What would Armand Gamache do?

By Ande Jacobson

A Better Man is the fifteenth mystery novel in Louise Penny’s Gamache series. This time Armand Gamache is back at the Sûreté du Québec in his old job as the Chief Inspector of the Homicide division, a job he temporarily shares with his former second-in-command (and son-in-law) Jean-Guy Beauvoir. He’s made a lot of enemies both in the Sûreté leadership and in the government, although he also has a few well-placed friends. He’s being attacked by the press, by social media, and while it would be far easier for him to just retire after all of the turmoil he’s endured, his sense of duty and honor will not let him do that. To make matters worse, the province is facing a spring catastrophe that brings with it both bad press and life-threatening danger. In all of this, Armand is pulled into a search that quickly becomes a murder investigation that tugs at him personally. It’s not that he’s well-acquainted with the victim, but he is emotionally torn by those surrounding her including her distraught father, an abusive husband, and circumstances that are murky at best.

His friend and neighbor, Clara Morrow faces a challenge and existential crisis of her own. She’s tormented by the art world as always, this time in a way that makes her question her self-worth as an artist. She eventually faces an art critic she’s long admired, and in so doing comes to some transformative realizations.

The crisis facing the province though is immediate – a spring storm causing a hundred-year type flood that brings to light dysfunction that should never have been. It, combined with an associated murder makes Gamache examine his deepest fears and his motivations for bearing the brunt of unfair and unwarranted attacks to persist in the job he is born to do.

Armand also goes against his superiors at the Sûreté in dealing with the flood, saving Three Pines and many other communities in the process. He’s dumbfounded by their apparent inaction and hesitance to do what’s necessary for the common good.

In the investigation, this being Jean-Guy’s last case before heading off to the private sector, and Armand back, both are technically heading the department. Armand, ever the mentor though, cedes to Jean-Guy’s authority as he’s been the head of the department through the time Armand had headed the Sûreté as a whole before being removed and skewered by the public and the politicos. Jean-Guy, while not completely comfortable with this bit of role reversal, steps up and tries to focus on the job at hand.

This book forms a crucial point in the ongoing story and relationship between Armand and Jean-Guy. Armand’s wife, Reine-Marie, is certain that the two of them have been linked through the ages, not just in this lifetime. They are too close to have forged their bond in a single lifetime. While they don’t always agree, they have the greatest respect for one another and recognize each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Their closeness comes at a cost though, Armand’s relationship with his son, Daniel.

The murder case has its share of twists and turns, and various suspects come into play as the story progresses. The ultimate solution isn’t expected, but it is foreshadowed and when finally revealed is equally satisfying and disturbing. The case itself isn’t the main focus though. The relationships are, and not just those involved in the crime itself. The familial and fraternal relationships across the community are tested, and are often stronger because of that. As Jean-Guy wraps up his final case with the unit, he and Annie prepare for a new adventure as their next chapter will unfold in Paris taking them, and more importantly, their children away from their frequent interactions with Armand and Reine-Marie who are both happy for Jean-Guy and Annie, and will miss them all terribly.

Why Jean-Guy’s new job will take him and his family to Paris won’t become clear until the next book, but Armand’s godfather, Stephen Horowitz, is instrumental in getting Jean-Guy the position. The why will slowly unfold later though, once he’s in Paris, and of course with it will come another story of corruption, danger, espionage, and more puzzles.

By story-end, Armand and Jean-Guy prepare for an unexpected future, one where they will no longer be working side by side, but they will still remain close. They cannot do otherwise. Before he leaves, Jean-Guy slips Armand a recommendation on who he should consider for his new second-in-command. That brings a smile to Armand’s face after one of the most trying periods of his life. His experiences shape him, but amongst all of the turmoil, his true friends and family show great strength of character and action. Together they help make him a better man. He knows on whom he can count. He knows he is not alone. And he knows what he must do.