# Louise Penny

> A former CBC radio journalist who left broadcasting in 1996 to write, she set her Chief Inspector Gamache mysteries in Three Pines, a village in Quebec's Eastern Townships that exists only on the page.

- Novelist · Chief Inspector Armand Gamache · Three Pines
- Known for: The Chief Inspector Armand Gamache mysteries, set in the fictional Quebec village of Three Pines; the twenty-first novel, *Miss Wolcott's Ghost*, was published in 2026.[1] Her books have been translated into 35 languages and have sold more than 19 million copies.[4]
- Born: July 1, 1958
- Last updated: 2026-11-14
- Editorial review: approved 2026-11-15
- Web page: https://authorbackstories.com/authors/louise-penny/
- Reading list (PDF): https://authorbackstories.com/authors/louise-penny/reading-list.pdf

## Featured book: Newest book

*Miss Wolcott's Ghost* (2026). The twenty-first Gamache novel, published by Minotaur Books in October 2026.[10][11] A body found in a forgotten forest cemetery leads Gamache to a grave dated May 29, 1914, the night the Empress of Ireland sank.[10]

## At a glance

- Born: July 1, 1958, in Toronto, Ontario[5][4]
- Education: Radio and television arts, Ryerson Polytechnic Institute, 1979[4]
- Before writing: Eighteen years as a CBC radio host and journalist, until 1996[5][4]
- Best known for: Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, 21 novels and a novella since 2005[2]
- Honours: Member of the Order of Canada (2013); Officer of the Ordre national du Québec (2017); honorary doctorate, Carleton University (2017)[4]
- Major award: Agatha Award for Best Contemporary Novel, 2020, for *All the Devils Are Here*[6]

## Louise Penny's Backstory

### Early life

Louise Penny was born on July 1, 1958, in Toronto.[5] She grew up there but also lived in Montreal between the ages of eight and thirteen.[4] She studied radio and television arts at Ryerson Polytechnic Institute, now Toronto Metropolitan University, and graduated in 1979.[4]

### Eighteen years at the CBC

Penny then spent eighteen years with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation as a radio host and current affairs journalist, with postings that included Thunder Bay, Winnipeg, Quebec City and Montreal.[4] She has said she struggled with alcohol for much of that career; Wikipedia reports that she acknowledged the problem at 35 and has been sober since.[5][4]

She met Michael Whitehead, a pediatric hematologist at the Montreal Children's Hospital, on a blind date; they began dating in 1994 and married two years later.[4] With his encouragement she left journalism in 1996 to write fiction.[4]

### From a historical novel to a mystery

According to Wikipedia, Penny began a historical novel, found it hard to finish, and turned to crime fiction instead.[5] The result, *Still Life*, was runner-up among 800 entries in the Crime Writers' Association's competition for unpublished first novels and was published in 2005.[4][5] It introduced Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec and the village of Three Pines, which Penny says is fictional but inspired by communities in Quebec's Eastern Townships such as Knowlton, Sutton, North Hatley and Georgeville.[3]

### The Gamache novels

The series grew to twenty-one novels and a short novella, *The Hangman*, written for adult literacy readers.[2][13] Wikipedia lists a run of crime-fiction prizes for the books, among them five awards for *Bury Your Dead*.[5] *All the Devils Are Here* won the 2020 Agatha Award for Best Contemporary Novel, given by the Malice Domestic convention.[6] Penny says the books can each be read alone, but recommends reading them in order because the characters develop across the series.[3]

Michael Whitehead was diagnosed with dementia in 2013, and Penny became his primary caregiver; he died on September 18, 2016.[5]

### Thrillers and recent work

In 2021 she published *State of Terror*, a political thriller written with Hillary Rodham Clinton, a friend and longtime reader of the Gamache books.[6][4] A second co-written thriller, *The Last Mandarin*, with the journalist and filmmaker Mellissa Fung, followed in May 2026.[9] *Miss Wolcott's Ghost*, the twenty-first Gamache novel, was published in October 2026.[10]

She was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 2013 and an Officer of the Ordre national du Québec in 2017, the year Carleton University gave her an honorary doctorate.[4] Her books have been translated into 35 languages and have sold more than 19 million copies.[4]

