Glass Houses

 

Glass Houses by Louise Penny, 391 pgs. 

A figure in a black cloak appears in the snowy landscape just outside Three Pines. At first it is startling, perhaps a bit amusing, but after a while it becomes a sort of black hole, replacing the town's good cheer with darkness. When the figure finally disappears, the community is relieved, but that ease does not last long, since, soon after, a body is found, covered in the black cloak. As newly-promoted Chief Superintendent Armand Gamache investigates the murder, he uncovers much more than he could have imagined, and months later, he must face judgement for what he decided to do. 

This one is a bit hard to swallow--not because of the dementor-like figure involved in the murder, as one might think, but actually because of the secondary storyline involving Gamache and his new responsibilities. While readers have definitely learned to trust Gamache by this point in the series, he seems a bit out of his depth this time, and that can be hard to forget. Despite that, the duel timelines of this book make for some very shocking reveals, and the final fifty-or-so pages will have you on the edge of your seat.