Louise Penny’s How The Light Gets In Playlist

By The Crime Vault
Related Categories: The Crime Vault Interviews
Music is a recurring theme in Louise Penny’s wonderful new Inspector Gamache novel, How The Light Gets In, which was a number one New York Times bestseller and shortlisted for the prestigious CWA Gold Dagger 2014. The title was inspired by the lyrics from Anthem by Leonard Cohen, so we talked to multi-award winning author Louise Penny to find out more about her musical influences and we are pleased to share her How The Light Gets In Playlist below.

As a fierce, unrelenting winter grips Quebec, shadows are closing in on Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. Most of his best agents have left the Homicide Department and hostile forces are lining up against him.

When Gamache receives a message about a mysterious case in Three Pines, he is compelled to investigate — a woman who was once one of the most famous people in the world has vanished.

As he begins to shed light on the investigation, he is drawn into a web of murder, lies and unimaginable corruption at the heart of the city. Facing his most challenging, and personal, case to date, can Gamache save the reputation of the Sûreté, those he holds dear and himself?

Evocative, gripping and atmospheric, this magnificent work of crime fiction from international bestselling author Louise Penny will stay with you long after you turn the final page.

How The Light Gets In: The Playlist by Louise Penny
ANTHEM – Leonard Cohen (How The Light Gets In)

THE HURON CAROL – Canadian Traditional Christmas carol – Terry McDade

 

REQUIEM FOR A TOWER – London Music Works and Cliff Mansell

 

CHRISTMAS SARAJEVO – Trans-Siberian Orchestra

 

TRY – Pink

 

DUST BOWL DANCE – Mumford and Sons

 

LAYLA – Derek and the Dominos

 

‘The Huron Carol I reference in How The Light Gets In a few times – Gamache sings it under his breath.  But the others really served more as emotional inspirations, touching on themes and feelings I wanted to evoke in the book – as well as pacing.  And in the case of Layla, I simply found it energizing, for the moments when my courage flagged.  Christmas In Sarajevo played in my head when I wrote the pen-ultimate chapter – the race through the woods.  As well as other scenes – it was a pacing tool.  As well as a great tune!

Mostly I use music to open places inside myself that I might not otherwise be able to get to.  It’s more emotional than intellectual.  Music, and certain songs in particular, make me feel things, and even see scenes and hear dialogue, and imagine how the characters might be feeling – so while the lyrics might have nothing to do with the actual action of the book – they evoke a feeling I want to capture.  Of despair, of urgency, of rage, of hope.’ Louise Penny
We hope you enjoy Louise Penny’s How The Light Gets InPlaylist.
Find out more about the book here.