A Better Man
Book - 2019
It's Gamache's first day back as head of the homicide department. Flood waters are rising across the province. In the middle of the turmoil, a father approaches Gamache, pleading for help in finding his daughter. As the rivers rise, and the social media onslaught against Gamache becomes crueler, a body is discovered. And in the tumult, mistakes are made.
Publisher:
New York : Minotaur Books, ♭2019.
ISBN:
9781250066213
9781250262950
9781250262950
Characteristics:
437 pages ;,25 cm.


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I do usually do love visiting Three Pines and all of the quirky townspeople who live there. This book was not my favorite. There was too much going on and I found myself losing interest. It could also be that I had too much going on in my own life and had trouble concentrating. I won't give up on Three Pines though, as long as Penny writes it, I will go along for the ride.
Another quality Penny effort. Gamache has returned to the Surrete but is reviled by many, partially due to a doctored video of a police action. Ethical and political questions must be resolved in the midst of flooding and murder.
Penny is quite a good writer. My only complaint is that she repeartedly mentions the factory shootout in her novels, and more than one time in each novel. I am tired of the factory episode and wish that she would substancially reduce the reference to this episode.
I fully appreciate the last two ratings and agree that the references used with people of colour and the F bomb were an unpleasant surprise and completely unnecessary.
I did find the complex story engaging through to the end.
Being a dog owner and lover and living with my partner with dementia, I was deeply moved by the author's Acknowledgement at the end of the story.
The author's writing demeans and vilifies characters of colour. The story repeatedly references a doctored video of a white police officer shooting black teens, underscoring it was fake. Will not read this author again - too disgusted.
I'd say I DNF'd this, but I didn't even start. Word to the wise, most of the authors I've read actually wait until after the first page (usually once the reader's somewhat invested) to start dropping F-bombs. How is this anybody's bestseller?
Worst. Book. Blind Date. Ever.
Wonderful to have Gamache back at the Sûreté du Québec. Complicated mystery. Always a pleasure to visit the citizens of Three Pines. Kristi & Abby Tabby
This was my first read of this series, and coming to it at #15 makes me a bit late to the party. Nevertheless, I felt the book worked well as a stand-alone and I was able to pick up on what had gone before in the series. The characters were completely human – decent, complex – and seemed to be a product of their small town setting. I suspect the characterization would have been more jaded and hard-edged had they lived in a large city. I got quite engaged in the plot until near the end where there were so many twists, turns and backtrackings that it felt like Penny was trying to stretch it out. Ultimately my credibility quotient was stretched with the final outcome.
Absolutely love getting back in touch with Armand Gamache and all the great inhabitants of Three Pines. Another great read by Penny. It will be hard to wait another year for her next book to find out what happens to everyone.