Excerpt from The Nature of the Beast

I am getting the final formatting done on In the Tick of Time and getting it ready to publish! Watch for the announcement here in the near future.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme. Read the rules at Books and a Beat. Anyone can play along!

I enjoyed reading The Nature of the Beast by Louise Penny, book 11 of the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache Series, a thriller set in the backwoods of Quebec, Canada. The audiobook was apparently read by a different narrator than the first ten books in the series (who passed away) and I found his pronunciation of a number of words to be odd. Perhaps a British actor was not the best choice for a book sprinkled with Quebecois French words and names. And apparently no one involved in the production knew of the proper pronunciation of the Canadian intelligence agency, CSIS, which is not sea-ess-EYE-ess, but SEA-siss.

The book itself, however, is a complex cold war/political thriller, and was thoroughly enjoyable.

Laurent ripped, and ripped, and tore. Until a shaft of sunlight penetrated the overgrowth, the undergrowth, and he saw what was in there. What had been hiding in there longer than Laurent had been alive.

His eyes widened.

“Wow.”

Louise Penny, The Nature of the Beast

Hardly a day goes by when nine year old Laurent Lepage doesn’t cry wolf. From alien invasions, to walking trees, to winged beasts in the woods, to dinosaurs spotted in the village of Three Pines, his tales are so extraordinary no one can possibly believe him. Including Armand and Reine-Marie Gamache, who now live in the little Quebec village.

But when the boy disappears, the villagers are faced with the possibility that one of his tall tales might have been true.

And so begins a frantic search for the boy and the truth. What they uncover deep in the forest sets off a sequence of events that leads to murder, leads to an old crime, leads to an old betrayal. Leads right to the door of an old poet.

And now it is now, writes Ruth Zardo. And the dark thing is here.

A monster once visited Three Pines. And put down deep roots. And now, Ruth knows, it is back.

Armand Gamache, the former head of homicide for the Sûreté du Québec, must face the possibility that, in not believing the boy, he himself played a terrible part in what happens next.

P.D. Workman Authorpreneur

P.D. Workman is a USA Today Bestselling author and multi-award winner, renowned for her prolific output of over 100 published works that span various genres. With a knack for crafting page-turners, Workman captivates readers with everything from cozy mysteries like the Auntie Clem's Bakery series to gripping young adult and suspense novels. Her stories resonate deeply as she masterfully weaves sensitive themes—such as childhood trauma, mental illness, and addiction—into compelling narratives that evoke a powerful emotional response. Readers are drawn to her unique voice and empathetic portrayal of complex issues. With each new release, fans eagerly anticipate another thrilling blend of thought-provoking storytelling and relatable characters that define P.D. Workman’s brand as an author of unforgettable page-turners—gripping tales that leave a lasting impact long after the last page is turned.

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Mystery and suspense fiction Young adult crime thrillers Character-driven storytelling Cozy Mysteries Mental health and trauma in fiction Resilience and personal growth themes Indie publishing Writing craft and novel development Obsidian for writers and authors Forensic and medical thriller research Social issues in contemporary fiction Psychological thrillers Traditional mysteries Police procedural mysteries Characters with disabilities