Still Life by Louise Penny

Still Life by Penny Louise
Book #1 in the Armand Gamache Detective Series
Goodreads - Still Life

Rating - B+
Summary:
Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec and his team of investigators are called in to the scene of a suspicious death in a rural village south of Montréal and yet a world away. Jane Neal, a long-time resident of Three Pines, has been found dead in the woods. The locals are certain it's a tragic hunting accident and nothing more but Gamache smells something foul this holiday season…and is soon certain that Jane died at the hands of someone much more sinister than a careless bowhunter.

With this award-winning first novel, Louise Penny introduces an engaging hero in Inspector Gamache, who commands his forces--and this series--with power, ingenuity, and charm.

Review:
I am a huge fan of shows like Matlock, Columbo, Diagnosis Murder and Murder, She Wrote. Which is one of the reasons that I absolutely was sucked into this series. Armand Gamache is an older gentleman detective, and as I read I could not help picturing Matlock or Dr. Sloan using their intellect and observation skills to solve the crime.

There were so many elements of this story that immediately drew me into the story and made me want to keep reading. To begin with, the characters are truly likable - even the unlikable ones. Armand Gamache is witty and observant. I liked that his character is not bumbling around, but is careful and planned in his thinking. Even when he takes a wrong road in the investigation, he does not continue down the wrong path. So often when I read mysteries, there is an element of characters being TSTL (Too stupid to live). The police take the evidence at face value and aren't willing to dig deeper. The protagonist thinks they know best until the very end. It can be very frustrating. However, Inspector Gamache is not one to take this approach. He is very methodical and precise and asks questions before he draws conclusions.

We are also introduced to several different characters from the town of Three Pines. Clara and Paul Morrow are artists who were best friends with the deceased. They quickly help take the lead where they are able to in helping with the investigation. They show real reactions to the emotions of losing a friend and having to deal with that sudden loss, but they are also likable and relatable. There is real depth to the characters that I hope will be explored in later novels.

These are not the only two great characters from the town, but they are the two that stand out the most from this particular novel.

All in all, this was a read that made me feel good when I was finished. I liked trying to solve the mystery along with the rest of the characters. I loved that clues were revealed in a way that you felt as though you were also a detective and not just along for the ride.

I felt like I was inside any of my favorite episodes of my mystery shows.
I'd recommend this for mystery lovers, small town readers, or anyone who is really craving some more Ben Matlock type mystery in their lives.