The Beautiful Mystery

A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel

By: Louise Penny

Narrated by: Ralph Cosham

The brilliant novel in the New York Times bestselling 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.

The Beautiful Mystery is the winner of the 2012 Agatha Award for best novel, the 2013 Anthony Award for best novel and the 2013 Macavity Award for best novel.

Hits You in the Head and Heart!

What made the experience of listening to The Beautiful Mystery the most enjoyable?

The unique setting; the use of more humor than usual by the author but always in the right setting and which never takes away from the drama of the story itself; the well-defined characters and the interplay that occurs between them; and, as always in a Louise Penny novel but especially in this one, the feeling of evil wending its way throughout the story, maybe just around the next corner, but never where you expected to find it.

Who was your favorite character and why?

There were several great characters, as usual in a Louise Penny mystery, but in the end it was Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. His powerfulness of character, his intellect, and even his frailness are front and center in this novel.

What about Ralph Cosham’s performance did you like?

His performance never takes over the novel, never interrupts it; he is flawless.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I cannot answer this question without giving away part of the plot, but I thought about this story -- am still thinking about this story -- long after I had finished listening to it.

Any additional comments?

Wonderful.

Another Great Read

This novel continues the Chief Inspector Gamache series with a story that takes place outside the village of Three Pines. As always, there is a murder to solve, but the setting inside a remote monastery and the background story about Gregorian Chant provide a different slant than previous books in the series.

Another element that I particularly enjoyed was the interplay of emotions among Gamache, Beauvoir, and Superintendent Francoeur. I had inadvertently read "How the Light Gets In", the following book in the series, before this one, so I knew something of the outcome, but that did not spoil anything for me.

If you are a Louise Penny fan, "The Beautiful Mystery" will not disappoint!

A good listen! A classic Penny, asking the big questions.

Penny's Gamach books always have a theme that makes them so much more than just a murder mystery. Usually, it's hard to figure out who the murderer is, but this time it was easy (hence the 4 stars - comparing Penny to Penny) but the theme was compelling. What does it mean to have faith, to truly love something or someone; to trust that someone or something has your best interest at heart and will not betray you. What would it take to break that trust? What wound do you carry that makes you vulnerable, and could that wound become your breaking point - where your love would turn to hate and your trust to bitter ashes?
There's always a choice: will you choose to listen to the voice for calm, peace, and faith - the voice of God, or will you choose to listen to the voice of the Devil as he whispers lies in your ear, turning your calm to anxiety, your peace to pain and your faith to emptiness?

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.