A Great Reckoning

A Great Reckoning (2016) is the 12th novel in the Inspector Gamache series. The series consists of contemporary mysteries written by the Canadian author Louise Penny. Like the other novels in the series, A Great Reckoning revolves around the small village of Three Pines, Quebec, and its inhabitants. The novel includes a standalone murder mystery plot and references to events in other novels within the series; Penny explores themes of parenthood, loss, and betrayal. This guide references the 2016 Minotaur edition.

Other works by this author include All the Devils are Here, The Brutal Telling, and The Long Way Home.

Plot Summary

Armand Gamache is the former Chief of Homicide for the Sûreté du Quebec and now lives in the small town of Three Pines, Quebec, with his wife, Reine-Marie. During his time as the Chief of Homicide, Gamache was instrumental in uncovering significant corruption within the Quebec police force. Because of these events, Gamache ended up resigning. At the start of the novel, Gamache begins a new position as the head of the Sûreté Academy, where new cadets are trained for the police force.

Gamache knows that there has been corruption and abuses of power within the academy and wants to reform the institution.