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Chief Inspector Armand Gamache

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Armand Gamache
Alfred Molina as Chief Inspector Armand Gamache in the series Three Pines.
First appearanceStill Life (2005)
Created byLouise Penny
Portrayed byNathaniel Parker
Alfred Molina
In-universe information
GenderMale
OccupationPolice detective
SpouseReine-Marie Gamache
NationalityCanadian

Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is the main character in a series of mystery novels written by Canadian author Louise Penny. The series is set around the life of Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of Sûreté du Québec, the provincial police force for Quebec. Books in the series have been nominated for and received numerous awards.[1]

The first book in the series, Still Life, was released in 2006 and won the New Blood Dagger award, Arthur Ellis Award, the Dilys Award, 2007 Anthony Award, and the Barry Award. All subsequent novels in the series have won major crime-writing awards in three countries.[2] Many have also made the New York Times Best-Seller List, debuting as high as #1.[3][4]

Summary

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The Chief Inspector Armand Gamache book series is written by Louise Penny. Prior to writing full time, she worked for twenty years as a radio journalist and host for CBC Radio in Thunder Bay, Ontario and Winnipeg, Manitoba.[2] Penny originally began writing a historical novel, but changed to mystery writing after finding trouble finishing. She entered the first book of the series, Still Life, in the "Debut Dagger" competition in the United Kingdom, placing second out of 800 entries.[5]

The series revolves around the character of Chief Inspector Armand Gamache.[6] The stories take place usually in the village of Three Pines, with Gamache investigating the murders of various people in each novel. The native French speaker Gamache speaks English with a British accent. In the first book Still Life, he is said to have learned English while he was an undergraduate at Christ's College, Cambridge,[7] where according to A Great Reckoning he read for a degree in history.

The books have been described as "character-driven" mysteries that explore the relationships between characters with each book in the series.[6] Three Pines is a fictional location set in the province of Quebec, with Penny setting up the characters using the history of old Canada to show their personalities and backgrounds.[1] In the series, a few of the plots are set outside of Three Pines.[1]

The Chief Inspector Armand Gamache book series contains little or no sex or violence and has been referred to as a kinder and gentler alternative to modern crime fiction.[8] Penny herself stated that "The Murder Stone, like all the Gamache novels, is about love and friendship. About belonging and hope. And finding kindness buried. In the wilderness. In the marrow".[9]

In How the Light Gets In, Penny writes that: "Armand Gamache had always held unfashionable beliefs. He believed the light would banish the shadows. That kindness was more powerful than cruelty, and that goodness existed, even in the most desperate places. He believed that evil had its limits".[10] In many of the books from Still Life onwards Gamache tells new detectives joining his team "four sayings that can lead to wisdom": "I was wrong. I'm sorry. I don't know. I need help".[11]

More of Gamache's approach is shared in A Better Man, when he shares with one of his colleagues advice he himself was given at the start of his career: "Before speaking ... you might want to ask yourself three questions ... Is it true? Is it kind? Does it need to be said?".[12]

Books

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Cover art for Still Life, the first book in the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache book series.

There are a total of 19 books in the series, all published by Minotaur Books, an imprint of St. Martin's Press. The first book was released in 2005, in the U.S., with the most recent in 2024. There is also a short novella called The Hangman which features Inspector Gamache and is set in Three Pines. This does not form part of the series and was written as a simple story for adults learning to read English.[13] Gamache also appears briefly as a minor character in State of Terror (2021), a political thriller co-written with Hillary Clinton. The Black Wolf, number 20 in the series, is expected to be published October 28, 2025.

