How the Light Gets In (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache #9) [B1676-PB]

2014PB in nice clean condition. "There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in."-Leonard Cohen. Christmas is approaching, and in Quebec 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?

From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "As my first Louise Penny read, this book was a very pleasant surprise! Louise Penny does an excellent job of subtly introducing the characters' backstory and connections to each other. She expertly weaves several different storylines together and I quicky got invested in the gradual release of information that tied them all together. Probably not a book that will stay with me but would definitely recommend!"; "Lots of intrigue and excitement in this book. Couldn't put it down until the end. The weaving of the tale and themes was remarkably done."; "I just love these books in winter. The writing wraps you up in a warm cozy blanket you never want to crawl out from. And I love the characters more and more each installment. So happy that many of the long term struggles find resolution in this one."