Call number
MYST PEN
Collection
Genres
Publication
Minotaur Books (2014), Edition: 1st, 373 pages
Description
Fiction. Mystery. HTML: Happily retired in the village of Three Pines, Armand Gamache, former Chief Inspector of Homicide with the Sûreté du Québec, has found a peace he'd only imagined possible. On warm summer mornings he sits on a bench holding a small book, The Balm in Gilead, in his large hands. "There is a balm in Gilead," his neighbor Clara Morrow reads from the dust jacket, "to make the wounded whole." While Gamache doesn't talk about his wounds and his balm, Clara tells him about hers. Peter, her artist husband, has failed to come home. Failed to show up as promised on the first anniversary of their separation. She wants Gamache's help to find him. Having finally found sanctuary, Gamache feels a near revulsion at the thought of leaving Three Pines. "There's power enough in Heaven," he finishes the quote as he contemplates the quiet village, "to cure a sin-sick soul." And then he gets up. And joins her. Together with his former second-in-command, Jean-Guy Beauvoir, and Myrna Landers, they journey deeper and deeper into Québec. And deeper and deeper into the soul of Peter Morrow. A man so desperate to recapture his fame as an artist, he would sell that soul. And may have. The journey takes them further and further from Three Pines, to the very mouth of the great St. Lawrence river. To an area so desolate, so damned, the first mariners called it The land God gave to Cain. And there they discover the terrible damage done by a sin-sick so… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member lit_chick
“Canvases. Art. Deadly art.” (Ch 36)
Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and his wife, Reine-Marie, are happily retired in Three Pines. At least they were. Until Peter Morrow, who was due to return home to the village on the year anniversary of a trial separation from Clara, does not show. At her
The Long Way Home is a sound conclusion to Penny’s well-loved Three Pines series. I like that Gamache’s character has been allowed to age: the duress of a long police career and grave injury having taken their toll – so that he’s somewhat off his game here, but he’s real. And I love that he has retired in the idyllic village introduced to us so many novels ago.
"His face showed his age. It was worn with cares and concerns and worries. With pain. But the deepest crevices were made by laughter. Around his eyes and mouth. Mirth, etched deep.” (Ch 1)
Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and his wife, Reine-Marie, are happily retired in Three Pines. At least they were. Until Peter Morrow, who was due to return home to the village on the year anniversary of a trial separation from Clara, does not show. At her
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wits’ end, Clara enlists the help of Gamache. And so begins what will finally be the venerable inspector’s last investigation: and it’s an intriguing one. Peter’s movements over the past year include Paris, Venice, Dumfries (yes, an odd fit), Toronto, Quebec City, and finally rural Quebec: Baie-Saint-Paul, the dense Quebec woods, and the scenic shores of the Saint Lawrence River. And if this goose-chase weren’t trouble enough, Gamache and his faithful second and now son-in-law, Beauvoir, are led into the art world via two Quebecois college professors who share a suspect history: one celebrated by the establishment, and the other firmly rejected by same. And what on earth to make of Peter’s latest works? none of his signature structure, rigidity, sterility, but a wild abandoned mess of colour and texture – a dog’s breakfast.The Long Way Home is a sound conclusion to Penny’s well-loved Three Pines series. I like that Gamache’s character has been allowed to age: the duress of a long police career and grave injury having taken their toll – so that he’s somewhat off his game here, but he’s real. And I love that he has retired in the idyllic village introduced to us so many novels ago.
"His face showed his age. It was worn with cares and concerns and worries. With pain. But the deepest crevices were made by laughter. Around his eyes and mouth. Mirth, etched deep.” (Ch 1)
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LibraryThing member tututhefirst
It's so hard to write about Armand Gamache stories without giving them away, and that is, in my humble opionion, the worst sin a reviewer can commit. Every time I review a Louise Penny book, I find myself saying things like "It's quintessential Louise" or "Just when I thought she couldn't get
BUT SHE'S JUST THAT GOOD.
I was fortunate enough to get my hands on an ARC earlier this summer, and waited to read it until I'd finished a re-read (this time in audio) of the previous nine books in the series, and lurked along in the on-line discussions. Quel fun!
All through the series, I've never liked the character of Peter, so I wasn't sure I was going to have much sympathy for him or the people trying to find him. When I sang in the choir several years ago, our choir director tried and tried and tried to get us to master the hymn "There is a Balm in Gilead" to the point that I HATED that hymn. And to put frosting on the proverbial cake, I had a pretty negative recollection of trying to get through Marilynne Robinson's Pulitzer winner Gilead when our book club read it several years ago. If this current book hadn't been written by Louise Penny, and hadn't been about my all-time favorite mystery personality, I probably wouldn't have wanted to read it. I wouldn't have wanted to see Armand's well-deserved retirement "ruined". I just wanted everything to stay in "Three Pines Fairyland". Fairyland it isn't. Life it is. The characters who have become so familiar to us continue to expand, to mature, and let us into their lives. Ruth Zardo, another of my favorite characters finally allows a tiny crack in her armor to let us in, so those of us who have loved her all along can at last begin to see why.
In the end, the only thing I can say is that once again, Louise Penny does not disappoint. She steals our heart, she takes our breath away, she causes us to lose a huge chunk of time since once we embark on this adventure, we neglect everything and everyone else in our lives. I can't wait for the publication date August 26 because I've already pre-ordered a hard back copy (something I rarely do), and the audio to go with it.
