For fans of the formidable Louise Penny the waiting is soon over, another Amande Gamache novel "The Grey Wolf" is out Oct. 31st! 

Thanks to an early netgalley, I could escape into the world of Three Pines which this time is not at the center of the plot.

 Amande Gamache and his team are on the chase of a threat that could effect the lives of millions sending them all over the place trying to stop the inevitable.  I will not say more, but the plot is so embroiled with a string of possibilities and developements which  had me retracing characters and connections several times to pick up the thread again.   

It is perhaps not my favorite Penny mystery but a great escape into the world of crime with Amande Gamache  The cover of  " The Grey Wolf" is really strong and powerful

Thanks to Holder & Stoughton and NetGalley for ARC.
Armand Gamache is at home, enjoying a leisurely Sunday morning in Three Pines, when his peace is cruelly shattered, yet again, with demands on his time, his family and threats to his home and his safety above and beyond the demands of his job as Quebec's head of homicide. This is potentially the most sinister and complex case of Gamache's career, and he doesn't know who to trust, in his department, in the Surete, in the government... At times it was a touch too complex for me, but Penny keeps the suspense going, and this far into the series (I think this is 19), it's amazing that this could be read as a standalone. If you start here, you will be keen to go back and inhabit this world. It will be worth your time.

The Grey Wolf
By Louise Penny

I have read five of the early books in this series over the past few years, and while I appreciate the wonderful sense of place that Penny has created in her fictional village of Three Pines, I never fully succumbed to the famous charms of it's people, finding them quite flat and unnuanced, falling into either the goodie or baddie stereotypes. One bear bug has been the tone deafness of this author over certain things that would just not wash these days, and so I was willing to read a recent book having been informed that her sensitivities have evolved over the past few years.

Apart from one character calling another a fag at the 2% mark, it's fair to say that slurs, fat shaming and derogatory language are notably absent, which left me free to enjoy the story.

I have missed quite a lot, 13 episodes to be exact, but the early chapters have a lovely familiarity to them, which kind of surprised me, familiarity is not something I seek in reading, nonetheless, I found myself coming over all warm and fuzzy. It's not a spoiler to mention that the action soon moves away from Three Pines, so I didn't have long with the old reliables. Maybe that's the trick for me? A quick hello, then onwards and upwards.

How to describe this mystery: completely baffling. If Inspector Clouseau was called in to solve a Dan Brown case, coded messages, hit and runs, mad monks, cloistered communities, eco terrorism, but nothing gets solved by skill or forensics, rather by accident via faulty reasoning and bungled theories.

Several early chapters are devoted to the case of the missing/ returned jacket, and I can't be the only one who was wondering what the point was, pages upon pages of claptrap, repetition, banality.

Having been assured that the action really kicks off at the 79% mark, I ploughed through the silliness, and actually, it's true. If you can buy into the preposterous storyline, manage expectations regarding a sensible outcome and let yourself go, there's a decent amount of compelling plot to enjoy. I'm not sure what Penny fans are going to think of the cliff hanger ending. Did Penny intrigue me enough to continue with the series, or even go back to the ones I skipped? Probably not.

Publication date: 31st October 2024
Thanks to #NetGalley and #HodderStoughton for the eGalley

This is an engrossing, tense and sometimes surprising thriller that hits all the right spots. It starts with small occurrences, strange and unnerving it builds to a mystery that Armand has to solve. The chief inspector is called to investigate a murder but starts to realise it is the tip of an iceberg. Part of a series but also holds it's own as a stand alone story, this is tense, thrilling and intense. A great read.

Armand is in a race to discover who and how the water may be polluted . It is a multi layered plot taking him mostly out of Three Pines and meeting people from the past . There is corruption afoot in politics and police. I did not enjoy this one as much as previous but that could be that I am not totally au gait with all the previous storylines in this series and there are several references to previous happenings

I’m a huge Louise Penny fan, and this latest instalment in the Three Pines series did not disappoint!

This book can be read as a standalone, though I’d thoroughly recommend you go back to enjoy the rest of the series, to really get the most out of it. It includes Penny’s educational, warm and compelling signature writing style, and maintains a thrilling pace throughout. I marvelled at the complexity of the story, and the way all of threads came together in the end.

I’d highly recommend The Grey Wolf for anyone looking for an exciting, global and riveting thriller.

Thank you Hodder & Stoughton for a copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

The Grey Wolf is the latest instalment in the long-running series featuring Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and the bucolic (if somewhat dangerous) village of Three Pines. Louise Penny regularly brings in contemporary social issues. In The Grey Wolf corruption is also a primary theme. There is darkness; there is uncertainty; there is danger. But as with each of the previous books, compassion, humanity, humour, friendship and family are always present. Along with delicious food and drink and the seasonal beauty of Quebec.
Although it can be read as a standalone, the book draws on past backstories of both the regular characters and previous cases. The plot is correspondingly complex. And the climax is electrifying. Hopefully it won’t be too long before the next book. Because this case is far from over!

