The Inspector Gamache is a Crime Fiction / Cozy Mystery series by Louise Penny, made up of 21 books published between 2005 and 2026. It begins with Still Life (2005), and is best read in publication order. The most recent entry is Miss Wolcott's Ghost (2026), spanning 21 years of storytelling.
| # | Title | Year | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | |||
| 1 | Still Life ★ NYT 1w · peaked #6 🏆 Barry Award 2007🏆 Anthony Award 2007🏆 Dilys Award 2007🏆 CWA New Blood Dagger 2006Full award history → 🎬 Adapted for film/TV → | 2005 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 2 | Dead Cold / A Fatal Grace | 2006 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 3 | The Cruellest Month | 2007 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 4 | A Rule Against Murder / The Murder Stone | 2008 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 5 | The Brutal Telling 🏆 Anthony Award 2010🏆 Agatha Award 2009Macavity Award 2010Dilys Award 2010Full award history → | 2009 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 2010s | |||
| 6 | Bury Your Dead 🏆 Macavity Award 2011🏆 Anthony Award 2011🏆 Dilys Award 2011🏆 Nero Award 2011🏆 Agatha Award 2010Barry Award 2011Goodreads Choice Award 2010Full award history → | 2010 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 7 | A Trick of the Light ★ NYT 2w · peaked #4 🏆 Anthony Award 2012Macavity Award 2012Dilys Award 2012Agatha Award 2011Goodreads Choice Award 2011Full award history → | 2011 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 8 | The Beautiful Mystery ★ NYT 2w · peaked #2 🏆 Macavity Award 2013🏆 Anthony Award 2013🏆 Audie Award 2013🏆 Agatha Award 2012Goodreads Choice Award 2012Full award history → | 2012 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 9 | How the Light Gets In ★ NYT 3w · #1 Edgar Awards 2014Gold Dagger 2014Agatha Award 2013Goodreads Choice Award 2013Full award history → | 2013 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 10 | The Long Way Home ★ NYT 2w · #1 Anthony Award 2015Agatha Award 2014Goodreads Choice Award 2014Full award history → | 2014 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 11 | The Nature of the Beast ★ NYT 3w · peaked #3 🏆 Lefty Award 2016Anthony Award 2016Agatha Award 2015Goodreads Choice Award 2015Full award history → | 2015 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 12 | A Great Reckoning ★ NYT 5w · #1 🏆 Barry Award 2017🏆 Anthony Award 2017🏆 Lefty Award 2017🏆 Agatha Award 2016Goodreads Choice Award 2016Full award history → | 2016 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 13 | Glass Houses ★ NYT 3w · #1 🏆 Agatha Award 2017Anthony Award 2018Lefty Award 2018Goodreads Choice Award 2017Full award history → | 2017 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 14 | Kingdom of the Blind ★ NYT 4w · #1 | 2018 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 15 | A Better Man ★ NYT 5w · #1 | 2019 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 2020s | |||
| 16 | All the Devils Are Here ★ NYT 4w · #1 🏆 Agatha Award 2020Full award history → | 2020 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 17 | The Madness of Crowds ★ NYT 5w · #1 Agatha Award 2021Full award history → | 2021 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 18 | A World of Curiosities ★ NYT 5w · #1 🏆 Agatha Award 2022Anthony Award 2023Full award history → | 2022 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 19 | The Grey Wolf ★ NYT 3w · #1 | 2024 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 20 | The Black Wolf ★ NYT 2w · #1 | 2025 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 21 | Miss Wolcott's GhostLatest | 2026 | Search on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
Inspector Gamache series: frequently asked questions
What order should I read the Inspector Gamache series?
Start with Still Life (2005), the first book in the Inspector Gamache series by Louise Penny. Follow the books in publication order for the best reading experience.
How many books are in the Inspector Gamache series?
There are 21 books in the Inspector Gamache series by Louise Penny, published between 2005 and 2026.
What is the first book in the Inspector Gamache series?
The first book in the Inspector Gamache series is Still Life, published in 2005 by Louise Penny.
What is the latest book in the Inspector Gamache series?
The most recent book in the Inspector Gamache series is Miss Wolcott's Ghost (2026) by Louise Penny.
About the Inspector Gamache series
Louise Penny's Chief Inspector Armand Gamache novels are cozy mysteries with the soul of literary fiction. Set largely in the tiny, map-less Québec village of Three Pines, they follow the head of homicide for the Sûreté du Québec — a thoughtful, decent man whose method is rooted in listening, empathy and a refusal to look away from cruelty.
What begins as gentle village whodunit deepens, book by book, into a meditation on conscience, corruption and grief, with a recurring cast that readers come to treasure. Penny's warmth and moral seriousness set the series apart from the crowd.
Though each mystery stands alone, Gamache's career and personal arcs build powerfully across the series, so reading in order from "Still Life" is strongly recommended.