If you're not yet a fan, and think you don't like mysteries, give these a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
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better, she does" or other blathery, toady, almost syncophantic wind-blown compliments that are almost insulting they're so inflated.BUT SHE'S JUST THAT GOOD.
I was fortunate enough to get my hands on an ARC earlier this summer, and waited to read it until I'd finished a re-read (this time in audio) of the previous nine books in the series, and lurked along in the on-line discussions. Quel fun!
All through the series, I've never liked the character of Peter, so I wasn't sure I was going to have much sympathy for him or the people trying to find him. When I sang in the choir several years ago, our choir director tried and tried and tried to get us to master the hymn "There is a Balm in Gilead" to the point that I HATED that hymn. And to put frosting on the proverbial cake, I had a pretty negative recollection of trying to get through Marilynne Robinson's Pulitzer winner Gilead when our book club read it several years ago. If this current book hadn't been written by Louise Penny, and hadn't been about my all-time favorite mystery personality, I probably wouldn't have wanted to read it. I wouldn't have wanted to see Armand's well-deserved retirement "ruined". I just wanted everything to stay in "Three Pines Fairyland". Fairyland it isn't. Life it is. The characters who have become so familiar to us continue to expand, to mature, and let us into their lives. Ruth Zardo, another of my favorite characters finally allows a tiny crack in her armor to let us in, so those of us who have loved her all along can at last begin to see why.
In the end, the only thing I can say is that once again, Louise Penny does not disappoint. She steals our heart, she takes our breath away, she causes us to lose a huge chunk of time since once we embark on this adventure, we neglect everything and everyone else in our lives. I can't wait for the publication date August 26 because I've already pre-ordered a hard back copy (something I rarely do), and the audio to go with it.
If you're not yet a fan, and think you don't like mysteries, give these a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
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LibraryThing member readerbynight
When Louise Penny writes a book, I always find it comforting. This may seem a strange word to use in light of the fact that her novels feature Chief Inspector Gamache and therefore feature a crime of some sort; murder, loss, injury, death. The author paints a picture as clearly as if she has been
At this time of his life, Armand Gamache is recovering from severe injuries to body and mind, as is his son-in-law and former deputy Jean-Guy. Both are no longer working for the Sûreté du Québec, but duty calls to them regardless. Armand Gamache and his wife Reine-Marie have found the perfect healing village of Three Pines, bi-lingual and calming, they purchased their home there a few years ago. This very small village might more easily be referred to as a neighbourhood, so close and welcoming the residents are. One would think that crime would never attempt to touch such a place, but no place is devoid of such things. But has a crime actually been committed? That is the question. Clara, what some might call a spontaneous artist, slapping paint on canvas with happy abandonment, is worried. She asked her husband to leave for one year and it is now past the time he should have returned. They are both artists, but with entirely different methodology. Why has he not come home? Is he dead or alive?
This book takes us inside the minds of several people, as most if not all the books in this series do. Louise Penny treats her creations as indiviuals she knows personally and that is what makes her books so comforting yet brilliant. We know these people. They are complete, flawed, righteous, giving, loving, supportive, in other words, they are Everyone in Anytown. As this story takes us through the growing pains of art and love, new discoveries about the population of these people are made. I love a book that teaches me something new, and this one teaches me a lot about art and its connection to heart and soul. It teaches me how to see into a painting.
Why can this group of friends not find Peter? It's almost as though he has stepped into a painting and disappeared. Yet, they are able to track his journey, but where will it take them in the end and what will they find? Clara, his wife, is sure she will find him but even the former Chief Inspector has little idea where and how to look. The journey takes this odd bunch of friends halfway 'round the globe and back. Though their journey has been extensive, it has been fruitful in an unusual way. Sometimes insight comes from surprising places. As some pieces fit together others fall apart. I loved this book for its depth of perception, its humour, its colour, its mystery, the many surprises, and the opportunity to get to know these characters and their village.
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the artist. The fact that this book in particular features art does not detract from her word pictures. The Long Way Home is the 10th Inspector Gamache book with more to come.At this time of his life, Armand Gamache is recovering from severe injuries to body and mind, as is his son-in-law and former deputy Jean-Guy. Both are no longer working for the Sûreté du Québec, but duty calls to them regardless. Armand Gamache and his wife Reine-Marie have found the perfect healing village of Three Pines, bi-lingual and calming, they purchased their home there a few years ago. This very small village might more easily be referred to as a neighbourhood, so close and welcoming the residents are. One would think that crime would never attempt to touch such a place, but no place is devoid of such things. But has a crime actually been committed? That is the question. Clara, what some might call a spontaneous artist, slapping paint on canvas with happy abandonment, is worried. She asked her husband to leave for one year and it is now past the time he should have returned. They are both artists, but with entirely different methodology. Why has he not come home? Is he dead or alive?
This book takes us inside the minds of several people, as most if not all the books in this series do. Louise Penny treats her creations as indiviuals she knows personally and that is what makes her books so comforting yet brilliant. We know these people. They are complete, flawed, righteous, giving, loving, supportive, in other words, they are Everyone in Anytown. As this story takes us through the growing pains of art and love, new discoveries about the population of these people are made. I love a book that teaches me something new, and this one teaches me a lot about art and its connection to heart and soul. It teaches me how to see into a painting.
