A World of Curiosities is the 18th book in Louise Penny’s highly popular Inspector Gamache mystery series. This time, the good inspector is faced with a terrifying specter from his past – a twisted serial killer Gamache helped imprison. There are many adrenaline-fueling moments and clever puzzles to solve as the inspector tries to keep himself, his family, and the residents of Three Pines safe from a sadistic madman.

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A World of Curiosities switches between the past and the present. In the scenes from the past, we learn about the case that brought Gamache and his second in command, Jean-Guy Beauvoir, together for the first time. The murder victim was a woman who sex trafficked her two young children, Fiona and Sam. The kids are obviously damaged, but Gamache takes Fiona under his wing, while giving Sam a wide berth. Gamache suspects there’s something very permanently wrong with the boy – he registered very high on the inspector’s psycho-meter.

In the present-day scenes of A World of Curiosities, Fiona and Sam are back in town, which sets Gamache on edge. He still thinks there is something very wrong with Sam, though no one else sees it, including Jean-Guy Beauvoir, who befriended the boy many years ago.

At the same time the inspector is worried about Sam’s intentions, a 150-year-old letter shows up out of the blue. It was written by a stone mason who described work he did to create a secret room in a still existing building. Who can resist a mysterious, hidden room, right? Some of the villagers decide to open it.

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They are surprised to find the room full of modern curiosities, including an elaborate reproduction of a famous painting. Upon closer inspection, Gamache and his fellow Three Pines residents find the artist has added his own puzzling touches to the painting, including clues that prompt Inspector Gamache to visit a serial killer in prison.

I can’t say anything more about the plot without giving too much away, so instead, I’ll talk about what I liked about the book.

I was in the mood for a good mystery, and I found it in A World of Curiosities. I love the idea of a hidden room full of mysterious items, and including a painting full of puzzles and clues was a very satisfying way to move the story along.

There is plenty of suspense, including a hair-raising showdown at the end and a victory for some underdogs. Additionally, the author keeps you guessing about some of the characters – are they good or bad? Who really killed the children’s horrible mom? Was the serial killer already living in Three Pines?

And since this is an audio version of A World of Curiosities, I need to comment on the narration. Robert Bathurst’s voice is glorious – deep and rich with a touch of an accent. He’s the perfect voice of Inspector Gamache – calm, wise, and patient, but urgent at the appropriate times. And he did a nice job building tension.

Overall, I give A World of Curiosities a thumbs up. It should appeal to mystery lovers and anyone who appreciates a well-written story set in a small town with interesting, established characters. And don’t worry – you don’t need to have read the other books in the series to enjoy this novel. Louise Penny provides enough history and context to bring you up to speed.

Thanks, Martha, for reminding me about what a great book series this is. I’ve now read the first and 18th books. Maybe I’ll start reading the ones in between.

To learn more about the first book in the Inspector Gamache mystery series, read my review of Still Life.

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