Gamache is the protagonist of the novel and the central character in Penny’s series. He is the former head of homicide investigation at the Sûreté du Québec and has had a celebrated career in which he solved many important crimes. As an investigator, Gamache is driven by curiosity and strong insights into human nature; he views “himself [as] more an explorer than a hunter” (3). Despite his time spent investigating crimes, Gamache is driven by compassion and empathy and believes that “no one was as bad as the worst thing they’d done” (3). He is an elegant and unimposing man with many artistic and intellectual interests, and someone who did not know his identity “might guess that he’d been a professor” (24). Gamache also values his relationships and community, enjoying a good life and celebrating every day. On his face, “the deepest crevices were made by laughter” (6), showing that Gamache consistently chooses joy over grief or despair.

Despite his warm and optimistic nature, Gamache grapples with trauma and loss stretching back to his childhood. He lost his parents in a car accident when he was a child and has repressed his emotions around the trauma to focus on his career of bringing criminals to justice.