when a mysterious figure appears in three pines one cold november day armand gamache and the rest of the villagers are at first curious then wary through rain and sleet the figure stands unmoving staring aheadfrom the moment the creatures shadow falls over the village gamache now chief superintendent of the sret du quebec suspects it has deep roots and a dark purpose yet he does nothing what can he do only watch and wait and hope his mounting fears are not realizedbut when the figure vanishes overnight and a body is discovered it falls to gamache to discover if a debt has been paid or leviedmonths later on a steamy july day as the trial for the accused begins in montral chief superintendent gamache continues to struggle with actions he set in motion that bitter november from which there is no going back more than the accused is on trial gamaches own conscience is standing in judgmentin her latest utterly gripping book numberone new york times bestselling author louise penny shatters the conventions of the crime novel to explore what gandhi called the court of conscience a court that supersedes all others