Six years ago, I discovered Louise Penny and ever since my birthday gift to myself has been her latest novel, it is published close to my birthday and this year is no exception:
PUBLISHED 2021 by Hodder & Stoughton. 436 pages. ISBN 978-1-529-37938-9
Rating: 5/5 stars
I was pleased that this book takes place at home in The Three Pine Village outside Montreal and all my friends survived the pandemic: Ruth, Myrna, Clare, Gaby and Olivier, Reine-Marie, and Annie and of course the team from the Surete: Armand Gamache, Jean-Guy Beauvoir and Isabelle Lacoste.
The book plays out after the pandemic, everybody had been vaccinated, ‘It wasn’t just relief, it felt like rebirth. Though not everyone, and not everything, would be resurrected.’
There is a murder attempt on professor in statistics, Abigail Robinson, who researched the corona epidemic and came to morally insane conclusions. At the New Year party her friend Debbie was murdered; was she mistaken for Abigail?
As always, these books take up many questions around the murder and its solving. There are discussions of where is the line between freedom of speech, hate-speech and public safety; the role of the university in allowing free-speech; in a democracy who has the moral responsibility to stand up for the greater good when public safety is engendered by free speech. The manipulation of statistics “to tell a truth but not the greater truth,” “correct and right were two different things. As were facts and truths.” How does horrible ideas become mainstream and acceptable, how is that tipping point reached? Is living in self- isolation acceptable when obviously a confrontation should take place. To do nothing, is to do something by not stepping up.
There is description of how to live with a partner with dementia; a child with Down syndrome; how for many years the medical community turned a blind eye to torturing of patients. As a contrast a visitor Haniya Daoud, the Hero of Sudan, a young woman who was a victim of torture and rape by terrorists but she managed to escape by killing.
A book worth reading with discussions of important questions without obvious solutions.
About the murder I solved it 3/4 into the book.
SO to end with a fun remark: “Bonjour,” said Isabelle. “Do you mind if I join you?” She found Abigail sitting alone in the library. “I didn’t think cops asked.” Abigail closed her laptop. “My mother raised me to be polite. And the Chief Inspector gave me a gun, in case that doesn’t work.”
I am already looking forward to my next birthday in the hope there will be a continuation.
Thank you, Louise Penny!
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