The Grey Wolf

Penny’s 19th novel featuring Chief Insp. Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec (after A World of Curiosities) is one of the series’ best. The typically even-tempered Gamache is rattled by repeated phone calls from a mysterious stranger one morning while relaxing in the sleepy village of Three Pines with his wife. Shortly afterward, someone breaks into the couple’s Montréal apartment and steals one of Gamache’s old coats, then delivers it to his office at Sûreté headquarters with two anonymous notes inside: one requesting a meeting, the other cryptically listing a series of herbs. Enlisting the help of his son-in-law, Jean-Guy, and fellow investigator, Insp. Isabelle Lacoste, Gamache learns that his pursuer is engaged in a plot that crosses international borders. Splitting up, the three leads cover ground as far-flung as the White House and the Vatican to foil the plot, which forces Gamache to look at old allies with fresh skepticism. Penny pulls off the narrative’s uncharacteristically epic scope without a hitch, swapping fair-play puzzles for pulse-pounding cliffhangers without sacrificing intimate character moments. Gamache’s fans will be eager for his next adventure. (Oct.)

This review has been updated to remove a spoiler.