Louise Penny is a Canadian novelist of mystery novels, featuring Inspector Armand Gamache and set in Quebec. She is a multiple time Agatha Award winner. Her novels are British-styled whodunit mysteries inspired by authors such as Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers. Before becoming a published author, Louise worked for CBC as a radio host and journalist.

Penny tried her hand at historical fiction, which she was unable to finish, before writing in the mystery genre she became famous for. Her first published novel was the beginning of the Inspector Gamache series, Still Life, which was published in 2005. Below is a list of all of Louise Penny’s books in order of when they were originally published (and in chronological order):

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Publication Order of Inspector Gamache Books

Still Life (2005)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Dead Cold / A Fatal Grace (2006)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Cruellest Month (2007)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
A Rule Against Murder / The Murder Stone (2008)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Brutal Telling (2009)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Bury Your Dead (2010)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
A Trick of the Light (2011)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Beautiful Mystery (2012)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
How the Light Gets In (2013)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Long Way Home (2014)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Nature of the Beast (2015)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
A Great Reckoning (2016)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Glass Houses (2017)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Kingdom of the Blind (2018)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
A Better Man (2019)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
All the Devils Are Here (2020)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Madness of Crowds (2021)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
A World of Curiosities (2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Grey Wolf (2024)Description / Buy at Amazon.com

Publication Order of Inspector Gamache Short Stories/Novellas

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

State of Terror (With: Hillary Rodham Clinton) (2021)Description / Buy at Amazon.com

Publication Order of Anthologies

Mysterious Writers: The Many Facets of Mystery Writing(2010)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Best American Mystery Stories 2018(2018)Description / Buy at Amazon.com

Notes: Dead Cold was also published as A Fatal Grace. A Rule Against Murder is also known as The Murder Stone.

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Order of Books » Authors » Order of Louise Penny Books

31 Responses to “Order of Louise Penny Books”

  1. Linda: 2 years ago

    Enjoy how she builds her characters, makes me I truly know them. Enjoy.

    Reply

  2. George Lemoine: 2 years ago

    I feel I’ve never read the book about the big raid that had many officers & crooks shot up. There are so many references to the attack.

    Can anyone please give me the title? I’d luv to find there’s one of her delicious stories to look forward to!!

    Thanks so much

    Reply

    • Rose: 2 years ago

      The police raid happened between books. We learn more about the raid as the series goes on.

      Reply

  3. Bonnie: 3 years ago

    Louise Penny isn’t just an amazing writer, she’s become a dear friend..
    Am now on A Better Man, having read each of her books. She grows
    Better and better with each new story…. and dearer as a friend. That’s how I’ve come to think of her. Hopefully, she realizes how many of us out here
    so love her, her characters, and the way she plants feelings that can claw at
    Or fulfill us too.

    Reply

  4. Ruth Gabriel: 3 years ago

    Love her books. The style, the storyline, the interwoven characters. I love to follow the story from the first to the last – I have read them all. Waiting for the next one.

    Reply

  5. KEVIN RUTLEDGE: 3 years ago

    I LOVE READING HER BOOKS.KJR.

    Reply

  6. Linda Walsh: 3 years ago

    I somehow missed the chapter In which Ms. Verneau(?) is thrown off the Champlain Bridge in “How the Light Gets In.” I’m already in the 2nd half of the book. Can anyone direct me or fill me in?

    Reply

    • Barbara Murray: 3 years ago

      There really isn’t a chapter. Just a couple of sentences. We see her driving through the tunnel worrying about the cracks in the walls. Sometime later we are told of police picking up a woman’s body. It was thought she had jumped but instead of landing in the water she landed on land. At that time the Inspector wonders if it is the missing quituplet body.

      Reply

    • Judy: 3 years ago

      You will find out why and how further on in the book. The interwoven stories will keep you glued to reading until more is revealed.

      Reply

  7. Claire Jentsch: 3 years ago

    My sister and I think there was a train Station in 3 Pines. True?
    Thanks, Claire.

    Reply

    • Barbara Murray: 3 years ago

      No there is no train station. You can only get there by car, or by taxi.

      Reply

    • Kathy: 2 years ago

      What is the empty building that houses the volunteer fire department? Train station?

      Reply

      • Laura Christensen: 2 years ago

        Yes old train station

        Reply

  8. Lou N Jackie Johnson: 4 years ago

    Love these books by Louise Penny. A great addition to my favorites from CJ Box, William Kent Kreuger, and Ace Atkins, all of which take place in semi-remote areas of Quebec, Wyoming, Minnesota, and Mississippi. Great characters and great writing.

    Reply

  9. Sandra Behrens: 4 years ago

    Louise – I have many authors who I describe as favirites, but your Gamache series have become some of my very favorites. I haven’t missed one and look for another. How you describe the feelings and emotions of your characters is astounding. Your writing is remarkable and how you do one a year is astounding with as much research that is required… The one book that I can’t stop thinking about is THE BEAUTIFUL MYSTERY. I wanted to step into the pages to hear the chanting. Thank you so much.

    Reply

  10. Trixie: 5 years ago

    I have read all of Louise Penny’s books. I look forward to her new book.

    Reply

  11. LM Hutchison: 5 years ago

    Thank you Mr B Thrombley …..

    Reply

  12. Mary Estock: 6 years ago

    Newsletter received today says November 27, 2018 new Inspector Gamache book: Kingdom of the Blind

    Reply

  13. Kim: 7 years ago

    Glass Houses, 2017

    Reply

  14. Linda @ southernruralroute.com: 7 years ago

    A Rule Against Murder (2008) was left off this list.

    Reply

    • Graeme: 7 years ago

      Hi Linda – that one is listed as The Murder Stone.

      Reply

    • Bill Trombley: 6 years ago

      Actually The Murder Stone redirects to A Rule Against Murder, if you click on the Best Price Icons. My guess is it was either misnamed here or published under another title elsewhere & The Murder Stone was that alternate title.

      Reply

  15. Vicki McBride: 8 years ago

    Love her writing, have purchased every novel,, awaiting a new one for 2016

    Reply

  16. LM Hutchison: 9 years ago

    Is the 4 th book The Stone Murder also called A Rule against Murder ?

    Reply

    • Tricia Layden: 8 years ago

      I think so.

      Reply

    • Bill Trombley: 5 years ago

      Yes, The Stone Murder is the Canadian title of A Rule Against Murder, according to the internet research I’ve done.

      Reply

  17. Brian Forbes Colgate: 9 years ago

    Louise Penny wrote one of the books listed above, about Chief Inpector Gamache, as part of the GoodReads Canada literacy project. “The Hangman” is a novella, written at the Grade 3 level of understanding.

    http://www.louisepenny.com/literacy.htm

    Reply

  18. Mongoose218: 9 years ago

    Very good series!

    Reply

  19. Nancy: 10 years ago

    When is there going to be a new Inspector Gamache novel?????!!!!!

    Reply

    • Brandon: 10 years ago

      August 26th

      Reply

    • Mongoose218: 8 years ago

      The new one is the best yet, in my opinion she just gets better and better!

      Reply

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