The Long Way Home

Chief Inspector Gamache, Book 10

By: Louise Penny

Narrated by: Ralph Cosham

Length: 12 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

Happily retired in the village of Three Pines, Armand Gamache, former Chief Inspector of Homicide with the Sûreté du Québec, has found a peace he'd only imagined possible. On warm summer mornings he sits on a bench holding a small book, The Balm in Gilead, in his large hands. "There is a balm in Gilead," his neighbor Clara Morrow reads from the dust jacket, "to make the wounded whole."

While Gamache doesn't talk about his wounds and his balm, Clara tells him about hers. Peter, her artist husband, has failed to come home. Failed to show up as promised on the first anniversary of their separation. She wants Gamache's help to find him. Having finally found sanctuary, Gamache feels a near revulsion at the thought of leaving Three Pines. "There’s power enough in Heaven," he finishes the quote as he contemplates the quiet village, "to cure a sin-sick soul." And then he gets up. And joins her.

Together with his former second-in-command, Jean-Guy Beauvoir, and Myrna Landers, they journey deeper and deeper into Québec. And deeper and deeper into the soul of Peter Morrow. A man so desperate to recapture his fame as an artist, he would sell that soul. And may have. The journey takes them further and further from Three Pines, to the very mouth of the great St. Lawrence river. To an area so desolate, so damned, the first mariners called it The land God gave to Cain. And there they discover the terrible damage done by a sin-sick soul.

©2014 Three Pines Creations, Inc. (P)2014 Macmillan Audio

Not bad but not great either

If you have read the previous books you know the characters and of course Three Pines. I didn't find anything wrong with this book but felt it is a bit of a space filler in the series. Still enjoyed listening and the narration was great as usual.

Good reading

Love the series but this one was a little too wrapped in art fantasy for me. 😞
(Not sure why the app requires a certain number of words but had to hit the minimum!)

Out of the Box

I confess I thought long and hard before purchasing this book in the series; so many reviews were less than complimentary, and I was wary of spending a credit on a book I wouldn't like, or ending up disappointed in an author I have come to enjoy a great deal. But after consideration, I went ahead and got it, in part because I trust Penny's skill, and in part because I know readers get into a comfort zone, and are often out of sorts when a favorite author leaves it. The good reviews I read were very good, and so since I also prefer to make my own judgement call, in the end, I went ahead.

I'm not sorry I did. The things that bad reviewers mentioned as peeves, I found to be minimal or in some cases, not even worth mentioning. Penny's visual writing is, as always, stellar... and if there is more emphasis on feelings and perceptions, well... it's more that sort of book, really. If you're looking for another cozy cottage mystery set in Three Pines, it's quite possible that you, too, would give this book a poor review. If, however, you are looking for another fine work by Louise Penny with familiar characters, you won't be disappointed.

Gamache has changed some, certainly, but I think Penny has touched on things that one would expect from a real, live person, the struggles of not being the same, the struggles with people who expect him to be the same, and the ones who expect him to be different now that he's retired. Ms. Penny is certainly one of the most insightful authors I've had the pleasure of reading, and I enjoyed this latest book as much as I'd enjoyed any of the others.

One of the best in series!

This book had some of the best turns of phrase! Profound insights and laugh out loud vignettes!
I have really enjoyed the whole series so far.

Art can sometimes kill

I am totally enthralled with Louise Penney’s books, writing style and the amazing way she weaves her stories and characters in and out of her books. My husband has caught on to this as well and told me he would love to visit Three Pines and eat at the Bistro. I can’t wait to start my 11th book in the series. I have to also praise Ralph Cosham for putting such life and caring Into Chief Inspector Gamache. Thanks so much to all involved in bringing these audio books to life!

Cosmic

I am once again awed by Louise Penny’s ability to bring something new to each story. I want to visit Scotland now and so will you after reading this excellent novel.

Love!

I love the inspector, I love the people of three Pines, and I love the narrator💃

Better Than Therapy

Louise Penny knows how to transport us physically as well as mentally to places we have never been before. She is uniquely in touch with the human soul and all the anger, joy, angst, hatred, loyalty, betrayal, and love and support that we can imagine.

A very different story than her previous novels, this one is free from the tension and battles surrounding Gamache and others who were determined to ruin his life. It is a more peaceful novel in many ways, but still held my attention completely.

This story answers the questions about what happens with Peter and Clara Morrow. It starts in Three Pines with Clara confiding in Inspector Gamache, who is now retired and living in Three Pines with his wife, Reine-Marie. They take us on a journey with the help of a few other Three Pines residents through some of the earlier years of Peter's life. Art, of course, takes the stage front and center as layers are peeled back to expose the players and motives to bring us to the present. After finishing, and all was revealed, I went back to re-listen to some chapters, as I wanted to see what clues I might have missed. This is masterful storytelling!

The consistent voice of Ralph Cosham through all 10 books is just wonderful. He is the perfect narrator for this series.

Note to those who have not read any of this series--this book will not stand alone, It is the culmination of many previous books, and would probably not make much sense at all if you are not familiar with the characters. A fantastic series, it is well worth starting from the beginning and listening straight through to this one.

Highly recommended!

The way this book moved me...

I love this series. From the first sentence in the first book "Still Life" to the last sentence in this book has been a journey that was worth every step and the hours of listening. Each book digs deeper and deeper into the humaness of each character, their joy and their pain. Penny's artistry is in her ability to breathe life into each character throughout the series. When you find a little of yourself in Gamache, Jean-Guy, Clara, Reine-Marie, or Myrna. But these are only some of the myriad of characters that leap off the page, or materialize in from of your face. Louise Penny helps you understand yourself a little bit more. Ralph Cosham, is nothing short of brilliant in his ability to tell a great story. Listen to each book. If this is your first introduction to Inspector Gamache, begin with Still Life--you will not regret it.

Nice to revisit Three Pines

Enjoyed The Long Way Home. I love visiting Three Pines, Gamache, Claire, Ruth et al. This book did not let down in character developent or consistency. It built slowly and then raced (geographic and literary) along to the climax. Two weaknesses: slow start and predictable ending. Despite the fact that it ended in a way I felt inevitable. Recommend it.