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How the Light Gets In
How the Light Gets In: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel | Louise Penny
121 posts | 139 read | 3 reading | 34 to read
The #1 New York Times Bestseller"There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." Leonard CohenChristmas is approaching, and in Qubec it's a time of dazzling snowfalls, bright lights, and gatherings with friends in front of blazing hearths. But shadows are falling on the usually festive season for Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. Most of his best agents have left the Homicide Department, his old friend and lieutenant Jean-Guy Beauvoir hasn't spoken to him in months, and hostile forces are lining up against him. When Gamache receives a message from Myrna Landers that a longtime friend has failed to arrive for Christmas in the village of Three Pines, he welcomes the chance to get away from the city. Mystified by Myrna's reluctance to reveal her friend's name, Gamache soon discovers the missing woman was once one of the most famous people not just in North America, but in the world, and now goes unrecognized by virtually everyone except the mad, brilliant poet Ruth Zardo.As events come to a head, Gamache is drawn ever deeper into the world of Three Pines. Increasingly, he is not only investigating the disappearance of Myrna's friend but also seeking a safe place for himself and his still-loyal colleagues. Is there peace to be found even in Three Pines, and at what cost to Gamache and the people he holds dear? How the Light Gets In is the ninth Chief Inspector Gamache Novel from Louise Penny. One of Publishers Weekly's Best Mystery/Thriller Books of 2013 One of The Washington Post's Top 10 Books of the Year An NPR Best Book of 2013
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Karisimo
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It‘s hard to imagine where the series goes from here! This was the best one yet- so intense! The two cases and the overarching story came together so well.

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Bookwormjillk
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The first book I finished for this year‘s #WinterGames

This is my favorite Gamache book. It‘s set at Christmas and all the pieces come together so beautifully.

I think this is the 6th time I‘ve read this.

67 likes8 comments
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LeslieO
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My holiday reading plans, plus the tagged book (Three Pines at Christmas). #seasonsreading #tistheseason

Julsmarshall I love a Jenny Colgan holiday story! 4mo
SheReadsAndWrites I needed good Christmas books to read and just looked these up and bought them all so - thank you! 🤓🎄❤️ (edited) 4mo
SheReadsAndWrites Me too! @Julsmarshall She's a favorite. 🤓 4mo
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julieclair These all look so good!! 4mo
LeslieO @SheReadsAndWrites Wow! I hope you like them all! 4mo
LeslieO @Julsmarshall This will be my first Jenny Colgan. 4mo
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staci.reads
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This one was a roller coaster ride! I read a review that said it felt like the series could have ended with this one, and I can totally see why. But I'm glad it didn't! What a twist at the end, though!

Susanita I think of this book as the “goblet of fire” of the series. 9mo
staci.reads @Susanita I'm so intrigued by that comment! Are you saying you felt HP could have ended after Goblet? Or are there other connections? 8mo
Susanita Big Thing happens, and nothing is the same after that. Stuff was real before that, but now it‘s really real. 8mo
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Magpiegem
Pickpick

32/23 This is as my favourite for a while. And if I didn‘t know better I would assume it was the end of the series. Everything seems wrapped up. But glad to know I have many more hours in three pines still to come!

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kspenmoll
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#joysofjune #readathon
Buddy reads: read prescribed sections #janeandtheexcellentreadalong #adventuresinphilosophy#sundaybuddyread #nunlit #14books14weeks
Louise Penny marathon( finished): #gamache #threepines

TiredLibrarian A Louise Penny marathon sounds delightful!
9mo
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CogsOfEncouragement
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This is the ninth book of the series. Our power has been out all day. I finished this with what little light was still coming through the windows and a lantern I was awarded from the summer reading program at the public library.

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MittenGirlPeach
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My new planner! It doesn‘t have pockets like my beloved PeanutButterTaco planners, but I love that I can put my Bookspin list on the same page as the “bingo card.” It‘s from Emily Cromwell Designs on Etsy. #BookSpinBingo #BookSpin (pens were a Christmas gift from my husband)

TheAromaofBooks I'm in love with the canister for your pens!!! 1y
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MittenGirlPeach
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Mugs! And since it‘s winter, I‘d like it to be winter themed. I have many mugs but I love them all, and I rotate seasonally.

