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The Black Wolf

A Novel

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The Black Wolf

Written by: Louise Penny
Narrated by: Jean Brassard
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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.

"This Three Pines audiobook is narrated by Jean Brassard, whose exquisite Québécois accent nails the characters in Penny's Chief Inspector Gamache series...this is an impressive--and, happily, not final--addition to Penny's long-running Three Pines series." —Kirkus

"Series narrator [Jean] Brassard ably captures the tension and twists of the plot, and his rich, authentic Quebecois accent brings the characters and the Three Pines setting to life." — Library Journal

A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books

Best of 2025 International Mystery & Crime Mystery Police Procedurals Spies & Politics Terrorism Thriller & Suspense Traditional Detectives Women's Voices Wolf
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What the critics say

“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 novels... are tightly plotted and beautifully written. An absolute must read."—Booklist

"Uncannily prophetic..."—Kirkus Reviews

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If I had realized how disturbing this book would be, I would have skipped it. Good writing makes it even more disturbing.

should have skipped this one

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An excellent story which would make a great movie! The conspiracy aspects are very frustrating and frightening. Our climate crisis continues to be pretty grim. Miss Penny, you sure know how to weave a great story… thank you!

A compelling read

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I have loved all the characters of Three Pines and I couldn’t wait for The Black Wolf. Terrifyingly good. What’s next?

Realistic storylines

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Love this whole series except the one before this one - happy to be back to 'normal' (incredible!) Louise Penny. So many twists & turns and I felt like it had more f-bombs than usual but overall very good!

Much better than Grey Wolf

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The plot thickens! Louise Penny builds the story and takes us deeper into the political web. Very well read, Jean Brassard does a wonderful job of capturing the characters voices, and the world of small town, Quebec, as well as political Ottawa!

Intriguing story, fantastic performance!

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