Another epic read from Louise Penny. I have read some, but not all, of the series and I think reading the books in order would give greater satisfaction as you would get to know the characters and their relationships in more detail. I enjoyed this book, with its relevant plot against society, though it was complex and difficult to follow at times. Readers of the series may be disappointed that more of the story is not set at 3 Pines, but travels quite widely over the world. I definitely recommend this book and plan to go back to the volumes in the seriesI haven’t yet read.

Another lovely book from Louise Penny. Gamache is contacted by various people, some from previous books, all with information about to a political plot to cause a national disaster with the potential for a coup. Gamache and his team travel to America and Europe searching for information to discover the plot in time to prevent this happening. In the meantime, life in Three Pines carries on with the lovely characters with their friendship and humour. Ruth and Rosa are as entertaining as ever.
The finale is exciting with lots of twists and bluffs. I particularly liked the engineer who helps Gamache.
Highly recommended.

This is my first Inspector Gamache book. I enjoyed it. Good story, rather twee characters and well written. I struggled a bit with how the Inspector worked out the clues to find the answers. Many were real long shots and rather unbelievable so that spoiled it rather for me.

This might be the best book I've read this year. Louise Penny is an incredible, incredible writer and this book is *chef's kiss*

I have been a massive fan of this series for a while now and this installment of Gamache's story is so good. I don't want to move to Three Pines as it seems to attract trouble but I also think it sounds like an amazing place and it's reputation as a safe haven, a sanctuary, is key to this case, possibly the most serious Gamache and his team have faced yet.

The threat of a major domestic terrorist attack is more than the Homicide team can handle but as Gamache can't trust anyone else, with the political ramifications involved, it is only his people, especially Jean-Guy and Louisa.

There's a lot of travel, including international, and a trip to the monastery of St Gilbert, which I continue to be fascinated by.

It is just so well written, and there were even some laugh out loud moments that I genuinely loved. So so good.

Gamache is back and as good as ever.

The 19th book in the Three Pines series opens with Armand Gamache enjoying the warm sunshine of a Sunday morning in his garden, while trying to ignore his ringing phone. Clearly someone needs the Head of Homicide urgently. As, of course, is the case. And soon our intrepid policeman is once more immersed in the horrors of his job.

The first few pages offer a nice condensed summary of Gamache and Three Pines, for anyone not already immersed in their world, but soon the reader is launched into a complex series of events. A break-in at his Montreal apartment, and only his coat being stolen, and a murder offer up clues to a much bigger conspiracy than just a single mystery. As events unfold, the team relies on their mutual trust when friends appear to act as enemies and old enemies appear to act as friends. The unravelling of the case takes the team across Quebec, and further afield as they uncover a conspiracy which could have devastating consequences. Things become increasingly desperate as they realise they are running out of time to prevent a disaster.

The usual characters are all present, and as lovely, nasty, funny as ever, with a surprising turn of events in store. The author introduces so many issues facing the world today - climate change, diminishing natural resources, politics, power-grabbing and the desperate lengths people will go to with their own self interest at heart.

As she states in the afterword, the Gamache books are crime novels, but at their heart, are about community, acceptance, belonging and courage, and trying to do better, and this is reflected through the beloved characters of Gamache, his wife, and his colleagues Beauvoir and Lacoste and of course, the residents of Three Pines, including Clara, Ruth, and Myrna. Long-time fans will revel in meeting them all again.

Highly recommended.

A most entertaining thriller ,could not put it down .Another wonderful read by louise penny ,keep them coming !!

This is another entertaining book in the Author's books featuring Head of Homicide , Armand Gamache and whilst it can be read
as a standalone I would recommend reading some of the previous books to set the characters in place .

Someone is determined to disturb Armand's peace on a warm , sunny morning in the garden of his home in Three
Pines , Quebec
Along with multiple phone calls detailing odd events occurring matters are compounded by a murder . , a murder that
will not be the end of the matter................. just what else is on the agenda ?
This is a beautifully written , character driven , well plotted murder mystery ...... a book that will keep the reader turning the page to discover what
happens next .

I look forward to reading more books in this entertaining series , especially if they are as good as this one has been

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

I’m a huge fan of the Chief Inspector Gamache series by Louise Penny and was very grateful to receive an advance copy of the latest instalment, The Grey Wolf. Gamache and his team discover a plan to subvert law and order in Quebec which involves contaminating the water supply and political corruption at the highest levels. Can they discover where and when this will happen before it’s too late?

