76.
Author: Louise Penny
Title: A Rule Against Murder
Publication: Hardback, 2008
Pages: 322 pages
Genre: Mystery
Acquisition:
Date Completed: September 27, 2010
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Louise Penny does not need another glowing review for the Chief Inspector Gamache series; those who have made it this far into the series already know full well what to expect from Madame Author, and she still does not disappoint. Instead, I would like to share a personal response that has been building as I make my way through the series:

I loathe Beauvoir.

Gamache's second-in-command makes my skin crawl. Even when other unappealing officers are involved in the narrative*, Beauvoir seems like the real monster on the team. And yet, it is her ability to present such a detestable individual as one of the "good guys" that makes the series so compelling.

Penny's characters are people, with all the flaws ad undesirable characteristics that the term can imply. In Three Pines there is no true good and evil, because the town is made of life, and not fantasy.


* I would also like to say that I was very pleased with the resolution involving this particular team member in the last book. I won't say anything more, for fear of spoiling another reader's enjoyment.