LOUISE PENNY’S

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Author: Christopher Melvin

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The Gardens of Three Pines: The Village Green

There is perhaps no setting more synonymous with Louise Penny’s books than the Village Green. The beating heart of Three Pines, the Village Green, with its iconic three pine trees, is the site of celebrations, gatherings, and chance encounters, no matter the season. Below, we’ve compiled some of our favorite quotes from the books about the Village Green:

“From the top of the hill she could see fieldstone homes, clapboard cottages, and brick shops surrounding a village green. Perennial gardens were in their first blush. There were peonies and huge purple lilac bushes. Banks of lupins grew wild down the slope. Three massive pine trees stood in the center of the village.” – The Madness of Crowds

“Tulip bulbs were beginning to crack through the earth and soon the village green would be awash with spring flowers, deep blue hyacinths and bluebells and gay bobbing daffodils, snowdrops and fragrant lily of the valley, filling the village with fragrance and delight.” – The Cruelest Month

“Three Pines wasn’t on any tourist map, being too far off any main or even secondary road. Like Narnia, it was generally found unexpectedly and with a degree of surprise that such an elderly village should have been hiding in this valley all along. Anyone fortunate enough to find it once usually found their way back. And Thanksgiving, in early October, was the perfect time. The weather was usually crisp and clear, the summer scents of old garden roses and phlox were
replaced by musky autumn leaves, woodsmoke and roast turkey.” – Still Life

“Gamache had never seen Three Pines in summer. The leaves of the maple, apple and oak trees obscured slightly the old homes round the village green. But that made them all the more magical, as though half hiding their beauty only added to it. Three Pines revealed itself slowly, and only to people with the patience to wait, to sit quietly in one of the faded armchairs in the bistro, sipping Cinzano or café au lait, and watch the changing face of the venerable village.” – A Rule Against Murder

“Three Pines was robed in white. A foot of snow had fallen in the last few weeks and every old home round the village green had its own tuque of purest white. Smoke wafted out of the chimneys as though the homes had their own voice and breath, and Christmas wreaths decorated the doors and gates. At night the quiet little Eastern Townships village glowed with light from the Christmas decorations. There was a tender hum about the place as adults and children alike prepared for the big day.” – A Fatal Grace

Plants and trees you’ll find in the Village Green include:

  • Pine Trees: These evergreens are native to the northern hemisphere. Pine nuts can be used in pesto as well as certain types of wine. Methusela – a pine tree named for the biblical grandfather of Noah – is one of the oldest living organisms in the world and dates to nearly 5,000 years of age.
  • Hyacinths: A perennial named after Hyacinthus, the lover of Apollo in Greek mythology. Legend tells us that after the death of Hyacinthus, Apollo used the fallen Spartan’s blood to create the flower we know today.
  • Lupins: Known regionally as Bluebonnets, Lupins grow both as annuals and perennials in the Americas. While the origin of the name is debatable, the word almost certainly derives from the Latin word for wolf. Like the wolf, the plant can be harmful and sometimes fatal to grazing animals.

What’s your favorite season in Three Pines?

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The Gardens of Three Pines: Ruth Zardo’s Garden

As any fan would agree, there would be no Three Pines without the village’s most “drunken, embittered” old poet – Ruth Zardo – and her pet duck, Rosa. In the novels, Ruth’s garden is quite a bit like her character: wild, prickly, a bit neglected, and deceptively beautiful.

“Standing like a ramrod beside them and staring unblinking at the bistro was Ruth Zardo. And her duck, looking quite imperious. Ruth wore a sou’wester that glistened in the rain. Clara spoke to her, but was ignored. Ruth Zardo, Gamache knew, was a drunken, embittered old piece of work. Who also happened to be his favorite poet in the world.” – The Brutal Telling

“‘Blows over from your garden,’ Ruth complained. ‘It’s a weed, you know. Invasive, rude, demanding. Soaks up all the nutrients.’
He looked down at the old poet. ‘Yes, we know. But we like it anyway.’” – The Nature of the Beast

Some of the plants that might be found in Ruth (and Rosa’s) garden include:

Hydrangeas: From the Greek word for “water vessel”, Hydrangeas’ colors differ based on the acidity of the soil they’re planted in, which is a perfect metaphor for Ruth’s sharp and biting tongue!

Bindweed: A common name for Convolvulaceae, which is also known as Morning Glories. They can be an incredibly invasive species, especially in the Americas; however, Aztec priests favored them for their hallucinogenic qualities.

What’s your favorite Ruth quote from Louise’s novels?

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The Gardens of Three Pines: The Hermit’s Garden

In The Brutal Telling, we meet Jakob, “the Hermit”, a secretive Czech recluse who lived for more than a decade in an isolated log cabin hidden deep in the woods near Three Pines. Jakob lived in a cabin filled to the brim with antique treasures from all over the world – along with window boxes filled with thriving plants.

“A wheelbarrow with some dirt and a shovel stood halfway along the path and at the far end there sat a chair of bent branches, with comfortable and faded cushions. It was inviting and Gamache had an image of the man working in the garden, then resting. Sitting quietly in the chair.” – The Brutal Telling

Some of the plants that the Hermit grew included:

  • Nasturtium: Named for the Latin words for Twisted Nose, which may derive from the pungent taste of these edible plants.
  • Cilantro: The leaves of Coriander, Cilantro is native to the Mediterranean region and evidence of the plant was found in King Tut’s tomb along with – among other treasures – the pharaoh’s embalmed organs.
  • Rosemary: Another native of the Mediterranean Region, Rosemary has been popularized in songs by Simon & Garfunkel and the Grateful Dead.

Cilantro is a divisive herb. Do you like it or do you think it tastes like soap?

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The Gardens of Three Pines: The Gardens of Gamache’s Paris

In Louise Penny’s 16th novel, All the Devils Are Here, Armand and Reine-Marie Gamache travel to Paris. There, they encounter two gardens that are worlds different from the green spaces of Three Pines: the hidden courtyard garden belonging to Armand’s Godfather, Stephen Horowitz, and the stately trees and sculptures of the gardens at the Musée Rodin.

Stephen Horowitz’s Courtyard

“Once in the courtyard, Gamache touched Beauvoir’s arm in a silent request to pause.
A single tree, thick-trunked, tall and gnarled, dominated the space.
Lace curtains fluttered at windows where boxes were planted with bright red geranium and soft blue pansies.
Even Beauvoir, not given to appreciating aesthetics, could appreciate this.
It was one of the many peculiarities of Paris. Hidden behind many of the simple wooden doors were these courtyards and secret gardens. It was a city of façades. Of beauty, both obvious and obscure. Of heroism, both obvious and obscure. Of dreadful deeds, both obvious and obscure.” – All the Devils Are Here

  • Geranium: Named for the Greek word for “Crane” due to the flower’s supposed resemblance to the bill and head of the bird (I don’t see it!). Geraniums are symbols of good health and friendship.
  • Pansies: Derived from the French for “thought”, Pansies are a strong flower that can survive through Winter. A favorite among poets and writers, the plant appears in many works including those of Spenser, Hawthorne, and Wordsworth. Curiously, Margaret Mitchell originally named her most famous character, “Pansy O’Hara”…

The Musée Rodin Sculpture Garden

“Who’d have thought such a place existed anywhere, never mind tucked, essentially hidden, behind tall walls, in the middle of the city? It was a world unto itself. A magic garden.” – All the Devils Are Here

  • Maples: Maple fossils date back 60 million years! A national symbol of Canada where 10 species are native to the country. Maples are a favorite of Fall foliage viewers or “leaf peepers” as they’re sometimes referred to.
  • Lime Trees: Generally an ornamental plant, Lime trees are a favored wood among carvers and are often used in the construction of blinds. Herbally, the tree is beneficial in reducing stress, promoting sleep, and fighting colds.

Have you visited any notable gardens on your travels?

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The Gardens of Three Pines: The Gardens of Saint-Gilbert-Entre-les-Loups

Deep in the wilderness of Quebec lies the monastery of Saint-Gilbert-Entre-les-Loups, where two dozen cloistered monks live in silence and prayer. Although they’ve taken a vow of silence, the monks are world-famous for their singing voices, reciting chants so profound they produce an effect known as “the beautiful mystery” – the inspiration for the title of the eighth book in Louise Penny’s series.

When the monks aren’t singing, they’re making chocolate, tending to their chickens, and growing vegetables and medicinal herbs. Plants that might be found in each of the monastery gardens are listed below.

The Abbot’s Garden

“Gamache longed to walk around the abbot’s garden. No matter how tilled and weeded and pruned it was, that control was an illusion. There was no taming nature.” – The Beautiful Mystery

  • Echinacea: Native to North America and named for the Greek word for hedgehog, this medicinal plant is commonly used to treat colds, among other ailments.
  • Meadowsweet: Meadowsweet, or “Queen of the Meadow”, is prevalent in the United Kingdom and was a favorite potpourri of Queen Elizabeth I.
  • Chamomile: Widely known for its use in herbal teas, Chamomile can also be added as a flavoring ingredient in beer.

