Ponder: The Beautiful Mystery

The Beautiful Mystery ©2012 is the eighth book in the Chief Inspector Armande Gamache series by Louise Penny. I am still enamored by these murder mysteries, each a distinct case but still populated by a recurring cast of baseline characters that I have come to adopt as my literary family. The title refers to a series of chants that have such a mesmerizing, calming effect on both the singers and the listeners as to be referred to as "the beautiful mystery". The singers in this situation are monks in a monastery hidden deep in the woods of a secluded island in the wilds of Montreal. Despite a strict vow of silence, a dedicated work ethic, and a commitment to God, a murder is committed among their ranks. The meditative power of choral music, believed to be the precursor to Gregorian chants, is insufficient to deter one of the monks from being the perpetrator with his motive indiscernible.

In a setting with limited communications with the outside world, Chief Armande Gamache and his second in command Jean-Guy Beauvoir set out to investigate and solve the murder. Beginning to adjust to the cloistered atmosphere of the monastery while doggedly collecting information, evidence, and clues, their well oiled system is twisted askew by the abrupt, unannounced arrival of Chief Superintendent Sylvan Francoeur, Gamache's superior. Francoeur seems intent on thwarting their attempt to do their job, complicating the investigations for reasons unknown. He also is aiming to drive a wedge between Gamache and Beauvoir. You could say he threw a monk-ey wrench into the works. [Groan. Bad, bad pun.]

After reading each of Louise Penny's books I am curious to look into some of the background for her settings and situation. She modeled the fictional monastery of The Beautiful Mystery, Saint-Gilbert-Entre-les-Loups, after the real Abbey of Saint-Benoît-du-Lac, situated on the shores of Lake Memphremagog, less than 90 minutes east of Montreal

Bits of Penny's descriptive language throughout this novel periodically leapt out to amuse me:

When Lauds ended the Chief and Beauvoir stood in their pew, watching. It was, thought Beauvoir, a bit like taking the break in a game of pool. Balls heading off in all different directions. That's what this looked like. Monks going here, there and everywhere. Scattering, though not actually bounding off the walls. [Chapter 14]

Many of the brothers are fine musicians. We have recorders and violins. Or are they fiddles? I'm never quite sure what the difference is." [spoken by the abbot]
"One sings, the other dances," said Gamache.
The abbot looked at him with interest. "What a nice way of putting it." [Chapter 15]

Gamache picked up the page. "I don't suppose you have a photocopy machine?"
"No, but we have twenty-three monks." [Chapter 15]

The murder itself is well woven, as I have come to expect from a work of Louise Penny. Once again the intricate entanglements of the main murder storyline is intertwined with a parallel storyline of the personal relationship among the characters I have become so invested in. I am kept in suspense as to the revelation of the murderer and his motive until the very last pages. The closing Gamache/Beauvoir interactions shocked me and left me hungering for the next novel. At the risk of sounding like a Johnny-one-note I once again rate this Louise Penny book five stars. I devoured it, beginning one day and finishing it the next.
★★★★★ Great! Read it!