A great reckoning

Armand Gamache has a new position as head of the Surete Training Academy in Louise Penny's latest novel, A great reckoning. The corruption which infiltrated the Surete has affected the training of new police recruits and not everyone is happy with Armand's appointment to rectify this situation. When one of the staff is murdered Isabelle Lacoste and her team arrive to investigate but to show impartiality a RCMP officer is also appointed to observe the investigation. One of Commander Gamache's first tasks in his new role was to check the application forms for the new intake of students. The choice of Amelia Choquet as a student amazes Gamache's colleagues, especially when she is considered as a prime suspect for the murder. However it soon becomes obvious that some of the investigators also consider Gamache to be the murderer.

Armand and his wife continue to live at Three Pines though he occasionally spends nights in his rooms at the Academy. Back at Three Pines a map of the village and surrounding area has been found hidden in a wall. Gamache takes a copy back to the Academy and when some of the students show an interest he gives them the task of determining the significance of the map and the reason it was hidden.

A reason that I enjoy reading these books by Louise Penny is not only for the resolution of the plot but for the continuing story and development of the main characters at the Surete and at Three Pines.