Now, with The Black Wolf, the 20th instalment, set to be released on 28th October 2025, there’s never been a better time to dive into (or revisit) the world of Armand Gamache.
Here’s how to read the Chief Inspector Gamache books in order – note that Penny also co-wrote State of Terror (2021) with Hillary Clinton, which is not part of her popular series, but a great read nonetheless.
Who is Armand Gamache?
Over the course of two decades of books, readers have come to know Chief Inspector Armand Gamache as one of crime fiction’s most beloved detectives. Not like your usual hard-boiled investigator, Gamache is gentle, intellectual and deeply principled, often quoting poetry or reflecting on the human condition.
He believes in empathy over vengeance, and his leadership style is guided by “four sayings that lead to wisdom”: “I was wrong. I’m sorry. I don’t know. I need help.”
Gamache was portrayed by Alfred Molina in the 2022 Amazon Prime adaptation Three Pines. Though the series was cancelled after one season, Molina’s performance was widely praised by fans of the books.
Why do people love the Chief Inspector Gamache series so much?
Aka, “How do I know if I’ll enjoy the Chief Inspector Gamache series?” A fair question, especially as it is quite the commitment to undergo. If you’re a fan of Agatha Christie, Ann Cleeves or Tana French, this series is likely to be your cup of tea – perhaps literally, as tea features heavily.
Louise Penny’s novels are cosy yet complex, while the quaint village of Three Pines itself is so vivid, it feels like a character in its own right – which make the murders and buried traumas that take place in it all the more stark. Expect snowstorms, art, poetry, foul-mouthed ducks and a loyal cast of returning characters.
While set in a fictional world, the series tackles very real issues – political corruption, grief, mental illness, addiction to name a few – but always with compassion and nuance.
What happens in Still Life by Louise Penny?
The series begins with Still Life, where we’re introduced to both Armand Gamache and Three Pines. When beloved local artist Jane Neal is found dead in the woods, what appears to be a tragic hunting accident soon reveals deeper secrets.
As Gamache investigates, he uncovers the hidden tensions and old wounds lurking beneath the village’s serene surface…
How to read Chief Inspector Gamache in orderStill Life (2005)A Fatal Grace (2006) – also published as Dead ColdThe Cruellest Month (2007)A Rule Against Murder (2008) – also published as The Murder StoneThe Brutal Telling (2009)Bury Your Dead (2010)The Hangman (2010) – a novella, best read after Bury Your DeadA Trick of the Light (2011)The Beautiful Mystery (2012)How the Light Gets In (2013)The Long Way Home (2014)The Nature of the Beast (2015)A Great Reckoning (2016)Glass Houses (2017)Kingdom of the Blind (2018)A Better Man (2019)All the Devils Are Here (2020)The Madness of Crowds (2021)A World of Curiosities (2022)The Grey Wolf (2024)The Black Wolf (2025)When is The Black Wolf coming out?
The Black Wolf will be released on 28th October 2025, and continues directly on from the events of The Grey Wolf. In this new instalment, Armand Gamache is still recovering from injuries sustained in the previous case, but the danger is far from over.
Confined to Three Pines, Gamache begins a covert investigation into the mysterious figure known only as the Black Wolf, whom he believes may not have been fully captured. As he and his small team uncover corruption in law enforcement, industry and government, the stakes rise. The game of cat and mouse has only just begun…
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