Inspector Gamache has returned to the village of Three Pines to try and solve a murder that hits close to home. In the beloved local bistro a body has appeared and no one knows him. Even the owners are perplexed as to his identity. As Gamache begins to follow the twisting trail, he begins to suspect one of his friends, a villager isn't telling all he knows. The village has also seen the historical mansion on the hill turn into a spa. This means direct competition for the bed and breakfast. Is this part of the murder or is it a red herring? Gamache and his team follow all the available clues, uncovering some unpleasant truths about the village's history. Is he on the right trail or is he letting his personal feelings cloud his judgement?
The fifth volume in the series and it has definitely turned toward a darker tone in voice and the plot. The reader is uncomfortable with what is happening to familiar characters. Has the author been fooling us all along and everyone has terrible dark secrets that will ruin them? One of Penny's best in my opinion. She has turned her fictional world on its ear. I was pulled along by the story even though my mind was screaming "No! No! I don't want to find out anymore!" Our village which seemed a tranquil place has begun turning into something else.The ending has unsettled me so much I am taking a break from my beloved Gamache. I need to come to grips with what has happened. As usual the narrator has done an excellent job. I truly recommend listening to him read this series.
6 Degrees of Reading: Bruno, Chief of Police: A Novel of the French Countryside by Martin Walker, Death of a Cozy Writer: A St. Just Mystery by G.M. Malliet, Death at La Fenice: A Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery by Donna Leon.
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