Canadian Writer Louise Penny's "Still Life" 1st in Her Mystery Series with Chief Inspector Armand Gamache

Louise Penny (b Canada 1958) is a successful and prolific writer of mysteries. Her returning main character is Chief Inspector Armand Gamache who consistently solves murder mystery cases.  "Still Life" (2005) is the first in her "Gamache" series.  Her most recent novel "Glass Houses" was published this year.  Still, while Penny has received numerous awards for mystery writing and the distinguished honor of being initiated as a Member of the Order of Canada, I was not swept into the storytelling web in "Still Life."  The setting is in an idyllic, small rural Canadian town.  It seems as if   everyone knows one another and everyone soon realizes that victim is amongst them.  The murder victim is the beloved Jane, a former local school teacher. The town has its share of eccentric citizens and cozy cafes but there's little spark to solving for Jane's murder.  Myrna, a longtime friend of Jane's does have her views as to why people would commit murder.  "Money, power. Gain or bring to protect something you're afraid of losing."  Clara is married to Peter.  She & Jane were extremely close despite the huge gap in their age difference.  Clara is deeply shaken by the untimely death of her friend.  Though the novel didn't pique my intrigue for solving the case, there's plenty of insights by its cast of characters, especially Inspector Gamache.  Enough perspicacity to possibly recommend pursuing Penny's plethora of fictitious crime capers.   Jane's grief for her friend leads to a fracture in her marriage.  "A silence between them, something else unsaid.  Is this how it starts?  Those chasms between couples, filled not with comfort and familiarity, but with too much unsaid."  The Chief's observations are the most astute.  Gamache understood it was his job to get people to reveal themselves.  He learned by watching the choices people make.  Gamache's tries gallantly & patiently to impart his wisdom to the new trainee, Nichol, assigned to work with him.  Nichol is sharp but too cocky to accept any helpful criticism or instructions.  Gamache's sage & cogent advice to Nichol is to listen and he encourages to utilize the phrases:  I'm sorry, I don't know and I need help.   Matthew 10:36 is referred to often in "Still Life."  "And a man's foes shall be of his own household."  Betrayal being the startling revelation in this ho hum whodunnit.  But, I'm not one to throw stones and I'm curious enough to read Penny's latest, "Glass Houses."