BookTok, Bookstagram, BookTube… It seems like social media has been trying to make reading cool again. And guess what? It’s working. The very apps responsible for our decreasing attention spans are now encouraging us to pick books back up, and who are we to contest our digital overlords?
Regardless of whether you’re a longtime avid reader or a recently converted book lover, there is a myriad of series out there waiting for you. From Colleen Hoover’s romance novels to fantasy giants such as The Chronicles of Narnia or Harry Potter, there are plenty of genres to choose from. If you’re more into mystery, though, novels by authors like Louise Penny are right up your alley.
Known for her Inspector Gamache book series, Penny published her first novel, Still Life, in 2005. This would become the first entry in a massive series, following Armand Gamache’s life as a police inspector, solving crime after crime. It’s not easy being in the protagonist’s shoes, but Penny’s writing makes it thrilling, which explains why so many of her novels have won major awards. They’re that good.
How to read Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache books in order
The Inspector Gamache series comprises 19 books and one novella — The Hangman — and while fans can read some books as standalone, it’s best to enjoy them in order. In this case, the release order matches the series’ chronology, so you don’t have to worry about timelines or jumping back and forth between books. For your convenience, here are all the Gamache novels listed in order:
- Still Life (2005)
- A Fatal Grace, also known as Dead Cold (2006)
- The Cruellest Month (2007)
- A Rule Against Murder, also known as The Murder Stone (2007)
- The Brutal Telling (2009)
- Bury Your Dead (2010)
- The Hangman (2010)
- A Trick of the Light (2011)
- The Beautiful Mystery (2012)
- How the Light Gets In (2013)
- The Long Way Home (2014)
- The Nature of the Beast (2015)
- A Great Reckoning (2016)
- Glass Houses (2017)
- Kingdom of the Blind (2018)
- A Better Man (2019)
- All the Devils Are Here (2020)
- The Madness of Crowds (2021)
- A World of Curiosities (2022)
- The Grey Wolf (2024)
These are a lot of books to get through, I know, but once you get into it you’ll only want more. Besides, look at the bright side: you won’t be lacking entertainment for the next few months. And if you need something else to hold your attention after, check out the TV adaptation of the series. It’s almost as thrilling as the novels.