Why can this group of friends not find Peter? It's almost as though he has stepped into a painting and disappeared. Yet, they are able to track his journey, but where will it take them in the end and what will they find? Clara, his wife, is sure she will find him but even the former Chief Inspector has little idea where and how to look. The journey takes this odd bunch of friends halfway 'round the globe and back. Though their journey has been extensive, it has been fruitful in an unusual way. Sometimes insight comes from surprising places. As some pieces fit together others fall apart. I loved this book for its depth of perception, its humour, its colour, its mystery, the many surprises, and the opportunity to get to know these characters and their village.
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LibraryThing member SamSattler
The Long Way Home is the tenth in Louise Penny’s Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series.
The previous novels have seen the inspector through cases that have left him mentally and physically shattered, but now he is happily retired to the little village of Three Pines. Gamache’s recovery has been
Luckily for Gamache, he has someone upon whose help he can always call, his new son-in-law and former police colleague, Jean-Guy Beauvoir. Because of what the two men have recently been through together, their bond will never be broken – even though each man believes that he is the one looking after the other, and not vice versa. And so it is, that an unlikely team of four (Gamache, Beauvoir, Clara Morrow, and Clara’s best friend Myrna Landers) forms to look for the missing Peter Morrow, a man on a dark journey all his own.
Peter’s dark journey will soon take our unlikely quartet of detectives on one of their own, a quest that will ultimately find them fighting for their lives at the mouth of the St. Lawrence River in what could be the most remote village in all of Canada. It is in this little outpost that they will learn just how wrong they have been about Peter Morrow, and about why he has not returned to his wife despite his promise to come home on the one-year anniversary of his departure.
Fans of this excellent series may be surprised to learn that reading The Long Way Home starts to feel as tough an undertaking as what the Gamache team itself is enduring. The 373-page novel’s pace is slowed by too many baby-steps toward a resolution, blown investigatory theories, and obscure art theory to make for comfortable reading. And then, after all of that, the book’s climax, when it finally is reached, is too predictable to compensate for its tedious build-up. Longtime fans of the series, however, will find satisfaction in the way that Armand Gamache’s personal history is moved along, and they should not miss The Long Way Home.
The previous novels have seen the inspector through cases that have left him mentally and physically shattered, but now he is happily retired to the little village of Three Pines. Gamache’s recovery has been
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a slow one, and although he still walks with a bit of a limp, at this point he is struggling more with the mental part of recovery than with the physical. So when his neighbor Clara Morrow asks his help in finding her husband, Gamache is reluctant to put on his policeman hat again to search for a man whose wife has not seen him for almost exactly one year.Luckily for Gamache, he has someone upon whose help he can always call, his new son-in-law and former police colleague, Jean-Guy Beauvoir. Because of what the two men have recently been through together, their bond will never be broken – even though each man believes that he is the one looking after the other, and not vice versa. And so it is, that an unlikely team of four (Gamache, Beauvoir, Clara Morrow, and Clara’s best friend Myrna Landers) forms to look for the missing Peter Morrow, a man on a dark journey all his own.
Peter’s dark journey will soon take our unlikely quartet of detectives on one of their own, a quest that will ultimately find them fighting for their lives at the mouth of the St. Lawrence River in what could be the most remote village in all of Canada. It is in this little outpost that they will learn just how wrong they have been about Peter Morrow, and about why he has not returned to his wife despite his promise to come home on the one-year anniversary of his departure.
Fans of this excellent series may be surprised to learn that reading The Long Way Home starts to feel as tough an undertaking as what the Gamache team itself is enduring. The 373-page novel’s pace is slowed by too many baby-steps toward a resolution, blown investigatory theories, and obscure art theory to make for comfortable reading. And then, after all of that, the book’s climax, when it finally is reached, is too predictable to compensate for its tedious build-up. Longtime fans of the series, however, will find satisfaction in the way that Armand Gamache’s personal history is moved along, and they should not miss The Long Way Home.
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LibraryThing member porch_reader
This is the latest in the Three Pines mystery series, and it did not disappoint. After waiting a year to see how Armand, Jean-Guy, Clara, Ruth, and the others are doing, I dug into this installment, anxious to see what Armand would do after retiring from the Surete. It doesn't take long for a
I am a huge fan of this series, and all of the things that I've loved about the previous books apply her. The writing is superb. The characters are multi-layered and now feel like old friends. The mystery itself was well plotted. I was actually glad that I was a little under the weather today, allowing me to finish the last 100 pages in one gulp. And in some ways, this was one of my favorite Three Pines books. Ruth was in especially fine form, so that added greatly to my enjoyment. And the mystery centered around the creative process, which allowed Penny to speculate on the process of creating art.
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mystery to find him, a mystery that hits very close to home for Clara. Penny keeps the plot tight, allowing us to discover small clues as Armand, Jean-Guy, Clara, and the others discover them. The tension builds until Penny reaches one of the most surprising endings that I can remember in this series. I am a huge fan of this series, and all of the things that I've loved about the previous books apply her. The writing is superb. The characters are multi-layered and now feel like old friends. The mystery itself was well plotted. I was actually glad that I was a little under the weather today, allowing me to finish the last 100 pages in one gulp. And in some ways, this was one of my favorite Three Pines books. Ruth was in especially fine form, so that added greatly to my enjoyment. And the mystery centered around the creative process, which allowed Penny to speculate on the process of creating art.
