The Hangman

By: Louise Penny

Narrated by: Robert Bathurst

Length: 1 hr and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

On a cold November morning, a jogger runs through the woods in the peaceful Quebec village of Three Pines. On his run, he finds a dead man hanging from a tree. The dead man was a guest at the local Inn and Spa. He might have been looking for peace and quiet, but something else found him. Something horrible. Did the man take his own life? Or was he murdered?

Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is called to the crime scene. As Gamache follows the trail of clues, he opens a door into the past. And he learns the true reason why the man came to Three Pines.

This is a short audiobook for people on the go.

©2010 Louise Penny (P)2021 Louise Penny

Did not realize this was a short story.

Not blaming the author on this, but Audible. I thought I was spending a full credit on the next installment in the Gamache series. While that may have been technically accurate, this story was set aside from the rest of the character development and was more of a novella.

Also, I miss Ralph Cosham as the narrator and voice of Chief Inspector Gamache.

Disappointment

More like an outline than a novel. Cliff Notes version of Loose Penny. Very disappointing

Short gem

Louise Penny never disappoints! Really enjoyed this short detective story set in the Three Pines world.

Exploitation of a great series

This was probably the worst of all of the Inspector Gamache stories. Really a waste of a full Audible credit.

So Disappointing... Don't waste a credit

I was excited that Louise Penny wrote another Inspector Gamache mystery and purchased this book without reading reviews. But I should have realized by the cover, which does not mention the Chief Inspector or Three Pines, that it was not another book in the series. I did note that the length was 1 hr and 22 minutes, but thought it may have been an error. This reads like a plot outline for her editor.
I am so disappointed!
To the reader who explained the rational for the brevity and lack of depth, thanks! Apparently it was written for "Adult Emergent Readers" ("...adults learning a language...re-learning a language..." or with learning disabilities, brain injuries, etc.)
It all makes sense.
Interesting plot, could have been an interesting novel.

So we'll written!

Louis Penny is such a descriptive writer. She has no need for torrent sex, blood, or gore to keep the reader interested. 'So refreshing and enjoyable. This is book 6.5 in her Three pines series. Because it is a novella, there is not as much descriptive writing and yet, it is still engaging and tells a good story.

I do not like narrator

He is very English. His French is not as good as the prior reader. His voice doesn’t have the heft of the prior narrator. I wish you had hired Alfred Moline.

Not sure

I haven’t started A Trick of the Light yet so don’t know how this fits in as a prequel but the story was lacking in depth and character. The narrator was lacking as well although there was nothing in particular wrong with his narration— it just wasn’t the same as the previous books. I bought this with a coupon for $3+. Glad I did not use a credit for it.

Interesting and different

This story moves right along with the usual cast of characters. I found the use of a long forgotten historical figure as central to the plot an interesting twist.

Not her best work.

The change in narrator was the starting point of not being her normal five star book to listen to. And her story development was not what we typically see from her. Overall, I feel this whole story was rushed and lacking is the emotional cues that are usually making the reader feel the sense of being in Three Pines. Also… I missed Ruth’s boldness.