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The Brutal Telling

Audiobook
2 of 2 copies available
2 of 2 copies available

"Chaos is coming, old son." With those words the peace of Three Pines is shattered. As autumn descends, and families prepare to head back to the city while children say goodbye to summer, a stranger is found murdered in the village bistro and antiques store at the center of town. Once again, Chief Inspector Gamache and his team are called in to strip back layers of lies, exposing both treasures and rancid secrets buried in the wilderness.

No one admits to knowing the murdered man, who has kept his identity and his existence well hidden, along with an astounding legacy of cultural treasures. As secrets are revealed, chaos begins to close in on the beloved bistro owner, Olivier, whose past is unknown. How did he make such a spectacular success of his business? What past did he leave behind and why has he buried himself in this tiny village? And why does every lead in the investigation find its way back to him?

As Olivier grows more frantic, a trail of clues and treasures—from first editions of Charlotte's Web and Jane Eyre to a spider web with the word "WOE" woven in it—lead the Chief Inspector deep into the woods and across the continent in search of the truth, and then back to Three Pines as the little village braces for the final, brutal telling.

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    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from August 17, 2009
      When the body of an unknown old man turns up in a bistro in Agatha-winner Penny's excellent fifth mystery set in the Quebec village of Three Pines (after Jan. 2009's A Rule Against Murder
      ), Chief Insp. Armand Gamache investigates. At a cabin in the woods apparently belonging to the dead man, Gamache and his team are shocked to discover the remote building is full of priceless antiquities, from first edition books to European treasures thought to have disappeared during WWII. When suspicion falls on one of Three Pines' most prominent citizens, it's up to Gamache to sift through the lies and uncover the truth. Though Gamache is undeniably the focus, Penny continues to develop her growing cast of supporting characters, including newcomers Marc and Dominique Gilbert, who are converting an old house—the site of two murders—into a spa. Readers keen for another glimpse into the life of Three Pines will be well rewarded. 100,000 first printing.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      This delightful listening experience involves Chief Inspector Armand Gamache as he investigates the murder of an unidentified elderly man in the Quebec town of Three Pines. The story involves the shocking discovery of priceless European treasures that disappeared during WWII. This French-Canadian cozy is infused with humor. Ralph Cosham delivers a delightful accent for Gamache and invests all the characters with small-town likability. His droll presentation displays special empathy for the town eccentric, anglophile Ruth Zardo, and her duck, Rosa. Dry wit and a love of language are evident in this well-crafted mystery. S.C.A. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine

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