Reviews

One of my favorite things about this series is the townspeople of Three Pines, and this book was set entirely in a monastery in the Northern wilderness. I found the pace to be incredibly slow and the lack of any secondary plot aside from Beauvoir's internal conflict made for a dull read. I can see why Penny chose to isolate our investigators for this book, in order to advance Beauvoir's storyline and the larger conflict with Gamache and the Sûreté, but I just didn't love having a whole book without our friends from Three Pines or Reine-Marie.

bbrassfield's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

As someone who frequently enjoys the peace and quiet monasteries provide, I enjoyed this story, my first Inspector Gamache novel. As someone who chose to begin with book 8 because the story takes place in a monastery and begins with a dead monk (like my favorite mystery A Name of the Rose give or take 800 years) there are parts of the story where relationships are obviously developing and whose beginnings I missed out on. The decision to read more of these is a difficult one for me. I don't read a lot of mystery and I have more books calling to me just now but after finishing The Beautiful Mystery I want to know what happens to Jean-Guy! The dude appears to be spiraling in an opium haze. What will the events late in the novel mean for his relationship to Annie? To the Chief? Or the dastardly Superintendent? I also want to know more about Gamache's history with Sylvain.

As for the mystery at the center of the book. It's a good one! I didn't see until very late my way clear to which friar might well be the murderer and the reasons why are very interesting if one loves music or plainchant, which I do.

meagan_young's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

Not as captivating as the previous books have been, I kind of trudged through this one. I can barely take Jean-Guy’s ups and downs... Someone please tell me that gets better soon (for real, but don’t spoil anything) lol

smilesgiggle's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

This series continues to pull my heart strings. The murder of a monk brings Gamache and Beauvoir to a reclusive abbey. Great story.

thisjaelynn's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

I have a lot of feelings about this book and I'm not sure how to express them. On a mystery level, it was slower than most of the others in the series, but still well done. On a purely literary level, it was lovely. On a character level, I enjoyed the new side characters, but I missed the full cast of Three Pines. On an emotional level... I was not prepared for the last quarter of this book.

I'm now torn between wanting to get my hands on the next book as quickly as possible, and needing to take an emotional break from everything going on with these characters...

michaelpdonley's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

This one takes place in a monastery, where there's been a murder with 23 monks as suspects. No Three Pines this time, but a wonderfully claustrophobic, walled-off "holy" place where secrets, grievances, and alliances are hidden behind a wall of silence. Oh, except for the gregorian chants that have made this monastery world-renowned. Loved it.

More...