From the Publisher

Winner of the New Blood Dagger, Arthur Ellis, Barry, Anthony, and Dilys awards.

Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec and his team of investigators are called in to the scene of a suspicious death in a rural village south of Montréal and yet a world away. Jane Neal, a long-time resident of Three Pines, has been found dead in the woods. The locals are certain it’s a tragic hunting accident and nothing more but Gamache smells something foul this holiday season…and is soon certain that Jane died at the hands of someone much more sinister than a careless bowhunter.

With this award-winning first novel, Louise Penny introduces an engaging hero in Inspector Gamache, who commands his forces—and this series—with power, ingenuity, and charm.

The New York Times - Marilyn Stasio

… like her neighbors in the picturesque Canadian village of Three Pines, the dear old thing had hidden depths, courtesy of an author whose deceptively simple style masks the complex patterns of a well-devised plot - rather like the subtle designs of Jane’s "primitive" pictures. Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec, who is as bemused as we are by life in Three Pines, has the wit and insight to look well beyond its idyllic surface.

Publishers Weekly

Canadian Penny's terrific first novel, which was the runner-up for the CWA's Debut Dagger Award in 2004, introduces Armand Gamache of the Sorete du Quebec. 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 traditional mystery sets a solid foundation for future entries in the series. (July) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Ilka Gordon Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information - Library Journal

The body of Jane Neal, a much loved retired school teacher in Three Pines, is found lying in the woods. Jane was apparently shot by a stray arrow during deer-hunting season. Armand Gamache, chief inspector of the Sûreté du Québec, along with his team, moves into the small Canadian village to investigate. As Armand searches for the murderer, he uncovers the complex relationships and secrets of Three Pines' colorful inhabitants, including an amusing gay couple who run the local café; Jane's estranged niece, who thinks she will inherit her aunt's property; and a spiteful local poet who caused the breakup of Jane's engagement some 60 years ago. Besides being an engrossing detective story, Still Lifeis a psychological study of the lives of Penny's complex characters—their friendships, insecurities, loves, hates, and regrets—and people are not always what they seem. The book is expertly narrated by Ralph Cosham, who imbues the characters with depth and emotion. Highly recommended for all public libraries.

Kirkus Reviews

Three Pines, an appealing Quebecois community, is shaken by the death of a beloved longtime village schoolteacher and unsung artist. Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and his team find that Miss Jane Neal has been shot through the heart with an arrow. Is it a hunting accident or murder? Gamache sets up shop in the charming village B&B owned by a gay couple but is suspended when he refuses to arrest a local bowman who confesses after his sullen son is fingered for the crime. His longtime associate Beauvoir takes over while Gamache ponders the case. Jane, who never exhibited her work, had just had an astonishing folk art painting accepted for a show. Her obnoxious niece Yolande, who can't wait to get into Jane's house, gets a court order to keep the police out. Meanwhile, an equally arrogant trainee has not done her job checking wills, and a new one turns up leaving almost everything to Jane's neighbor Clara Morrow, a married artist who'd been like a daughter to Jane, whose youthful romance had been quashed by her parents. Because no one had ever been allowed past Jane's kitchen, everyone's dumbfounded to find walls, recently covered by Yolande in appalling wallpaper, full of murals. The slight difference Clara notices between the murals and Jane's painting holds the clue to her murder. Cerebral, wise and compassionate, Gamache is destined for stardom. Don't miss this stellar debut.

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Still Life

St. Martin's Minotaur

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Excerpted from Still Life by Penny, Louise Copyright © 2006 by Penny, Louise. Excerpted by permission.
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