Congratulations to Louise Penny and The Black Wolf, our unanimous winner of The Peter Robinson Award for Best Crime Novel for 2026. The jurors were first-time readers of Louise Penny and were inescapably drawn in from the first line to the last. Never has a location held so much depth and complexity as Three Pines.
Being the twentieth installment of the Inspector Gamache series, Penny’s masterful knack of weaving a story that carries years of knowledge mixed with a hint of a future and a never overdone richness of character is at its finest. Armand Gamache is simply a brilliant character, and this novel captivates with no good place to put it down.
Both series-long and new readers belong here, in this world, that terrifyingly mimics our own. Penny brilliantly threads a complex and interconnected web through police and science agencies, organized crime, government, and even dear friends and foes leaving no one safe…nor innocent. At the heart sits Three Pines, a hopeful refuge from the world-altering revelations Penny crafts to test the very heart and soul of those we love and those we trust most. But, no one will be quite the same after The Black Wolf, Penny insists on it.
When congratulated on her award Louise Penny said “This is such an incredible moment for me. I adored Peter and respected him. As a writer. As a person.”
Peter Robinson 