Quotes from Louise Penny

All that most maddens and torments; all that stirs up the lees of things; all truth with malice in it.

If kind acts could protect us from tragedy, thought Lacoste, the world would be a kinder place.

She knew how the Chief Inspector preferred decorum at the site of a murder, especially in the presence of the corpse. It was rare. Most murder scenes were filled with smart-ass and often gruesome comments, made by men and women frightened by what they saw, and believing sarcasm and rude remarks kept the monsters at bay. They didn't.

And this was what a couple of that age looked like. If they were lucky.

He read the familiar first lines of the book and felt the calm come over him, like a comforter.

Less a hunter than an explorer, Armand Gamache delved into what people thought, but mostly how they felt. Because that was where actions were conceived. Noble acts. And acts of the greatest cruelty.

Change the facts and you'll change the feelings." Chapter 20 · Page 175 · Location 3170

She'd never actually smiled at a family reunion before. It felt odd.

But privately Reine-Marie wondered. Wondered whether what people did in a crisis was, in fact, their real selves. Stripped of artifice and social training. It was easy enough to be decent when all was going your way. It was another matter to be decent when all hell was breaking loose.

Getting in his car he let it warm up, feeling the heated seats grow warm under him. On a bitterly cold winter day it was almost as good as sex. Then

but you can never say it too often. You can never let someone know too often that they're precious, that they're missed.

Hurt feelings," said Lacoste. "I'd rather have a bruise any day.

Any real act of creation is first an act of destruction. Picasso said it, and it's true. We don't build on the old, we tear it down. And start fresh.

Maybe every now and then he simply wept. Not in pain or sadness. The tears were just overwhelming memories, rendered into water, seeping out.

Sobriety isn't for cowards, Chief Inspector. Whatever you might think of an alcoholic, to get sober, really sober demands great honesty, and that demands great courage. Stopping drinking's the easy part. Then we have to face ourselves. Our demons. How many people are willing to do that?

Beauvoir knew that almost everyone did four things, when faced with modern technology. First they created passwords. Then they forgot them. Then, on being forced to create new ones, they simplified and went with only one, which opened everything. And then they wrote it down. And hid that paper somewhere. That way they only had to remember the place, not the password

very rich indeed, rich in the things that matter. In friendships and laughter, in kindness and company.

It was like archeology. There was digging and there was dirt. And there was broken things.

I'm saying people change." She held up her hands to ward off Clara's protests. "I know, it's easy to say. And it doesn't undo the damage. But we've seen changes of heart. Changes of perception. It happens. Racists, homophobes, misogynists, they can change. And some do." "Truth and reconciliation," said Clara. "Yes. The truth must come first. And then, maybe, reconciliation. Maybe.

One day that ego of yours'll kill you. That's all it is, you know. You pretend it's selfless, you pretend to be the great teacher, the wise and patient Armand Gamache, but you and I both know it's ego. Pride. Be careful, my friend. She's dangerous. You've said so yourself.

Take this in to them, s'il vous plaît, " Chef Véronique's large ruddy hand trembled slightly as she motioned to the trays. "And bring out the pots already there. They'll want fresh tea." She knew this was a lie. What the family wanted they could never have again. But tea was all she could give them. So she made it. Over and over.

He was reminded again what Abbie Hoffman had said: We must eat what we kill. That would put an end to war.

she was left with the warmth of the words from books now ash.

Being with Ken was like being with a permanently foreign friend. It was impossible to understand them, but all you really needed to do was reflect back their own expressions. When Ken looked sad, they looked sad. When he looked happy, they smiled. It was actually very relaxing to be around him. Not much was expected.