Blues/greens

An Old English Sheepdog named Murray and a torby cat named Eddy Charcoal. (Eddy is a girl kitty, fyi).

Columbia or breakfast blend coffee (love beans), green and white tea (I love all teas, generally), herbal teas. Love pretty much all kinds of coffee it must be admitted.

Cinfhen Tagging your match for some inspiration @Littlewolf1 😉 1y
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MittenGirlPeach
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I didn‘t do very well at the #WinterReadathon, or post that much, but I loved following along. Thanks so much, @Andrew65 and @GHABI4ROSES ! Here we are in a new year, with all kinds of fabulous reading ahead. Getting started today! Yesterday we had 60F in my corner of Michigan. And SUNSHINE. Happy Winter indeed!

Andrew65 Very mild here too at the moment. It has been a real pleasure to host the Readathon and pleased to see so many people contributing, no matter how little or how much. 1y
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Julsmarshall
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So good! This series just gets better and better! #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 1y
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elkeOriginal
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Wowza. The last 100 pages are a wild tense ride! Loved this one (even though the interesting murder plot is almost incidental) because it brings SO much together from the previous long arc storylines for a very intense journey toward resolution. Stunning. Kind of exhausting too - but that may be my fault for reading 9 #Gamache books within 2 months🤦🏼‍♀️😆
Interestingly it felt finale-ish, though we know it isn‘t. Plenty more #ThreePines TK!

Bookwormjillk This is my favorite from the series 1y
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Avanders
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A perfect day off #pluviophile

Finished the tagged - one of my favorite of the series. 💜🤍💙

And started a Familiar Tail… (heh 🤭). Good so far!

Now if I could only have more days like this one …
(she said while living in the desert…).

KateReadsYA Oh me too. I read last night with my bedroom door open to the backyard while it rained. I wish it rained more 2y
Avanders @KateReadsYA sounds amazing 🤍💙 I wish it rained more too! 🥲 2y
Adventures-of-a-French-Reader Here in San Antonio, we need the rain... It's been weeks since it rained. I'm waiting with impatience for the rain. And it's too hot to even go outside. We have a hell of a climate, haha. 2y
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Avanders @Adventures-of-a-French-Reader I hear you - we do too here in Abq! 😄 I hope you get some soon!! ☔️☔️☔️☔️ Sending good rain vibes! 2y
Adventures-of-a-French-Reader @Avanders Your good rain vibes seemed to have worked, haha. It rained! While it wasn't forecast to rain today 2y
Avanders @Adventures-of-a-French-Reader ooh yay congrats!! ☔️💙☔️ 2y
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Goleemn
Pickpick

This was my favorite Inspector Gamache book by far. The author‘s writing at the end heightened the tension (even though we all know how these things end). The book held me from start to finish!

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Librarybelle
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It took all I had not to stay up and finish this one last night. So, I had to finish it this morning!

Without going into too much detail, as this builds on so much that has happened in the Gamache series, this has to be one of my favorites thus far in the series. So much emotion is conveyed in Penny‘s writing, and so many built up layers fall into place. She really could have ended the series with this one, but we all know it continues!

Librarybelle My progress for #AwesomeApril - depending upon how the day goes, I may just meet my 20 hour goal by the end of today! @Andrew65 2y
Librarybelle I‘m also using this for the #Revenge prompt for #YeahBaby #BBRC - there are definite elements of revenge that have grown throughout the series and culminate in this one. @LibrarianRyan 2y
Cinfhen Yay!!! Good find 2y
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Bookwormjillk
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My favorite book from my favorite series- I couldn‘t not re-read this one after reading The Quintland Sisters since the Dionne quintuplets inspired both.

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canbku
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Pickpick

Always love a bit of time with Gamache. Tough one, though. That light barely made it.

Crazeedi This was a stressful one as I remember 2y
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canbku
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Next in the series! Pretty dark opening.

ShelleyBooksie So, so good 2y
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ImperfectCJ
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Pickpick

This is an interesting one. I found it gripping (to the point that I ignored many responsibilities today to listen to this audiobook) but at the same time unlikely and convoluted. Things just fit together a little too perfectly, and I am almost positive that the days in this book contained more than 24 hours each. I might take a break before the next in the series. But then, I've told myself that lie before.