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LibraryThing member rlsalvati
Beautiful, as always. Many books in this series stand on their own, but with this one I think you need to have read through the series to really understand Clara and Peter's relationship.
LibraryThing member 66usma
I would like to preface my comments by saying that I am not a literary critic. In addition I probably would have had a better understanding of the work if I had read some or all of the previous seven Armand Gamache books. I read for entertainment and finishing this book was laborious at best. It
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took at least 90% of the book to have some idea what was happening. (Some of this lack of understanding would have have been diminished by reading prior works.) Not being French Canadian, I have little interest in Province of Quebec villages, cosmic gardens, stone rabbits, or Canadian artists! What is it with writers that have to interject foreign phrases in the middle of dialogues that a lot of readers don't understand. Merde! (All is not lost I did learn a new French word!). Is it for personal, intellectual aggrandizement ? Needless to say I can't recommend this book as a stand alone work and wouldn't want to invest the time to get up to speed by reading more of this series. Show Less
LibraryThing member gypsysmom
Another great book from Louise Penny. After I read each book I think it is my favourite. This one is no exception. It is more cerebral than her others I think but that is not a bad thing. I'm just sorry that I will have to wait until August before the next one in the series comes out.
Back in A
Any worry I had that the series would falter when Gamache retired from La Surete is put to rest with this book. He will keep on doing what he does best as will the rest of the characters in Three Pines. (Ruth Zardo is still my favourite of the minor characters.)
Back in A
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Trick of the Light, the seventh book in this series, Clara Morrow asked her husband Peter to leave their home in Three Pines for a year. Peter's jealousy of Clara's success as a painter showed Clara how flawed Peter was. In this book the year is up but Peter has not returned to Three Pines and he has not been heard from. Clara is not sure if she wants him back but she knows she can't make that decision until she sees him. She asks Gamache, now retired with his wife in Three Pines, to help her find Peter. Gamache asks his son-in-law (and former colleague) Jean-Pierre to help him. They manage to track Peter by his bank records to Paris, Rome, Venice, a small town in Scotland, Toronto and finally to the Charlevoix region. But there the track goes cold and Gamache, Clara, Jean-Pierre and Myrna decide they have to go to the area themselves. They know Peter has been painting while he has been away because he has sent some of his paintings to his sister's child. The paintings are unlike anything Peter has ever done before. It is even hard to tell which side is the top of the paintings. The paintings are not very good but they do show emotion which Peter never showed before. Maybe there is hope for him and Clara yet?Any worry I had that the series would falter when Gamache retired from La Surete is put to rest with this book. He will keep on doing what he does best as will the rest of the characters in Three Pines. (Ruth Zardo is still my favourite of the minor characters.)
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LibraryThing member beckyhaase
THE LONG WAY HOME by Louise Penny
This was my first Inspector Gamache novel and that was a mistake. I should have read the preceding novels first! Even at the end of the book I was still sure I was missing important nuances of plot , conversation and place.
That said, I enjoyed this book. The mystery
If you know a bit about art and artists you will be ahead of the game. If you know nothing about art and artists you will learn a lot about their temperaments and work styles. Neither instance will detract from the story.
5 of 5 stars
This was my first Inspector Gamache novel and that was a mistake. I should have read the preceding novels first! Even at the end of the book I was still sure I was missing important nuances of plot , conversation and place.
That said, I enjoyed this book. The mystery
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lurks into being in the first paragraphs and keeps one on edge for the remainder of the book. The characters are well defined. The plot is rich with suspense and is logically rendered. You will care about the characters and be surprised by the ending. There is humor in the characters, especially Ruth and Rosa, as well as humanity and empathy. If you know a bit about art and artists you will be ahead of the game. If you know nothing about art and artists you will learn a lot about their temperaments and work styles. Neither instance will detract from the story.
5 of 5 stars
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LibraryThing member delphimo
Inspector Gamache gives me courage and hope, just as the series inspires me to try harder to enjoy life. Clara's husband, Peter, has been gone for over a year, and Clara worries he may be in danger. Clara, Myrna, Armand, and Guy begin a journey in search of Peter. The trip will cement the ties
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among this group and the people left in Three Pines. Louise Penny presents a trip filled with beauty, danger, jealousy, love, and loyalty. The journey seems a descent into the levels of hell and the chance of finding paradise. The story alludes to the Greek Muses as an inspiration for creation, but can the Muse also cause destruction when not fulfilled. Vivid scenery and characters make the story realistic. As usual, I applaud the craftsmanship of Louise Penny. Show Less
LibraryThing member atticusfinch1048
The Long Way Home – Stylish Thriller
The Long Way Home by Louise Penny is the tenth Chief Inspector Armand Gamashe thriller that she has written. This is a stylish and evocative story the prose is outstanding and makes the imagery seem crystal clear. If you like a crime thriller to have a high
Chief Inspector Armand Gamashe of the Sûreté du Québec has taken to retirement and get over his injuries in the village of Three Pines not far from Montreal. His daughter and son in law were able to visit he was able to walk further everyday taking Henri the inheritated German Shepherd dog from his new house’s previous owner.
Clara Morrow has made a pact with her husband Peter a successful but fading artist to a trail separation of one year, and they would get together on that particular date whatever they felt should happen. Over a year has passed and Peter has not come home and Cara is worried. She approaches Armand and asks for his help in finding her husband.
