The Brutal Telling

Book excerpt: The fifth novel in the Chief Inspector Gamache series, from worldwide phenomenon and number one New York Times bestseller Louise Penny When Chief Inspector Gamache arrives in picturesque Three Pines, he steps into a village in chaos. A man has been found bludgeoned to death, and there is no sign of a weapon, a motive or even the dead man's name. As Gamache and his colleagues start to dig under the skin of this peaceful haven for clues, they uncover a trail of stolen treasure, mysterious codes and a shameful history that begins to shed light on the victim's identity - and points to a terrifying killer... 'The best Gamache so far' Globe and Mail 'Ingenious and unexpected'Guardian 'A cracking storyteller, who can create fascinating characters, a twisty plot and wonderful surprise endings' Ann Cleeves