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.
3,660 replies on “The Bistro”
Great dream Barbara! I think it is lovely to have comforting dreams of any kind….duck or dog! And blackberries in any form should combat infection. Did the blackberry wine contribute to the dream do you think….
Love the name Hobo spiderJulie, but I don’t want to meet one. Do they carry their possessions in a knotted handkerchief?
Hello Cathryne and Peg. Did you get to the appointment Cathryne?
I was supposed to take Dad to have his pacemaker check yesterday but we had a problem. Dad tore open his leg getting into the wheelchair. Not a little skin tear but a full laceration. There was a pool of blood a foot across on the carpet. When I rang to cancel the appointment at the clinic the lovely lady was more concerned to check that I was ok and Dad was ok. She asked if we needed help, could she do anything? So nice. We were lucky the singing surgeon was on hand and the leg was cleaned and sutured and dressed before you could blink. It is a worry though as he is at risk of major complications. Sigh. He has been in the wars!
As you can imagine my rereading has ground to a halt but I am reading to discuss anytime.
I think Henri would be in my dreams before Rosa, although she would be a close second. Touching an animal is so soothing.
Well, the spiders in this part of the country are not usually venomous, though I’ve just gone to look and see if we have any at all, and we do have three and I feel sure I’ve seen a Hobo spider in our house! I just killed it, as it just looked like a big spider to me – never thinking… The bite of it is horrendous-looking! I love your dream, Barbara – what a peaceful and lovely thing to dream about! I find it interesting to see who is holding Rosa in any given scenario – I think that she is a peace-giver to whomever has her. Good for you, Cathryne and Anna, to be re-reading (or listening) already. I’m sure I’m missing things…
Jennifer – welcome! The discussion will surely be here – we have figured (and I’m sure Paul is thinking this, too) that we need at least a couple of weeks to have given everyone time to have read it. I know some of you fast readers have already finished, but I’m very slow, and of course, some people still have to get their copy of the book, so it will likely be in about 2 weeks from this past Monday – or whenever Paul says. Paul is the Minotaur Publishing rep who runs the site for us, and he is likely going to make sure there is a FB announcement, etc. that draws readers in for a very full group for discussion. What you find here right now, are the ne’er do wells who hang around in between books and talk about any and everything.
Oh, Barbara, I love your dream, and the details, perfect! I hope you are feeling better each day, so sorry about the antibiotic side effects. Adding insult to injury!
I have finished reading AGR and now I’m happily listening to the audible version.
i found it astonishing, wonderful, amazing, as good as I hoped. Second time through the book mines even more gold.
I have to go out, I’m late to appt.
Interesting to see the Julie and Anna mentioned spiders. I had not even thought of them until a friend called Tues. night and told of their battle with them in their bedroom. We searched the room, behind bed and other furniture. We didn’t see any or any signs of them.
Anna, I had forgotten about the symptoms of sepsis even though the Dr. said it may have gone into sepsis without treatment.
Julie, love the B&B idea. Yesterday, Sam said that his mother always said Blackberry juice was good for infection. I ate a slice of blackberry pie and felt guilt free. I might add that I have blackberry wine in the cabinet. I keep it on hand for cooking and sipping.
Hi, Jennifer. I think the discussion will be here. All info about the discussion will be here for sure. Looking forward to it.
I had a short dream the other night. Sitting on the bench in the square in Three Pines and holding Rosa in my lap. She wore a small shawl over her back. I could feel the warmth from her body and her breathing. No one else in sight. It was early morning. So peaceful.
Is where discussions on the new book take place.
We will discuss the new book Jennifer. We are just giving people a chance to read it so they aren’t caught up with spoilers inadvertently. Quite a few of us have read it so we are just chatting while we wait. It’s a fabulous read although Julie and I are waiting to talk about how on eart Gamache thought what he did was a good idea, without saying what made us question him! Please join in. We are happy to talk about all things Three Pine. Did you enjoy the book….without giving anything too much away yet?
Oh dear Barbara…cellulitis is nasty. Is it getting better with the antibiotics?? Please be careful because nausea and shaking can be signs of sepsis as well as side effects of the medication. Not said to worry you, I just want you to be alert. If the redness and swelling are improving then it’s likely to be the medication causing the problems. Wish I could be there to help you!
So very pleased that the computer will be set up properly soon and you have that out of the way. So proud of you getting your laptop. And the book will come and we can have a lovely natter. Did Carol order it for you? What kindness. Hopefully by the time it arrives you will be feeling better and able to enjoy everything.
Spider bites Julie! Eek. I killed a deadly female funnel web in our garden a couple of weeks ago. Spiders in this country are so nasty. Could well be though but Barbara’s reaction is a horrid one. I am glad you are reading happily. I had to devour in the end as I just couldn’t see where the time was going to come from otherwise. Had Dad to the doctor yesterday, went well, pacemaker check today and need to get him to the optometrist. He is so heavy and the whole process is exhausting even with my friend helping. I was in bed and sound asleep within two hours of getting home.