Armand begins his search to find what has happened to Peter Morrow and where he is means that he has to find where Peter has been over the year. It follows that Peter has been to Europe and inparticular seems to have had a cosmic intervention and he has worked out who his muse is. Even though Peter is now back in Québec but nobody knows where.
With the trail getting cold they go back to looking at four pictures that he has painted and sent on. These pictures are the clues that are required to move them forward and will help to give them the answers that they are looking for. In part we also get a travelogue of Québec and some of the stunning scenery that have inspired generations of artists.
This is a wonderful story which is a pleasure to read and easy to enjoy at a leisurely pace with the characters developing in every chapter. Louise Penny writes brilliantly the imagery that comes through is stunning. This may not be everyone’s type of crime thriller, this is more Agatha Christie where the pace is gentle and everything comes together neatly with no loose ends.
The Long Way Home by Louise Penny is the tenth Chief Inspector Armand Gamashe thriller that she has written. This is a stylish and evocative story the prose is outstanding and makes the imagery seem crystal clear. If you like a crime thriller to have a high
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octane plot and dead bodies filling the morgue then this book is not for you. If you want well developed characters complete with a full back story given time in the thriller to add depth then this is the book for you.Chief Inspector Armand Gamashe of the Sûreté du Québec has taken to retirement and get over his injuries in the village of Three Pines not far from Montreal. His daughter and son in law were able to visit he was able to walk further everyday taking Henri the inheritated German Shepherd dog from his new house’s previous owner.
Clara Morrow has made a pact with her husband Peter a successful but fading artist to a trail separation of one year, and they would get together on that particular date whatever they felt should happen. Over a year has passed and Peter has not come home and Cara is worried. She approaches Armand and asks for his help in finding her husband.
Armand begins his search to find what has happened to Peter Morrow and where he is means that he has to find where Peter has been over the year. It follows that Peter has been to Europe and inparticular seems to have had a cosmic intervention and he has worked out who his muse is. Even though Peter is now back in Québec but nobody knows where.
With the trail getting cold they go back to looking at four pictures that he has painted and sent on. These pictures are the clues that are required to move them forward and will help to give them the answers that they are looking for. In part we also get a travelogue of Québec and some of the stunning scenery that have inspired generations of artists.
This is a wonderful story which is a pleasure to read and easy to enjoy at a leisurely pace with the characters developing in every chapter. Louise Penny writes brilliantly the imagery that comes through is stunning. This may not be everyone’s type of crime thriller, this is more Agatha Christie where the pace is gentle and everything comes together neatly with no loose ends.
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LibraryThing member TadAD
An enjoyable book. Recommended.
And, yet, sometimes the magic doesn't work. There was something about this that struck me as an echo of her earlier books. I think it was that it seemed very referential. I can't quite figure out how to put what I mean by that in words. Something like...and I am
I found the reveal at the end interesting in the reaction that it engendered. There was no sense of, "Wow! Didn't see that coming." Nor of, "Yes! I knew it!" It was simply a feeling of, "Well, of course. I've known that all along." I don't think it means that Penny was obvious. It's more that, after so many books, there's a sense of what her themes are. And, knowing them, you get there ahead of Gamache sometimes.
It's a good book, worth reading. But, sometimes, I find her books kind of magical.
And, yet, sometimes the magic doesn't work. There was something about this that struck me as an echo of her earlier books. I think it was that it seemed very referential. I can't quite figure out how to put what I mean by that in words. Something like...and I am
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completely over-simplifying here...instead of saying "Beauvoir is feeling X", it said "Please see Volume 6, Chapter 9, Page 183 and you'll understand how Beauvoir is feeling now." I found the reveal at the end interesting in the reaction that it engendered. There was no sense of, "Wow! Didn't see that coming." Nor of, "Yes! I knew it!" It was simply a feeling of, "Well, of course. I've known that all along." I don't think it means that Penny was obvious. It's more that, after so many books, there's a sense of what her themes are. And, knowing them, you get there ahead of Gamache sometimes.
It's a good book, worth reading. But, sometimes, I find her books kind of magical.
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LibraryThing member tloeffler
Another winner from Louise Penny. Gamache and Reine-Marie have retired to Three Pines, and everyone is starting to heal. Except for Clara Morrow. She and Peter had agreed to separate for one year, and to meet again on that anniversary. Peter doesn't show up. Is it because he WOULDN'T or because he
As always, compelling to read. I was up most of the night finishing it because there was no point at which I could say it was a good place to stop.
Recommended!
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COULDN'T? Clara enlists the help of her neighbors, including Gamache, to find the answer to this question.As always, compelling to read. I was up most of the night finishing it because there was no point at which I could say it was a good place to stop.
Recommended!