The story starts with the theft of Gamaches coat and a break in at his Montreal apartment. The momentum builds quickly as a fiendishly clever (and at times, very complicated) plot begins to unfold. This novel has lots of connections with a previous Gamache book, ie The Beautiful Mystery #8 in the series, set in the monastery of St Gilbert-Entre-les-Loupes in the Quebec wilderness which makes this well nigh impossible to read as a stand-alone novel. Saying that, I loved being immersed again in the cosy, comforting set of familiar characters in the hidden village of Three Pines, now featuring Gamaches extended family. This book, even for a long term fan like me, was very difficult to follow in parts, such was the complexity of the storyline. Nonetheless, this is another stellar book from a go-to author that I read in one sitting. 4stars
With sincere and grateful thanks to @netgalley, @hodderpublicity and @hodderbooks for this estate advsncd copy in return for my honest review.

A thrilling book. The suspense starts on page one and doesn’t let up until after the electrifying climax. It turns out to be a terrorist plot that feels remarkably real with implications that are far wider than local, but the clues come sparingly. It is so well plotted but at the same time so beautifully written that every word needs to be savoured. I have read all the Gamache novels (this is number 20) and is up there with the best. Not just for the suspense, the books encompass so much more; heart,, family, love and friendship in a tiny Canadian village called Three Pines.l am in awe as to how Louise Penny manages all this so well I do hope there will be many more books and I highly recommend all of them although it does not detract from being read as a standalone.,

Grey Wolf is the newest book in the Chief Inspector Gamache series. This time, Gamache is investigating a possible terrorist attack on Montreal’s water supply. The plot is as expected, full of suspense, with Gamache racing to stop a disaster.!

I feel that readers who have not read the previous books in the series can read this one as a stand-alone the without needing to have read the entire series.

f you’re a fan of the Gamache series or simply looking for a your next read, Grey Wolf ticks all the boxes, you will not be disappointed!

These books feel like HOME. I could marry Gamache and move to three pines tomorrow… today even! I love the coziness of the village, the crimes slowly unfolding. These are my comfort reads!

This is the latest in Louise Penny's in her Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series, although here there is less presence of the idyllic Three Pines small community, with the likes of poet Ruth and the others, supporting each other, all characters we have become familiar with. Armand is worried and puzzled by 2 odd mob style executions of a postal clerk and teacher, they seem to have no connection with each other, make no sense, why would these ordinary people be targeted? Armand gets a call he is most reluctant to answer, it rings, rings irritatingly it ringss and rings, he does not pick up. He learns the alarm has gone off at his home, apparently an error, but he later receives his coat that had been taken, and gets an invitation to a meeting in a cafe.

Mired in a desperate conspiracy case of poisoning, revolving around water, few things are more powerful, symbolic, more powerful than water security. it is to leave Gamache uncertain and questioning as he struggles to work out what is going on, who he can trust in the police force and amongst his friends. He is left relying primarily on his son-in-law, Jean-Guy, and Isabelle Lacoste, their families coming to the village for safety. However, thousands of other lives are at stake, and any warnings could lead to the plot date being hastened, its a horrifying burden to bear. In a urgent narrative, Gamache is on a mission that is to test him to his limits, entailing trips to a obscure monastary, Rome, France and other locations. There are murders, an undrinkable Last Word cocktail, monks, meddlesome priests, betrayal, a well kept secretive recipe for a liquer. amd could enemies possibly be friends?

Penny picks up on some of the key issues facing our contemporary world, climate change, politics, power, climate change, and the priceless resource of water, and weaves a frightening nightmare of possibilities. A battle in the world. with a grey wolf, wise, compassionate, brave and forgiving, versus the snarling black wolf, unforgiving,intent on vengeance, and the dangerous presence of more stupidity than malice amongst us. This is a dark, bleak, and intense read that focuses on pressing global issues, providing a social and political commentary, where the answers lie the strength of community, belonging, acceptance of each other, love, friendship, and endeavouring to do better and progress. A great read that I recommend. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

4.75 stars. I do love the Inspector Gamache series, and was overjoyed to get approved for an ARC copy of this 2 months before it is released on 31 October. This book sees our favourite characters return (albeit slightly lighter on the Three Pines residents) and Gamache turns to friends and enemies alike in order to help investigate a possible terrorist threat that risks the safety of Montreal’s water supply which could kill thousands of people. It’s hard to know who to trust when people surprise him and you almost question everyone’s motives, no matter how long the shared history. A tense ending that ends on a bit of a “what next?”. I hope Penny doesn’t leave us waiting too long to find out…!

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.