Only my second in the lengthy Gamache series by Louise Penny and I fear the charm is wearing off. How many killings can the small village of Three Pines really bear? More importantly, how much of this slightly irksome cast of characters can I bear? The gratuitously rude old poet, the bitchy bistro owners, and the rest of the gang were charming enough in the first installment, but it all seems just a little too twee on the second outing.

To Penny’s credit Gamache and his team of investigators continue to intrigue and Gamache himself is undeniably a clever creation. I doubt if that’s enough to sustain a series of this length, but plenty of other readers seem to disagree if the sales figures are to be believed. The problem with A Fatal Grace is a simple one. The central plot is dull and far-fetched, and I found myself unable to care about the outcome. No amount of cozy characters and Canadian charm can make up for that.