Book Review: ‘A Better Man’ Is The Next Thrilling Inspector Gamache Novel By Louise Perry

Louise Perry is back with her next thrilling novel featuring Armand Gamache. Following the events of the last book he has been on suspension for nine months now. He has also been demoted. He is not head of the homicide department. He shares that title right now with Jean-Guy was is quitting and moving to France with his pregnant wife Annie (Armand’s daughter). There is hear on Gamache even coming back. Some are not happy about it and social media is having a field day with it. Still he doesn’t let it bother him.

When a father named Homer lets it be known his daughter Vivienne is missing a brief investigation starts. Since she is an adult and could be anywhere, nothing formal is filed. They talk to her abusive husband Carl Tracey and think he had something to do with her disappearance. They want to open a formal investigation and are about to start when world comes the weather is causing a potential major flood. All resources are needed to help figure out what options there are to save people and avoid a major catastrophe.

Gamache has started the investigation and it seems it all points to Tracey. During the flooding they find her body and her suitcase floating down in the water. As they investigate they build a case against him and soon have him in custody and charged for the murder. Then things take a dramatic turn in the courtroom. And soon Armand and the other officers on the case have to start from scratch and they dig deeper and soon learn a lot more than they did before and figure out who the killer is before it is too late.

Louise Penny is the Queen of this format. These books are always well-written and this one is no exception. Gamache is one of my favorite recurring characters to read. A lot happens in this book and I found I couldn’t put the book down. Big changes are happening with the characters and I look forward to where things go from here in future novels.

You can pick up A Better Man in stores Tuesday, August 27th from St. Martin’s Press.