The Beautiful Mystery

A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel

By: Louise Penny

Narrated by: Ralph Cosham

Length: 13 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award Nominee, Mystery, 2013

The brilliant new novel in the New York Times best-selling series by Louise Penny, one of the most acclaimed crime writers of our time

No outsiders are ever admitted to the monastery of Saint-Gilbert-Entre-les-Loups, hidden deep in the wilderness of Quebec, where two dozen cloistered monks live in peace and prayer. They grow vegetables, they tend chickens, they make chocolate. And they sing. Ironically, for a community that has taken a vow of silence, the monks have become world-famous for their glorious voices, raised in ancient chants whose effect on both singer and listener is so profound it is known as “the beautiful mystery.”

But when the renowned choir director is murdered, the lock on the monastery’s massive wooden door is drawn back to admit Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and Jean-Guy Beauvoir of the Sûreté du Québec. There they discover disquiet beneath the silence, discord in the apparent harmony. One of the brothers, in this life of prayer and contemplation, has been contemplating murder. As the peace of the monastery crumbles, Gamache is forced to confront some of his own demons, as well as those roaming the remote corridors. Before finding the killer, before restoring peace, the Chief must first consider the divine, the human, and the cracks in between.

©2012 Three Pines Creations, Inc. (P)2012 Macmillan Audio

Wow! Spectacular!

This was the best Gamache yet! I hung on every word. I loved the detail, the interplay and the intrigue. A real breath stopper!

Another wonderful story

Such an interesting dive into the lives of monastic monks and Gregorian chants. The characters are superb and the story engaging.

A Beautiful Read

I loved listening to this book! I don't know how the reader manages it, but he is able to convey unique voices for the various characters without sounding contrived at all. But beyond that, this book was a delightful immersion into the world of the monastic life. And the relationships between the continuing characters continue to grow and draw one in. The plot, as in all Louise Penny novels, is comp!ex and the ending a great surprise. Highly recommend!!

The setting and the music.

Nice to be out of three pines. Interesting characters. Good to get more Gamache backstory.

Crafted as intricately as a Gregorian chant!

I have either read or listened to each book in the Inspector Gamache series and have enjoyed them all. However, "The Beautiful Mystery" has blown me away! The settings and characters are so thoroughly and beautifully described that it's easy to be "transported" there. The information about monastery life and Gregorian chants really enhances the already fascinating mystery. The narrator is superb as well. Highly recommend!

Great writing but felt a little cheated

Louise Penny's writing is superb as usual, but I missed the levity of the Three Pines characters intertwined in this mystery. The philosophy and history of Gregorian Catholic Church Chants was very interesting, but tended to dominate the mystery more than I'd expected. So, while I enjoyed this latest mystery from Penny, I was disappointed also. Without revealing the ending, I also felt a little cheated , as it reminded me of endings of weekly soap operas. Still a four star read for many excellent reasons, but my disappointment kept me from continuing my 5 star rating as I'd rated all of Penny's earlier books. But still a fan, and looking forward to more of her Three Pines Mysteries.

Her best!

The story, the music, the story of the music and the narration make this the best most breathtaking Louise Penny novels for me.

Not a Favorite

I love the series, but this was a bit of a disappointment.

Vivid descriptions are always a welcome part of Louise Penny's books but, in this book, were too dominant, and the story too light. I usually am gripped to my Echo with anticipation of each chapter, but with this book, I found my mind wandering as the oration would go into repetitive paragraphs.

Hoping the next one returns to Ms. Penny's special blend of interesting, historical mystery with characters and places so engaging, you want to move to Three Pines and invite them to dinner.

Wonderful narration!

Where does The Beautiful Mystery rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Best narration of any books I've read on Audible. The story is excellent, one of an amazing series.

What other book might you compare The Beautiful Mystery to and why?

A great addition to Louise Penny's Armand Gamache series.

Which character – as performed by Ralph Cosham – was your favorite?

Armand Gamache

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

Any additional comments?

No

Truly Beautiful!!

I was pulled into this book from the first page. The character development was extraordinary. An exciting peak into the lives of these humble monks . The perfect harmony of their Gregorian chants was hypnotic.