About the Author

LOUISE PENNY is "The" "New York Times "and" Globe and Mail "bestselling author of eight Chief Inspector Armand Gamache novels. She has been awarded the John Creasey Dagger, Nero, Macavity and Barry Awards, as well as two each of the Arthur Ellis and Dilys Awards. Additionally, Louise has won four Agatha Awards and four Anthony Awards. Her most recent novel, "The Beautiful Mystery "debuted at #2 on the "New York Times "bestseller list. She lives in a small village south of Montreal.

Reviews

"With enormous empathy for the troubled human soul--and an ending that makes your blood race and your heart break--Penny continues to raise the bar of her splendid series." --"People Magazine "(4 out 4 stars)

"Louise Penny has crafted an almost perfect crime--haunting, puzzling, brilliant and indeed a most beautiful mystery. Chief Inspector Gamache is one of my favorite characters in fiction. Here he must penetrate a cloistered monastery deep in the northern woods of Quebec, where a murdered monk is his ticket to get in. This is a tour-de-force for Penny, and a thrilling, intelligent read."
--Linda Fairstein"A. Ma. Zing! A remarkably courageous--and very beautiful--book that leaps the abyss between faith and despair."
--Diana Gabaldon"Elliptical and often oracular... also remarkably penetrating and humane. The most illuminating analogies are not to other contemporary detective fiction but to "The Name of the Rose" and "Murder in the Cathedral"."
"--Kirkus Reviews ""An entire mystery novel centering on Gregorian chants (whose curiously hypnotic allure is called the "beautiful mystery")? Yes, indeed, and in the hands of the masterful Penny, the topic proves every bit as able to transfix readers as the chants do their listeners."
--"Booklist" (starred review)"Elegant... This heart-rending tale is a marvelous addition to Penny's acclaimed series. Fans won't be disappointed."
--"Library Journal" (starred review)"Traditional mystery fans can look forward to a captivating whodunit plot, a clever fair-play clue concealed in plain view, and the deft use of humor to lighten the story's dark patches. On a deeper level, the crime provides a means for Penny's unusually empathic, all-too-fallible lead to unearth truths about human passions and weaknesses while avoiding simple answers."
--"Publishers Weekly" (starred review)

Advance Praise for Louise Penny's "The Beautiful Mystery"

"Louise Penny has crafted an almost perfect crime--haunting, puzzling, brilliant and indeed a most beautiful mystery. Chief Inspector Gamache is one of my favorite characters in fiction. Here he must penetrate a cloistered monastery deep in the northern woods of Quebec, where a murdered monk is his ticket to get in. This is a tour-de-force for Penny, and a thrilling, intelligent read." --Linda Fairstein

"A. Ma. Zing! A remarkably courageous--and very beautiful--book that leaps the abyss between faith and despair." --Diana Gabaldon

Praise for Louise Penny's "A Trick of the Light" "The superbly gifted Louise Penny is on my secret shortlist of must-read authors. "A Trick of the Light" will not only keep you engrossed from start to finish, it will teach you something new about love, truth, and the human heart." --Lisa Scottoline, author of "Save Me""Stellar. . . . Penny proves again that she is one of our finest writers." --"People Magazine" (4 out of 4 stars)"Deceptively charming . . . delivering acute insights into the complicated motives of complex characters." --"New York Times Book Review" (one of the Notable Crime Books of 2011)"Penny, elevating herself to the pantheon that houses P.D. James, Ruth Rendell and Minette Walters, demonstrates an exquisite touch with characterization, plotting and artistic sensitivity." --"Kirkus Reviews" (starred review)"""This is a beautiful book, gorgeously written and carefully constructed." --"The Globe and Mail
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Praise for Louise Penny's "A Trick of the Light" "The superbly gifted Louise Penny is on my secret shortlist of must-read authors. "A Trick of the Light" will not only keep you engrossed from start to finish, it will teach you something new about love, truth, and the human heart." --Lisa Scottoline, author of "Save Me""Stellar. . . . Penny proves again that she is one of our finest writers." --"People Magazine" (4 out of 4 stars)"Deceptively charming . . . delivering acute insights into the complicated motives of complex characters." --"New York Times Book Review" (one of the Notable Crime Books of 2011)"Penny, elevating herself to the pantheon that houses P.D. James, Ruth Rendell and Minette Walters, demonstrates an exquisite touch with characterization, plotting and artistic sensitivity." --"Kirkus Reviews" (starred review)"""This is a beautiful book, gorgeously written and carefully constructed." --"The Globe and Mail
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