A Book Not to Miss: “A Trick of the Light” by Louise Penny

Very few things could bring me out of my flurry of baby preparations (I’m overdue by 2 days and counting!). But, a great book is one of them and I just had to recommend this one to you.

I just finished an advanced reader’s copy of  “A Trick of the Light” by Louise Penny, the 7th book in the Three Pines mystery series. I’m so happy to report that it was every bit as good as I’d been hoping. And that’s saying a lot because Ms. Penny has set a really high bar.

So, why is this series, set in a picturesque small town in Canada, my very favorite mystery series?

1. Penny’s writing is superlative. Her prose is beautiful to read even as it advances each thrilling plotline.
2. I have such a crush on her lead character, Armand Gamache. Sure, he’s old enough to be my father, but he’s soooooo sexy and quietly commanding. Love me some Gamache.
3. Her cast of characters is amazing. Each one is so fully drawn and real, I feel as if I’ve known them forever. And I care very much what happens to each of them as the series goes on.

But what I love most about Penny’s Three Pines series is that she’s written it as if she firmly believes her audience is intelligent. She doesn’t overexplain, or drop stupid red herrings, or repeat herself or pander to the lowest common denominator. She writes for smart readers and I respect that. Too few authors do that these days, especially in the mystery genre.

The new book is due out on August 30th  and if you’re all caught up with the series, make sure you’ve pre-ordered it.

But, if you want to start from the beginning, and I highly recommend that you do that with this particular series, here’s the order in which you should do your reading:

Still Life
A Fatal Grace
The Cruelest Month
A Rule Against Murder
The Brutal Telling
Bury Your Dead
A Trick of The Light

If you love a good mystery, and especially a good police procedural, you owe it to yourself to check out Louise Penny’s books. If you do, please let me know what you think!

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