Join us here in The Bistro for a discussion on the entire Gamache series. Feel free to ask or answer any questions about any of the books or the series as a whole.
Located in the Equitable Building in Manhattan, Minotaur Books publishes bestselling and award-winning crime fiction ranging from thrillers and suspense to traditional mysteries. Minotaur has published Louise Penny since 2007.
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Julie, Gamache would be proud of your investigative skills. After reading yesterday’s posts, I searched the internet but came up empty handed. Congrats.
Patricia – I’ve found a few “clues” – there seems to be a brand called “Leaf” – Finnish brand, but the licorice pipes are made in Italy? Take a look at this blog post talking about them: http://www.candyblog.net/blog/item/leaf_schoolchalk
I’ve found a couple of spots that sell them online – you’ll probably find them if you google Skipper’s Pipes : http://www.made-in-scandinavian.com/store/p938/Malaco_Skipper%27s_Licorice_Pipes_8_Pcs_136_g_%28_4.80_oz_%29_Made_in_Sweden_.html
http://www.loveofliquorice.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=66
https://www.sweets-online.com/lakritz/fuer-lakritzliebhaber/skippers-pipes-lakritz-pfeifen-20-stueck/a-105350/
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Malaco-Skippers-Licorice-Pipes-8-Pcs-Pack-136-g-4-80-oz-Made-in-Sweden/271594672683
And a few others…
https://www.treasureislandsweets.co.uk/allsorts-and-comfits/liquorice-pipes-novelty-old-school.html
https://mrstanleys.co.uk/products/old-fashioned-liquorice-pipes?variant=8954670403
Doesn’t look like they’ll be cheap unless you happen to live in Europe – but at least you can find them…
Hi, Patricia – I remember those so well from my childhood. Today, all I can find are the kind that are the black licorice, but no “glowing” end with the red candies – that seems to be saved for candy cigars! When I ordered my Vive Gamache! cup from Brome Lake Books, they put in a licorice pipe, but it didn’t have the glowing end. If you find them, please pop back in and let us know where you got them.
Where can I order “authentic” licorice pipes with the red candies?
Merci! Patricia
At least he liked it Barbara! The Preston brothers are both good writers. If he liked the disease side look at Richard Preston’s books including the Hot Zone (about Ebola), The Cobra Event (bioterrorism) and The Demon in the Freezer. Any one is a good read.
I shall preorder Glass Houses and then I might finish my books. So cold today with piles of snow and ice everywhere and a freezing wind. Perfect for reading.
The Glass Houses is pre-ordered ! I’ve never pre-ordered before, but LP explained how that determined first appearance on book lists and I wanted to help.
Sam finished The Lost City of the Monkey God yesterday. He liked it because it was a true story. The illness and treatments drew him in. Whatever.
It was a warm bed that called to me that night Julie and a hot cup of tea before I drifted off.
We had a little blizzard yesterday afternoon which totally justified staying on the couch Barbara. I do go to the gym but that is so exhausting the couch is the best thing afterwards. Really cold and windy today. Snow all over the place still but I have my thermals on and snow boots ready. Have to go out to take Erin to physical therapy.
Hope all are warm with hot drinks and a good book. Still slugging through my pile. The Unconsoled is not an easy read. It is an interesting book but not a cozy one. I normally devour novels but this slow going. Read the Good reads reviews and you will understand what I talking about. The reviews are polarized between love it and hate it and some who gave up. I sense it is not the story with a resolution.
Should be done with Kissinger’s World Order by tomorrow. I have been taking notes or I would be done by now. An easier read than my novel! I also started Hitler’s Empire….nonfiction….last night. I know but I couldn’t wait. Another interesting read.problem is I need new glasses. I am struggling to read with these. Sometimes I take them off but it doesn’t help either way. And our apartment only has lamps apart from the bathroom and kitchen. One advantage of daylight saving is better light for reading in the evening!
Thanks Cathryne. It was less snow than predicted but enough to shut schools and slow the city down. Not a bad thing really, for a day. It has been very quiet day at home watching the ploughs go by and the odd mighty snow shower with big flakes being blown by some strong winds. From my position under a blanket on the couch it is a perfect view.
Hope all is stable with you although there has been a lot of rain in California. Any of it down as far as you?
Sounds like a good way to spend a day.
