The Long Way Home by Louise Penny

Here I am again, recommending another intelligent and well-written mystery series.  This time by a Canadian writer.   These (as with Deborah Crombie) shall and should be read in sequence (Still Life is the first).

Louise Penny is a former CBC journalist and her well-honed story telling craft makes each of her novels a gem.  The series largely focuses in and around the picturesque Canadian village of Three Pines, filled with idiosyncratic inhabitants — but these are no typical “cozy” mysteries.  The characters have  depth, humor and pathos and the plots are often intricately complex and psychological.  I eagerly await each and every one of her novels.  So I blissfully delved into The Long Way Home, the 10th in her series.

The Long Way Home finds Chief Inspector Gamache now retired in Three Pines hoping to relax and recover from the horrors he experienced (yes you must read the earlier novels to truly understand the context).  He and his wife, Reine-Marie, are enjoying village life – breakfasts at the bistro, browsing at the bookstore, dinners with friends – when one of their friends, Clara, asks Gamache to help locate her estranged and now missing husband.  Clara and Gamache are joined by Reine-Marie, Myrna, the bookstore owner, his ex-Sargent De Beauvior, and the ever-cranky poet Ruth.

This unlikely crew of investigators find themselves in the Canadian region of  Charlevoix, a place of harsh beauty along the St. Lawrence river, which has attracted artists for centuries.  The mystery orbits around paintings of the beautiful landscape and Canadian artists.  You can see some of the artwork here.   This novel is fairly steeped in art – even the cover of the book feels and looks like a canvas. Part of the mystery also refers to a place in Scotland dubiously named “The Garden of Cosmic Speculation”, it really does exist and looks fascinating – check it out here.  As always, with Ms. Penny’s novels, I find myself making a list of things to Google.

Back to the story —  this is a markedly more philosophical and somber novel which deliberately mirrors Gamache’s introspection since his retirement from the force. Much of the book is psychologically driven and I grew tired of Clara’s tormented artist self pity. The artistic process and angst is discussed ad nauseum and is used as motive where it really doesn’t make sense.  There is some repetition and reiteration  — OK-OK we get the Balm of Gilead reference already! Basically, I longed for the plot to step more lively, if you please.

There were moments of the old charm and humor (nearly not enough for this reader):

“Ergo, he painted them on his return to Canada,” said Clara.

“Ergo?” asked Myrna.

“Don’t tell me you’ve never wanted to use it,” said Clara.

“Not now that I hear how it really sounds.”

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed this book and it retains Ms. Penny’s gorgeous writing.  I was happy to revisit the Three Pines, its characters (including one foul-mouthed duck), glimpse into Gamache’s new life (he reads each morning on a bench overlooking the village) and share in the non-stop cozy tea breaks and good meals – does that Bistro ever close?

The Long Way Home is still an excellent read, just not on par with Ms. Penny’s previous novels. I remain a steadfast  fan and will eagerly await Ms. Penny’s next installment in this smart, original series.

One big rant: Come on Ms. Penny you’re better than this book’s melodramatic ending!

(I am hoping Ms. Penny doesn’t fall into a series black hole ala Elizabeth George —  whose mysteries, in my opinion, lost their way after she killed off Helen.)