Still Life

Still Life by Louise Penny, 352 pgs.

A quaint town in the Quebecois forest. A group of close, somewhat codependent locals. A murder. What fun!
Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is called to Three Pines, a place not easily found on most maps, to investigate the homicide of Jane Neal, a beloved long-time resident and friend in the community. Her killing shocks those closest to her, but it quickly becomes clear that one of their own is the perpetrator. On the quest to uncover the motive behind this murder, Gamache and his colleagues must leave no stone unturned until more than just one deep secret is out in the open. 

With this mystery, somehow Louise Penny makes literary murder feel so cozy and inviting. Each new character introduced is given a backstory and a quirk. The town itself has its own comforting, maternal characterization. I come back to this series again and again for Inspector Gamache himself--his kindness, the lessons he teaches, the way he observes everything so thoughtfully. The legend he is. I love that Penny has such a clear view of where the series was going, even with this first novel. I highly recommend this book, and its successors, to anyone who likes a good mystery and wants to escape into the forest.