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LibraryThing member hemlokgang
Another lovely Three Pines installment! Louise Penny writes an engrossing tale of journeying; journeys in search of self, journeys in search of peace, journeys in search of revenge, and journeys in search of the muse. Ultimately, just as when Dorothy clicks her ruby slippers, the characters and
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readers realize that much of what we search for is right under our noses, and that for many, there is no place like home! A final life lesson embedded in the story is that the best remedy "for lost love is more love." Show Less
LibraryThing member bell7
Chief Inspector Gamache of the Surete du Quebec has retired with his wife, Reine-Marie, to the cozy village of Three Pines. Instead of being able to enjoy the quiet, however, he is asked by a friend, Clara Morrow, to help her find her husband, who had promised to come back after a year and was
I should just pre-order these books. Forget getting them out of the library, because it's not like I don't know I want them all on my own library shelves eventually. But no, I had to go and request the book and steal it from our shelves barely processed and take home to borrow. What can I say about the series that I haven't already, in trying to explain why I am so drawn to this story and these characters? Because despite the abundance of staccato fragments and an amazing amount of crime in one tiny village, I adore these books. These characters have become like real people to me, almost family, so I am carried along with emotions like a pendulum reading about their ups and downs and yelling to them (and the author) mentally when I don't like what's happening. This story, Clara's journey, was no different. I laughed, I cried, I read with bated breath, I stopped reading at points because I didn't want the story to end. I still feel somewhat battered and bruised, but of course I'd read it again in a heartbeat.
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overdue.I should just pre-order these books. Forget getting them out of the library, because it's not like I don't know I want them all on my own library shelves eventually. But no, I had to go and request the book and steal it from our shelves barely processed and take home to borrow. What can I say about the series that I haven't already, in trying to explain why I am so drawn to this story and these characters? Because despite the abundance of staccato fragments and an amazing amount of crime in one tiny village, I adore these books. These characters have become like real people to me, almost family, so I am carried along with emotions like a pendulum reading about their ups and downs and yelling to them (and the author) mentally when I don't like what's happening. This story, Clara's journey, was no different. I laughed, I cried, I read with bated breath, I stopped reading at points because I didn't want the story to end. I still feel somewhat battered and bruised, but of course I'd read it again in a heartbeat.
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LibraryThing member bookappeal
I've never been a fan of Peter so I did not particularly care where he was or what had happened to him. Clara leading a search for a missing person was also a bit hard to accept, especially in the presence of two of the best homicide investigators in the country. The series has lost some of its
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urgency without the backstory of police corruption but the first part of the book which describes the Gamaches new life in Three Pines is a joy to read. Show Less
LibraryThing member ethel55
Time and healing has passed since the end of How The Light Gets In. Armand and his wife Reine-Marie are happily retired to Three Pines, a bucolic and quiet place, filled with people who have become close friends over the years. Although very different in tone since Gamache is now retired, Jean-Guy
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able to take leave from the Surete, this story follows the line of a domestic mystery, rather than a police mystery. A mere year has passed since Peter Morrow left their home in Three Pines, agreeing with his wife Clara to meet up and reassess their relationship at the year's end. When he doesn't return, Clara's anxiety eventually leads her to Gamache, and a possible query for help. What follows, with Clara as lead, is a dip into their history in the art world in Canada, and the discovery that darkness and jealousy follow certain kinds of people everywhere. I reallly enjoyed Reine-Marie's slightly expanded role, and re-visiting Three Pines once a year, with all of its' glorious characters, is a perfect end to summer. Show Less
LibraryThing member EdGoldberg
For some reason I think I’ve read a Inspector Gamache mystery before but have no record of it. The Long Way Home got excellent reviews and I thought I’d give it a try. It was well worth the read.
One of the best ways to describe the Gamache mysteries is it is the Canadian version of Martha
Gamache has retired to the small Canadian town of Three Pines to recoup after a serious case. After walking with his wife and his dog each morning, he sits on a park bench overlooking the valley and reads from a small book…but he never progresses in the book.
Each morning, also, his artist neighbor Clara sits beside him and all the townspeople wonder why because they don’t converse. One day she gets up the nerve to talk to him. It seems slightly over a year ago she and her husband, Peter, also an artist, took a break from each other. They agreed that one year from the date of the breakup they would meet and reevaluate. But Peter hasn’t shown up, which is very unlike him.
This statement and request for assistance ultimately involves Gamache, his wife Reine-Marie, his son-in-law Jean-Guy also a police officer, Clara, and neighbors Ruth and Myrna. It’s interesting because the characters talk about art and muses. They visit the small scenic villages that you picture in Canada and England. The plot takes some unusual and unpredictable twists. With 50 pages left, there’s no violence.
Once I got started, I read the book for the characters, not the plot. Poet Ruth is a blast–sort of like Melrose Plant’s aunt Lady Agatha in the Grimes’ series.
Martha Grimes fans and Louise Penny fans should switch books because if you like one, you’ll surely like the other. A totally enjoyable read.
One of the best ways to describe the Gamache mysteries is it is the Canadian version of Martha
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Grimes’ Richard Jury mysteries with Gamache being Jury and his entourage emulating Jury’s. Instead of the ever present dog in the Jury mysteries, there is a duck in Gamache’s. It is the same type of read, though.Gamache has retired to the small Canadian town of Three Pines to recoup after a serious case. After walking with his wife and his dog each morning, he sits on a park bench overlooking the valley and reads from a small book…but he never progresses in the book.
Each morning, also, his artist neighbor Clara sits beside him and all the townspeople wonder why because they don’t converse. One day she gets up the nerve to talk to him. It seems slightly over a year ago she and her husband, Peter, also an artist, took a break from each other. They agreed that one year from the date of the breakup they would meet and reevaluate. But Peter hasn’t shown up, which is very unlike him.
This statement and request for assistance ultimately involves Gamache, his wife Reine-Marie, his son-in-law Jean-Guy also a police officer, Clara, and neighbors Ruth and Myrna. It’s interesting because the characters talk about art and muses. They visit the small scenic villages that you picture in Canada and England. The plot takes some unusual and unpredictable twists. With 50 pages left, there’s no violence.
