A Trick of the Light

Beauvoir listens as Gamache tells him that their interview with Normand and Paulette has given them crucial insight: If the artists recognized Lillian, Marois and Castonguay must have been lying when they reported not knowing her. Beauvoir finds Ruth, who frightens him by asking about his love for Annie. Meanwhile, Clara struggles with the one negative review of her show compared to the more effusive ones, despite Myrna’s reassurances.

Gamache talks with the two men as they admit they knew Lillian during her time as a critic. They both report that Lillian brought them a portfolio of recent art, but they dismissed her. Marois admits that he sees Clara as a possible great hope for his career, and that he is willing to take Peter on to ensure it. Marois betrays further knowledge of Lillian, mentioning he knew she had previously lived in New York. Gamache notices, but moves the conversation on to ask about Denis Fortin’s presence at the party, which neither man can explain. Both remember Lillian’s most infamous review, though not who she was describing. Marois is eager to best Castonguay in the competition for the Morrows.

Clara finds Ruth feeding the birds, likely because she is hoping to see her pet duck, Rosa, who has not yet returned from her migrations south. Ruth tells Clara that she, too, remembers all the negative reviews of her poetry. She begins quoting Clara’s best reviews, telling her gently, “don’t forget, Clara” (106).

Gamache and Beauvoir meet up at the bistro. The younger detective is fighting the urge to take a pill. Gamache admits that the case is clearly about the hidden agendas beneath art and creativity, saying of Marois, “how much does he know that he isn’t telling?” (110).

Clara takes in Myrna’s suggestion that they perform one of their smudging rituals, a spiritual renewal practice they often do seasonally or to mark grief and loss. This previously occurred during Still Life when they performed one for Jane Neal.

Ruth, Myrna, Clara, and Dominique gather in Clara’s garden, as Myrna lights a smudge stick. They place the stick into the ground and wrap ribbons around it, signaling their wishes and hopes. Clara tells Lillian, “you were kind to me, often. And you were a good friend, once” (114). As she bends close to the soil to secure the ritual emblems, Myrna finds something buried there—a plastic chip. She recognizes it as a token for a new member of Alcoholics Anonymous, but only explains this later.

Gamache and Beauvoir meet with Isabelle Lacoste, the senior agent on their team. Lacoste tells him Lillian’s parents live in Montreal, and she had an apartment there. Gamache and Beauvoir decide to visit. Beauvoir is anxious when Gamache delegates some of his usual tasks to Lacoste. Myrna and the other women come up to show Gamache the chip they found. Gamache looks at and realizes it depicts “not a poem. A prayer’” (117), specifically the Serenity Prayer said at every Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.

Myrna and Clara show Gamache and Beauvoir how the fresh soil initially concealed the coin. Myrna explains that it is given to those who begin their sobriety journey in Alcoholics Anonymous. Gamache realizes Lillian was likely holding the coin as she died and flung it so that it was briefly buried. Beauvoir angrily blames himself for the oversight.

Clara returns home. Peter congratulates her and suggests opening a bottle of expensive champagne his father bought for him. Peter is disappointed when Clara suggests she is not ready to meet with Castonguay, who already came by. Peter does not tell her about the other calls for her. Clara watches Peter drink the champagne, disturbed that he is seemingly oblivious to the fact it has gone sour.

Beauvoir and Gamache drive to Montreal to interview the Dysons. Gamache apologizes to his protege for not explaining his plan: Beauvoir will act as Lacoste’s mentor and tutor, to support her future promotion. Beauvoir rushes to apologize for not finding the chip. Gamache, undeterred, says his real concern is Beauvoir’s mental health, asking plainly about the pills: “[T]he painkillers. Why’re you still taking them?” (125). Beauvoir tries to reassure his mentor, but Gamache is not convinced.

When Gamache suggests the end of his marriage is part of the problem, Beauvoir indicates that the shooting showed him Enid was not who he truly wanted in life. Beauvoir asks Gamache what he would have done if Reine-Marie had been married when they met, but balks at confessing the truth of his feelings for Annie.

The investigators arrive at the Dyson family apartment, noticing immediately that the two elderly people live in deep poverty. The apartment is effectively a shrine to Lillian, full of photographs of her throughout her life. Gamache breaks the news of the murder. The older couple paint an exaggerated picture of their daughter’s life, describing her as a successful artistic genius. They deny that Lillian ever drank to excess and insist that Clara must be implicated in her death. Gamache begins to consider why Lillian would have gone to Clara’s home, or if her killer chose the location.

Clara meets with Myrna, Ruth, and Dominique at the bookstore. The group discusses who might have killed Lillian and Clara is anxious that she is a major suspect. Clara’s friends remind her she can always do her own interviews, as she knows the artists and critics.

Gamache visits Lillian’s apartment with Beauvoir, where they discover it is covered in paintings, striking depictions of the city of Montreal “made to look and feel like a forest” (139). They find a copy of the Alcoholics Anonymous Blue Book, the reference for those working its 12 Step Program, and Lillian’s regular meeting schedule.

Back in the village, Clara and Myrna briefly discuss Peter’s obvious emotional pain. Myrna watches as Clara chats with Normand and Paulette. The artists insist they avoided Lillian. Clara surprises them by explaining she personally invited Denis Fortin to her show. Myrna remains troubled by the lack of clarity around how Lillian found the village, and the event.

Myrna is filled with admiration for Clara’s choice to forgive Denis Fortin, reflecting, “she considered herself fairly stable, but Myrna doubted she’d last long in the wine and cheese and cutthroat world of art” (145).

Gamache, still in Montreal, stops at Fortin’s gallery. Fortin and Gamache chat about his obvious love of his work. Fortin proclaims that he has a life of proximity to beauty without the pressure to create it. Fortin is casual, even dismissive, at the idea he would have any responsibility to shield clients from critics. He points out, somewhat sharply, that Gamache sometimes fails to shelter subordinates. Gamache is not shaken by the reference to his recent tragedy, and says, “at least I tried. You don’t?” (149).

Fortin becomes defensive when Gamache is surprised he attended the party. Fortin admits he accepted Clara’s invitation, hoping to represent her after all and share in her triumph. Fortin admits that he used to make a habit of voicing antigay prejudice, like his slur against Gabri in The Brutal Telling, because it “keeps them afraid, off-balance. It’s a mind-fuck” (151). Fortin claims he no longer does so, and that he went to Three Pines to apologize to Gabri, which is when Clara invited him to the party.

Fortin denies knowing Lillian Dyson, or that she was currently painting. Gamache asks if Lillian’s death would change the value of her work, and Fortin admits that sometimes death yields notoriety. Gamache is uncertain whether Lillian’s art is truly a motive for her death.

Clara finds the evidence that many critics, gallery owners, and agents have been calling, and realizes Peter kept the news from her. Clara, stunned and angry, senses “an empty space where her husband had been” (155).

Gamache chats with Lacoste on the phone. They agree Lillian was likely in the garden for a reason, possibly to meet someone, or was interrupted by her killer. Gamache and Lacoste realize they need to understand why the killer chose Three Pines. As he sits down to dinner with his family, Gamache’s daughter Annie tells her parents soberly, “I need to speak with the two of you” (160).