wcag heading
“Just spent a quiet night at the Abbey of Saint-Benoît-du-Lac. The only sound was the monks singing Gregorian Chants. Hope I can capture this feeling of peace in the book. This really is a “beautiful mystery.”
The abbot led the small procession, followed by Frères Simon and Charles. Then Captain Charbonneau at the head of the stretcher and Beauvoir behind. Gamache was the last to leave the abbot’s garden, closing the bookcase behind him.
They walked into the rainbow corridor. The joyful colors played on the body, and the mourners. As they arrived at the church, the rest of the community stood and filed from the benches. Joining them. Walking behind Gamache.
The abbot, Dom Philippe, began to recite a prayer. Not the rosary. Something else. And then Gamache realized the abbot wasn’t speaking. He was singing. And it wasn’t simply a prayer. It was a chant.
A Gregorian chant.
Slowly the other monks joined in and the singing swelled to fill the corridor, and join with the light. It would have been beautiful, if not for the certainty that one of the men singing the words of God, in the voice of God, was a killer.
58 replies on “Postcards from Three Pines: The Beautiful Mystery”
Monserrat in Spain, and other Abbeys in Europe are stewards of traditions reaching back centuries. Abbeys in St Benoit du Lac, Oka, and Dolbeau-Mistassini, are beautiful places to visit in Quebec. From cheese making, chocolate covered blueberries, and delicious products from the apple orchards, everything is done in the glory of and in obedience to God. Adherence to the Rule of St Benendict is paramount. The tradition of Gregorian Chant can grip and haunt the most stalwart soul. I have been blessed to visit all of the four aforementioned Abbeys, and attended Mass at one. The monastic life is a mystery, but the Abbeys are well suited for a retreat, especially a silent one. With the call to prayer, one is able to witness and participate in an a unique way of communicating with God. Think Orff’s Carmina Burana, the music of Era, or Enigma; all use that same style of singing!
My favorite Gamache novel. I had my book club read it as a discussion selection, but of course, I had an ulterior motive. And it worked! Now, almost all of them are Louise Penny fans, and are eagerly waiting along with me for KINGDOM OF THE BLIND.
Ah yes. Such a beautiful book. I have reread all the books…and still when I see one of them, a shiver runs through me and I almost ache to be back with Gamache and the other wonderful people who inhabit Three Pines. Thank you Louise. You have touched so many of us with your exquisite story telling.
I am rereading the series but may not read this one. I was too upset at what was happening to Jean Guy. But when we visited the Abbey last month it was impressive and the cheese so good. I still have one in my fridge to enjoy .
This was the very first Gamache book I read. I was mesmerized. Aside from the beautiful Abbey and the Gregorian chant it was the relationship between Gamache and Beauvoir that drew me in. At times I found it so painful I had to put the book down but I was drawn back to see where it was leading. I then had to go back and read the prior books to see what had led up to this while I was waiting for the next book as I am now.
A Trick of the Light was my favorite… Loved them all, but this one not so much and not sure why.
I wanted to be able to hear the chants. So sad for evil to stain the peace of this place. Jean Guy is in such pain as is Gamache as he loves him. I am appalled by the hatred of Francour (sp?) that seeks to destroy Gamache, his family and Jean Guy. Wonderful book. I cannot choose my favorite. I have all of them as audiobooks, too, and listen to them over and over as we travel.
Amazing that so many of us were introduced to Louise Penny by this book. I had to go get the rest of them so as to follow the plot thread in correct order and I have enjoyed each subsequent title. I am impatiently waiting for “Kingdom of the Blind”, curious to find out how that title relates to the plot. Being more than four-score years of age, I only hope to make it to the next one! Vive Gamache!
I think A Beautiful Mystery is my favorite of all of the books, and I’ve read every one several times. As sad as it is with Beauvoir’s problems, it is so beautiful, the setting, the Gregorian chants. Thank you again, Louise for all these incredible books. November is almost here!
This was my favorite Gamache novel. I have read all of Louise Penny novels and have loved them all. I can hardly wait until the new book is released. I tell all my friends and book club members to read Louise Penny for a real treat. Once they read one they are hooked.
Learning how music was first written down was fascinating! I’m just back from a historic vacation in West Virginia, and I heard someone say “Louise Penny.” Wow! The guy was nuts about the series, and I own every book so we covered miles of discussion about you and the mysteries. Probably gave a few other seatmates an inclination to travel to Three Pines!
As with all your books, you take us there. I felt immersed in the cloister with the characters. I am eagerly awaiting your new book. Thank you, Louise.
My favorite. As a musician, I loved the setting, the beautiful mystery and the history of music notation. Not my first Gamache novel but it was the one that made me want to read the entire series, in order, to better understand the Beauvoir-Gamache relationship development. Eagerly awaiting the Kingdom of the Blind-first on the waiting list at the library.
This was my favorite one, I could hear the monks singing and remember when I was young and we sang it in school, but not like the monks.
Can’t wait for your next book
One of my two FAVORITES! (The other is Bury Your Dead).
I started the series with this book and was completely and totally hooked. It is one of my favorites. I then had to start at the beginning and have read all of the books at least twice.
My favorite Gamache novel, and one of my favorite mysteries ever.
I took a room in Magog and went to the Abbey. I read a beautiful mystery in the Townships. I love reading the books while in Canada.
The relationship, the broken bromance between Jean Guy and Chief Gamache is explored in this book. Jean Guy is broken. The internal dialogues in each man uncovers a lot about each.
The chant at the Abbey is beautiful and is a mystery in itself. Of course, I have loved Gregorian Chant since being a Canadian Catholic boy. So, spending time with a book in an Abbey in the Townships, was a literary treat
This was the first Three Pines novel that I read, or should I say, listened to? I recieved an audiobook at Book Expo in New York and met Louise. This book is the most sumptuous feast for the ears, and got me hooked on the series. Now, I can’t wait for the next book!
I remember when Louise came to Vancouver for the Van Writer’s Festival. The Compline Choir of Christ Church Cathedral was on the stage with her to sing Gregorian chant for us, and show us the music which was used. It was a moving presentation, for sure.