Listen free for 30 days

  • A Rule Against Murder

  • Chief Inspector Gamache, Book 4
  • Written by: Louise Penny
  • Narrated by: Adam Sims
  • Length: 12 hrs and 36 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (169 ratings)

1 credit a month, good for any title to download and keep.
The Plus Catalogue—listen all you want to thousands of Audible Originals, podcasts, and audiobooks.
$14.95 a month plus applicable taxes after 30 day trial. Cancel anytime.
A Rule Against Murder cover art

A Rule Against Murder

Written by: Louise Penny
Narrated by: Adam Sims
Try for $0.00

$14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $30.06

Buy Now for $30.06

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Tax where applicable.

Publisher's Summary

It's the height of summer, and the wealthy Finney family have gathered at the Manoir Bellechasse to pay tribute to their late father. But as the temperature rises, old secrets and bitter rivalries begin to surface. When the heat wave boils over into a mighty storm, a dead body is left in its wake. Chief Inspector Gamache, a guest at the Bellechasse, finds himself with a building full of suspects. With the hotel locked down, the murderer is trapped. But a cornered predator is always the most dangerous of all....

Coming soon: Book 5 in the Chief Inspector Gamache series, The Brutal Telling. When Chief Inspector Gamache arrives in picturesque Three Pines, he steps into a village in chaos. A man has been found bludgeoned to death, and there is no sign of a weapon, a motive, or even the dead man's name. As Gamache and his colleagues start to dig under the skin of this peaceful haven for clues, they uncover a trail of stolen treasure, mysterious codes, and a shameful history that begins to shed light on the victim's identity - and points to a terrifying killer....

©2008 Louise Penny (P)2009 Hachette Audio

What listeners say about A Rule Against Murder

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    120
  • 4 Stars
    41
  • 3 Stars
    6
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    108
  • 4 Stars
    24
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    2
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    96
  • 4 Stars
    34
  • 3 Stars
    8
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great series

The Gamache series is something like a bag of chips....you cannot have just one. The characters are totally engaging and the plot development always keeps me wanting to know more. Long live Gamache.

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great series

I love each book more then the one before, the characters become like old friends.

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

35th Anniversary

Another wonderful book by Louise Penny! Taking a break with his wife, to celebrate their 35th anniversary, Gamache can’t get away from murder. Adam Sims is wonderful and brings life to characters voices.
I highly recommend this book. Folks who enjoy “Who done-it” novels will love this story and the twists it presents. Go ahead, read it!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Canadiana

Louise Penny expresses my real feeling of being Canadian. Some cultural confusion; a love of nature; an appreciation of good food and a well written book in front of the fire. Love her books! Will read them all! dome probably twice.

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Different Gamache accent?!

Even though the narrator is the same as all the previous Gamache books, the accent of Gamache has changed from British to Québécois! Why?! I hate it and it’s so distracting.

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Terrible Narrator

Inappropriate and annoying narrator. I am trying to return it but can’t find the return button. I have listened to many of the Imspector Gamache audio books. The other narrators completely embody the character of inspector Gamache. This narrator has too young a voice and is very glib in his presentation. It completely destroys the listening experience. Please can you help me return it.

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great author!

Love the story lines that Louise Penny comes up with. this narrator also does a wonderful job with her text. Looking forward to the next book in the series!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A rule to be followed...

Another good read. Many lessons to be learned. Many stories to be told. Many truths to be revealed.

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Slow start. Ends well

I love this series. The first 1 hour is slow and dull, I was missing Three Pines. But it picks up. As always, all the characters are beautifully written. There is true compassion in Louise Penny’s writing. The climax, although predictable, is very well written.

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • m
  • 2018-05-22

WOW

This is outstanding...you have to listen to this! I didn't want it to end. Just incredible.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Lolly
  • Lolly
  • 2015-01-23

The Wrong Voice

Any additional comments?

I found the first 3 books in this series quite charming.This 4th book was only available with Adam Sims as narrator and, although I knew the switch wouldn't be seamless, I was surprised at how much less I enjoyed the story with him narrating. Listening to Ralph Cosham, each character had a distinct 'voice', but I was still able to get lost in the story and sort of forget Cosham was there. However, Sims' conspicuous acting of every character made it hard for me to hear the story. I really had to force myself to focus in order to take in what was happening. I don't want to miss events in Gamache's life or in Three Pines, but I'll be skipping books 5 & 6 since only Sims' versions are available.

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Beth Barnard
  • Beth Barnard
  • 2019-02-08

Good book

My only criticism was that the narrator no longer has a British accent which I prefer
I also know that a new narrator with a Brit accent appears later in the series

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for DIANE
  • DIANE
  • 2014-11-04

Weakest of all Inspector Gamache books so far

I found this a hard book to get into, which is unusual for Louise Penny's books. I have loved all the other Inspector Gamache books and will continue on, listening to the others, looking forward to The Long Way Home.

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Jessica
  • Jessica
  • 2014-07-25

Good story, but...

Where does The Murder Stone rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

In the top 25%.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Good ending. Nice denouement.

What does Adam Sims bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

This is where the "but" comes in. His portrayal of all the new characters was great, as was his portrayal of Gamache and his wife and Gamache's subordinates. But, I did not like his characterization of Clara. I thought it was too harsh. I listened to this book after I'd listened to all the others in this series so I know where Clara and Peter's relationship is going. Clara is softer than Adam Sims portrayed her. I like Clara and I didn't like her much in this book and I think it is because of Mr. Sims' interpretation of her.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Both.

Any additional comments?

There was a lot about Clara and Peter in the first half of the book and then it was as if Ms. Penny forgot Clara was in the book. Clara's reactions to events in the first part of the book were so strong that I wanted some resolution for them. I didn't get that. In many other ways the book was very satisfying. The other scene I wish I had been in on was Gamache's last talk with his son. The author just told us it had taken place, instead of showing it to us so that we could experience the scene. A missed opportunity, I think.

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Alison
  • Alison
  • 2023-02-18

I love Louise Penny

I thoroughly enjoy Louise penny‘s work. I’m not 100% thrilled with this narrator, but I am very grateful that her audiobooks exist.

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for sandra b
  • sandra b
  • 2015-08-27

Same book: A Rule Against Murder

If you could sum up The Murder Stone in three words, what would they be?

The same book (as A Rule Against Murder)
or
A good read

Any additional comments?

Be aware that this is the same book as the book with the title "A Rule against Murder: A Three Pines Mystery". I made the mistake of buying "A Rule against Murder" and returned it because I already have this one and it is the same story.