The Beautiful Mystery

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

Engaging, entertaining, and heartbreaking.

Louise Penny has written a tale with all my favorite things - fascinating historical context, complex, emotional characters, and a good story. The cloistered monastery setting is wonderfully detailed, and each monk has a clear, vivid character (even the minor ones). The twists of the story, whether humorous little details or fast-paced dramatic actions, prevented me from putting it down. The murder mystery was a wonderful tale, with an interesting resolution and a strangely hopeful twist at the end.

The parallell story, among the regular characters, will be interesting to new readers, and almost overwhelming for those of us who follow the series. I noticed in her previous book, "Bury Your Dead," that Penny has a gift for imagining the most heart-breaking thing that could happen to Inspector Gamache, and making it so - drawing it out over the course of hundreds of pages, awful yet irresistible. This book is no different. She definitely has a gift for creating characters whose emotions are so engaging, so vivid, that I am invested in their well being.

I loved this book, but I do feel like I need a support group now.

38 of 38 people found this review helpful

A Really Beautiful Mystery

Wow, Ms. Penny hit it out of the park.
Instead of getting stuck in Three Pines (like Cabet Cove), the good inspector is off and running in this lovely "cozy". Set in a monastery on an island in the big woods, where just like Eden, serpents abound. A monk dead, fractions split the brothers into battling groups, a very sad development in a sect devoted to prayer and singing. Mr Cosham give life and lyrics to our favorite characters. Suspend disbelief and enjoy the sun, cool shade and blueberries.

19 of 19 people found this review helpful

Something Rather Different from Louise Penny

I am a great fan of the Inspector Gamache series by Louise Penny. "The Beautiful Mystery" is, I think, a not-all-together-successful attempt to move the story along while touching on a different aspect of the French Canadian culture that has been so well presented in the books.

The setting and premise of the basic mystery here are quite intriguing. Murder takes Gamache and his associate to a secluded monastery on a remote island in Quebec. It's a place never visited by outsiders, and the residents have a tradition of silence except for the "beautiful mystery" of their simple yet glorious plainsong chant.

So far, so good. The basic story of this murder is intriguing and interesting, but the problem comes with pulling in the ongoing mystery in Gamache's past. This has been a part of the series' storyline that has always seemed weakest to me -- the conspiracy theory/police corruption incident that has made Gamache something of a saint and a martyr. Penny's attempt to intertwine these two story lines is sometimes quite contrived.

I missed the plots and characters of Three Pines, and hope Penny's next book will go back there! Meanwhile, I think all real fans of the series will want to read "The Beautiful Mystery." But don't start the series here -- it assumes a good bit of knowledge about Inspector Gamache's backstory.

One more picky little thing for those of you who, like me, ask for attention to detail. The music which opens and closes this recording may be nice religious music, but it is not the all-male Gregorian-style chant described in the book.

56 of 59 people found this review helpful

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.

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

Couldn't "put it down"!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Beautiful Mystery to be better than the print version?

Never read a Louise Penny---got this recommendation, and now I am ordering more of Inspector Gamache.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Character description and insight is incredibly drawn.

Which scene was your favorite?

Scenes described beautifully---I was IN the abbey! The atmosphere and interactions were deeply affecting... I am slightly familiar with religious chants, and I could almost hear them.

Any additional comments?

Looking forward to more from Louise Penney.

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

Transported....

Would you listen to The Beautiful Mystery again? Why?

I have listened to it now 3 times. As with all Louise Penny novels, I am transported to a faraway place while losing myself in a beautiful story centered on colorful characters.

What did you like best about this story?

The background of Gregorian chants, the monastery and the beauty of the forest while being engrossed in the interplay of characters

What does Ralph Cosham bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He is the perfect narrator for her books. His voice is soothing and brings an authenticity to the characters and storyline. I read all of her books but really love the audio editions due to his voice quality.

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

Yes. Both my friends and I who listened to it were totally unprepared for the ending and are eagerly awaiting another of her novels

Any additional comments?

In every Louise Penny novel, I find such profound life lessons embedded into the dialogue. . Louise Penny has such a gift and with each recording I am transported into her little village with the characters I feel I know. Oh, how i wish I could visit and live in such a place.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Mesmerizing!

This story does not take place in Three Pines but deep in the secluded woods of Quebec in the monastery of Saint-Gilbert-Entre-les-Loups, where two dozen cloistered monks live in peace and prayer. The novel covers only a few days and is confined almost exclusively to the monastery. The real villain here is not the murderer but Gamache's boss who ranks high among the evil characters of English fiction. The strong relationship between Jean-Guy and Gamache is tested and the Chief Inspector's patience and real love for Jean-Guy are evident.
I enjoy the "Three Pines" novels but I also welcomed the break to a different world. One warning - this may not be a good place to start reading Louise Penny. Her continual references to the gun battle (see "Bury the Dead") may be confusing especially in an audio book if you do not know the whole story.
Finally I hope Ralph Cosham continues to narrate Louise Penny's books. He does a terrific job.
Now I can't wait for the sequel to this story. There must be one!

9 of 10 people found this review helpful

Back to Three Pines, Please

Three Pines, Louise Penny's fictional village outside Montreal and its characters are so dear to me. I missed them! The research that went into The Beautiful Mystery was amazing, but I was almost glad when the book ended.

13 of 15 people found this review helpful

Fascinating Music Lesson, ho hum setting

It's got to be me. I loved learning about the origin of written music and Gregorion chants. It's fascinating and well written into a good mystery. But I found myself bored with the rest of the story.

I wonder if Penny did too. Because she brings in Gamache's nemesis and that of his protege. So I give a low 3 stars.

8 of 9 people found this review helpful

Transcendant Melancholia

Poignant, mysterious and serene--these are not descriptors one would usually associate with a murder mystery. The setting is that of a remote, all but forgotten monastery, and the cloistered monks who have taken a vow of silence except for the expression of their faith in Gregorian chant-- a most unlikely setting for murder, yet that is what has happened.

This is perhaps my favorite Louise Penny novel yet. Remarkably, she manages to combine the atmosphere of transcendent monastic serenity with the gritty reality of a murder investigation, creating an absorbing and moving story. A beautiful mystery, indeed...

8 of 9 people found this review helpful