Penny, Louise (1958-…), is a Canadian author of popular detective novels. Penny’s novels usually feature Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, head of the homicide department of the Surete du Quebec (Quebec police force). Throughout the novels, Gamache is revealed as a compassionate and intelligent man and a shrewd investigator. Penny sets her novels primarily in rural Quebec. Her books have been praised for their insightful character portrayals and their vivid descriptions of the province’s towns and landscapes, especially the fictional village of Three Pines.
Penny introduced Gamache in her first detective novel, Still Life (2005). She won the prestigious Agatha Award for the novels A Fatal Grace (also published as Dead Cold, 2007), The Cruelest Month (2008), The Brutal Telling (2009), Bury Your Dead (2010), The Beautiful Mystery (2012), A Great Reckoning (2016), and Glass Houses (2017).
Penny co-wrote State of Terror: A Novel (2021) with Hillary Rodham Clinton, the former United States senator, secretary of state, and first lady. The book is a thriller featuring terrorist plots and political intrigue.
Penny was born in Toronto on July 1, 1958. In 1979, she received a bachelor’s degree in radio and television from Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University). After graduation, Penny worked 18 years for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) as a journalist and radio host. After leaving the CBC, she turned to writing. In 2013, Penny was appointed as a Member of the Order of Canada “for her contributions to Canadian culture as an author shining a spotlight on the Eastern Townships of Quebec.” Appointment to the order is one of Canada’s highest civilian honors.
