In the Kingdom of the Blind the one-eyed man is king. While that saying is referenced a few times in Louise Penny’s book, Kingdom of the Blind, I’m not sure how it applies to the actual story.
In it, we find Inspector Gamache suspended from his position as head of the Surete. His son in-law, Beauvoir, has taken over Gamache’s old position, temporarily, as head of the Homicide Division. And thankfully, eventually, we find out what happened to Inspector LaCoste, shot in the head at the end of Glass Houses.
The action begins with Armando, Myrna and another, being summoned to an old farmhouse by a notary who informs them they are the liquidators (think executors) of a stranger’s will. This storyline runs parallel to the story of former Cadet Choquet, from A Great Reckoning, and her search for the drugs that slipped through Gamache’s fingers at the end of Glass Houses.
My Thoughts
First, the persecution of Gamache has worn me down. It always seems someone politically or physically is out to get him. There’s always a boogie monster under the bed. Enough already. I want to have him enjoy his licorice pipes in peace.
Second, the mysteries weren’t too mysterious. Yes, I didn’t figure all of it out but I figured out enough.
Third, there were some scenes that felt extraneous to me (why did Myrna and Clara go to the Notary’s office; nothing came of that). Others, I wish developed more (Myrna and Billy’s budding relationship makes me want to go back to the older books to familiarize myself with him) and one felt completely out of place. Why the heck was that little girl in the story at all?
That said, I still enjoyed the story. Still enjoyed my time in Three Pines and still love the characters.
I’d say a solid 3.5 stars.