Once I got started, I read the book for the characters, not the plot. Poet Ruth is a blast–sort of like Melrose Plant’s aunt Lady Agatha in the Grimes’ series.
Martha Grimes fans and Louise Penny fans should switch books because if you like one, you’ll surely like the other. A totally enjoyable read.
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LibraryThing member Jim53
When Clara Morrow of Three Pines asked her husband Peter to move out, they agreed that he would return in a year to sort out where things stood between them. The year has passed, and Clara has not heard from Peter. She turns for help to the newest resident of Three Pines.
Armand Gamache, former
Most of the story involves tracking Peter's movements and hunting for him. Even the obscene, drunken poet and duck raiser Ruth Zardo gets in on the search (although while it's fun to have Ruth along, we never see why she decides to be so involved). The characters also talk about fate quite a bit, particularly having an appointment with death. I don't remember such a focus in the previous volumes, and I wonder why it appears here.
Penny's prose is wonderful as ever. She has a lot to say about art and artists in this book, particularly the difference between operating from the head and operating from the heart. It was hard not to read that as a commentary on her own writing. I was disconcerted at several points by the "wisdom of the heart" displayed unerringly by her major characters. All too often they stare at something and have an epiphany that we don't get to share just yet. Too many of the novel's short chapters end with a character having a serious foreboding in her heart. It's almost as if Penny has taken her press clippings, which proclaim her wisdom in such matters, to heart a bit too much.
And yet... the characters remain wonderful, and they remain themselves, and they grow a bit. I really would have liked to see more of Gamache seeking balm for his soul; perhaps after this interruption he can get back to it in the next book. We see more of Myrna, which is nice, although she's guilty of some of the chapter-ending insights and foreboding mentioned above. It was enjoyable to see Gamache insisting on letting Clara take the lead at some points, and to see her wanting to do it. While much of the story moves at a rather leisurely pace, it picks up toward the end, and the conclusion is a punch in the gut.
Overall, this one is IMHO not quite as good as the last couple in the series, but it's near that level, which places it above most of what's being published these days.
I would be remiss not to mention the cover: the jacket is made of a canvas-textured paper that's very appropriate to the artist theme within. Like the story, the artwork is not quite as beautiful as last year's How the Light gets In, but it's lovely.
Armand Gamache, former
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Chief Inspector in the Surete de Quebec, has retired to Three Pines with his wife, Reine-Marie. They enjoy visits from her daughter and son-in-law, Jean-Guy Beauvoir, who still works for the Surete. Gamache is engaged in healing his soul of what he sees as many sins, with the help of bookstore owner Myrna, a retired psychologist. When Clara tells him of her plight, he cannot refuse to help.Most of the story involves tracking Peter's movements and hunting for him. Even the obscene, drunken poet and duck raiser Ruth Zardo gets in on the search (although while it's fun to have Ruth along, we never see why she decides to be so involved). The characters also talk about fate quite a bit, particularly having an appointment with death. I don't remember such a focus in the previous volumes, and I wonder why it appears here.
Penny's prose is wonderful as ever. She has a lot to say about art and artists in this book, particularly the difference between operating from the head and operating from the heart. It was hard not to read that as a commentary on her own writing. I was disconcerted at several points by the "wisdom of the heart" displayed unerringly by her major characters. All too often they stare at something and have an epiphany that we don't get to share just yet. Too many of the novel's short chapters end with a character having a serious foreboding in her heart. It's almost as if Penny has taken her press clippings, which proclaim her wisdom in such matters, to heart a bit too much.
And yet... the characters remain wonderful, and they remain themselves, and they grow a bit. I really would have liked to see more of Gamache seeking balm for his soul; perhaps after this interruption he can get back to it in the next book. We see more of Myrna, which is nice, although she's guilty of some of the chapter-ending insights and foreboding mentioned above. It was enjoyable to see Gamache insisting on letting Clara take the lead at some points, and to see her wanting to do it. While much of the story moves at a rather leisurely pace, it picks up toward the end, and the conclusion is a punch in the gut.
Overall, this one is IMHO not quite as good as the last couple in the series, but it's near that level, which places it above most of what's being published these days.
I would be remiss not to mention the cover: the jacket is made of a canvas-textured paper that's very appropriate to the artist theme within. Like the story, the artwork is not quite as beautiful as last year's How the Light gets In, but it's lovely.
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LibraryThing member cathyskye
If you've heard all the praise for Louise Penny's books and are thinking of reading this-- her tenth book to feature Armand Gamache-- first, I urge you to think again. Each book in this series is a chapter in a much larger tale; therefore, to begin reading a book at chapter ten may leave you
The story of Clara and Peter Morrow has been a constant thread throughout this series, and The Long Way Home continues this story by showing us the corrosive power of jealousy. This book has much more to do with searching and less to do with mystery, which may not set well with some readers, but if you are as intensely involved in the lives of these wonderfully realized characters as I am, you will be willing to let Penny tell her story in her own fashion. For me, soul searching can be every bit as fascinating as the search for a missing person-- as long as someone as gifted as this author is telling the tale.
