BOOK REVIEW OF Louise Penny’s The Beautiful Mystery

This novel took me to the deep and mysterious world of a remote monastery in Quebec, Canada where twenty-four monks were reduced to twenty-three after a shocking murder by one of their own. Chief Inspector Gamache and his partner, Jean Guy Beauvoir enter the realm of sacred space known as Saint-Gilbert Entre-les-Loups and remain there, sifting through secrets of a silent group of men of God. The investigators have a long history and the monks have gradually drifted into various states of discord. At the heart of the friction is the centuries old tradition of singing simple prayers known as Gregorian chants. This story breaks open the plight of all humans bound up in earthly struggles. Louise Penny’s authentic prose took me to the center of heavenly song among an odd mix of characters searching for truth in more ways than one. You will enjoy the unique setting and stimulating sensations Penny weaves through this mystery.