## Fun facts

- Out of 800 entries, *Still Life* was runner-up in the Crime Writers' Association's competition for unpublished first novels.[4][5]
- At the CBC she sometimes filled in for Peter Gzowski as host of *Morningside*.[4]
- Three Pines is fictional; Penny says it exists only on the page and in readers' imaginations, but it draws on Eastern Townships villages such as Knowlton, Sutton, North Hatley and Georgeville.[3]
- Gamache's mentor taught him four sentences that lead to wisdom: "I was wrong," "I'm sorry," "I don't know" and "I need help."[3]
- Penny deliberately never says whether the child Bean in *A Rule Against Murder* is a boy or a girl; she says the question that matters is whether Bean is happy.[3]
- Some Gamache novels have different titles in different countries; Penny says the publishers chose what they felt would work best for their own readers, and that it "wasn't done for extra money, or to annoy."[3]
- A Café Three Pines has opened in Knowlton, Quebec, beneath Brome Lake Books.[1]
- Hillary Rodham Clinton, her co-author on *State of Terror*, is a friend and a longtime reader of the Gamache books.[6]

## Books

In order of first publication; each series is kept together in reading order.

Titles and series order from Louise Penny's official book list, with first publication years from Wikipedia, a library catalog record for *The Hangman*, and publisher dates for the newest books.[2][5][13][8][10][9]

- **Chief Inspector Armand Gamache** (series, 22 books, 2005–2026). Penny says each book stands alone but recommends reading them in order; her official list puts the novella *The Hangman* between *Bury Your Dead* and *A Trick of the Light*.[3][2]
  - 2005: Book 1, *Still Life* (Novel). Her first novel.[4] ISBN 9780312541538. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9780312541538) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9780312541538)
  - 2007: Book 2, *A Fatal Grace* (Novel). Published in the UK as *Dead Cold*.[2] [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=A%20Fatal%20Grace%20Louise%20Penny)
  - 2008: Book 3, *The Cruelest Month* (Novel). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Cruelest%20Month%20Louise%20Penny)
  - 2009: Book 4, *A Rule Against Murder* (Novel). Published in the UK as *The Murder Stone*.[2] [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=A%20Rule%20Against%20Murder%20Louise%20Penny)
  - 2009: Book 5, *The Brutal Telling* (Novel). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Brutal%20Telling%20Louise%20Penny)
  - 2010: Book 6, *Bury Your Dead* (Novel). Won the Agatha, Anthony, Macavity, Arthur Ellis and Nero awards, according to Wikipedia.[5] [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=Bury%20Your%20Dead%20Louise%20Penny)
  - 2010: Book 6.5, *The Hangman* (Novella). A short Gamache story written for adult literacy readers.[13] [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Hangman%20Louise%20Penny)
  - 2011: Book 7, *A Trick of the Light* (Novel). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=A%20Trick%20of%20the%20Light%20Louise%20Penny)
  - 2012: Book 8, *The Beautiful Mystery* (Novel). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Beautiful%20Mystery%20Louise%20Penny)
  - 2013: Book 9, *How the Light Gets In* (Novel). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=How%20the%20Light%20Gets%20In%20Louise%20Penny)
  - 2014: Book 10, *The Long Way Home* (Novel). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Long%20Way%20Home%20Louise%20Penny)
  - 2015: Book 11, *The Nature of the Beast* (Novel). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Nature%20of%20the%20Beast%20Louise%20Penny)
  - 2016: Book 12, *A Great Reckoning* (Novel). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=A%20Great%20Reckoning%20Louise%20Penny)
  - 2017: Book 13, *Glass Houses* (Novel). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=Glass%20Houses%20Louise%20Penny)
  - 2018: Book 14, *Kingdom of the Blind* (Novel). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=Kingdom%20of%20the%20Blind%20Louise%20Penny)
  - 2019: Book 15, *A Better Man* (Novel). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=A%20Better%20Man%20Louise%20Penny)
  - 2020: Book 16, *All the Devils Are Here* (Novel). Won the Agatha Award for Best Contemporary Novel.[6] [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=All%20the%20Devils%20Are%20Here%20Louise%20Penny)
  - 2021: Book 17, *The Madness of Crowds* (Novel). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Madness%20of%20Crowds%20Louise%20Penny)
  - 2022: Book 18, *A World of Curiosities* (Novel). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=A%20World%20of%20Curiosities%20Louise%20Penny)
  - 2024: Book 19, *The Grey Wolf* (Novel). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Grey%20Wolf%20Louise%20Penny)
  - 2025: Book 20, *The Black Wolf* (Novel). ISBN 9781250328175. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9781250328175) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9781250328175)
  - 2026: Book 21, *Miss Wolcott's Ghost* (Novel). ISBN 9781250412607. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9781250412607) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9781250412607)
- 2021: *State of Terror* (Novel, with Hillary Rodham Clinton). A political thriller.[4] [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=State%20of%20Terror%20Louise%20Penny)
- 2026: *The Last Mandarin* (Novel, with Mellissa Fung). A political thriller about a mother and daughter caught up in a crisis between the US and China.[9] ISBN 9781250412522. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9781250412522) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9781250412522)

