**Spoiler Alert** What is "Woo"?

[Lane]

While I quite enjoyed the Brutal Telling, there were so many red herrings, e.g., the Charlotte Islands, messages on the bottoms of carvings that when translated seemed to make no contribution to the story, etc. Kind of wore me out. I do wonder if any of you ever figured out the significane of "Woo". Since it was on the bottom of the final, mysterious carving in the bag surely it MUST be meaningful. Anyone got the answer?

[Mrsgaskell]

I loved The Brutal Telling! To find out the significance of "Woo" you need to read the next book in the series, Bury Your Dead. It has three intertwined plot lines and one of them revisits Gamache's last case in Three Pines. I thought BYD was Penny's best book yet.

[Lane]

Thanks! I will take your advice ASAP.
Lane in Charlotte, NC

[Sara]

Louise Penny is simply brilliant, and a master at distractions and red herrings. I also felt unfulfilled about the "Woo" after The Brutal Telling. I knew only that Woo scared the Hermit, that it seemingly represented evil. But while we knew there was a Woo in the spider web and crudely carved into a wood sculpture, we never learned the meaning or the why it was there.

I just finished Bury your Dead and it will give you "Woo" satisfaction. Inspector Gamache is still thinking of the Hermit case. Gamache sends Inspector Beauvoir back to Three Pines to quietly re-investigate the Hermit murder, specifically why the body was moved. Oh, it is so good, and your questions will be answered. Bury your Dead was simply phenomenal, I loved it and hope that you enjoy it too.

[Suzy]

I just finished The Brutal Telling. While reading it I thought it was the best yet of the series, but was unsatisfied by the ending. I sort of assumed that this story would be picked up in the next book because it's unlike Louise Penny to end a book with things left so unresolved. I'm glad to hear that my hunch was right and can't wait to read/listen to Bury Your Dead.

[Jeanie]

Suzy wrote: "I just finished The Brutal Telling. While reading it I thought it was the best yet of the series, but was unsatisfied by the ending. I sort of assumed that this story would be picked up in the ne..."

You mentioned that you will read/listen to Bury Your Dead. I, too, experience Inspector Gamache via audio book. They are so well done--both the story and audio--and I actually ended up reading all seven books in less than one week. I simply couldn't stop until there were no more books available. I was absolutely blown away by Bury Your Dead... okay, I was pretty much blown away by all the books, but Bury Your Dead was sooooo powerful. I can hardly wait for August 28 and the release of the next book, "The Beautiful Mystery."

[Jeanie]

While I'm thinking about it... for anyone yearning for a series as compelling and character-driven as Inspector Gamache, Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs is a wonderful mysteries series set in post WWI England with a great cast of characters and strong female lead.

[Allene]

I gave the book 3 stars. I think it was well written but I was very let down at the end. He somehow does not tie the ends up and I don't like having to read another book to get the answers. For instance, what is "woo"? What is the "brutal telling"? What did Emily have to do with anything? And the person who was convicted of the killing? I'm not convinced he did it. Why were Havoc's parents so suspicious looking? And the body getting moved around alot just didn't add up for me. I was very disappointed in it.

[Jeanie]

Allene wrote: "I gave the book 3 stars. I think it was well written but I was very let down at the end. He somehow does not tie the ends up and I don't like having to read another book to get the answers. For ins..."

Despite the frustration of having to get the rest of the story in a second book, The Brutal Telling is essential in order to get to Bury Your Dead. And Bury Your Dead is staggering in its story-telling and its emotional impact. Just as the first three books in the series contained a story in the background that unfolded across those three books, TBT and BYD have a story that is told across the two, but is more central than the Arneau case in the first three. Also, Olivier's case forms a striking parallel to the traumatic events told of in BYD as Gamache learns about forgiveness and living with one's mistakes. It is quite a powerful book and needed something as big as his mistake in TBT to form the basis of the themes of forgiveness and redemption. Truly, I was staggered by Bury Your Dead, which also provides a new direction to the ongoing thread in the background involving the politics behind the scenes and the enmity with the Superintendant. It really is all worth it in the end... and as it goes on.

[Kathy]

Jeanie wrote: "While I'm thinking about it... for anyone yearning for a series as compelling and character-driven as Inspector Gamache, Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs is a wonderful mysteries series set in po..."

Thank you for your input. I am anxiously awaiting The Beautiful Mystery and will try the Maisie Dobbs series in the meantime.

[Sarah]

Jeanie wrote: "While I'm thinking about it... for anyone yearning for a series as compelling and character-driven as Inspector Gamache, Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs is a wonderful mysteries series set in po..."
While maisie dobbs is good, it does not compare to the gamache series in my opinion.

[Molly]

Overlong, pretentious and unsatisfying. I guess I have to read the next book to see how Olivier is acquitted. (Which you already know he is if you've read later books.)