ImperfectCJ 270 points for #TeamSlaughter (theme read, 8.5 hours for three readathons) #scarathlon #screamathon #bookspinbingo #LittenListen 2y
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AutumnRLS
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Hello friends! It has been awhile. I've been slowly picking up the pieces of myself that got discarded during shut down when I became the defecto full-time educator of my 7 year old. He's back to school for now and I'm trying to get as many projects completed while I can. I've been listening to a lot of audiobooks as a result. I adore the narration for the above books, especially for the Louise Penny!

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readwithcori
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Did you get the document? 💛 3y
readwithcori @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I did! Thank you! I can‘t wait to start sending some snail mail 🤗 3y
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readwithcori
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Rating: 5 Stars.
Any other Louise Penny fans? I am OBSESSED. When I started reading this series, fellow book lovers told me it only got better and boy was that the truth! Highly recommend.
#books #louisepenny #reading #bookobsessed #armandegamache #cozymysteries

Bookwormjillk Here 🙋‍♀️ Love the whole series, and this one was one of the best IMO 3y
readwithcori @Bookwormjillk I will say it is definitely my favorite this far! How excited are you for book #17?? 3y
Bookwormjillk @corireadslife I have it pre-ordered! 3y
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CarolynM 🙋🏻Another fan here. I love this series. 3y
readwithcori @CarolynM yay! So great to hear. Are you ready for book #17? 3y
readwithcori @Bookwormjillk so exciting! can't wait to hear what you think of it! 3y
Nute I‘m a huge fan as well! I‘m still at the beginning of the series, but have enjoyed what I have read so far. It was so good that I have decided to collect the books. 3y
readwithcori @Nute Happy to hear you are a fan!! I agree!! After I started reading the first couple, it was evident they needed to be collected for my bookshelf ☺️ 3y
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Singout
Pickpick

Definitely the most intense of the Gamache murder series I‘ve read: tightly written with a historical theme based on the story of the Dionne quintuplets that I found intriguing. A finale that makes it hard to imagine what‘s going to come next.

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Susanita
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1. Tagged book takes place around Christmas, so that makes it a holiday read, right?🎄🎄🎄
2. Driving, walking, sometimes chores or crafts. I also once finished an audiobook while playing with the cat. 🚗🥾😺

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Bookwormjillk
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Pickpick

My favorite book from my favorite series. This time I had to switch between book and audio because life got in the way. #TeamReadNoseReindeer #BookspinBingo #WinterGames2020 #CrushTheRush #ReadYourWay #LittenListens

TheSpineView 📚🤩📖 3y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 3y
Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick 🎄Well done!🎄 3y
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Bookwormjillk
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Enjoying a pre-dawn book and breakfast so that I can be at Target when it opens at 7. Hoping to avoid any crowds. Cookies, fruit, and cheese- the breakfast of champions!

CoverToCoverGirl Did you get lucky enough to avoid people? I do the same … if I have to go anywhere I do it first thing in the morning or just before close…… and only on Monday and Tuesday because those are the quietest days of the week. It works for me every time. 😷😁 3y
Bookwormjillk @CoverToCoverGirl pretty much! There was a group there that seemed like maybe they hadn‘t gone to bed yet and decided to hit Target on the way home, but they were really loud and easy to avoid 😂 3y
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Bookwormjillk
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Reading and enjoying the Christmas tree on this stormy morning.

mom2bugnbee Love these books! 3y
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Susanita
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I‘m thankful for coffee and for headphones plus lots of listening content.

Tagged book is the “Goblet of Fire” of the Armand Gamache series.

Thanks to @wanderinglynn for the tag!

#wondrouswednesday

Eggs 👏🏻📚🤗 🔥 3y
wanderinglynn Yes, always grateful for coffee! 🖤☕️ 3y
Bookwormjillk I love this description! 3y
22 likes3 comments
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Jaimelire
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Pickpick

Wow, up all night with this one. I absolutely love Louise Penny‘s books. I am reading them in order, and spacing them out a lot because I don‘t want the series to ever end. This one was really, really good. 5/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Susanita
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I wanted to read Carrie and Mexican Gothic for the #readyourway readathon. I read Carrie and How the Light Gets In, and I started Mexican Gothic. I also pushed all the books from Libby to the Kindle so everything is in one place and I can save my phone battery for Litsy. 😎

TheSpineView Great idea!🤩 3y
20 likes1 comment
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Ncostell
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Pickpick

This series just keeps getting better and better. I raced through this one, interested in the mystery of a murdered woman with a famous past but even more riveted by the overarching storyline of Gamache‘s investigation of corruption in the police force. I am taking my time with this series as I like having more to look forward to, but I may pick up the next one sooner rather than later as I really got sucked back in to life in Three Pines.

kspenmoll 🌲🌲🌲❤️ 3y
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rebbyj
Pickpick

Oh Gamache!!! And Rosa.