No. Title Publisher Year ISBN
1Still LifeMinotaur Books2005978-1410448972
Still Life is the debut novel in the series and introduces the character Chief Inspector Armand Gamache.[14] The story takes place in the town of Three Pines, where one of the beloved residents, Miss Jane Neal, was shot in the heart with an arrow.[14] Neal is an art enthusiast and retired school teacher and Gamache must investigate to solve the murder.[14] The novel was the winner of several awards, including the New Blood Dagger award, Arthur Ellis Award, the Dilys Award, 2007 Anthony Award, and the Barry Award.[2] This book was adapted as the 2013 television movie "Still Life - A Three Pines Mystery" starring Nathaniel Parker as Gamache and Anthony Lemke as Beauvoir.
2A Fatal Grace
(Dead Cold), Canadian title		Minotaur Books2007978-0312352561
Main article: A Fatal Grace
Inspector Gamache investigates after CC de Poitiers, a sadistic socialite, is fatally electrocuted at a Christmas curling competition in the small Québécois town of Three Pines. CC, who had a "spiritual guidance" business based on eliminating emotion, was hated by seemingly everyone, including her husband, lover, and daughter. The crime links to a vagrant's recent murder as well as to the pasts of several other villagers. This novel was adapted into Season 1, Episodes 1&2 of Three Pines TV series.
3The Cruelest MonthMinotaur Books2008978-1585366040
Main article: The Cruelest Month
The novel, set in the small Canadian town of Three Pines, takes place around the Easter season. A group of friends visits a haunted house, hoping to rid it of the evil spirits that have haunted it, and the village, for decades. One of them ends up dead, apparently of fright. Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and his team from the Sûreté du Québec investigate the old house and the villagers of Three Pines. The novel also gives us more insight into a past case and its aftermath. This novel was loosely adapted into Season 1, Episodes 3&4 of Three Pines TV series.
4A Rule Against Murder
(The Murder Stone), Canadian title		Minotaur Books2009978-0312614164
Gamache and his wife are commemorating their wedding anniversary at Manoir Bellechasse, a historic inn near Three Pines.[15] After solving his previous murders in the spring, fall, and winter, this book is set in a hot summer around the time of Canada Day (July 1st). Gamache and his wife are surprised by the arrival of family members for a reunion. Soon after they appear, a murder takes place when a statue falls on a family member.[15] Despite the bloody body, the statue and its foundation have no blemishes, leaving Gamache to investigate it as a homicide. Nominated for an Arthur Ellis Award as Best Novel for 2009.[15] The book was also the first in the series to make the New York Times Bestseller List. This novel was adapted into Season 1, Episodes 5&6 of Three Pines TV series.
5The Brutal TellingMinotaur Books2009978-1410423047
The Brutal Telling takes place in Three Pines with a body being discovered on the floor of the local bistro.[16] No one in the town claims to know the victim who was bludgeoned to death. Gamache discovers the victim lived deep in the woods and suspects one of the locals as the suspect.[16] The book was the winner of the 2009 Agatha Award and the 2010 Anthony Award, as well as reaching the New York Times Best-Seller List.[4]
6Bury Your DeadMinotaur Books2010978-1585366040
Gamache is in Quebec City to enjoy the winter carnival.[1] He is on leave after being involved in a shootout with a terrorist gang.[17] While there, the body of an amateur archaeologist draws Gamache into investigating his death. He also revisits the murder he solved in The Brutal Telling, the previous novel in the series.[17] The book won the 2010 Agatha Award, the 2011 Anthony Award, the 2011 Macavity Award, the 2011 Arthur Ellis Award, and the 2011 Nero Award. It was also a bestseller on the New York Times, London Times, and USA Today lists to name a few.[18]
7A Trick of the LightMinotaur Books2011978-1410441072
Gamache finds himself investigating the murder of Lillian Dyson, an artist who is found dead.[19] Her childhood friend Clara Morrow is the main suspect, an artist herself who spent most of her life in the shadows of her husband.[8] The book was nominated for a Macavity Award, Anthony Award, and the Agatha Award.[8] It also reached #4 on the New York Times Bestseller List.[20]
8The Beautiful MysteryMinotaur Books2012978-0312655464
The Beautiful Mystery has Gamache investigating the death of a monk.[21] The monk is a member of the Gilbertine Order which was believed to be an extinct order.[21] Gamache and his partner must travel by airplane and boat into the remote forests of northern Quebec to investigate the mystery.[21] The book won the 2013 Macavity Award for Best Mystery and the 2013 Anthony Award.[22] The book also reached #2 on the New York Times Bestseller List.
9How the Light Gets InMinotaur Books2013978-0312655471
Gamache comes to Three Pines looking for a safe haven.[23] He is isolated by his corrupt supervisor and winds up luring two of his friends to Three Pines after their safety becomes an issue in an undercover operation.[23] The book was nominated for an Edgar Award and an Agatha Award, as well as debuting at #1 on the New York Times Best-Seller List.[3][22]
10The Long Way HomeMinotaur Books2014978-1250022066
Gamache has retired from the force amid corruption within the department. He is summoned by Clara Morrow, one of the main characters in the book A Trick of the Light, whose husband has gone missing.[24] The book reached #1 on the New York Times Bestseller List.[25]
11The Nature of the BeastMinotaur Books2015978-1250022080
Gamache has retired and settled to live in Three Pines. He is drawn out of retirement by the death of Laurent Lepage, a nine-year-old boy known best in the town for crying wolf.[26] His most recent claim was finding a gun with a winged monster on it in the woods. Gamache is allowed to work on the case, even though he is no longer officially a detective.[26] It also reached #3 on the New York Times Bestseller List.[27]
12A Great ReckoningMinotaur Books2016978-1250022134
13Glass HousesMinotaur Books2017978-1250066190
14Kingdom of the BlindMinotaur Books2018978-1250308122
15A Better ManMinotaur Books2019978-1250066213

Armand Gamache returns to the Sûreté after being demoted.

Agent Lysette Cloutier's goddaughter Vivienne Godin is missing. They learn that Three Pines nearby Sûreté agent Bob Cameron had threatened Vivienne's abusive husband, Carl Tracey a week earlier. They have a confrontational and aggressive interview with Carl Tracey and find little when they search his house. A later search found that Tracey had recently cleaned up the house and burned all of Vivienne's belongings.

The Bella Bella River is rising threatening to flood in Three Pines and beyond. Vivienne's duffel bag is found during flood-related digging. Her car is found near a bridge and they find her body down stream. An autopsy finds that she was twenty weeks pregnant.

Beauvoir and Gamache begin building a case against Tracey, whom they believe is guilty.

