When the body of Jane Neal, a middle-aged artist, is found near a woodland trail used by deer hunters outside the village of Three Pines, it appears she's the victim of a hunting accident. Summoned to the scene, Gamache, an appealingly competent senior homicide investigator, soon determines that the woman was most likely murdered. Like a virtuoso, Penny plays a complex variation on the theme of the clue hidden in plain sight. She deftly uses the bilingual, bicultural aspect of Quebecois life as well as arcane aspects of archery and art to deepen her narrative. Memorable characters include Jane; Jane's shallow niece, Yolande; and a delightful gay couple, Olivier and Gabri. Filled with unexpected insights, this winning tradition mystery sets a solid foundation for future entries in the series.
I'm loving this series. I immediately went out and bought the other four books because I can't wait to get back to Three Pines and Chief Inspector Gamache. It seems that the novels are all set during a holiday. Still Life happens at Thanksgiving and the murder in Dead Cold which is #2 in the series occurs Boxing Day. I became transported to the village of Three Pines and immersed in the lives of the wonderful characters. They have changed the titles for publication in the USA and I almost bought the same book twice. I don't know why they do this but it drives me nuts.