## Latest news

- October 2026: Minotaur published *Miss Wolcott's Ghost*, the twenty-first Gamache novel, which her official site calls a good starting or returning point for readers.[10][2]
- May 12, 2026: *The Last Mandarin*, a political thriller she co-wrote with the journalist and filmmaker Mellissa Fung, was published by Minotaur Books.[9]
- Oct. 28, 2025: Minotaur published *The Black Wolf*, the twentieth Gamache novel, in which Gamache, having stopped a plot to poison Canada's water supply, uncovers a wider conspiracy.[8]

## Adaptations and other media

### Television

- *Still Life: A Three Pines Mystery* (2013). Based on *Still Life*. A television film with Nathaniel Parker as Gamache, made after Penny agreed to sell the rights to her first two novels; it aired on CBC Television in 2013.[5]
- *Three Pines* (2022). An eight-episode Prime Video drama from Left Bank Pictures, starring Alfred Molina as Gamache, which premiered on December 2, 2022.[7] Wikipedia reports that it was cancelled after one season.[5]

## Timeline

- July 1, 1958: Born in Toronto, Ontario.[5]
- 1979: Graduates from Ryerson Polytechnic Institute in radio and television arts and joins the CBC.[4][5]
- 1996: Leaves the CBC to write fiction, and marries Michael Whitehead.[4]
- 2005: Publishes *Still Life*, the first Gamache novel.[4]
- 2013: Named a Member of the Order of Canada; the CBC airs the television film *Still Life: A Three Pines Mystery*.[4][5]
- Sept. 18, 2016: Her husband, Michael Whitehead, dies.[5]
- 2021: Publishes *State of Terror*, a thriller co-written with Hillary Rodham Clinton.[4]
- Dec. 2, 2022: *Three Pines*, an eight-episode Prime Video series with Alfred Molina as Gamache, premieres.[7]
- October 2026: Publishes *Miss Wolcott's Ghost*, the twenty-first Gamache novel.[10]

## What's next

Her official site lists a 2026 events schedule, and guided Three Pines Tours of Knowlton, Quebec, run from May through October.[1]

## Sources

1. [Louise Penny (official site)](https://louisepenny.com/). Louise Penny. (primary record)
2. [Books](https://louisepenny.com/books.htm). Louise Penny (official site). (primary record)
3. [Frequently Asked Questions](https://louisepenny.com/faqs/). Louise Penny (official site). (primary record)
4. [Louise Penny](https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/louise-penny). The Canadian Encyclopedia. (reference)
5. [Louise Penny](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louise_Penny). Wikipedia. (reference)
6. [Louise Penny wins Agatha Award for best contemporary mystery novel for All the Devils Are Here](https://amp.cbc.ca/books/louise-penny-wins-agatha-award-for-best-contemporary-mystery-novel-for-all-the-devils-are-here-1.6111435). CBC Books. (news)
7. [Prime Video reveals trailer and launch date for Three Pines](https://newswire.ca/news-releases/a-tiny-village-with-big-mysteries-prime-video-reveals-trailer-and-launch-date-for-three-pines-the-new-series-based-on-louise-penny-s-international-best-selling-chief-inspector-gamache-series-838811419.html). Prime Video, via Cision Newswire. (primary record)
8. [The Black Wolf](https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/louise-penny/the-black-wolf/). Kirkus Reviews. (news)
9. [The Last Mandarin by Louise Penny and Mellissa Fung](https://booktrib.com/2026/05/20/the-last-mandarin-louise-penny-mellissa-fung/). BookTrib. (news)
10. [Miss Wolcott's Ghost](https://www.bookishelf.com/?p=31126). The Bookish Elf. (website)
11. [Miss Wolcott's Ghost: A Novel (Chief Inspector Gamache Novel, 21)](https://books.org/books/miss-wolcotts-ghost-a-novel-chief-inspector-gamache-novel-21/louise-penny/9781250412607/). Books.org. (website)
12. [Still Life: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel](https://www.porchlightbooks.com/products/still-life-louise-penny-9780312541538). Porchlight Books. (website)
13. [The Hangman (catalog record)](https://montrose.marmot.org/Record/.b59354951). Marmot Library Network. (reference)