If you've heard all the praise for Louise Penny's books and are thinking of reading this-- her tenth book to feature Armand Gamache-- first, I urge you to think again. Each book in this series is a chapter in a much larger tale; therefore, to begin reading a book at chapter ten may leave you wondering what in the world is going on.

The story of Clara and Peter Morrow has been a constant thread throughout this series, and The Long Way Home continues this story by showing us the corrosive power of jealousy. This book has much more to do with searching and less to do with mystery, which may not set well with some readers, but if you are as intensely involved in the lives of these wonderfully realized characters as I am, you will be willing to let Penny tell her story in her own fashion. For me, soul searching can be every bit as fascinating as the search for a missing person-- as long as someone as gifted as this author is telling the tale.

As Clara, Myrna, Gamache and Jean-Guy follow Peter's trail closer and closer to "the land God gave to Cain," readers are treated to conversations with beloved characters like Ruth who, in her own inimitable way, has profound advice to share. As usual with Penny's writing, gestures, glances, and words left unspoken can have great import, and conversations can range from the existence of a tenth muse to overworking a painting.

Lest the search for a jealous man become too grim, Penny shows that she can do more than bring her characters or scenes of nature and food to life. Having Clara, Myrna, Gamache and Jean-Guy experience life aboard ship is a brilliant section that gives the book some badly needed lightness and humor.

Yes, this book is a bit of a departure from the rest of the books in the series, but that's not a bad thing. Gamache is retired, so there's no way he can lead an investigation into a murder. The Long Way Home is not your typical police procedural. In fact it moves quite a distance from that particular subgenre. What this retired man can and will do is to leave his comfort zone to go in aid of a friend, and as such I found it to be a brilliant and loving continuation of Penny's series.

At the beginning of The Long Way Home, Armand Gamache looks out over the village and wonders, "Was Three Pines a compass? A guide for those blown off course?" For me, Louise Penny's creation is exactly that, and each time a new book is released, I feel the pull of that compass to remind me to return to the shelter of that small and wonderful village.

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Another good entry in Penny's Inspector Gamache series. This is the 10th book in the series which I have been reading slowly ever since seeing a TV piece several years ago about Penny on the CBS Sunday Morning Show. I have had this one on my shelf for several years and have put off reading it because I have tried to read these in order. Finally got to number 10 in the series.

This one follows the very compelling HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN which I just finished reading recently. In it, Chief Inspector Gamache retires from the Sûreté du Québec after some very harrowing circumstances finally came to a head. Gamache has moved to the quaint village of Three Pines along with his wife and is enjoying the peace and quiet as well as the interaction with the village residents. He spends his mornings reading on a bench and taking in the atmosphere. But then one morning he is joined by Clara Morrow, the resident artist, who tells him that her husband, Peter, who she separated from over a year ago, was supposed to return to Three Pines after a year had passed to try to sort out their differences. Clara hasn't heard from him and is worried that something may have happened to him. Reluctantly, Gamache agrees to look into where Peter may have gone. Inspector Jean-Guy Beauvoir agrees to help and they are able to track Peter's movements across Europe and back to Canada but then his trail runs cold somewhere in the northern part of Quebec. Gamache, Beauvoir, Clara, and Myrna, head out on a road trip to try to find him. But will they be successful and will Peter be found safe?

This one was a little unusual and its plot was a little far-fetched but overall it was still enjoyable. Its focus was mainly on art and the backstory of Clara and Peter. It also described the Canadian north and the desolate area around the St. Lawrence River which added interest to the story. And of course, the residents of Three Pines always make the story more interesting. There were also a lot of twists to the story while Gamache tried to figure out what happened to Peter and the ending was really heart-wrenching. I'll be looking forward to continuing with this series.

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I have read all of the Inspector Gamache novels up to this point and have really enjoyed them all but this one, not so much. The characters we have come to love and care about are there but the emotion and description usually so prevalent in previous books seems lacking in this one. I do think it got better toward the end though and redeemed itself somewhat. One funny fact, my book had a jacket and it took me the longest time to figure out why it was "upside down". Funny! I do agree with others that this is not a series that you can pick up and read with any of the books. You MUST read in sequence.

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