." -- Julia Spencer-Fleming, author of "To Darkness and to Death"
" What a joy it is to discover a detective like Armand Gamache, strong, calm and charismatic and at work on a good mystery in a believable setting." -- Peter Lovesey, author of "The Circle"
" What a joy to read a crime novel written with such skill and integrity, strong on character and atmosphere...I couldn't put it down." -- Margaret Yorke, author of "False Pretences"
" "Still Life" is a lovely, clever book and I hope I shall be reading a lot more by Louise Penny!" -- Ann Granger, author of "That Way Murder Lies"

"A rare treat."--"People "magazine "It's hard to decide what provides the most pleasure in this enjoyable book: Gamache, a shrewd and kindly man constantly surprised by homicide; the village, which sounds at first like an ideal place to escape from civilization; or the clever and carefully constructed plot."
--"Chicago"" Tribune"
"Cerebral, wise and compassionate, Gamache is destined for stardom. Don't miss this stellar debut."--"Kirkus Reviews" (starred review)
"Terrific. Like a virtuoso, Penny plays a complex variation on the theme of the clue hidden in plain sight."--"Publishers Weekly" (starred review)
"A gem of a book."--"Booklist" (starred review) "[An] auspicious debut... [Penny's] deceptively simple style masks the complex patterns of a well-devised plot."--Marilyn Stasio, "The New York Times Book Review"""
"A perfectly executed traditional mystery."--"Denver"" Post""" "A stellar debut novel. The setting is entrancing... Well done!"--"Deadly Pleasures"
"A gem of a debut novel--clever, charming, with perceptively realized characters... and the enormously appealing Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. I can't wait for the next installment."--Deborah Crombie, author of "Water Like a Stone"
" "
"An excellent, subtle plot full of understanding of the deeper places in human nature, and many wise observations that will enrich the reader long after the pages are closed."--Anne Perry, author of "Long Spoon Lane"
"Georges Simenon kept Maigret going for over a hundred books. It will be a delight for all of us who love detective fiction if Louise Penny can stay around long enough to do the same for Gamache"--Reginald Hill, author of "The Stranger House"
""Still Life" is a masterpiece of a traditional drawing room mystery, repainted in the autumnal colors of the Canadian countryside. Louise Penny is a storytelling artist."--Julia Spencer-Fleming, author of "To Darkness and to Death"
"What a joy it is to discover a detective like Armand Gamache, strong, calm and charismatic and at work on a good mystery in a believable setting."--Peter Lovesey, author of "The Circle"
"What a joy to read a crime novel written with such skill and integrity, strong on character and atmosphere...I couldn't put it down."--Margaret Yorke, author of "False Pretences"
""Still Life" is a lovely, clever book and I hope I shall be reading a lot more by Louise Penny!"--Ann Granger, author of "That Way Murder Lies"

"A rare treat."
--"People "magazine
"It's hard to decide what provides the most pleasure in this enjoyable book: Gamache, a shrewd and kindly man constantly surprised by homicide; the village, which sounds at first like an ideal place to escape from civilization; or the clever and carefully constructed plot."
--"Chicago"" Tribune
""Cerebral, wise and compassionate, Gamache is destined for stardom. Don't miss this stellar debut."
--"Kirkus Reviews" (starred review)
"Terrific. Like a virtuoso, Penny plays a complex variation on the theme of the clue hidden in plain sight."
--"Publishers Weekly" (starred review)
"A gem of a book."
--"Booklist" (starred review)
"[An] auspicious debut... [Penny's] deceptively simple style masks the complex patterns of a well-devised plot."
--Marilyn Stasio, "The New York Times Book Review
""A perfectly executed traditional mystery."
--"Denver"" Post
""A stellar debut novel. The setting is entrancing... Well done!"
--"Deadly Pleasures
""A gem of a debut novel--clever, charming, with perceptively realized characters... and the enormously appealing Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. I can't wait for the next installment."
--Deborah Crombie, author of "Water Like a Stone
""An excellent, subtle plot full of understanding of the deeper places in human nature, and many wise observations that will enrich the reader long after the pages are closed."
--Anne Perry, author of "Long Spoon Lane
""Georges Simenon kept Maigret going for over a hundred books. It will be a delight for all of us who love detective fiction if Louise Penny can stay around long enough to do the same forGamache."
--Reginald Hill, author of "The Stranger House
"""Still Life" is a masterpiece of a traditional drawing room mystery, repainted in the autumnal colors of the Canadian countryside. Louise Penny is a storytelling artist."
--Julia Spencer-Fleming, author of "To Darkness and to Death
""What a joy it is to discover a detective like Armand Gamache, strong, calm and charismatic and at work on a good mystery in a believable setting."
--Peter Lovesey, author of "The Circle
""What a joy to read a crime novel written with such skill and integrity, strong on character and atmosphere...I couldn't put it down."
--Margaret Yorke, author of "False Pretences
"""Still Life" is a lovely, clever book and I hope I shall be reading a lot more by Louise Penny!"
--Ann Granger, author of "That Way Murder Lies"

