A World of Curiosities: A Novel

· Chief Inspector Gamache Novel Book 18 · Macmillan Audio · Narrated by Robert Bathurst
4.9
16 reviews
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13 hr 15 min
Unabridged
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About this audiobook

"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)

"Narrator Robert Bathurst skillfully evokes the mood and suspense of the story." - Library Journal

"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.

Ratings and reviews

4.9
16 reviews
Arita Thatte
September 6, 2023
Louise Penny does it again! somehow takes a dark theme but makes it cozy with a puzzle like story and interesting historical elements. one of the best yet. Gamaches goodness can be a bit cloying at times... he would be a better character if he were a tiny bit less perfect. still I couldn't stop listening. love the village cast of characters. one of the best yet
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Robert Froelich
January 14, 2023
great title! I initially struggled to follow the shifts in time sequences, but then it all made sense. truly fascinating in how Penny brings this complex story together. good one Penny!!
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Mick Shea
May 8, 2023
the latest in the series, another tour de force. Louise Penny is an extraordinary writer.
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About the author

LOUISE PENNY is the author of the #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Globe and Mail bestselling series of Chief Inspector Armand Gamache novels, and coauthor with Hillary Rodham Clinton of the #1 New York Times bestselling thriller State of Terror. She has won numerous awards, including a CWA Dagger and the Agatha Award (eight times), and was a finalist for the Edgar Award for Best Novel. In 2017, she received the Order of Canada for her contributions to Canadian culture. Louise lives in a small village south of Montréal.

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