Vegetable Garden

“Jean-Guy looked at the garden. It was huge. Much, much bigger than the abbot’s garden. This was clearly a vegetable garden, whose main crop seemed to be massive mushrooms.” – The Beautiful Mystery

  • Mushrooms: A fungus that comes in all shapes and sizes – some of which are poisonous – that can be used in many ways, including a vehicle to “turn on, tune in, drop out”.
  • Squash: A member of the Cucurbita family, along with gourds and pumpkins, that are known to attract “Squash” bees and come in a myriad of winter and summer varieties.
  • Carrots: A root vegetable that dates back to 3000 BC, consumption of which was once thought to improve night vision – they do not. But they are still a favorite of Bugs Bunny, who popularized the myth that rabbits naturally eat carrots – they do not.

What are some of your favorite medicinal herbs and vegetables?

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The Gardens of Three Pines: The Gardens of Manoir Bellechasse

Each summer, beginning when they were young, Reine-Marie and Armand Gamache visit Manoir Bellechasse, the beautiful, grand lodge built over a century ago on the shores of Lake Massawippi. Surrounded by mountains and forests – and gardens! – the lodge is a luxury, secluded destination for lovers of nature and good food.

“They knew if they looked in that same ledger they’d find their signatures, once a year, stretching back to a June day more than thirty years ago when young Armand had saved his money and brought Reine-Marie here. For one night. In the tiniest of rooms at the very back of the splendid old Manoir. Without a view of the mountains or the lake or the perennial gardens lush with fresh peonies and firstbloom roses. He’d saved for months, wanting that visit to be special. Wanting Reine-Marie to know how much he loved her, how precious she was to him.” – A Rule Against Murder

Some flowers that might be found in Manoir Bellecasse’s manicured grounds include:

Peonies: While the number of peony species is unclear, this flowering plant is extremely popular in ornamental arrangements. The peony has a rich and long history in Eastern cultures and is the floral symbol of China.

Lilies: Mostly native to the Northern Hemisphere, the lily flowers in a bountiful spectrum of colors. Beware: certain types of lilies can be extremely dangerous for cats!

Honeysuckle: Known to attract Hummingbirds, especially in North America, Honeysuckle can be aromatic and is named for the nectar that they cultivate in their flowers. The plant has come to symbolize nostalgia and love.

Tell us about a memorable garden you’ve visited on your travels.

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The Gardens of Three Pines: The Gamache Garden

Although it feels like the Gamaches have always been part of the fabric of Three Pines, Armand and Reine-Marie don’t officially move to the village until the tenth book in the series, The Long Way Home. Their brick house sits on the edge of the Village Green, and their garden, located in the back of the house, becomes a place of peace and reflection for the Gamaches, along with a gathering place where they spend time with their family and friends.

“Reine-Marie stopped, stooped, and picked a weed out of their front garden. She showed it to Myrna, who clapped. It had become their running joke, from their early days in the village, when Reine-Marie and Armand had “weeded” the spring garden, only to discover they’d left the weeds and taken out most of the perennials.” – Glass Houses

Perhaps not natural green thumbs, the Gamaches still grow a variety of flowers, weeds, and trees in their garden, including:

Lavender: An Old World flower that dates back, at the very least, to Greek and Roman times. “Lavender Haze” was a term coined in the 1950s to describe a certain state of love. Taylor Swift heard the phrase while watching an episode of Mad Men, which inspired her to pen the eponymous song.

Weeds: A generally undesirable plant that dates back to the invention of agriculture. A.A. Milne famously quipped in Winnie-the-Pooh, “Weeds are plants too, once you get to know them.”

Apple Trees: Also known as Malus domestica, were originally cultivated in Asia and subsequently brought to America by colonists. William Blaxton, the first European settler to occupy what is today known as Boston, grew the first apples and named them “Yellow Sweeting”.

Do you have any tips for managing weeds in your garden?

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The Gardens of Three Pines: Miss Jane Neal’s Garden

There’s no better introduction to the “Gardens of Three Pines” than Miss Jane Neal’s. Jane, a retired schoolteacher, is famously the first murder victim in Louise’s beloved and bestselling series. Her garden provides a window into the type of person she was – and the community of Three Pines where she lived.

