Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is the protagonist of The Brutal Telling. He is an experienced and well-respected homicide detective with his own team in the Sûreté, the provincial police service of Canada. Gamache is a wise, patient, and kind man whose experiences with homicide cases have not made him bitter. He instead finds inspiration in the people he surrounds himself with, taking a humanistic approach to his job. He believes most people are capable of murder, and that a good detective should not project their own beliefs onto others. Gamache respects that people are complex, and that a bad deed does not make someone a bad person. He takes his job and relationships seriously, following all leads and relying on his team. He has an eye for detail and takes his time instead of jumping to conclusions. Gamache has a close relationship with the people of Three Pines, whom he helped in a murder investigation before.

Jean Guy Beauvoir is Inspector Gamache’s second-in-command. He is brash and aggressive whereas Gamache is eloquent and patient—but overall, the men share a close relationship. Jean Guy is a skilled homicide detective whose tough exterior hides his capacity for sensitivity and sympathy.