A Great Reckoning

Chief Inspector Armand Gamache #12

Louise Penny

Hachette Australia

Sphere

ISBN: 9780751552706

 

Description:

The next novel in Louise Penny’s #1 New York Times bestselling series featuring Chief Inspector Armand Gamache.

 

When an intricate old map is found stuffed into the walls of the bistro in Three Pines, it at first seems no more than a curiosity. But the closer the villagers look, the stranger it becomes.

 

Given to Armand Gamache as a gift the first day of his new job, the map eventually leads him to shattering secrets. To an old friend and older adversary. It leads the former Chief of Homicide for the Sûreté du Québec to places even he is afraid to go. But must.

 

And there he finds four young cadets in the Sûreté academy, and a dead professor. And, with the body, a copy of the old, odd map.

 

Everywhere Gamache turns, he sees Amelia Choquet, one of the cadets. Tattooed and pierced. Guarded and angry. Amelia is more likely to be found on the other side of a police line-up. And yet she is in the academy. A protégée of the murdered professor.

 

The focus of the investigation soon turns to Gamache himself and his mysterious relationship with Amelia, and his possible involvement in the crime. The frantic search for answers takes the investigators back to Three Pines and a stained glass window with its own horrific secrets.

 

For both Amelia Choquet and Armand Gamache, the time has come for a great reckoning.

 

#1 New York Times bestselling author Louise Penny pulls back the layers to reveal a brilliant and emotionally powerful truth in her latest spellbinding novel.

 

 

My View:

Outstanding!  *loud cheer* Perfect character driven crime thriller!!!

 

I cannot believe that I have not read any of this series before now – fantastic does not go anywhere near describing how great this book was! Despite this being the 12^th book in the series I had no problems keeping up with events and characters – the author does a superb job in informing the reader of past happenings without devoting chapters to this, it is very well written and I would love to read the rest of this series now.

 

This book – and I assume the rest of the series are similar in style– are fantastic character driven police procedurals. Aside from the protagonist, who is a wonderful, mature age, calm and intelligent man – yes you can hear a little fan love here, I know just a paper character – but a girl can dreamJ, the minor character Ruth (and her duck) left a favourable lasting impression. What a wonderful eccentric, honest, blunt and observant character she is; such fun!

 

So if you love well written character driven police procedurals set in exotic (for me) locations and a narrative that is full of surprises, this series is for you! This title will definitely be added to my “Best of 2016 Reads” list.