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Cover of A Trick of the Light by Louise PennyA Trick of the Light
Modern · Fiction, Mystery, Crime

A Trick of the Light

by Louise Penny
2011 · 333 pages · Fiction
77.3Must-Read
Score Modern
Critics' pick
≈ 8 hours to read · about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Investigating a murder at a solo artist's home in their Quebec village, Chief Inspector Gamache and his team find that the art world distorts every clue, in a story of duality and broken hearts.

Why it's worth reading

It won the Anthony Award. It's one of the most layered Gamache mysteries.

You'll love it if you liked

Cover of Bury Your Dead by Louise PennyBury Your Dead
Bury Your DeadLouise Penny
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The Brutal TellingLouise Penny
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How the Light Gets InLouise Penny

Good to know

It's the seventh Gamache book; the series is best in order.

By the numbers

77.3Must-Read Score
  • Readers85 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics43 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Bestseller29 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Buzz1 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Won
Anthony Award winner (2012)

Reads as

Gripping

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

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Quick answers

Is A Trick of the Light worth reading?

Yes. It won the Anthony Award. It ranks #623 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 77.3 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is A Trick of the Light about?

Investigating a murder at a solo artist's home in their Quebec village, Chief Inspector Gamache and his team find that the art world distorts every clue, in a story of duality and broken hearts.

How long does it take to read A Trick of the Light?

About 8 hours (333 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What awards has A Trick of the Light won?

Anthony Award winner (2012).

What should I read after A Trick of the Light?

If you liked it, try Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny, The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny or How the Light Gets In by Louise Penny.