“‘One more question,’ said Gamache at the door, the bag of muffins in one hand and the door handle in the other. ‘You mentioned the Charles de Mills rose.’
‘Jane’s favorite. He’s not just any rose, Chief Inspector. He’s considered by rosarians to be one of the finest in the world. An old garden rose. Only blooms once a season but with a show that’s spectacular. And then it’s gone.’” – Still Life

Jane was known for her particular fondness for “old garden roses,” which she tended with expert care, and her favorite, the Charles de Mills rose. Beyond the roses, her garden was a riot of color and variety, featuring:

  • Hollyhocks: Of the Alcea genus, hollyhock is generally found in Asia and Europe. The Streambank Wild Hollyhock is native to North America.
  • Sweet Bergamot (Monarda): A mint that is indigenous to North America. The Native Americans used its medicinal qualities to cure stomach ailments, among other ailments.
  • Charles de Mills Rose: An Old Garden Rose, first introduced in 1786, the Charles de Mills rose is known for its vibrant purple and crimson hues. The Charles de Mills was inducted into the Old Rose Hall of Fame in 2015.

Tell us about your garden?

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The People of Three Pines: Jean-Guy Beauvoir

At thirty-five years old, Jean Guy Beauvoir had been Gamache’s second in command for more than a decade. He wore cords and a wool sweater under his leather jacket. A scarf was rakishly and apparently randomly whisked around his neck. It was a look of studied nonchalance which suited his toned body but was easily contradicted by the cord-tight tension of his stance. Jean Guy Beauvoir was loosely wrapped but tightly wound. – Still Life

Jean Guy Beauvoir was constantly at war with himself, at odds over his need to wear clothes that showed off his slender, athletic build, and his need not to freeze his tight ass off. It was nearly impossible to be both attractive and warm in a Quebec winter. And Jean Guy Beauvoir sure didn’t want to look like a dork in a parka and stupid hat. – A Fatal Grace

Then the Chief Inspector had found him, taken him onto homicide and a few years later promoted him to inspector and his second in command. But Jean Guy Beauvoir never totally left the cage. Instead it had moved inside and in it he kept the worst of his rage, where it couldn’t cause damage. And beside that cage sat another, quieter cage. In it, curled up in a corner, was something that frightened him far more than his fury. Beauvoir lived in terror that one day the creature in there would escape. – The Cruelest Month

Inspector Jean Guy Beauvoir stepped out of the car and looked at the sky. Unremitting gray. It would rain for a while yet. He looked down at his shoes. Leather. His slacks designer. His shirt. Casual linen. Perfect. Fucking middle of nowhere murder. In the rain. And mud. He slapped his cheek. And bugs. Flattened to his palm were the remains of a mosquito and some blood. Fucking perfect. Agent Isabelle Lacoste opened an umbrella and offered him one. He declined. Bad enough to be here, he didn’t need to look like Mary Poppins. – A Rule Against Murder

Chief Inspector Armand Gamache got the call just as he and Reine-Marie finished clearing up after Sunday brunch. In the dining room of their apartment in Montreal’s Outremont quartier he could hear his second in command, Jean Guy Beauvoir, and his daughter Annie. They weren’t talking. They never talked. They argued. Especially when Jean Guy’s wife, Enid, wasn’t there as a buffer. – The Brutal Telling

Every hour of every day Jean-Guy Beauvoir searched for not just facts, but truth. He hadn’t appreciated, though, how terrifying it was being with someone who spoke it, all the time. – Bury Your Dead

Since his separation from Enid, Jean Guy had seemed distant. Aloof. He’d never been exactly exuberant but Beauvoir was quieter than ever these days, as though his walls had grown and thickened. And his narrow drawbridge had been raised. – A Trick of the Light

Jean-Guy Beauvoir loved his job. But now, for the first time, he looked into the kitchen, and saw Annie standing in the doorway. Watching him. And he realized, with surprise, that he now loved something more. – The Beautiful Mystery

Beauvoir liked lists. Gamache liked thoughts, ideas. Beauvoir liked to question, Gamache liked to listen. And yet there was a bond between the older man and the younger that seemed to reach through time. They held a natural, almost ancient, place in each other’s lives. Made all the more profound when Jean-Guy Beauvoir fell in love with Annie, the Chief’s daughter. – How the Light Gets In

Late into his thirties, with a broken body and a shattered spirit, Jean-Guy Beauvoir had been seduced by happiness. – The Long Way Home

