[Chief Inspector Armand Gamache 15] • A Better Man · A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel

Catastrophic spring flooding,

blistering attacks in the media, and a mysterious disappearance greet

Chief Inspector Armand Gamache as he returns to the Sûreté du Québec in

the latest novel by #1 New York Times bestselling author Louise Penny.

It’s

Gamache’s first day back as head of the homicide department, a job he

temporarily shares with his previous second-in-command, Jean-Guy

Beauvoir. Flood waters are rising across the province. In the middle

of the turmoil a father approaches Gamache, pleading for help in finding

his daughter.

As crisis piles upon crisis, Gamache tries to hold

off the encroaching chaos, and realizes the search for Vivienne Godin

should be abandoned. But with a daughter of his own, he finds himself

developing a profound, and perhaps unwise, empathy for her distraught

father.

Increasingly hounded by the question, how would you feel…, he resumes the search.

As

the rivers rise, and the social media onslaught against Gamache becomes

crueler, a body is discovered. And in the tumult, mistakes are made.

In the next novel in this “constantly surprising series that deepens and darkens as it evolves” (New York Times Book Review), Gamache must face a horrific possibility, and a burning question.

What would you do if your child’s killer walked free?

Review

Advance Praise for A Better Man

"With an

uncompromising eye, Penny explores the depths of human emotion, both

horrifying and sublime. Her love for her characters and for the mystical

village of Three Pines is apparent on every page." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

"The

appeal of this series and especially of Gamache himself has always been

Penny's ability to show her hero moving from the tangible, brutal facts

of murder to the emotions within, the stories in the blood. There are

multiple stories, often contradictory, to be found in the many-tentacled

web of human tragedy and suffering that Gamache teases to the surface

in this moving exploration of ties that both bind and destroy." —Booklist, starred review

“This

title brings several character arcs to a close while resetting others

to make this psychological mystery serve both as a beginning for new

readers and a satisfying continuation for series fans. Gamache is an

explorer of the human psyche, and the care he takes with the victims,

their friends and family, as well as his own allows this series and his

character continually to surprise, delight, and enthrall.” —Library Journal (starred review)

Praise for Kingdom of the Blind

INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERA December 2018 Indie Next PickOne of Kirkus Reviews' Best of 2018 PicksBookPage Best of the Year 2018 A LibraryReads Pick for November 2018A LibraryReads Hall of Fame WinnerWashington Post's 10 Books to Read This NovemberOne of PopSugar’s Best Fall Books to Curl Up WithOne of Publishers Weekly Booksellers' Favorite 25 Titles of the Year in 2018

“A captivating, wintry whodunit.” —PEOPLE

"A constantly surprising series that deepens and darkens as it evolves." —Marilyn Stasio, New York Times Book Review

“A

spellbinder . . . another outstanding Gamache adventure… ingenious . . .

what more could a mystery reader – or any reader for that matter –

want?”—Maureen Corrigan, Washington Post

“Penny pulls

together an insightful plot that weaves in family feuds, clandestine

investigations, undercover cops and a loving look at Three Pines.”

—Oline Cogdill, South Florida Sun Sentinel

“Louise

Penny’s novels are unique for how seamlessly they straddle the line

between charmingly small-town mysteries and big-city police procedurals .

. . It’s not to be missed!” —BookPage (Top Pick)

“It’s

hard to see how Louise Penny can raise the stakes any further for her

iconic, fatherly good guy, Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, but somehow

in each book she does.” —News Observer

“Brain-teasing

puzzles, life-and-death stakes and lots of Three Pines, a magical place

where the warmth in the villagers’ hearts thaws the ice on their

eyelashes.”—St. Louis Post Dispatch

“Complex ongoing saga… Wait anxiously for the next installment.”—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

“Penny

does a splendid job of interweaving those three main plot lines,

studding them with several life-threatening scenes that had me holding

my breath, and building to a wild finale.”—Tampa Bay Tribune

“Nimble

sleight-of-hand plotting, strong characters, profound compassion and

luminous prose are hallmarks of Penny’s novels. Although darker than

previous books, this new entry is no exception.”—Seattle Times“Another intricately plotted escapist mystery from Louise Penny.”—PopSugar

“A

Louise Penny book… is better than 90% of the books I read… Her books

are about love and kindness and people who care.”—Lesa’s Book Critiques

“From small puzzles do large, ever-more excellent ones grown, especially in a Louise Penny novel.”—Seattle Review of Books

“Few

mystery writers intertwine the personal lives of their characters with

the crimes being investigated more skillfully than Penny does, and she

is at her best here, as several key players face turning points in their

lives, suggesting that if the past can strangle the present, it can

also help clear the way for the future.”—Booklist (Starred Review)

“Penny

is a master at blending the modern evils affecting the big city and

hidden secrets of the almost mythical village of Three Pines. Well-known

characters return and new faces add richness to a narrative that will

keep readers intrigued until the last page.” —Library Journal (Starred Review)

“Insightful,

well-plotted… Penny offers intriguing commentary on the willful

blindness that can keep people from acknowledging the secrets and lies

in their own lives. Penny wraps up some continuing story lines and sends

recurring characters in surprising directions.” —Publishers Weekly

“Penny

reveals a deeper vulnerability in the introspective Gamache… The ending

is adrenaline-filled....This starts as a small-town mystery and becomes

something grander.” —Kirkus Reviews

"I thoroughly enjoyed Kingdom of the Blind.

It’s always a treat to spend a few days with Armand Gamache and his

latest investigation is one of my favorites." —James Patterson

About the Author

LOUISE PENNY is the author of the #1 New York Times and Globe and Mail bestselling series of Chief Inspector Armand Gamache novels ( Still Life, A Fatal Grace, and The Cruelest Month ). She has won numerous awards, including a CWA Dagger and the Agatha Award (six times), and was a finalist for the Edgar Award for Best Novel. In 2017, she received the Order of Canada for her contributions to Canadian culture. Louise lives in a small village south of Montréal.