Quotes from Louise Penny

We love life, thought Reine-Marie as she watched Ruth and Rosa sitting side by side, not because we are used to living, but because we are used to loving.

Regret for things said, for things done, and not done. Regret for the people they might have been. And failed to be.

Kebek. Una palabra algonquina que quería decir «donde el río se estrecha».

At Christmas homes were full of the people there and the people not there.

Surrender to reality,

She'd found that most boys, even some not very bright men, understimated women.

Those girls over there all think they have it bad.' 'But wait 'til menopause,' confirmed Myrna.

If drugs are out of control, it isn't long before we lose our grip on all crime.

Stop fighting battles that don't exist. Focus on what does. And don't take it all on yourself.

Myrna. "Not that I'm a prude, but the children…" "Oh for God's sake," said Myrna. "I didn't say that at all. Clara's making it up." "Of course, if we held it at night, after the kids were asleep," said Gabri. "Put torches

We look to the so-called important figures. We value the papers left behind by Premiers, Prime Ministers, Presidents—by the most prominent witnesses to history—and forget there are other witnesses. The people who actually lived it. The First Nations. The farmers. The cooks and cleaners and salespeople. The laborers. The immigrants, the minorities.

Outside, clouds had once again rolled in and brought with them snow. Again. Huge soft flakes, as though the clouds themselves were breaking up and drifting down in pieces.

His skin was pocked and ruddy, his nose large and misshapen, red and veined as though he'd snorted, and retained, Burgundy. His teeth protruded, yellowed and confused, heading this way and that in his mouth. His eyes were small and slightly crossed. A lazy eye, thought Gamache. What used to be known as an evil eye, in darker times when men like this found themselves at best cast out of polite society and at worst tied to a stake.

He ran, I guess. Probably chased by a gang of music lovers.

Looking around he realised how much he liked this place and these people. Too bad one of them was a murderer.

You've never had teenagers," said Gamache. "It's Like living with a ferret." I'll interview them," said Beauvoir. "I have a way with kids. "Since When?" asked Isabelle. "Since I was issued a gun." replied Beauvoir.

When he looked at her he didn't see the wild, untamable hair, the billowing frocks, the Dollar-rama store horn-rimmed spectacles. No. He saw his safe harbor.

It was a post her former colleagues no doubt viewed as a significant step down. But Reine Marie wasn't interested in steps. She'd arrived at where she wanted to be. No more steps." Chapter 1 · Page 5 · Location 101

She'd been a psychologist in Montreal, until she'd realized most of her clients didn't really want to get better. They wanted a pill and reassurance that whatever was wrong wasn't their fault. So Myrna had chucked it all. She'd

my experience people who have been hurt either pass it on and become abusive themselves or they develop a great kindness. You're

I have no ideology beyond finding and defending that spot between freedom and safety.

As long as the sun shone and there was poached salmon on the plate, people could be good.

Close to death anyway, it was felt. It wasn't worth the effort to investigate. And before we get all high and mighty, let's remember what happened here not long ago in the pandemic. Let's remember what happens when a street worker, a gay or transsexual man or woman, a Black man or woman, an indigenous man or woman or child is killed. There's hardly a great outpouring of attention or resources. Or grief.

You're an artist," said Reine-Marie. "Do you think a work should be judged by its creator? Or should it stand on its own?