A World of Curiosities

A Novel

By: Louise Penny

Narrated by: Robert Bathurst

Length: 13 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

"Robert Bathurst performs this 18th Inspector Gamache mystery with the assurance of one who knows the village of Three Pines and its (mostly) gentle residents well....fans are in for a treat."—AudioFile Magazine (Earphones Award Winner)

"Robert Bathurst's narration is calm, collected, and earnest, reflecting the blend of emotion and professionalism that Gamache embodies as an investigator. It's perfect for listeners seeking both captivating intrigue and insightful reflection."—BookPage

Chief Inspector Armand Gamache returns in the eighteenth book in #1 New York Times bestseller Louise Penny's beloved series.

It’s spring and Three Pines is reemerging after the harsh winter. But not everything buried should come alive again. Not everything lying dormant should reemerge.

But something has.

As the villagers prepare for a special celebration, Armand Gamache and Jean-Guy Beauvoir find themselves increasingly worried. A young man and woman have reappeared in the Sûreté du Québec investigators’ lives after many years. The two were young children when their troubled mother was murdered, leaving them damaged, shattered. Now they’ve arrived in the village of Three Pines.

But to what end?

Gamache and Beauvoir’s memories of that tragic case, the one that first brought them together, come rushing back. Did their mother’s murder hurt them beyond repair? Have those terrible wounds, buried for decades, festered and are now about to erupt?

As Chief Inspector Gamache works to uncover answers, his alarm grows when a letter written by a long dead stone mason is discovered. In it the man describes his terror when bricking up an attic room somewhere in the village. Every word of the 160-year-old letter is filled with dread. When the room is found, the villagers decide to open it up.

As the bricks are removed, Gamache, Beauvoir and the villagers discover a world of curiosities. But the head of homicide soon realizes there’s more in that room than meets the eye. There are puzzles within puzzles, and hidden messages warning of mayhem and revenge.

In unsealing that room, an old enemy is released into their world. Into their lives. And into the very heart of Armand Gamache’s home.

A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books.

©2022 Louise Penny (P)2022 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

2022, Barnes and Noble Best New Books of the Year, Long-listed

2022, Washington Post Best Books of the Year, Long-listed

2022, The Guardian (UK) Best Books of the Year, Long-listed

2022, Library Journal Best Books of the Year, Long-listed

“Virtuoso… blends nuanced characterization with nail-biting suspense…This tale of forgiveness and redemption will resonate with many. ” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Why?

i wait anxiouly for LP books. i cherish the narrators of all her books. This story was really below par ( in my opinion). There is too much to take in. I'll probably give it a second listen.

Wow, stellar

Louise Penny must have used her own grimoire to write this story. Drawing from past books, crumbs left to be swept up into a edge of your seat ending. She is an author who never disappoints

I love Louise Penny 💜

A very suspenseful story that insists we all keep in mind what we have loved about these books all along: that beauty dwells even in the shadows, and that good is always present, even amidst evil. It calls to mind a quote that only a true mystery geek will be able to place: “stranger fiends hide here in human guise than reside in the valleys of Hell, but goodness, kindness, and love arise in the heart of the poor beast as well.”

Another Winner

These stories of good and evil, heroes and villains, and a perfect setting in which to place them are intricately developed with a supporting cast of colorful characters. I look forward to each new book with great anticipation and am never disappointed. Keep them coming, please, Louise Penny!

In her top 3!

This book is definitely one of my favorite in the Three Pines Series. She left you scratching your head and chasing red herrings until the very end. It was one of her darker books- especially in the beginning. I’d trigger warn anyone w/ childhood trauma.

A Joy for Gamache Fans

I loved the book as it checked off the boxes for me: diving seeping into Gamache’s relationships (don’t we all want to be one of his colleagues or friends?); edge of your seat danger; multiple mystery story lines and a setting in the lovely Three Pines. This is not ideal for a entry into the Louise Penny/Gamache series. SPOILER ALERT: At this point, many of the characters are well defined and the story re-introduces a villain from a previous book. Penny does a good job filling in the gaps but a newcomer will feel like they missed out (even though they have not.).

Love it

I can never tire from this series. This one is especially intriguing. But I did miss the usual character building which is not as prevalent in this story. In this -the mystery is the main focus- not a bad thing, just different. Other books have spent more on the people of Three Pines.

More

Always a treat when another “Three Pines” book comes out—more, more! I wish they written more often

Ominously suspenseful

She just doesn’t write fast enough. Louise Penny is a master at portraying the best and worst of humanity.

Universally wonderful

This latest book reveals all the well loved characters at there best. Excellent listen!!!
Highly recommend