The Brutal Telling takes us back to Three Pines to investigate the murder of a hermit. I continue to be on the fence for this series, but I like the narrator and I've become accustomed to his style, so I do enjoy listening to the books. 

The characters continue to become intriguing and I look forward to finding out what each new book brings. I liked this book marginally better than the others in the series as it took a  bit of a twist and didn't have the 'instant confession' at the end that the other books have had. 

The murder and events surrounding are just as unbelievable to me in this book as they have been in the others. It's hard to look past that when it's been that way in every book. Clever? Yes - but I'm ready for a dose of reality. I'm almost getting the impression the author thinks she has to create these elaborate murders to keep the readers guessing. But I'd argue there has to be a better way. Once in a while, the strange/unbelievable circumstances can be intriguing, but I think the old adage of 'too much of a good thing..." applies to this series. But I will keep listening -- for now.

This one was fantastic. This book shakes things up in Three Pines when one of the characters we know and love (Olivier) is looking like a likely suspect in the murder of a hermit. Readers are given insights into Olivier and it was like finding out someone you have been hanging out with for a long time is a hired assassin. This book was definitely about how little white lies eventually become monstrous things you eventually cannot bear to be revealed. I also got a kick out of the fact that we don't really get the resolution to a lot of things revealed in this book, until book #6.

"The Brutal Telling" is a very long winding book that kept me reading with nerves the whole time. Chief Inspector Gamache is called in when a dead body is found at Olivier's bistro. Readers know that Oilivier is hiding something and it takes Gamache very little work to find out what Olivier is hiding. And it's some doozies. 

Gamache and his team are great and we get introduced to a new character, Paul Morin, that Gamache takes onto his misfit homicide team. Can I also say, that Jean-Guy (Armand's second in command) constant jealously of anyone new that can take Gamache's attention away from him is getting repetitive? Cause it is. He goes through jealous bouts about not knowing all that Gamache is thinking at every second of the day. 

The Three Pines residents are stirred up about revelations dealing with Olivier and the new residents who have taken over the Hadley home. The new characters, Marc and Dominique Gilbert plan on taken the home and turning it into a luxury spa. Due to the fact the spa may end up taking customers away from Olivier and Gaby's place the new neighbors have a lot of friction with each other.

We also have Clara make what looks like a fatal mistake with regards to her art career. Can I also say that her husband is terrible? Peter's jealously and attempts to ruin Clara (without her knowledge) are just off-putting. I hope she wakes up to what he is doing to her. I think Mryna (her best friend) gets it though. 

We get a lot of Ruth in this one and I actually enjoyed her. It just took 5 books. Ruth and her pet duck Rosa cracked me up.

The writing was top-notch. Even though I gave this 5 stars, I will say the flow was off here and there. There is a lot going on in this one. And honestly, based on what happens in book #5 I should have gone back and lowered a star on this one, but I am just going to keep my complaints about the series to date to my book #5 review. 

The setting of Three Pines seems more sinister in this one. Once we find out what Olivier has been up to and the new residents, along with the hermit's secrets, it feels like you don't know this place after 5 books. 

The ending felt anti-climatic to me and now I know why after reading the next book. Things felt unfinished in this one. 

I seriously did not see that coming.

God, I hope the library has the next installment available.

Best one yet!

With this book, I think Louise Penny is now my favourite mystery author, just bypassing Barbara Hambly (Benjamin January Mysteries).

We're back in Three Pines and this book, #5, will rip your heart out.  At least it did mine. Louise Penny is not afraid to let her characters experience life in all its myriads of facets. They are so beautifully flawed, each and every one of them.  

They mystery had me going and I still don't believe we've solved it.  So much so that I went and bought the next in the series (the only one I was missing.  I have 7 - 12 but unread.) the minute after I turned the last page.  And I'm reading it right away... something I very, very, very seldom do these days.

I really wish I could write a proper review of this book because it was SO SO SO good, but alas, that does not lie within my talents.  Just read the books and read them in order because the character arcs of the regulars are just AMAZING!

HIGHLY recommended!

Well, this doesn't look like a bad month of reading unless you know that I DNF'd one of these and one of them is my own book . . . 

Audio books saved my reading goal this month:

A Burnable Book

The Light Between Oceans

A Trick of the Light

The Brutal Telling

The Bonfire of the Vanities

Without these books taking me through housework, endless taxiing of children, and home improvement projects, I would be way behind. Unfortunately, A Burnable Book was the only one that was really good . . . and that was a reread. The Bonfire of the Vanities I abandoned rather quickly.

How to be a Tudor was the best read of the month. It is unique, insightful, and a priceless resource for anyone who wants to really understand lifestyles and daily life in the 16th century.

I didn't feel that my own book was eligible for the best read of the month award, but I am happy to be through the editing of Faithful Traitor, at least until I hear back from my wonderful beta readers.

I'm actually almost through a third Armand Gamache book for the month, but I'm not enjoying it. I will leave saying more for my eventual review, but it may be time for me to give this series a break.

Now to plan all the glorious reading that I will get to do in April with starting research for a new book and two vacations this month. Bibliophile heaven!