Anna – it sounds lovely – great night out, snow falling gently as you walk home… what could be better? A nice fire when you get home, or a warm cozy bed with lots of comforters!
So glad the snow added to the occasion instead of closing things down. It sounds like a lovely night, thanks for sharing it!
Reading books together sounds like a great idea Julie except I would get frustrated if I wanted to read ahead!
Had a great evening out tonight. Took the Metro to The Strathmore which is a concert venue up north in Bethesda. It started snowing as we arrived and quite heavily at times. We collected our tickets and met up with the tour manager who took us backstage to meet the current Ten Tenors…they have changed a bit since they started the group twenty years ago…but all lovely people and very talented.
The show was great and there was a modern classics like Nessun Dorma but a lot was very contemporary, well 60’s onwards. The audience had a lot of fun and everyone enjoyed themselves. We bought a CD and the boys came out after the show and signed merchandise for people. It was nice to tell them we enjoyed the show.
It was snowing steadily as we headed home and Pete and I enjoyed walking the deserted snow covered streets back to the apartment from the Metro. A good time was had by all.
Just thought I would share so you can live my adventure vicariously!
Xxxx
If buying books is your worst vice, Anna, I think you are doing very well. Not to mention that you are likely in good company! Vern saw an article about the Lost City of the Monkey God – about the flesh-eating disease that the author and others on the expedition had contracted. He started to tell me all about it, and I said, but I’ve JUST downloaded that book on my kindle – so now he wants it to be one of the books we read together! Can hardly wait – I’ve read the first chapter only, and am now waiting for us to be finished our current book. For the most part, we read so Vern can fall asleep, so we read REALLY slowly, and we don’t do anything with a plot that he has to follow much. Biographies are good, as are books of essays, as they are short snippets. We’re doing an Erma Bombeck right now – definitely nothing challenging, hahaha. I had wanted to read the Gamache books with him this way, but they are too complex for him to follow when he’s half asleep. I’ve given them to him to read on his own, though, as I know he’ll enjoy the characters so much.
Pete and I were talking about whether there would be a book tour. I wondered if it might be more extensive given she doesn’t have the same limitations. Would that be tiresome for Louise or maybe she will love the freedom to see some different places.
You sound excited Cathryne and I am too. Yes the title does make it so real. It is like naming the baby..they become a person.
I too shall order the kindle copy and then buy a real one. It can go on the bookcases Erin and Pete just put together. So much for not buying too many books. I have three on the go at least. I must promise not to start anything new until I finish one but they all quite solid reads.
Me too. It’s such an evocative title. I feel like it will be something to do with an accusation… that will be the downfall of the accuser. I hope it’s not anyone we love. And of course, it gives us no clue whatsoever as to what Gamache might be doing now.
I pre-ordered my Kindle copy (as I must start reading at midnight the “night before” the release) but if Louise comes here on the book tour, I’ll buy a “real” copy as well, so I can meet her. I am hoping that she will be ready to travel by then and work at a book tour, though I’d totally understand if she’d be remembering the times she traveled with Michael and not feel up to it.
Last time when she also released a few pages, I didn’t read them, because I didn’t think I could stand not being able to read on… don’t know how I will react this time, hahaha.
Me, too.
Hi Anna and Barbara,
I love the title, Glass Houses, it has such possibilities. Knowing the title makes the new book feel real. And imagining the manuscript making its way to the editors in the mail always makes me smile and see it in my mind. Now we’re talking! And, of course, I’m always thrilled to hear about the editors’ use of superlatives!
Did I say I love the title? Yes, I did and I do!
No throwing stones then!
I don’t think it is strange to worry particularly about Ruth and the animals…they are probably the most vulnerable characters, possibly followed by Jean-Guy.
Glass Houses. A world of possibilities there. I wonder if we will learn that some or one of the usual group of characters has a deep dark secret ? The reveal of that secret may be prompted by a new character’s secret.
I hope Ruth and Rosa are well and the Gamaches’ dog. I’m afraid that my lack of caffeine is telling. I must be strange, the first characters that pop in my mind….Ruth, Rosa and dog. My Petey is napping in my lap as he does every AM. Maybe, that explains it.
Oh, Yes. I had forgotten.
After the name reveal, sometimes there’s a few paragraphs teased, or the cover art… sometimes that gives you a hint.