Sound, particularly Gregorian chanting, plays an integral part in The Beautiful Mystery.
Speaking of sound, do you prefer to read or to listen to Louise’s books?
To further explore The Beautiful Mystery, download our Book Club Kit.
Author: Christopher Melvin
Of all of the beloved characters in the series, Ruth has fast become a fan favorite.
From “I’m F.I.N.E.”, to Rosa the duck, to her insistence that Myrna’s bookstore is actually a library, what are your favorite Ruth moments?
While the series is centered in Three Pines, Louise will occasionally set a book outside of the village.
What is your favorite non-Three Pines setting in the series?
When we think of the Bistro, we envision a roaring fireplace, conversations with neighbors, and delicious food and drink.
Of the many meals we’ve all shared in the Bistro, which would you like to try the most?
For a selection of recipes inspired by the series, download The Nature of the Feast.
Three Pines, while not found on any map, is inspired by real locations, including Hovey Manor, the inspiration for Manoir Bellechasse — the inn where the Gamaches vacation every summer.
If you were to plan your perfect Three Pines vacation, where would you visit first?
The five senses play a powerful part in all of Louise’s books, from taste to sight to smell.
What scents come to mind when you think of Three Pines?
Of all of the seasons in Three Pines, winter provides no shortage of suspense.
What’s your favorite season in Three Pines?
Art is certainly a consistent thread throughout the Three Pines canon.
Are there any real-life artists or works of art that come to mind when you envision Three Pines?
Categories
Gamache Goes Abroad: A Better Man
wcag heading
Gamache’s last trip before the publication of All the Devils Are Here takes him just across the pond, to visit the UK edition. As we’re sure you’ve noticed, the jackets, at first glance, look exactly the same — which is a rare example of the foreign and domestic publisher agreeing on a design that suits both the novel and the reading audience in both countries.
There is one slight difference between the two: the UK publisher chose to add a quote to the cover, which is common practice in that country. Here, they feature a very complimentary quote by Denise Mina: “One of the greatest writers of our times.” Do quotes like these ever influence your decision to buy a book?
As this is our last visit abroad with Gamache, we’d like to thank you for traveling with us over the past few months. We hope to see you all in Paris next week with the release of All the Devils Are Here on September 1st!
wcag heading
Buongiorno! This week, we find Gamache in Italy with the covers of Kingdom of the Blind. What strikes us about the Italian edition of the book is their literal interpretation of one of the opening scenes in the book, in which Gamache arrives at an abandoned farmhouse in a snowstorm. [Note from Paul Hochman: Who would have thought he’d drive a Jeep?]
Also striking about the Italian jacket is the illustration, which we’ve yet to see from any of the other international editions. Is their illustration of Gamache how you’d picture him?
In contrast, our US jacket takes a more abstract approach, while still evoking a wintry scene. It’s not hard to imagine that the icicles shown on the US jacket might be on a window, drawing similarities between our version and the Italian version.
What do you think? Which jacket do you prefer?
The illustration on the Italian jacket brings to mind a few other illustrated book covers. Does it remind you of any other covers in particular?
