Still Life, by Louise Penny

I can't remember if I've read any other books by Louise Penny. With my goldfish memory, you never know. But I've definitely read some of them, because I knew it would be good. Plus, the book is set in Quebec! My little temporarily German heart is melting.

Summary

A woman of almost 70 years old named Jane Neal is found dead one morning in the forest, with an arrow through her heart. We are in the countryside near Montreal, and investigator Gamache is called to the scene.

This violent death is shocking, but murder seems unlikely. Unless you consider the completely ludicrous idea that someone was jealous of her nomination for the local art contest (Jane submitted a vile painting that was still selected), it's really hard to see why anyone would want to hurt this old woman with a heart of gold.

But when it becomes clear how skillful the shooting was and when, after several days, no hunter has come forward to admit his mistake, Investigator Gamache gets permission from his superiors to treat the case as a murder.

Impressions

I loved my reading. It had been a long time since I had read a crime novel, and for a moment, I understood why some people only read that. This genre really has a special power of immersion, and Louise Penny has done a good job of creating, with the village of Three Pines, a little cocoon that is both familiar and eerie, with inhabitants who have known each other for so long that they become very resentful... or really close. An example: I was absolutely certain that the woman who kept crying over Jane's death was her daughter. Until I remembered that Jane never had a child, and realized that this woman was actually... her neighbor. It is so inconceivable in my mind to become so close to my neighbor that I invented a non-existent family link between the two.

Not only that, but Louise Penny is really funny. I still wasn't sure I liked the book all that much until Jane Neal's awful painting is revealed to the art contest judges and I go off laughing. Really a great scene. Also, the book is really well plotted. I was won over.

But frankly, Louise, your mastery of Quebec's curses is embarassing. I hope you've been around more francophones since then. Just read these two paragraphs:

‘Tabernacle’, whispered Beauvoir, then after a pause during which neither man breathed. ‘Christ.’
They stood on the threshold of Jane’s living room, frozen in place. Riveted as to a particularly gruesome accident. But what held them fast was no mere accident, it was more aggressive, more intentional.
‘If I was Jane Neal I’d keep people out, too,’ said Beauvoir, regaining his secular voice. For a moment. ‘Sacré.’

Honestly. I appreciate the effort, but "tabernacle? "Sacré”? Outch. My ears hurt.

Maybe in the French version it is corrected. Anyway, I forgive Louise, because her book was really good.