I will try and reread AGR…
((((((((Barbara))))))) I’m so sorry to hear about the cellulitis. I wonder if it could have been spider bites? Vern gets them really bad this time of year as the spiders start to “come in for the winter”… they seem to love him and leave me alone, but his bites are always big and itchy and swollen. Not that mosquitoes don’t get into people’s houses… but the reaction seems like too much. Whereas, depending on the spider, they can be bad. I hope the antibiotics knock it out in one go. Certainly seems like they’re knocking you out! Go, read, be calm, drink tea, or a big vaseful of bourbon with a branch stuck in it! 😀 and feel better… So happy that your book will be there soon! Then you can fret about whatever it was that Gamache was thinking along with Anna and me! Glad to hear the laptop is here, too. Good news – by the time we’re discussing the book, you’ll be an old hand on it!
Anna, to me, Three Pines is so real you can taste it, hahaha. Of course, that might just be all the wonderful food they have. Very early in there’s a plate of scrambled eggs with brie that had me salivating!
Wow Anna, you really gobbled up the book. I can imagine Julie, It keeps calling “Just one more page”. So tempting.
Much news. Carol told me this AM that my copy of AGR is on the way. I was going to send Sam to buy me a copy in a few days or so. Glad I didn’t.
My typing is very poor this morning as I have to make corrections to almost every word. That is because I am somewhat shakey as I have been taking high doses of an antibiotic since Sun. I woke up with bites all over my upper left arm on Sat. but by Sunday was in real trouble. Cellulitis. Had a regular appt. with primary Dr. for Mon. but went to one of the hospital’s Prompt Care offices on Sun. We all thought mosquito bites. I had scratched them and bacteria had entered the broken skin. That has always been a problem. First time to have such a serious reaction. The antibiotic has made me very ill. Again standard reaction. I wonder if the4y were really mosquito bites. I have been nowhere outdoors or unusual.
Good news. New laptop arrived yesterday. Will be set up by Geek squad next Tues afternoon.
Can’t wait to start reading. The distraction will be good for me.
Best to all.
Aw Peg. Somehow it’s worse knowing she is so close and you can’t get there. I asked Pete to say hi from The Bistro if he gets a chance.
Exactly Julie? No spoilers but seriously Gamache?! We will have to discuss that in a couple of weeks. Suffice to say it is a great mix of all things Three Pines and some new people and places that keep the story fresh and interesting. Louise’s amazing ability to paint a scene for the senses and the heart is in full swing so you don’t so much read the book as float along beside the characters immersed in the world she has given us.
There is no doubt Three Pines is a real place. We all make it real.
And so we do, Paul. The Bistro has become so very important to me, and I think to a number of us. Even as we sit and wait. But the waiting is over, hallelujah!
I got my copy at midnight – said I would read one chapter. I’m on chapter 7, but I AM going to try to make it last a little longer, hahaha. I usually don’t read in the daytime, and will try to keep to that. Have plenty to do to keep me busy, but it’s calling, oh, it’s calling. I was at first so happy to read some things I’d been hoping would happen, and then the story got going and I am thinking – Gamache! What are you thinking????!!!! So, of course… no spoilers, I promise.
Enjoy the book, Julie! It’s amazing!
Louise is in Naperville, Illinois today – 125 miles from me. So close, yet so far….
We do love you Paul. Thank you most genuinely for your hardwork and kindness.
xoxo
And so I am done. I gobbled as I knew I would once I could find the time which was initially in spurts. Sorry Erin, it was takeaway for tea and we ate it a 4 pm because I wasn’t going out again. I finished in bed with the lights out and tears in my eyes from Louise’s Acknowledgements at the end. So lovely to see Paul Hochman receive deserved thanks for creating the Virtual Bistro. Don’t we just bless him every day for that kind genius.
So fitting, when I went into the book afraid, to read Louise’s trademark sign off…Noli timere. I try….I really try.
Don’t make me blush 😉
Can I just admit that I was a little bit scared to read AGR. The previews imply trouble for Gamache and I don’t want to see any more trouble. But then it is a murder mystery so there will be a problem for someone…
Two pages read. What is it with the world today!!!
It has arrived. I found it at 530 am and made sure it downloaded, read the first page then had to go back to sleep for an hour. Wow, did I have some weird dreams. I just need to convince the rest of the world to give me the day off to read…..
Anna – I think you’re right about temperature, humidity, etc. having a lot to do with how pastry turns out. Why can’t I try to master something easy? hahaha.
Oh, Anna – how wonderful to get your book before the rest of the world! I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you. But no spoilers, now – I don’t want to log on tomorrow and find out the whole plot! hahahaha – I know you would NEVER do that! In about 2 weeks, I think we ought to start checking in to see if people are ready to discuss the book – maybe try for Monday, September 12? Do we want to do it in chunks like the first discussions, or all at once like the last one? Cannot WAIT – I feel like a lot of questions will be answered… of course, then there will be new questions!
Oh Peg, well do I remember the fears of Y2K when there was concern that all the machines in the hospital would go chaotic and we slept in and had torches just in case. Nothing happened, thank goodness , but it was all an anticlimax.
On the other hand, receiving a new Louise novel can never be an anticlimax.
It is odd living on the other side of the world. My husband calls as he is heading to bed and I am having morning tea. Its freezing when he is sweltering. It is very topsy turvy. Actually I think we all deal with the weirdness quite well….embrace the weird I say.
If it gets delivered tonight…will I get any sleep? Probably. I am a wee bit weary.