As Clara, Myrna, Gamache and Jean-Guy follow Peter's trail closer and closer to "the land God gave to Cain," readers are treated to conversations with beloved characters like Ruth who, in her own inimitable way, has profound advice to share. As usual with Penny's writing, gestures, glances, and words left unspoken can have great import, and conversations can range from the existence of a tenth muse to overworking a painting.
Lest the search for a jealous man become too grim, Penny shows that she can do more than bring her characters or scenes of nature and food to life. Having Clara, Myrna, Gamache and Jean-Guy experience life aboard ship is a brilliant section that gives the book some badly needed lightness and humor.
Yes, this book is a bit of a departure from the rest of the books in the series, but that's not a bad thing. Gamache is retired, so there's no way he can lead an investigation into a murder. The Long Way Home is not your typical police procedural. In fact it moves quite a distance from that particular subgenre. What this retired man can and will do is to leave his comfort zone to go in aid of a friend, and as such I found it to be a brilliant and loving continuation of Penny's series.
At the beginning of The Long Way Home, Armand Gamache looks out over the village and wonders, "Was Three Pines a compass? A guide for those blown off course?" For me, Louise Penny's creation is exactly that, and each time a new book is released, I feel the pull of that compass to remind me to return to the shelter of that small and wonderful village.
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wondering what in the world is going on. The story of Clara and Peter Morrow has been a constant thread throughout this series, and The Long Way Home continues this story by showing us the corrosive power of jealousy. This book has much more to do with searching and less to do with mystery, which may not set well with some readers, but if you are as intensely involved in the lives of these wonderfully realized characters as I am, you will be willing to let Penny tell her story in her own fashion. For me, soul searching can be every bit as fascinating as the search for a missing person-- as long as someone as gifted as this author is telling the tale.
As Clara, Myrna, Gamache and Jean-Guy follow Peter's trail closer and closer to "the land God gave to Cain," readers are treated to conversations with beloved characters like Ruth who, in her own inimitable way, has profound advice to share. As usual with Penny's writing, gestures, glances, and words left unspoken can have great import, and conversations can range from the existence of a tenth muse to overworking a painting.
Lest the search for a jealous man become too grim, Penny shows that she can do more than bring her characters or scenes of nature and food to life. Having Clara, Myrna, Gamache and Jean-Guy experience life aboard ship is a brilliant section that gives the book some badly needed lightness and humor.
Yes, this book is a bit of a departure from the rest of the books in the series, but that's not a bad thing. Gamache is retired, so there's no way he can lead an investigation into a murder. The Long Way Home is not your typical police procedural. In fact it moves quite a distance from that particular subgenre. What this retired man can and will do is to leave his comfort zone to go in aid of a friend, and as such I found it to be a brilliant and loving continuation of Penny's series.
At the beginning of The Long Way Home, Armand Gamache looks out over the village and wonders, "Was Three Pines a compass? A guide for those blown off course?" For me, Louise Penny's creation is exactly that, and each time a new book is released, I feel the pull of that compass to remind me to return to the shelter of that small and wonderful village.
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LibraryThing member Eesil
I just went back to read the review I wrote last year for Penny's previous book, and I am glad to see that my hope and prediction came true. Unlike the last few books, this one was not focused on the Gamache and Jean-Guy troubles. While I really like both characters, I wasn't crazy about all the
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troubles between them and with the Surete. This book focuses on Clara and Peter and takes the reader to the Charlevoix region. It is lovely and somewhat lighter than her more recent previous books -- although without giving anything away, it has a very sad ending. As always, I will look forward to the next book. Show Less
LibraryThing member rglossne
One of the best of the Gamache books. This novel is focused on what it means to be an artist, and to have true courage. The Three Pines series has always been focused on big questions: the nature of love, finding home, finding your life's work. Penny wraps these themes in engaging mysteries, but
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the mysteries are only part of the point. Show Less
LibraryThing member Mooose
This book was so dull. I cannot stand to read books that dangle something like, "What if he is dead?" over and over and over again when the reader knows that he isn't. No, not because they have read the ending but just because they know the author hadn't done that. So annoying.
Skipped lots of it,
Skipped lots of it,
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read the rest only because my book club is reading this one. Didn't ever feel the need to go back and read what was skipped. Show Less
LibraryThing member kaulsu
As always, I did enjoy this Louise Penny mystery of the Three Pines community, though I felt it dragged a bit in the middle. The end moved swiftly--but so swiftly it was difficult to keep track of the clues as they were suddenly revealed. And the ending. Wow.
The community of LaPorte, in the 15th
The community of LaPorte, in the 15th
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arrondissement, reminded me of the Canadian community that attracted one of the Niebuhr brothers towards the end of his life. I think it was called L'Arche, The Ark, a community that created a home for special needs adults. I need to find the proper reference. Show Less
LibraryThing member mamzel
This book makes me want to visit Canada and explore its more exotic corners. This book makes me want to understand art better. This book makes me jealous that I don't have such a group of eclectic and passionate friends. This book makes me wish I had someone like Armand Gamache at my back.
Three
Three
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Pines is still one of my favorite book destinations. Show Less
Awards
Anthony Award (Nominee — Novel — 2015)
Macavity Award (Nominee — Novel — 2015)
Agatha Award (Nominee — Contemporary Novel — 2014)
CBC Bookie Awards (Nominee — 2015)
Globe and Mail Top 100 Book (Fiction — 2014)
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best: Adults (Selection — Fiction — 2014)
Pages
373
ISBN
1250022061 / 9781250022066