Christmas is approaching, but shadows are falling on the festive season for Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté de Québec. His old friend and lieutenant Jean-Guy Beauvoir is not speaking to him, and hostile forces are lining up against him. When Gamache receives a message from Myrna Landers in Three Pines, he welcomes the chance to get away. Myrna's friend has failed to arrive. Gamache discovers the missing woman was once famous and now goes unrecognized. Increasingly, he is not only investigating the disappearance of Myrnas friend but also seeking a safe place for himself and his still-loyal colleagues.