Pauline Vachon, Tracey's mistress, eventually confesses to helping plan Vivienne's murder.

Sûreté agent Cameron admits to having an affair with Vivienne.

We learn that Homer Godin, who had abused his daughter Vivienne starting when she was a child, and agent Lysette Cloutier both confessed to killing Vivienne.

Jean-Guy recommends Isabelle Lacoste as Armand's second in command. The Beauvoir family, Annie is pregnant, go to Paris.

We learn that Superintendent Toussaint leaked the real video of Gamache in the factory.[28]
16All the Devils Are HereMinotaur Books2020978-1250145239
17The Madness of CrowdsMinotaur Books2021978-1250145260
18A World of CuriositiesMinotaur Books20221250145295
19The Grey WolfMinotaur Books20249781250328137

Awards and recognition

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In addition to numerous books making it to the New York Times Bestseller List, Penny has won multiple awards for the book series. She has won the Anthony and the Agatha Awards 5 times each and the Canadian Arthur Ellis Award twice. She was also a finalist for the Edgar Award for How The Light Gets In. The books have also earned her numerous Macavity Awards, and been nominated for numerous others.[29]

Adaptations

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Still Life was adapted as a film for CBC Television in 2013, with Gamache being played by British actor Nathaniel Parker.[30]

Alfred Molina plays Gamache in the Amazon Prime series Three Pines, which began filming in September 2021[31] and aired in December 2022.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Sankovitch, Nina (27 September 2012). "Reading the Beautiful Mysteries of Louise Penny". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  2. ^ a b c Kirchhoff, H.J. (9 September 2011). "Everyone loves author Louise Penny's Armand Gamache". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  3. ^ a b Fallow, Allan (12 September 2013). "Woman on Fire: Louise Penny Hits #1". AARP Blog. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  4. ^ a b Picker, Lenny (30 August 2010). "Good Fortune Leads to Great Crime". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  5. ^ "Louise Penny's second chance". Quill and Quire. 7 November 2007. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  6. ^ a b O'Donnell, Lisa (7 July 2015). "Debut novels, nonfiction highlight Clemmons library reading list". Winston-Salem Journal. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  7. ^ "A murder by any other name". Beyond Words – Canada's Official Languages Newsletter, May 2012. Archived from the original on 16 June 2017. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
  8. ^ a b c Anderson, Patrick (4 September 2011). "Louise Penny's 'A Trick of the Light' A cozy mystery". The Washington Post. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  9. ^ "Louise Penny tells all". Shots crime and thriller ezine. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  10. ^ "Cultural Inspirations from A Fatal Grace". Louise Penny's Chief Inspector Gamache Series (Minotaur Books. 29 March 2017. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  11. ^ "Frequently asked questions". Louise Penny website. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  12. ^ "Chief Inspector Armand Gamache's Three Questions To Ask Before Speaking". AllanShowalter.com. 12 October 2019. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  13. ^ "THE HANGMAN – grade 3 level novella". Louise Penny. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  14. ^ a b c Stasio, Marilyn (23 July 2006). "Unhappy Families". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  15. ^ a b c "The Murder Stone – Mysterious Reviews". Mysterious Reviews. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  16. ^ a b Shapiro, Ellen (12 October 2009). "Picks and Pans: Books". People Magazine. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  17. ^ a b Kirchhoff, H.J. (10 August 2010). "An intricate blend of history and mystery". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  18. ^ "Bestsellers October 17, 2010". The New York Times. 17 October 2010. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  19. ^ Craig, James (7 October 2011). "Book Review: A Trick of the Light". Washington Times. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  20. ^ "Bestseller List". The Daily Herald. 18 September 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2015.[permanent dead link]
  21. ^ a b c Corrigan, Maureen (9 September 2012). "Book World: The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny". The Washington Post. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  22. ^ a b Williams, Wilda (23 September 2013). "Bouchercon 2013: Louise Penny Goes on a Crime Award Spree". Library Journal. Archived from the original on 6 September 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  23. ^ a b Stasio, Marilyn (30 August 2013). "Winter's Blame – Louise Penny's how the Light Gets In and More". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  24. ^ Isherwood, Charles (28 August 2014). "Trailing an Artist Who Lost His Way". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  25. ^ SaSvari, Joanne (14 August 2015). "Mystery writer Louise Penny mapping out her future". The Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
  26. ^ a b "The Nature of the Beast – Book Review". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  27. ^ Cowles, Gregory (4 September 2015). "Inside the List – Sunday Book Review". The New York Times. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  28. ^ "Series Re-Read: A Better Man". 15 February 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2023 – via www.gamacheseries.com.
  29. ^ "Louise Penny Award List". Stop, You're Killing Me. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  30. ^ Kelly, Brendan (November 2, 2012). "Louise Penny's detective novels get small-screen treatment from CBC-TV". Montreal Gazette. Montreal. Retrieved November 3, 2012.[permanent dead link]
  31. ^ "Amazon Prime Video and Left Bank Pictures Begin Production on the Scripted Canadian Amazon Original Drama Series Three Pines". Yahoo Finance. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
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