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JulAnna
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Pickpick

This was an excellent installment in this series! The village of Three Pines was a centerpiece of the book (oh, how I would love to visit there!). In addition to a good mystery with an interesting background, many pieces of the ongoing saga involving the Surete fell into place.

Soubhiville Oh Leonard Cohen. I love him. That grumbly gravely voice 💕 4y
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JulAnna
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I love the feeling I get when I begin to read the next book in this Inspector Gamache series! I feel as though I am checking in with old friends, so I space the books out-like special treats!

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ferskner
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Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I have been so neglectful of Litsy lately! I have stuff going on in my life that I can't get into here, but it's meant that after work I listlessly scroll Facebook and don't read. I hate it! I'm so far behind on posting stuff here (including the #agathachristieclubR2 questions - coming tomorrow!), but here is my #bookspin for the month! @TheAromaofBooks

tpixie Take care!!! ♥️🤗📚♥️ 4y
Lcsmcat Be kind to yourself. ❤️ And enjoy the trip to Three Pines. It‘s usually a comforting journey. 🤗 4y
TheAromaofBooks Aw, no worries!! Sometimes there just isn't headspace for strangers on the internet, even ones as congenial as Litsy's!! 😁 Hope your other stuff works itself out!! 4y
Crazeedi Great series! Enjoy your time with Gamache(and especially Ruth!) 4y
ferskner @tpixie @Lcsmcat @TheAromaofBooks @Crazeedi y'all are too kind! Thanks for being so sweet. 4y
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mom2bugnbee
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This was an excellent Louise Penny month! Three books of hers read - two 5🌟 & one 4🌟! And still making my way through the Series of Unfortunate Events series.

The Beautiful Mystery ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
How the Light Gets In ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Long Way Home ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Carnivorous Carnival ⭐⭐⭐

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Mshookquilts
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Very emotional stories in this one; you even wonder if there is any hope for a good end. When Arnot was convicted, the root wasn‘t found and evil tentacles have spread everywhere.

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Tamra
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For a sleepy little village, Three Pines sure has a lot of crime. 🥺 Ha!

It‘s curious there haven‘t been screen adaptions of this series. (Not that I‘m aware of anyway.) My most anticipated casting would be Ruth‘s character! 🦆 Love her caustic wit.

I had no idea Ralph Cosham produced his narrations cold. That‘s impressive.

Nute I think that there is a screen adaptation for television...at least for the first book in the series. I remember coming across a trailer when I was researching the order of publication for the books. 4y
Tamra @Nute I will have to check! 4y
rabbitprincess Yes, the first book was adapted for TV, but Louise Penny wasn‘t happy with how it turned out. I wasn‘t either...they cast Nathaniel Parker as Gamache, which, no. He‘s already Inspector Lynley! 4y
Tamra @rabbitprincess oh shoot! 4y
CarolynM @rabbitprincess Oh no! That is just wrong! I think he's wrong for Lynley too, but that's another story. 4y
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AvidReader25
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Lots of new plays (because of the committee I‘m currently serving on), so that skewed my reading this month. There was some great nonfiction in their too!

Louise I‘ve been wanting to read The Soul of an Octopus for such a long time. Glad to hear you enjoyed it! 4y
AvidReader25 @Louise The audiobook was particularly good. I never knew an octopus could be so fascinating! 4y
Louise Oh, that‘s good to know! Maybe I‘ll listen to the audiobook first. Thanks for the tip! 4y
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ShelleyBooksie
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Pickpick

Each book in this series gets better. I could not put this one down! Lots of action and character development.

