Book Review: How the Light Gets In

HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN | Louise Penny
(Chief Inspector Armand Gamache #9)
07.01.2013 | Minotaur Books
Rating: 5/5 stars

The Homicide Department at the Surete du Quebec has seen an immense amount of changes in recent months. The most notable change is that Jean Guy Beauvoir has left to work in another department and hasn’t spoken a word to Chief Inspector Armand Gamache since they had an altercation while solving their last case. After Beauvoir’s departure many other agents followed suit and it appears that the department has turned against Gamache, except for Isabella Lacoste.

“She took the long way home,” said Ruth. “Some do you know? They seem lost. Sometimes they might even head off in the wrong direction. Lots of people give up, say they’re gone forever, but I don’t believe that. Some make it home, eventually.”

In order to take his mind off of the crumbling police department he loves so much, Gamache plunges full-force in to a new case. Three Pines resident, Myrna, has contacted him about a longtime friend who has failed to show up for a Christmas visit. Gamache’s suspicions are instantly on high alert as Myrna plays a cryptic game with him over her friend’s true identity. Can Gamache put the clues in order to reveal who this friend truly is and what has happened to her? Will Gamache be able to survive in a department that no longer wants him?

Who hurt you one so far beyond repair that you would greet each overture with curling lip?

Louise Penny has struck gold in HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN! The ninth installment of the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series is a whirlwind of emotions and suspense. The mystery surrounding the Ouellet quints and Myrna’s missing friend is intriguing, but it doesn’t compare to the underlying story of what is happening deep within the Surete. We finally get to discover who leaked the video from the raid, what Francoeur’s ultimate plan is, and what will happen with the relationship between Gamache and Beauvoir. Penny effortlessly manages to build an atmosphere of tension that transcends through the pages of this novel. Through the alternating story lines the reader is kept at the edge of their seat and flipping pages to see what is to come. My heart was broken when I finished the book prior to this one, but Penny won me back with the HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN. I’m intrigued to find out where the storyline will head with the tenth installment as the ending to this book left many changes in the lives of characters we have come to love.

There is a crack in everything. That is how the light gets in.

If you’re looking to chat with other Louise Penny fans about the Inspector Gamache series, head over to the Penny Pushers Goodreads group and join in!