“A rare treat.”
—"People "magazine
“It’s hard to decide what provides the most pleasure in this enjoyable book: Gamache, a shrewd and kindly man constantly surprised by homicide; the village, which sounds at first like an ideal place to escape from civilization; or the clever and carefully constructed plot.”
—"Chicago"" Tribune
"“Cerebral, wise and compassionate, Gamache is destined for stardom. Don’t miss this stellar debut.”
—"Kirkus Reviews" (starred review)
“Terrific. Like a virtuoso, Penny plays a complex variation on the theme of the clue hidden in plain sight.”
—"Publishers Weekly" (starred review)
“A gem of a book.”
—"Booklist" (starred review)
“[An] auspicious debut... [Penny’s] deceptively simple style masks the complex patterns of a well-devised plot.”
—Marilyn Stasio, "The New York Times Book Review
Praise for "Still Life"Winner of the New Blood Dagger, Arthur Ellis, Barry, Anthony, and Dilys awards
"Don't look for the hamlet of Three Pines anywhere on a map of the countryside outside of Montreal, although Louise Penny has made the town and its residents so real in her first mystery, "Still Life, " that you might just try to find it. . . . It's hard to decide what provides the most pleasure in this enjoyable book: Gamache, a shrewd and kindly man constantly surprised by homicide; the village, which sounds at first like an ideal place to escape from civilization; or the clever and carefully constructed plot." --"Chicago Tribune
""Terrific. . . . Like a virtuoso, Penny plays a complex variation on the theme of the clue hidden in plain sight. Filled with unexpected insights, this winning traditional mystery sets a solid foundation for future entries in the series." --"Publishers Weekly" (starred review)
"A gem of a book . . . a beautifully told, lyrically written story of love, life, friendship, and tragedy." --"Booklist" (starred review)
"Cerebral, wise, and compassionate, Gamache is destined for stardom. Don't miss this stellar debut."--"Kirkus Reviews" (starred review)"A first-rate creator of memorable characters, Penny introduces a truly engaging sleuth in Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. Strongly recommended." --"Library Journal"
"A perfectly executed traditional mystery." --"Denver Post""For mystery lovers, only one thing equals the joy of a new book from a favorite author: finding a remarkable new writer. Louise Penny arrives with flair, humanity, and intrigue in her debut novel. . . . With a carefully detailed Canadian setting, finely drawn characters, highly plausible solutions, and a sympathetic detective, Penny has written the kind of debut many writers merely dream of, and she leaves readers dreaming of Gamache's next case." --"Richmond Times-Dispatch""Reflecting Gamache's approach, the novel is one of conversations and reflections. We get to know the villagers and the detectives as people, not just as pieces of the puzzle.... For a crime story, "Still Life" is gentle in spirit. Penny does not employ shootouts, car chases, or profanity to add excitement. But gentle does not mean prim or saccharine. The novel does not extol the quaintness of small town life; even in a cozy village, people feel isolated and can be cruel to one another. Since, as Gamache observes, crime is 'deeply human, ' Penny grounds the mystery in the private struggles of her characters and the many strange ways in which their lives intersect." --"Boston Globe"
"Penny's writing is so descriptive, so evocative of the beautiful autumn Canadian landscape that she makes one wish to move north as rapidly as possible. Inspector Gamache is himself an elegant, intelligent, kind, observant, and wise family man, everyone's dream of a Quebecois, the French Canadian who, along with his endearing and professional team, will solve the murder." --"Utah Daily Herald"
"
""Louise Penny is a master of creating delightful characters--frankly, even the most evil among them, for they are delightfully horrid. "Still Life" is a great slice of small town life, with a thorny mystery driving a solid, uncomplicated plot." --BookReporter.com"A gem of a debut novel--clever, charming, with perceptively realized characters...and the enormously appealing Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. I can't wait for the next installment." --Deborah Crombie"
""An excellent, subtle plot full of understanding of the deeper places in human nature, and many wise observations that will enrich the reader long after the pages are closed." --Anne Perry"
""Georges Simenon kept Maigret going for over a hundred books. It will be a delight for all of us who love detective fiction if Louise Penny can stay around long enough to do the same for Gamache." --Reginald Hill"
""What a joy it is to discover a detective like Armand Gamache, strong, calm, and charismatic, and at work on a good mystery in a believable setting." --Peter Lovesey"
""What a joy to read a crime novel written with such skill and integrity, strong on character and atmosphere . . . I couldn't put it down." --Margaret Yorke""Still Life" is a lovely, clever book, and I hope I shall be reading a lot more by Louise Penny!" --Ann Granger""Still Life" is a masterpiece of a traditional drawing room mystery, repainted in the autumnal colors of the Canadian countryside. Louise Penny is a storytelling artist." --Julia Spencer-Fleming"
"

Praise for "Still Life

"Winner of the?New Blood Dagger, ?Arthur Ellis, ?Barry, ?Anthony, and?Dilys awards

?

"Winner of the New Blood Dagger, Arthur Ellis, Barry, Anthony, and Dilys awards

Like a virtuoso, Penny plays a complex variation on the theme of the clue hidden in plain sight. Filled with unexpected insights. "Publishers Weekly (starred review)"

A gem of a book . . . a beautifully told, lyrically written story of love, life, friendship, and tragedy. "Booklist (starred review)"

Cerebral, wise, and compassionate, Gamache is destined for stardom. Don't miss this stellar debut. "Kirkus Reviews (starred review)"

A perfectly executed traditional mystery. "Denver Post"

Penny has written the kind of debut many writers merely dream of, and she leaves readers dreaming of Gamache's next case. "Richmond Times-Dispatch"

Penny's writing is so descriptive, so evocative of the beautiful autumn Canadian landscape that she makes one wish to move north as rapidly as possible. Inspector Gamache is himself an elegant, intelligent, kind, observant, and wise family man, everyone's dream of a Quebecois, the French Canadian who, along with his endearing and professional team, will solve the murder. "Utah Daily Herald""

Like a virtuoso, Penny plays a complex variation on the theme of the clue hidden in plain sight. Filled with unexpected insights. ...

Book Description

The CWA Dagger-winning first Louise Penny novel, reissued and repackaged by Sphere

Edition details

• Publisher: Blackstone Pub
• Publication date: 2006
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0786171421
• ISBN 13: 9780786171422
• Binding: Audio CD