A Trick of the Light

At the vernissage, Gamache takes in one of Clara’s portraits, with a distinguished elderly man beside him. He introduces himself and learns his interlocutor is Francois Marois, a notable art dealer in the city. Marois admits he once tried to paint himself, only to settle for his current career. He is surprised that Clara is relatively unknown and middle-aged. Marois takes in the painting, which depicts Ruth Zardo, a distinguished but cynical poet, as the Virgin Mary. In the portrait, the Virgin Mary is no longer radiating a sense of being blessed and apart from much of humanity. Marois suddenly gasps in shock.

Clara is privately uncomfortable, realizing that “she felt like a messy bride at a wedding gone bad” (18). Clara’s best friend, Myrna Landers, offers her support. Beauvoir listens to other artists offer petty criticisms of Clara’s work, feeling more drawn to Annie than the paintings.

The point of view shifts briefly to Clara as she speaks with the museum’s curator. She is taken aback to see Marois there, and that Gamache is speaking to him. She reluctantly lets the curator lead her to Andre Castonguay, a prominent gallery owner.

The point of view shifts back to Gamache, as Marois recognizes the painting as a Biblical reference. Beauvoir is greeted by Ruth, the painting’s inspiration. Ruth notices Annie and her mother and deduces Beauvoir’s feelings for Annie. The perspective shifts again, this time to Peter Morrow, who resists the urge to speak to Castonguay about his own work and watches the gallery owner turn to his wife.

Gamache is still looking at Clara’s painting with Marois. He knows that the viewer is meant to see the old woman considering that life might be worth living, through a subtle shift in her gaze. Marois has noticed, and says, “maybe it isn’t hope at all […] but merely a trick of the light” (27).

Clara wakes early. She is waiting for Peter and Olivier to bring back the newspaper reviews of her show, which she refuses to read online. Peter and Olivier arrive but stop before entering—they have just discovered a dead body in the Morrow garden. Though the woman is not yet identified, Gamache will eventually discover the woman is Lillian Dyson, a former friend of Clara’s who was deeply disliked in the city’s art world due to her cutting reviews.

Sometime later, Gamache stands at the crime scene. The coroner tells him the killer broke their victim’s neck. Peter is unsettled, as “he no longer knew what to do with his hands, his eyes, his entire body. His wife. His life” (32).

Gamache greets the villagers, offering Olivier a handshake, which he accepts. Gabri, Clara, and Peter explain that they did not recognize the dead woman. Peter admits that her red shoes and dress remind him of the opening scene of The Wizard of Oz with the ruby slippers on the dead witch of the East.

The villagers tell Gamache about finding the body, and Gabri explains some of the party guests are still present at his B&B. Gamache asks Clara if anything looks amiss, telling her gently it is possible the killer hid there. Beauvoir arrives and greets the group warmly, reflecting that he feels more comfortable: “[A]rt scared him, but pin a dead body to the wall and he was fine” (39). The coroner points out that the manner of death suggests a deep personal animus on the killer’s part.

Clara is shocked when the investigative team brings them the victim’s wallet and establish the woman is Lillian Dyson. Seeing Clara’s shock, Gamache suggests they speak alone. Clara begins to explain.

Gabri and Olivier return to the bistro and tell everyone assembled everything they know. Gabri notices Isabelle Lacoste watching him and realizes Gamache intentionally sent them to inform the village, hoping a suspect would react.

Clara explains to Gamache that she and Lillian grew up together. Lillian was dynamic and popular, and befriended the shyer Clara. During their teenage years, Lillian became possessive and would isolate Clara if she socialized with anyone else. Clara began to suspect Lillian resented her when the art teacher complimented one of her paintings, and Lillian briefly betrayed her true dislike of Clara’s talent.

Lillian’s domineering nature only deepened after the two attended art college together, as Lillian demanded Clara stop pursuing unconventional styles. Clara admits that she agreed, but ultimately ended their friendship when Lillian cruelly disparaged her more cautious works in the campus newspaper.

Sensing Clara’s intense emotions, Gamache leaves her alone and speaks with Peter. Peter admits to Gamache that he helped denigrate Clara’s art, and that some of his digs ended up in Lillian’s published review. Peter justifies himself, insisting that staying friends with Lillian would have prevented Clara’s current success. Peter explains that Lillian worked as a critic in Montreal’s La Presse, but he lost track of her after she moved to New York. Gamache knows Peter is deeply envious of his wife’s recent accomplishments.

The group reassembles and has lunch together. Beauvoir is relaxed because he has taken a painkiller—he is developing a substance use disorder in the aftermath of the shooting. Beauvoir agrees with Clara that it feels intentional that Lillian died in her garden. Clara agrees to give Gamache a list of the guests she invited from Montréal.

Clara parts ways with Gamache and heads toward the bistro. She admits to herself she feels deep resentment more than grief, as she has had her “triumph stolen, yet again, by Lillian” (55). Olivier brings her a shandy and takes one of his own, and they sit on the village green together. He does not press her for details about Lillian. Clara gently asks if he is ready to accept Gamache’s peace offering and points out that the villagers have welcomed him back. Olivier confesses he knows Ruth is still angry at him as she no longer insults him, which is her way of showing trust and care. He admits that he was afraid to return home from prison. Olivier tells Clara he is happy to support her. Clara notices two men walking to her house.

Gamache recognizes the two men approaching Clara’s home as Francois Marois and Andre Castonguay. Beauvoir tells Gamache that they are setting up a workspace in the village’s old railway station, as they usually do when they work in the village. Beauvoir takes Gamache to Lillian’s car, parked far from the party. The car is full of maps, but Gamache points out that Three Pines cannot be found on any map. Lillian must have somehow found a connection to the village. Gamache and Beauvoir go to the village’s new inn for more interviews. The building is modernized and restored but was once the Hadley family house. Beauvoir himself nearly died there and is still unnerved by it.

The inn’s owner, Dominique Gilbert, says the visiting guests are out riding, but a young local Sûreté agent is on the property. The young man briefly reminds Gamache of his deceased protege, Paul Morin. Beauvoir notices his mentor is more reserved with the younger man.

Gamache and Beauvoir interview Andre Castonguay and Francois Marois. Gamache notices that Castonguay is visibly hungover. Castonguay turns more hostile when he learns Gamache has close ties to the village and is therefore investigating longtime friends.

Castonguay admits, when pushed, that he had hoped to take on both Morrows but his real interest is in Peter. Marois, more voluble, admits that he had hoped to make one more great artistic discovery before retiring, and Clara’s genius has ignited his hopes. Marois confesses that he was driven to the Morrow house because he once had a client who asked him to also promote his wife. When the wife’s paintings sold more quickly and profitably, she stopped painting entirely, choosing her marriage over her work. Marois clearly implies he fears Clara would do the same for Peter. Gamache agrees that there is a kind of power in the places where artists make their work, but is quietly disturbed by the knowledge that the village—and Clara’s art—has produced murder.