Gamache is a chief inspector in the Sûreté du Québec and head of homicide. Although he lives in Montreal with his wife, Reine-Marie, his work takes him across the region, including to the village of Three Pines. He has investigated crimes in the village before and has a close connection with it. This is partly due to the sense of belonging he feels in Three Pines and partly due to the ostracization and humiliation he faces at the Sûreté in Montreal. Three Pines is a respite for him, and sometimes he dreams of leaving Montreal behind and moving to Three Pines with Reine-Marie, illustrating The Human Desire for Community.

A quiet man, Gamache’s “deep brown eyes were thoughtful, his moustache was trim and graying, the hair under his cap groomed and curling slightly. His face was strong with laugh lines radiating from the corners of his eyes” (65). He does not let his ego get in the way of his work and, even when the newspapers attack him, doesn’t bother responding until they attack his children. Along with solving the mystery at hand, Gamache also is faced with a devastating betrayal by his closest friend, Michel Brébeuf.