Glass Houses

Real life is invading Three Pines! This novel runs in a different direction for Penny but it's a great read, as usual, and hard not to read it in one sitting. Penny is remarkable for her ability to stymie my detection of the murderer once again. And the residents of Three Pines never disappoint. Loved it.

I get the feeling I'm going against the grain on this one.

For whatever reason, I didn't find this book as satisfying as others have been in this series. Maybe it was the constantly shifting viewpoints between different plot lines, not necessarily happening at the same time? The sense that the murder wasn't even really the point of the book at all, but a misdirection away from the actual story? Unsure. I know the last 20% of the book or so, when the plot lines start converging and exposition happens linking it all together, is where the real fun for me was. The rest felt a bit like I was just along for the ride and not really invested in the proceedings.

3.5 stars.

This book was a so-so read for me. It was the first Louise Penny novel that I have read and because of that I had no history with the characters or town of Three Pines. That being said, I didn't feel like there was enough character development for me to feel any attachment to the townsfolk. I thought the mystery and plot was okay and enjoyed how the murder trial and drug trade threads ended up coming together. I think that those readers who are already fans of the Armand Gamache books will like this one more than I did.