A Fatal Grace

A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny
Chief Inspector Armand Gamache Series #2
Mystery
2007 Blackstone Audio
Reader: Ralph Cosham
Finished on 10/24/13
Rating: 3/5 (Good)



Publisher’s Blurb:

Welcome back to Three Pines, where the villagers are preparing for a traditional country Christmas… and murder.

When Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is called to investigate a woman’s murder, it doesn’t take long for him to realize that no love was lost on the victim. But even if everyone hated her—her husband, lover, and daughter among them—how is it that no one saw her get electrocuted in the middle of a frozen lake in the center of town?

Gamache digs beneath the surface of Three Pines to find where the real secrets are buried. But other troubles like ahead for the detective. It seems he has some enemies of his own… and with the coming of the bitter Northern winter winds, something far more chilling is in store.

Louise Penny has quite a following. She has written nine books in the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series and her fans eagerly await each new installment. I read the first in the series (Still Life), and later listened to that same story on audio to reacquaint myself with the cast of characters before moving forward and reading this book. I decided to continue with the series on audio rather than the print version and while I enjoyed the book, it took me almost three weeks to finish. Unlike the psychological thrillers I enjoy listening to, the books in this cozy series are more serene, and I found my mind wandering as I listened while I worked. At one point, I had to go back and listen to a chapter a second time to sort out some of the details, and I found that if I didn’t listen over the weekend, I had to backtrack once again to refresh my memory.

Final Thoughts:

I haven’t given up on Louise Penny and Armand Gamache, but I do think I’ll wait until I have more time to settle into the print versions. These books might be better read over the course of just a few days rather than an entire month!