Book cover of How the Light Gets In

Book description

How the Light Gets In is the ninth Chief Inspector Gamache Novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Louise Penny.

"There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." —Leonard Cohen

Christmas is approaching, and in Québec it's a time of dazzling snowfalls, bright lights, and…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

3 authors picked How the Light Gets In as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Louise Penny has hooked me again with another great installment in the Inspector Gamache series. I was so excited when I opened the book and found I would be returning to Three Pines for a new murder and an old story line Penny has been dangling in front of me since book one.

Both are resolved in this book (I think, but you never know) and the end is more than satisfying. There's still a lot of unfinished business in that little town and this incredible cast of characters just keeps me coming back for more. Moreover, (I remind my…

From Cyndi's list on mystery books with a SMACK.

I can’t possibly have a best-of list that doesn’t include Louise Penny. Her Inspector Gamache series exudes such a joyous, hopeful, cozy warmth—even when they’re about premeditated murder.

How the Light Gets In is one of my very favorites because it at first seems like such a quiet, wintry book where subtle hints wink like sunlight on sparkling snow. But there’s something so much more ominous lurking beneath the surface and it leads to a truly shocking climax.

As with all of Penny’s books, this one brims with heart and makes me wish I could travel to the cozy town…

Louise Penny’s entire Inspector Armand Gamache series is a treat. I’ve yet to read an entry that hasn’t touched me. Once you visit the fictional hamlet of Three Pines, you won’t want to leave. But this ninth book in particular highlights the way Penny’s broken characters strive to let the light in. In this book, the ever-insightful Chief Inspector Gamache maintains his integrity, kindness, and conviction while investigating a baffling murder and dealing with personal and professional betrayals that seem to grow ever larger. His unflagging courage is an inspiration.

If you love How the Light Gets In...

Book cover of Sins in Black

Sins in Black by Dita Dow,

Sins in Black takes readers deep into Sinister Falls, a town built on secrets and silence.

When a young woman’s murder shakes the community, Detective Harlie Whitlock is forced to confront not only corruption and danger, but her own past.

What sets this mystery apart is its fast-paced storytelling combined…

Want books like How the Light Gets In?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like How the Light Gets In.

Browse books like How the Light Gets In

Book cover of The Last Thing He Told Me
Book cover of Faithful Place
Book cover of The Maid

Share your top 3 reads of 2025!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,298

readers submitted
so far, will you?

📚 If you like How the Light Gets In, you might also like...

Book cover of Barracuda Bay

Barracuda Bay by Carmen Amato,

With plot elements inspired by presidential elections in both the US and Mexico, Barracuda Bay follows Acapulco’s first female police detective, Emilia Cruz, as she investigates the murder of the mayor’s sister—only to become a fugitive hunted by killers disguised as cops in Washington, DC. The stakes couldn’t be higher…

Book cover of Danger Lies Within

Danger Lies Within by K.M. Krenik,

Readers describe Krenik's writing style as “fast-paced, engaging, making complex plotlines easy to follow.”

Set in a dystopian world where dragons exist, this series offers readers layers of mysteries to unfold. Romance flares between a viscount and the nanny of his five-year-old twins. But not everyone is as they seem,…

5 book lists we think you will like!