"The Brutal Telling", by Louise Penny

Book 5 in the Inspector Armand Gamache series

In her latest novel, Louise Penny brings her readers back to the village of Three Pines where we will find Inspector Gamache facing another murder scene.

When a body has been found in Olivier Brulé's Bistro, Inspector Gamache is summoned to Three Pines with his investigative team from the Sûreté du Québec. It is soon discovered that the victim an elderly gentleman was murdered elsewhere and strategically relocated to the bistro. Why was the body left at the only café in town and why is the owner Olivier Brulé appearing to be so evasive when questioned, does he have something to hide?

With old fashioned leg work and teamwork we are lead into a suspenseful tale of whodunit in a tiny rural community that has a colourful history of its own and a seemingly dream lifestyle and location to many a city dweller.

The story has several clues and possible culprits creating an intrigue that keeps the reader guessing till the very end. With the discovery of priceless art treasures and the name Charlotte, Inspector Gamache is lured to Queen Charlotte Islands in search of further clues. Skilful writing paints a dazzling and vivid picture of both communities and their surroundings capturing the unique culture of its people. The mysterious community of Three Pines is richly characterized as an idyllic village, a place to linger and wander about, a modern day Shangri-La.

"The Brutal Telling" is more than your typical mystery; it is a trip into the inner soul. In her writing, Miss Penny manages to reach her readers' emotions by highlighting what is often taken for granted: our interaction with each other, gruesome details are left to the imagination making it a light mystery.