Inspector Gamache Is My Hero

I have neglected my blog shamefully for weeks, but I have a terrific list of excuses/reasons for being so negligent. I will only admit to a few reasons/excuses, so I will attempt to pull out the best ones from a VERY lengthy list.


1. I have been working very hard selling jewelry and wonderful clothes at trunk shows. It was a blast, very successful, fun and insanely busy.


2. I had lots of fun celebrating a very significant birthday for Ed with family and friends here at the house.


3. I had not-so-much fun planning the date of my next, and last ( I hope) shoulder surgery with doctors, family and doctors-who-are-family.


BUT, during all the above and much, much more I have been reading. My friend and spiritual advisor/minister, Mary Beth, clued me in on a fantastic series of books by Louise Penny. The protagonist, Inspector Gamache, solves crimes in Montreal. His jurisdiction extends beyond the metropolis to a charming village, Three Pines, which is so small/mysterious that it does not appear on maps. The murder rate in Three Pines is astonishingly high,which is fortunate for Gamache, his team of investigators and the readers of these books. The villagers are all fascinating, the scenery is gorgeous and the cuisine is fabulous. The descriptions of the meals consumed by the policemen are enough to raise one's cholesterol and make one want to hot-foot it to Three Pines for a long visit.


Inspector Gamache is a charming, sensitive,  intuitive crime fighter. He solves his cases with the finesse of a very learned psychologist, priest and Sherlock Holmes all rolled into one well-dressed and self-assured package. He surrounds himself with a group of misanthropic, maladjusted young investigators who are gifted and flawed. He is a leader and mentor who, in spite of the horror and sadness his job entails, manages to see beauty and promise in everyone. He adores his wife, worries about and dotes on his grown children, and strives to be the best person he can be each day. 


This is a great series of well-written books. Ms. Penny describes her characters beautifully, digs deeply into their motivations, hopes, fears- in short, lets the reader into their lives in a significant way. I have never been to Quebec, but these books really make me want to go there. I will explore Montreal, then, rent a car and set off on a search for Three Pines.