How the Light Gets In: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel

How the Light Gets In is the ninth Chief Inspector Gamache Novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Louise Penny.

"There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." —
Leonard Cohen

Christmas is approaching, and in Québec it's a time of dazzling snowfalls, bright lights, and gatherings with friends in front of blazing hearths. But shadows are falling on the usually festive season for Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. Most of his best agents have left the Homicide Department, his old friend and lieutenant Jean-Guy Beauvoir hasn't spoken to him in months, and hostile forces are lining up against him. When Gamache receives a message from Myrna Landers that a longtime friend has failed to arrive for Christmas in the village of Three Pines, he welcomes the chance to get away from the city. Mystified by Myrna's reluctance to reveal her friend's name, Gamache soon discovers the missing woman was once one of the most famous people not just in North America, but in the world, and now goes unrecognized by virtually everyone except the mad, brilliant poet Ruth Zardo.

As events come to a head, Gamache is drawn ever deeper into the world of Three Pines. Increasingly, he is not only investigating the disappearance of Myrna's friend but also seeking a safe place for himself and his still-loyal colleagues. Is there peace to be found even in Three Pines, and at what cost to Gamache and the people he holds dear?

One of Publishers Weekly's Best Mystery/Thriller Books of 2013
One of The Washington Post's Top 10 Books of the Year
An NPR Best Book of 2013

BUY THE BOOK

Published Jul 29, 2014

416 pages

Average rating: 8.08

38 RATINGS

|

Join a book club that is reading How the Light Gets In: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel!

Raleigh Women 30+

This is a book club for women in their 30's and up. We read a variety of fiction and non-fiction.

Community Reviews

Cresta McGowan
Dec 25, 2025
10/10 stars
For me, this book series can do no wrong. ❤️
K Olson
Jan 14, 2025
10/10 stars
This is #9 in the Gamache series and to really appreciate it, it’s important to read all of the previous books. Louise Penny does a fantastic job with 2 different mysteries unfolding at the same time. One is new and the other story line wraps up several loose ends. I highly recommend.

See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.