TrishB Love this series too 👍🏻 4y
TooFoo I just finished book 3, ready to start book 4. What a Great series! 4y
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Bookzombie
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I have a confession. It‘s a little silly and I know it‘s fiction. After finishing book 8, I was upset and disappointed about something that happened between two characters. So before starting this one, I glanced at spoilers. It wasn‘t enough to spoil the story, but it alleviated the worry I carried over from the previous book. 🙂 I really enjoyed this one. The story arc that has been going on for several books is wrapped up. In fact, if I ⬇️

Bookzombie didn‘t know that there are currently six more books in the series, I might have thought she was bringing it to a close. Thankfully that is not the case and I look forward to spending more time in Three Pines.

Started in 2019 and finished in 2020.
4y
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AvidReader25
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Pickpick

Books 7-9 in the series prove that the series just keeps getting better. Each contains a murder, but the larger plot is more interesting. Gamache and his second in command come to an impasse. A conspiracy with the higher ups in the police force grows larger. I was completely enthralled. The 9th book wraps up many of the outstanding plots, so I‘m curious where the next book will take us, but I‘m already looking forward to returning to Three Pines.

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Bookzombie
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I have a question for everyone. How do you count a book you read majority of in 2019, but know you won‘t finish until 1/1/2020? I‘m slightly over three-quarters through this book as of now.

Butterfinger I say round it. 4y
Jas16 I personally count things where I finish them but I would say it is up to you. 4y
JamieArc I‘m a literalist when it comes to this, so I don‘t count it until I actually finish it. But I also have a spreadsheet where I track the start and end date so I can see that I didn‘t start it in the new year. 4y
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Crazeedi I count when I finish 4y
CSeydel If it was really long and I finished on 1/1 I would count that for the previous year. 4y
Soubhiville I count on the finish date. 4y
Hooked_on_books If the majority of it is in one year, I say it was read it that year, so I would count it for 2019. 4y
Bookzombie @Butterfinger @Jas16 @JamieArc @Crazeedi @CSeydel @Soubhiville @Hooked_on_books Thanks for the feedback! I think I will just stick with counting it when I finish it. Sometimes I‘m set in my ways. 😉 4y
TheLibrarian I always count it for the day I finished it. 4y
Curiouser_and_curiouser I read 3/4 of The Power of One last year and finished the last quarter a week ago, Jan 24, 2020, so I've marked that as a book I completed this year, which makes 4 so far for 2020. I had a dozen part read through books I DNF last year, so it's a goal to finish them this year, inbetween some very new reads. 4y
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Bookwormjillk
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Pickpick

I love, love, love this book and since it takes place at Christmas time I figured it was perfect for a #WinterGames re-read. #elfies

Kammbia1 Excellent novel! 4y
Crazeedi I've read them all, love!❤ 4y
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Christinak
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They saw the exterior of a charming cottage in summer. A fairy-tale cottage, with fish-scale shingles and #gingerbread woodwork. Flower boxes were planted at each window and cheery sunflowers and hollyhocks leaned against the sunny home. #QuotsyDec19

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sherryvdh
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1. ☝️
2. I finally found new winter boots that I like the look of and fit sufficiently. It was a long search.
3. Couch, blanket, book
4. 3
5. ❤❤❤
#friyayintro @howjessreads

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TrishB
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Pickpick

Wow 😮 there‘s a bit of everything in this one!! I think this is my favourite so far. The plot is great, so much going on and the personal stories take a huge leap.
Loved it 👍🏻♥️

Andrew65 Must get back to this series, only read the first one. 4y
JennyM Just finished the first one this weekend...absolutely loved it. 4y
TrishB @Andrew65 another one that matures 😁👍🏻 4y
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TrishB @JennyM so glad you loved it ❤️ these are so good. 4y
CarolynM Such a wonderful series. Think it's time for me to pick up the next one. 4y
TrishB @CarolynM it‘s one of those series I don‘t want to catch up on! 4y
CarolynM I know! I've only got 3 to go. 4y
Caroline2 This is my fav one too. 👍 it felt very final tho, I‘m a bit worried where they can go from here?? 🤷‍♀️ 4y
TrishB @CarolynM scary 😮 4y
TrishB @Caroline2 my mind is boggling too 🤷‍♀️ 4y
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Young4evr
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Pickpick

I think I read the last book first. :( Definitely going to search out her earlier Inspector Gamache novels.