

This tale of forgiveness and redemption will resonate with many. In unsealing that room, an old enemy is released into their world. Discover the fantastic world of Cliftons, a whimsical cabinet of curiosities that has inspired Angelenos for over 80 years. There are puzzles within puzzles, and hidden messages warning of mayhem and revenge. But the head of homicide soon realizes there's more in that room than meets the eye. Penny adds crucial details about Gamache’s backstory and satisfactorily resolves a plotline tease from earlier in the series. As the bricks are removed, Gamache, Beauvoir and the villagers discover a world of curiosities. It first appears to be a duplicate of The Paston Treasure, a cryptic 17th-century assemblage of items known as A World of Curiosities, but anachronistic elements, such as a digital watch, have been added. The Arsenaults’ arrival coincides with several murders, which seem connected to an unusual painting found concealed in a hidden room in Three Pines.

Gamache stayed involved in Fiona’s life, even aiding her graduate studies in engineering. During the case, he met his future number two and son-in-law, Jean-Guy Beauvoir, who came to a different conclusion than his own. His inquiry revealed that Clotilde had prostituted her children, then 13 and 10, at the time of the killing. Siblings Fiona and Sam Arsenault return to Three Pines more than a decade after Gamache investigated the bludgeoning murder of their mother, Clotilde. Armand Gamache of the Québec Sûreté (after 2021’s The Madness of Crowds) blends nuanced characterization with nail-biting suspense. Bestseller Penny’s virtuoso 18th novel featuring Chief Insp.
