Order of Inspector Gamache Books
Inspector Gamache is a series of whodunit mystery novels by Canadian author Louise Penny, featuring Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. The series is set in Quebec and Gamache works for the Sûreté du Québec, where he heads the homicide department. The series features unconventional murders, a long list of suspects, plenty of red herrings and dramatic endings. The series is also known as the Three Pines Mysteries.
Louise Penny started her literary career with the first novel in the Inspector Gamache series, Still Life, in 2005. Below is a list of all of Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache books in order of when they were originally released (which is also their chronological order):
Publication Order of Inspector Gamache Books
| Still Life | (2005) |    |
| Dead Cold / A Fatal Grace | (2006) | |
| The Cruellest Month | (2007) | |
| A Rule Against Murder / Muder Stone | (2008) | |
| The Brutal Telling | (2009) | |
| Bury Your Dead | (2010) | |
| A Trick of the Light | (2011) | |
| The Beautiful Mystery | (2012) | |
| How the Light Gets In | (2013) | |
| The Long Way Home | (2014) | |
| The Nature of the Beast | (2015) | |
| A Great Reckoning | (2016) | |
| Glass Houses | (2017) | |
| Kingdom of the Blind | (2018) | |
| A Better Man | (2019) | |
| All the Devils Are Here | (2020) | |
| The Madness of Crowds | (2021) | |
Notes: Dead Cold was also published as A Fatal Grace. A Rule Against Murder was also titled The Murder Stone.
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Thanks for publishing this list of Louise Penny books. Now I can get the sequence correct. I check out the audio versions from my favorite library, Coronado, California, in the city where I am employed. They make the evening shift pass more quickly. And I really enjoy the voice actors doing every different voice that Ms. Penny writes in.
One of my absolute favorite characters is Ruth Zardo, such a crusty old lady!
Those reading the books in order should also realize that The Hangman is a novella written for “emerging adult readers” as a contribution to a literacy project. I can’t begin to say how much my admiration for Louise Penny (whose books I already loved) grew when I learned this. But there are not references to other books nor are there the French phrases to which most of us have grown to enjoy. As an educator, I still do plan to read The Hangman, but it’s good to know I can go right into A Trick of the Light without waiting for The Hangman (which has limited availability).
My daughter recommended this series to me about two years ago. I’m a stickler for reading series in the order published, so immediately picked up “Still Life”. Hooked right from the beginning. I read a lot, finished up the series to #11 within months and was anxiously awaiting the next and the next. Ms Penny is working on the next novel, though currently struggling with the passing of her husband. I will pre-order as soon as I can. Beautifully written and brilliant character studies, sprinkled with ‘life in Quebec’.
I have read the series from the beginning and always, always, pick up the next. Truly recommend that they be read in order. The development of the characters (really interesting people) is essential to the plot of each novel.
i just finished today “The Brutal Telling” – what a book!
Are there any more Inspector Gamache Books coming out?
The Nature of the Beast on August 25th.
Thank you…I’ll be watching for it! Enjoy these books so much!
It’s a bummer that I just spent $200 on the Gamache series to learn there are repeats with different titles.
It is… If you bought them through Amazon, they have a good returns policy.
You have to watch that. I am fond of UK mysteries and find that when they come to North America they change the titles also. I find that if I check on Goodreads.com or Amazon and check out the plots I find the ones that have different titles. I found this out after I searched high and low for a book and then found I had read it under another title.
I am reading “Rule Against Murder” now. I don’t see it on the list.
It’s also known as The Murder Stone.
Thanks so much!!
I just found this series and love it. Thanks for your information about these other books.
This list leaves out the actual fifth book, The Brutal Telling, and due to the time it was compiled it also does not show books #7, A Trick of the Light and #8, The Beautiful Mystery. And somewhere in there is her Inspector Gamache novella, The Hangman, published in 2010. Its events take place after the events described in #6, Bury Your Dead, but before those described in #7, A Trick of the Light.
Thank you, Raquel. I’ll do my best to have the list corrected.