This is a fine tuned portrayal of a rich, patriarchal family whose evil father has died and basically cut out all of the family in his will. The only exception is an estranged daughter. He bullied the young men in the family, making them be men (his version) whether they wanted to or not. To make matters worse, after the will is read, all are taken to a courtyard where an ugly statue of said patriarch is there. During the night the heir (a colorful and abrasive woman) is found dead from a blow to the head. The statue of the old guy lies broken, on top of her body. Gamache, who is celebrating his anniversary with Reine-Marie, is called in to investigate the murder. There is a continuing plot element of a young man who has been pursued because of his connection to a young woman in the Native American population.
3 Reviews
Best so far
xbatgirl-300294 January 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I should have written this under part 2 of this mystery. I got excited. Do not read if you have not seen part 2!
This is my favorite of the mysteries so far. I think it was the first one in the series where I could not wait for the end and for all the secrets to come out. There was a good deal of suspense along the way. Also no magical animals! Tightly directed.
I've been a fan of Rosemary Dunsmore every since Anne of Green Gables and she was so good at being the cold, manipulative mother. I think my favorite scene of hers was when she both tried to soothe Thomas and hurt him with insults at the same time. Brett Donahue was amazing switching between being an absolute monster who you just hate to making you actually feel sympathetic towards him and his family by the end.
I was pretty convinced we would find out Maurice was the father of Julia's baby and that is why their father was so harsh on her when she got pregnant. That should probably be a mystery trope by now. The rich guy had a secret child who unknowingly hooks up with their sibling. I was completely relieved when that wasn't a twist. I think in the end I feel sadder that Julia was killed than the family. I really liked her and she was dealt a sucky hand by her parents. Just to end up dead as a plot device. It feels like a real loss.
I like our team more and more as we learn about them, if you pay attention. It's little bits here and there. Jean-Guy is torn up over his collapsing marriage. Yvette got a big win. She keeps trying so hard even though she gets treated like she doesn't belong. Gamache's nightmares are worsening. Isabelle was brave and trusting enough to go meet Kevin in the middle of nowhere all by herself. And she called Gamache patron. Of course we also find out much more about Clara and Peter. I have not read the books but I've heard Clara is important.
The ending with Kevin was sadly no surprise. Ever since the doctored photo was given to Gamache in the first episode, it has been coming. I agree it was silly for Isabelle to not actually return Kevin's call instead of driving to meet him at the restaurant. It seems so many mystery writers are still stumped by the invention of cell phones and texting.
I'm liking this a lot and I hope there is a second season.
This is my favorite of the mysteries so far. I think it was the first one in the series where I could not wait for the end and for all the secrets to come out. There was a good deal of suspense along the way. Also no magical animals! Tightly directed.
I've been a fan of Rosemary Dunsmore every since Anne of Green Gables and she was so good at being the cold, manipulative mother. I think my favorite scene of hers was when she both tried to soothe Thomas and hurt him with insults at the same time. Brett Donahue was amazing switching between being an absolute monster who you just hate to making you actually feel sympathetic towards him and his family by the end.
I was pretty convinced we would find out Maurice was the father of Julia's baby and that is why their father was so harsh on her when she got pregnant. That should probably be a mystery trope by now. The rich guy had a secret child who unknowingly hooks up with their sibling. I was completely relieved when that wasn't a twist. I think in the end I feel sadder that Julia was killed than the family. I really liked her and she was dealt a sucky hand by her parents. Just to end up dead as a plot device. It feels like a real loss.
I like our team more and more as we learn about them, if you pay attention. It's little bits here and there. Jean-Guy is torn up over his collapsing marriage. Yvette got a big win. She keeps trying so hard even though she gets treated like she doesn't belong. Gamache's nightmares are worsening. Isabelle was brave and trusting enough to go meet Kevin in the middle of nowhere all by herself. And she called Gamache patron. Of course we also find out much more about Clara and Peter. I have not read the books but I've heard Clara is important.
The ending with Kevin was sadly no surprise. Ever since the doctored photo was given to Gamache in the first episode, it has been coming. I agree it was silly for Isabelle to not actually return Kevin's call instead of driving to meet him at the restaurant. It seems so many mystery writers are still stumped by the invention of cell phones and texting.
I'm liking this a lot and I hope there is a second season.
Surprisingly weak and clichéd
Muxje2 January 2023
After a promising start with 4 strong and interesting episodes, the series runs into a brick wall called the Murder Stone. When the tyrannical head of a rich family passes away, his will turns out to leave little of value to the family, with the most prized asset - a hotel - being left to an estranged daughter. The daughter is found dead the next morning, and Gamache, who happens to be staying at the hotel, starts the investigation. Suspicion naturally falls on the other family members, but as the investigation proceeds, the hotel staff and other people come under scrutiny as well.
If all of that sounds familiar, it's because this episode has many of the tired clichés of the classic whodunnit, and fails to bring anything new to them. Similarly, the actors perform their roles exactly as we might expect of them, and the backdrop lacks the unusual charm of the first episodes. The fixed characters in the story, like Gamache, do not develop further and the overarcing plots are not advanced. All in all, this feels like a filler episode and the result is rather boring. Hopefully things will pick up again after episode 6.
If all of that sounds familiar, it's because this episode has many of the tired clichés of the classic whodunnit, and fails to bring anything new to them. Similarly, the actors perform their roles exactly as we might expect of them, and the backdrop lacks the unusual charm of the first episodes. The fixed characters in the story, like Gamache, do not develop further and the overarcing plots are not advanced. All in all, this feels like a filler episode and the result is rather boring. Hopefully things will pick up again after episode 6.
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