This is the ninth novel in the Inspector Gamache series of books. Gamache is investigating the apparent suicide by a woman who is using an assumed identity. He unveils a tragic story of the woman’s past. This investigation provides a background to the culmination of events involving his former second-in-command and friend, Jean-Guy Beauvoir, and the Chief of the Sûreté, Sylvan Franceur.
Gamache returns to Three Pines for his base of operations because of it’s lack of connectedness to the outside. This allows all the familiar characters of Three Pines to become a part of the story.
This is a well-told mystery, although it deviates from the traditional mystery in that it has major themes continuing through the series. This book brings it all to a close and set up what looks like a change in the series with the next book. The writing is excellent and the characters engrossing. But the series should be read in order!!