Out on the green, Lacoste’s two children were fighting with Jean-Guy Beauvoir for the ball. The grown man appeared to be sincerely, and increasingly desperately, trying to control the play. Lacoste smiled. Even against kids, Inspector Beauvoir did not like to lose. – The Nature of the Beast

Inspector Jean-Guy Beauvoir knew that his mountain analogy with Gamache had been wrong. If you died on the side of a mountain, it was in the middle of a selfish, meaningless act. A feat of strength and ego, wrapped in bravado. – A Great Reckoning

He’d known Jean-Guy long before he’d become his son-in-law, having hired Agent Beauvoir away from a dead-end job guarding evidence. He’d taken a young man no one else wanted and made him an inspector in homicide, to everyone’s surprise. But it had seemed natural, to Gamache. He barely had to think about it. They were chief and agent. Patron and protégé. They were the head and the heart. Now father-in-law and son-in-law. Father and son. They had been thrown together, joined together, it seemed, for this lifetime, and many past. – Glass Houses

Beauvoir walked briskly to the subway and what he knew would be the final internal-affairs interview before all returned to normal. His head was down, and he concentrated on the sidewalk and the soft, light snow hiding the ice below. One misstep and bad things happened. A turned ankle. A wrist broken trying to break the fall. Or a fractured skull. It was always what you couldn’t see that hurt you. – Kingdom of the Blind

When Jean-Guy Beauvoir had arrived twenty minutes earlier, he’d gone directly to his office and closed the door. It wasn’t something he normally did. Normally his door was wide open. Normally he went straight to the conference room. Normally he was the only Chief Inspector of homicide there. But this was not a normal day. How the next half hour or so went would set the tone going forward. – A Better Man

And then Jean-Guy arrived. Agent Beauvoir. Found in some basement Sûreté servitude. Angry, arrogant. One insult away from being fired from the detachment and booted out of the service. Chief Inspector Gamache had recognized something in the young man. And had, to everyone’s astonishment, not least Agent Beauvoir’s, brought him into homicide. The most sought after, the most prestigious department in the Sûreté du Québec. Armand had become Jean-Guy’s mentor. And more. Jean-Guy had risen to become Armand’s second-in-command. And more. And Daniel had never forgiven either. – All the Devils Are Here

Jean-Guy’s dark hair had some gray now, and a few lines had appeared on his handsome face. His complexion was rosy after a day in the bright sun and gusty wind. Though he’d made it clear he preferred “rugged” to “rosy.” – The Madness of Crowds

While Gamache had become an explorer of human emotions, Jean-Guy Beauvoir was the hunter. They were a perfect, though unequal, team. Watching his father-in-law toss a slimy tennis ball to Henri the German shepherd, Jean-Guy was under no illusions who was the leader. He’d follow him anywhere. And had. – A World of Curiosities

Annie and Jean-Guy lived close to the Gamaches’ pied-à-terre in the Outremont quartier of Montréal. Though the young couple and their two children lived in the less swanky Mile End neighborhood. – The Grey Wolf


Though their relationship has changed and evolved over the years, Jean-Guy Beauvoir is both Armand Gamache’s second-in-command and son-in-law – and the “hunter” to Gamache’s “explorer”. Do you think these excerpts capture Jean-Guy’s character? What else would you add?

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The People of Three Pines: Ruth Zardo

As far as she knew, Ruth had always been like this. ‘Then why does everyone like her?’ Myrna had asked. Clara had laughed and shrugged, ‘You know there are days I ask myself the same thing. What a piece of work that woman can be. But she’s worth the effort, I think.’ – Still Life

‘You’re wrong there,’ said Ruth, following Myrna’s gaze. ‘This used to be my drug of choice. In my teens my drug of choice was acceptance, in my twenties it was approval, in my thirties it was love, in my forties it was Scotch. That lasted a while,’ she admitted. ‘Now all I really crave is a good bowel movement.’ – A Fatal Grace

There was Ruth on the village green, talking to someone. Only she was alone. There was nothing odd about that. It actually would have been strange had there been someone willing to listen to her. – The Cruelest Month

Peter listened as Clara talked again about Fortin visiting her studio this past spring and seeing the portrait of their friend Ruth Zardo, the old and withered poet. Embittered and embattled and brilliant. – A Rule Against Murder

