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.

Louise Penny’s, Grey Wolf is a thrilling read that’s hard to put down. The main characters we all love are back in yet another suspenseful and engaging story. Penny’s ability to create intricate plot twists and vivid settings shine through with a captivating mystery you hope could never be true. Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to her work, Grey Wolf offers a satisfying and enjoyable read full of mystery and excitement in every chapter without leaving out the occasional rustic charm of our favorite fictional town.

What an absolute joy to be back in Three Pines in the company of Armand Gamache, Reine-Marie and the various cast of characters both from the village and from the Surete Quebec, where Gamache is a Chief Inspector. The story is terrifying in that it is so plausible and could actually happen in any city in the world - an act of terrorism so great that the whole fabric of society would collapse in an instant. Gamache and his team have to solve the conundrum before the attack happens and not alert the terrorists to the fact that they (the police) are onto them. Every character, every setting, every twist and turn of the story is beautifully managed and the reader will want to visit Three Pines, sit with coffee and a croissant in the Bistro, and chat to Gamache and is friends and colleagues. This book is number 20 in the series, but I hope Louise Penny has plenty more of Armand Gamache to give to her admiring and loyal readers.

Beyond brilliant!

A complex, multi layered story which takes you on a journey, yes there are some references to previous books but it doesn't make it hard to read, in fact, just whets the appetite to read them!

Armand receives a phone call one morning while he is in his home in the idyllic village of Three Pines, the ramifications of the call will be hard to bear if Armand doesn't find a missing priest who may have the answers......

Scary thing is you can imagine all of this actually happening in real life.

Cannot wait until the next book is out. Highly recommended

The Grey Wolf is book 19 in the Chief Inspector Gamache series. This is my first read of the series and I found the complex plot and numerous characters required concentration. I would have enjoyed it more if I had read some of the earlier books in which the characters are introduced. It's a well-written novel with believable characters. The action in this instalment moves from Quebec to the Vatican and rural France. No doubt fans of the series will enjoy this latest adventure.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was drawn by the description of this novel with the series being new to me.

It is a complex, multi level novel, much more than a simple thriller. The characterisation is beautifully detailed along with relationships both professional and personal.

It can be read ( as I did) as a standalone novel although references are there to previous 'cases'. I am now eager to read the previous eighteen novels, it is a wonderful feeling when a previously undiscovered series is unearthed. That said I am also impatient to discover more about the Black Wolf!

I have to confess to also falling for Miss M in the acknowledgement section 🐶

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers Hodder & Stoughton for this ARC which is due for release at the end of October 2024.

The Chief Inspector Gamache novels are consistently an enjoyable read, with crime and mystery balanced against a loving family and community setting.

This one leans more to adventure and thriller than mystery with far flung travel to places lile the Vatican and the French Alps and a tense tight race against potential disaster. The stretch of style was welcome, though it left some longing for more time in Three Pines.

Tremendous..
A return to Three Pines, and a series of bizarre and unsettling events, in the latest outing for Chief Inspector Gamache. As any sense of peace and tranquility, in an otherwise sultry August, is wholly shattered for Gamache, he soon discovers that things will compounded as further odd events arise. When these culminate in a murder, Gamache quickly realises that the murder itself is most likely far from the end of the matter. But, what could be worse? Another gripping and beautifully drawn instalment to this long running series with a perfectly crafted, warm and credible cast, a well imagined sense of place and with the author’s ever empathetic pen wholly evident. Tremendous.

The latest in the series of crime novels featuring chief inspector Gamache, the multi faceted protagonist who struggles on a daily basis to meet the demands of an intense and dangerous career apprehending villains intent on evil. Balancing corruption of the highest level with his idyllic life in Three Pines shared with a much loved wife and family : The ability to solve the latest conundrum is compounded by political pressures and immoral interference and wrongdoing by his superiors.. A serious of puzzling events with neither rhyme or reason, motive or logic suddenly take on a much darker perspective suggesting the possibility of a serious threat capable of destabilising world events. Aware that time is of the essence, and with the loyalty and support of a very small number of trustworthy colleagues, he struggles to balance inability to discover the modus operandi of the perpetrators against the potential catastrophe for everyone and everything he holds precious unless he can clarify the danger and terminate the threat. With minimal loss of life. A nail biting conclusion dragging the storyline to the edge of annihilation is further compounded and complicated by an unexpected development that leaves the reader screaming for more. Good three dimensional character development played out within a complex storyline requiring concentration and commitment from the reader. Many thanks to author, publisher and Netgalley for this entertaining , engaging and thought provoking 5* crime thriller.

This is the work of a creative genius who effortlessly is able to combine crime,history,philosophy and a deep sense of community in one deceptively simple novel.I love how multi-layered these books are.For the 20th time readers are returned to the little hidden village of Three Pines in Quebec where Armand Gamache,Head of homicide for the whole region lives. For loyal fans ( including myself) there is a long awaited reunion with the now familiar villagers and I smiled at the subtle references to her earlier books,although it can easily be read as a standalone story,.The crime at the centre of the plot is devastating, made all the more so by how plausible it could be. The ending left me reeling and feeling that I really needed to go to the bistro to recover! I would give this 10 stars if I could- A tremendous read,thank you!

With many thanks to Hodder and NetGalley for this advanced copy.