A World of Curiosities: A Novel (Chief Inspector Gamache Novel, 18)

Armand Gamache is getting ready to attend a graduation service for a family friend. He is also prepared to support a young woman he helped over the years. When she and her brother announce they are headed back to the village of Three Pines, Gamache has a sense of unease. Both were young when their mother was murdered and badly damaged by their pasts. Now Gamache wonders what, if anything, could happen with their return.

At the same time, Gamache is confronted with the discovery of a room holding a painting that may have some sinister meaning. And when he discovers a suicide that turns out to be a murder, it seems that dangerous elements may be descending on his beloved village. Will he be able to unravel a puzzle and prevent further deaths?

In A World of Curiosities, Louise Penny does what she does best, weaving a complex and mysterious tale of past and present where everything hinges on one man’s ability to think straight, link the dots, and stay the course to make things right again. The story moves with a sense of urgency, with the author knowing just when to drop those spine-tingling moments that enthrall readers. I could not put it down.