Standing like a ramrod beside them and staring unblinking at the bistro was Ruth Zardo. And her duck, looking quite imperious. Ruth wore a sou’wester that glistened in the rain. Clara spoke to her, but was ignored. Ruth Zardo, Gamache knew, was a drunken, embittered old piece of work. Who also happened to be his favorite poet in the world. Clara spoke again and this time Ruth did respond. Even through the glass Gamache knew what she’d said. “Fuck off.” – The Brutal Telling

Ruth appeared at Beauvoir’s chair, a scowl on her deeply wrinkled face. Her cropped white hair lay flat on her head, looking like exposed skull. She was tall and stooped and walked with a cane. The only good news was that she wasn’t in her nightgown. – Bury Your Dead

He’d actually been looking forward to seeing Ruth again. He examined the tall, thin, elderly woman leaning on her cane. Ruth’s hair was white and thin and cut close to her head, so that it looked like her skull was exposed. Which seemed to Beauvoir about right. Nothing inside Ruth’s head was ever unexposed or unexpressed. It was her heart she kept hidden. – A Trick of the Light

HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN

It was supposed to be just the three of them, which was bad enough, but then Ruth Zardo and her duck had arrived and the evening went from bad to a fiasco. Rosa, the duck, had muttered what sounded like “Fuck, fuck, fuck” the whole night, while Ruth had spent the evening drinking, swearing, insulting and interrupting. – How the Light Gets In

Below them, Ruth Zardo limped from her run- down cottage, followed by Rosa, her duck. The elderly woman looked around, then glanced up the dirt road out of town. Up, up the dusty path, Gamache could see her old steel eyes travel. Until they met his. And locked on. – The Long Way Home

The long, low brick building across the Rivière Bella Bella from the village was the home of the Three Pines Volunteer Fire Brigade, of which Ruth Zardo was the chief, being familiar, everyone figured, with hellfire. – The Nature of the Beast

Ruth loved words and used them intentionally. Even the thoughtless words were used with thought. – A Great Reckoning

There was a growing resemblance between Ruth and Rosa. Both had scrawny necks. Their heads white. Their eyes beady. They waddled when they walked. They shared a vocabulary. If it wasn’t for Ruth’s cane they’d be almost indistinguishable. – Glass Houses

Ruth Zardo. A gifted poet. One of the most distinguished in the nation. But that gift had come wrapped in more than a dollop of crazy. The name Ruth Zardo was uttered with equal parts admiration and dread. Like conjuring a magical creature that was both creative and destructive. – Kingdom of the Blind

Myrna Landers heaved a sigh and shifted her considerable weight in her armchair. As much as she longed to contradict Ruth, she couldn’t. The fact was, their drunk and disorderly old neighbor in Three Pines was a brilliant poet. Though not much of a human being. – A Better Man

Ruth made a noise that could have been a laugh. Or indigestion. – A Better Man

Ruth Zardo, Stephen’s friend, was also their close friend and neighbor in their Québec village of Three Pines. An elderly poet, she was embittered, often drunk. Definitely nuts. And brilliant.

You were a moth
brushing against my cheek
in the dark
I killed you
not knowing you were only a moth,
with no sting.

She and Stephen had proven a good match and fast friends. And while often angry, she was no devil. Perhaps, he’d often thought, just the opposite. – All the Devils Are Here

“Drink?” he said, handing Clara one of the glasses of spiked punch.
“Merci.”
He gave the other to Reine-Marie.
“What about me?” demanded Ruth.
He looked at the vat of scotch the old poet was gripping. He recognized it. It was actually a flower vase. From their home. – The Madness of Crowds

So many summer evenings sitting on the dilapidated front porch of the ramshackle house, Ruth in her rocker, her cane across her lap. In another era it would have been a shotgun, thought Harriet. And she’d have had a corncob pipe. Rosa, the mad duck, would hop up and settle on Harriet’s lap. Exhausted after a day of terrorizing the villagers. “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” one of them muttered, though it wasn’t always clear which one. – A World of Curiosities

Ruth Zardo. The poet. The laureate. Who from her ramshackle home in this little lost village managed to see things others did not.

Now here’s a good one:
you’re lying on your deathbed.
You have one hour to live.
Who is it, exactly, you have needed
all these years to forgive?

She was one of Armand’s favorite poets, if not favorite people. Though he had to admit, she was close there too. – The Grey Wolf

The brilliant poet Ruth Zardo – and her pet duck, Rosa – are two fan-favorite characters in the world of Three Pines. Do these excerpts from Louise’s novels, describing Ruth and sampling her poetry, encapsulate this unforgettable character? Is there anything you’d add?
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