The Black Wolf

Louise Penny

Hardcover

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The 20th mystery in the #1 New York Times-bestselling Armand Gamache series.

Somewhere out there, in the darkness, a black wolf is feeding.

Several weeks ago, Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec and his team uncovered and stopped a domestic terrorist attack in Montréal, arresting the person behind it. A man they called the Black Wolf.

But their relief is short-lived. In a sickening turn of events, Gamache has realized that plot, as horrific as it was, was just the beginning. Perhaps even a deliberate misdirection. One he fell into. Something deeper and darker, more damaging, is planned. Did he in fact arrest the Black Wolf, or are they still out there? Armand is appalled to think his mistake has allowed their conspiracy to grow, to gather supporters. To spread lies, manufacture enemies, and feed hatred and division.

Still recovering from wounds received in stopping the first attack, Armand is confined to the village of Three Pines, leading a covert investigation from there. He must be careful not to let the Black Wolf know he has recognized his mistake. In a quiet church basement, he and his senior agents Beauvoir and Lacoste, pore over what little evidence they have. Two notebooks. A few mysterious numbers on a tattered map of Québec. And a phrase repeated by the person they had called the Grey Wolf. A warning...

In a dry and parched land where there is no water.

Gamache and his small team of supporters realize that for the Black Wolf to have gotten this far, they must have powerful allies, in law enforcement, in industry, in organized crime, in the halls of government.

From the apparent peace of his little village, Gamache finds himself playing a lethal game of cat and mouse with an invisible foe who is gathering forces and preparing to strike.

Book Details

Publisher: Minotaur Books
Publish Date: Oct 28th, 2025
Pages: 384
Language: English
Edition: undefined - undefined
Dimensions: 9.37in - 6.22in - 1.50in - 1.23lb
EAN: 9781250328175
Categories: • Mystery & Detective - Traditional

About the Author

Penny, Louise: - Louise Penny is the multi-award winning author of the Chief Inspector Gamache novels, set in her home province of Québec, Canada. Her books, including State of Terror written with Hillary Rodham Clinton, have sold more than 18 million copies worldwide, topped international bestseller lists, including the New York Times, and been translated into 32 languages. The recipient of both the Order of Canada and l'Ordre national du Québec, her country's highest civilian honours, her Three Pines Foundation reaches out to those in crisis and offers financial and emotional support, with a special focus on literacy as well as dementia care. Her husband, Michael, died of dementia in 2016. She lives with her Golden Retrievers Muggins and Charlie in a village south of Montréal.

Praise for this book

"Ms. Penny has no peer in her ability to situate the lives of sympathetic characters within such elaborate and thrilling storylines. Even if The Black Wolf were not so intelligent and exciting in its construction, it would be hard not to root for a hero who still believes: 'There's more goodness than cruelty in this world.'"--Wall Street Journal

"Penny brings her customary thoughtfulness, storytelling gifts, literary allusions, and humanity to a warning wrapped in a thriller that should resonate on both sides of the border."--Airmail

"How does she do it? Twenty books into her Inspector Gamache series, Penny rolls out a sequel to her bestselling Grey Wolf that's as up to date as today's headlines. In a world where black is white and truth is mutable, you can fool anyone, even the brilliant detective of Three Pines. While it's not essential to read The Grey Wolf before this book, I recommend it...This is a riveting book by one of Canada's best."--The Globe and Mail

"An intriguing tale of misdirection... thought-provoking and entertaining..."--BookTrib

"Penny's talent for nail-biting suspense and quiet character moments fuse with surprisingly topical subject matter to deliver an unputdownable installment of an ever reliable series. Readers will cheer."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Penny is one hell of a writer: her Gamache novels, and the political thriller she co-wrote with Hillary Clinton (State of Terror, 2021), are tightly plotted and beautifully written. This one's a bit different, though; while normally a gentle, thoughtful man, Gamache appears to be under more internal pressure here than we've seen before, as though he's demanding something of himself that he might not be able to deliver: absolution for letting the Black Wolf get away. An absolute must-read." --Booklist

"Uncannily prophetic..."--Kirkus Reviews

"Trust Penny to offer another smart, well-plotted, suspenseful tale."--AARP.com

"A compelling whodunit that is virtually impossible to put down. Penny is simply the best of the best. Don't miss this one, but PS: Definitely read The Grey Wolf first. The Black Wolf is certainly readable as a standalone novel, but your enjoyment (and horror) will be much deeper having availed yourself of the earlier book."--BookPage (starred)

"A brisk and engaging read... Thankfully, Penny does not neglect Three Pines here... all Three Pines regulars make appearances. Delicious food is eaten at the Bistro. Armand hitches a ride with Ruth and her duck Rosa. Clara gets a solo art show. Three Pines proves even more welcoming than usual, giving texture and warmth to a plot that is otherwise as chilling as 2025 has been so far."--St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"The writing is exquisite --- the staccato alternating action, violence, humor, evil, and then, finally, the peacefulness of the town of Three Pines, which all fans of this series long to visit or even move to."--Bookreporter

"The twists and turns just kept coming... if you're into well-written thrillers with a literary twist--and especially if you've enjoyed Penny's books before--this one's well worth picking up."--Woman's World

"As always, Louise Penny's proof that the 'I couldn't put it down' encomium isn't hype."--Lavender Magazine

"There are many twists and turns..."--Denver Post