How the Light Gets InHow the Light Gets In
Score Modern
What it's about
As winter closes in, Chief Inspector Armand Gamache returns to the village of Three Pines to investigate a disappearance that leads to murder. Meanwhile, his department has been gutted, his closest colleagues turned against him, and the corruption he has been fighting inside the Sûreté du Québec is about to come to a head.
Why it's worth reading
It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and was an Edgar Award finalist. Many readers consider it the best of Louise Penny's Gamache novels.
You'll love it if you liked
A World of Curiosities
The Thursday Murder Club
The Long GoodbyeGood to know
It's the ninth Gamache novel and resolves storylines from earlier books, so read them first. The series begins with Still Life.
By the numbers
- Readers92 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics21 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller43 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz2 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #36 of the 555 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #244 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #490 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping
More by Louise Penny
A Great Reckoning
All the Devils Are HereA World of Curiosities
A Better ManIf you like this, read next
Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland
Verity
Gone Girl
The Martian
2666
Gideon the NinthExplore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is How the Light Gets In worth reading?
Yes. It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and was an Edgar Award finalist. It ranks #490 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 78.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is How the Light Gets In about?
As winter closes in, Chief Inspector Armand Gamache returns to the village of Three Pines to investigate a disappearance that leads to murder. Meanwhile, his department has been gutted, his closest colleagues turned against him, and the corruption he has been fighting inside the Sûreté du Québec is about to come to a head.
How long does it take to read How the Light Gets In?
About 10 hours (417 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after How the Light Gets In?
If you liked it, try A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny, The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman or The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler.