I do so like the way this author tells a story thoughtfully written she never fails to deliver and once again provides the reader with an excellent tale.
Intricately woven story threads that pull gently towards the ultimate reveal of the murderer.
Loved it

Although a good book, it wasn't quite what I expected. Although it can be read as a stand alone, with so many regular characters, it would have been better to have read the previous books. The story centres around Professor Robinson who is gaining popularity advocating euthanasia not only of the old but also disabled children. Unlike most police investigations, Gamache's family and friends are very much involved. Because Gamache's granddaughter has downs, there is much philosophising and moralising making the story slower. The investigation seems to endlessly go round and round returning to the obvious murderer. The Sudanese heroine, Daoud inclusion seemed unnecessary and only served to prolong the story.
Had I started the series at the beginning I might have enjoyed it more. Although this wasn't for me, anyone wanting more than a straight police procedural will enjoy it.
This is an honest review of a complementary ARC.

An interest take on a post pandemic world and the politics that come into force. Great characterisation throughout and an intelligent read

The Madness of Crowds is the seventeenth instalment in the brilliant Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series. While the residents of the remote Québec village of Three Pines take advantage of the deep snow to ski and toboggan, to drink hot chocolate in the bistro and share meals together, the Chief Inspector and Head of the Homicide Department at Sûreté du Québec, finds his relaxing holiday with his family interrupted by a simple yet strange request. Gamache is befuddled to be asked to provide oversight and security for a lecture to be presented by a controversial visiting statistician Professor Abigail Robinson. To many, she appears innocuous and ordinary but her agenda is anything but, and once Armand carries out some research and learns more about her, he approaches the university to plead with them to cancel her appearance.

Robinson had previously been hired by the Canadian government to examine the economic and social impact of COVID-19 on the populace and had come to the conclusion that the health care system and economy would fare much better if the elderly and vulnerable were euthanised therefore leaving overwhelmed resources and infrastructure to those who are stronger. Thankfully, the government renounced her findings and suggestions as inhumane, but her dangerous and asinine opinions have since spoken to a sector of the population in a highly sinister manner with many calling for her proposals to be enacted. It would be quite the understatement to say that empathetic Gamache was sickened by what he read about her and now fully comprehends exactly why he has been assigned the job. Her thesis actively promotes eugenics and threatens Gamache's sense of justice and his family.

Much to Gamache’s surprise, there's is a large turnout despite the frigid conditions outside and people travel from far and wide to see Robinson talk. There is friction between attendees and tempers begin to fray leading to pandemonium. Discussions become debates, debates become arguments, which turn into fights. As sides are declared, a madness takes hold. Abigail Robinson promises that, if they follow her, ça va bien aller. All will be well. But not, Gamache and his team know, for everyone. An assassin takes aim and fires a bullet at Robinson yet everyone manages to somehow remain uninjured including the professor thanks in no small part to Gamache’s quick thinking. However, during New Year’s celebrations at the Auberge in Three Pines, a murder takes place, and it falls to Armand Gamache, his second-in-command Jean-Guy Beauvoir and their team to investigate the heinous crime.

This is a riveting, compulsive and utterly absorbing read which explores thought-provoking social issues as well as the ubiquitous nature of disinformation and propaganda. It holds a mirror up to the current prevalence of phenomena such as xenophobia and ruminates upon the disturbing concept on eugenics. Penny is one of my favourite crime writers of all time as she provides readers with everything required for a scintillating, entertaining and intriguing thriller. She not only brings the mystery, palpable tension, drama, twists, misdirection and exciting thrills but also plenty of food for thought, intelligent dialogue and characters who come alive on the page regardless of whether they are protagonists or antagonists. If you enjoy crime fiction that is more than simply cheap thrills and non-stop action, then I guarantee you'll not be disappointed. I cannot recommend this highly enough.

An intriguing web of interesting characters, including detectives who endlessly deliberated over motives and perpetrators, uncovering shocking revelations amidst loyalty and love.
With little tangible evidence, the investigation team tirelessly simulate and debate different scenarios which I found a little protracted at times.
Although this is my first novel by Louise Penny and 17th in the Gamache series, I was easily able to follow the set up, but maybe if you’ve read the earlier books you’d connect more deeply with the characters and understand their history better.

This was not a bad read but, it wasn’t great for me. Being part of a series when I haven’t read the others made it a little difficult to get into. I did enjoy parts of it and other times I didn’t. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

4-4.5*This book is set as we come out of the pandemic, people are being vaccinated and the world, albeit slowly, is recovering and people are emerging once more. This book is not about the pandemic but it does raise questions which may have arisen or, indeed, may still arise with regards to how we respect life and our fellow human. Louise Penny does not turn her back on difficult questions but she does treat them with sensitivity and with the wonderful character of Armand Gamache brings an understanding of different perceptions and a depth of kindness when considering human response whatever that may be.

The story has a statistician, Professor Abigail Robinson, engaged in a study for the Canadian government but the findings and more importantly the conclusions from the study have been rejected. Nevertheless she takes it upon herself to not only disclose the findings but proactively encourages the public to support her very controversial conclusions. Her position is gaining followers but equally as many detractors.

When Robinson is to give a lecture at the Université de l’Estrie in Quebec Armand Gamache is told to head up the security, after being specifically requested by the University. Whilst very unusual to be called upon in this way Gamache puts aside his own feelings over the Professors agenda and carries out his duties.

There is an incident at the event and Gamache is called upon to avert an even greater disaster. He undertakes the investigation into what happened at the lecture and places the Professor under protection. Then a couple of days later at an event in Three Pines a body is discovered. Clearly a murder – Gamache, Beauvoir and Lacoste have to find out if the dead person was the actual target or not. If so, why? More importantly, who committed this heinous act?

As they dig into events the investigators and we readers are taken back to other deaths years before – are they the key to what has happened or did someone, who lives much closer to home, kill to protect a reputation? Why do so many say or appear to hold one opinion but act as if they believe something entirely different?

As they delve dark, long hidden secrets and some, more recent, deeply disturbing actions that Gamache personally discovered are brought to the surface and these unbelievable, unconscionable acts look to be just what so many are considering as acceptable under the umbrella of sacrificing the ‘few’ for the greater good.

Although Louise Penny poses some big questions for us to consider it is nevertheless the mystery of whodunnit that had me gripped and kept me turning the pages of yet another wonderful book in the Gamache series. It’s a favourite of mine with great characters and one of the best, albeit imaginary, settings in crime fiction today. Three Pines has become a ‘home away from home’ for so many of the regular readers of this series.

I like the way that the three – Gamache, Jean-Guy and Lacoste – interact we readers are brought into their thinking and their investigation as they ponder the information, interview witnesses, bystanders and suspects. Their explanations and comments, their thoughts and actions taking you along with them, allowing you to consider for yourself what happened and why. Then oh so often leaving you wondering how you didn’t see it, you know that thing that just took the investigation down a different turn and there you have it the reason, that piece of information and the murderer is uncovered. Still, it was glorious storytelling and, once again, so good to be immersed in such a wonderful book.


Thanks: To Hodder & Stoughton via NetGalley for an eCopy of A Madness of Crowds by Louise Penny in return for an honest review. All thoughts are my own and no payment has been received.

I had never read anything by Louise Penny before but will definitely be looking out for her books in future. I am aware that I had missed the backstory of the main characters but this did not detract from the drama of the story. The central theme of recovery from the pandemic and the implications of scarce resources made chilling reading particularly as they were put forward by such an apparently normal and likeable source. Professor Abigail Robinson’s views spread discord and heighten emotions at a difficult time.

Gamache is given the job of protecting her at a local university rally and then investigating the attempt on her life.

To muddy the waters further Abigail has a mission of her own - to take action against the person she feels is responsible for the deaths of her parents and sister.

Added to the mix is the hero of Sudan - a saint who appears less than saintly and who has an interesting view on the events within Three
Pines.

A very interesting read which I will be recommending.

Wow, what a powerful, thought provoking yet thoughtful book. Aswell as the dilemma of Abigail's recommendations I was horrified to learn of Ewen Cameron's existence. It's not a term I bandy about but this is a real page turner.

I always hear good things about Ms. Penny and was looking forward to reading this book. Starting with a post Covid world and discussing the ethics of ways to move forward should have been interesting, but sadly however it really wasn't for me. I found the writing really long winded and laborious and wished she would just get to the point. It was one of the few books recently that I haven't finished, but I'm obviously in the minority and I'm sure fans of the author and characters will enjoy it.
Thank you to netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for an advance copy of this book

For me, Louise Penny books are always 2 things, well-written and too long. I know that the length of the books gives them their rhythm and allows her beloved Armande to ‘slowly pull the thread’ but there are times when I want Gamache to just give that thread a bloody good yank instead!

Having said all of that, she is such a thoughtful and empathetic writer that you are inevitably sucked in and forgive any defects, in much the same way that we love her cast of irascible and unlikely villagers. If 3 Pines actually existed it would now be the size of Montreal once all the Gamache fans moved in.

The Madness of Crowds is set in post-pandemic Canada, with 3 Pines hosting not one but two well-known guests over New Year. First we have Haniya Daoud, a 23 year old Somali woman who has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. Hailed as a modern saint, the real woman is more damaged and acerbic than expected. The other, less welcome guest is Abigail Robinson, a brilliant statistician whose interpretation of her post-pandemic analysis is disturbingly close to eugenics.

Amidst all of this Gamache finds himself leading an enquiry in which he finds it impossible to remain impartial. His granddaughter has Down’s Syndrome and he was a horrified witness to the results of the neglect of the elderly in the local care home during the pandemic. Defending someone you would wish to silence is a moral dilemma, Penny explores skilfully.

One aspect of the novel really did make me gasp. Prior to reading this book I had never heard of Ewen Cameron, a world-renowned psychologist who conducted mind-control experiments, administered poison and developed methods of psychological torture still used today. That this monster was supported by the CIA and ran these experiments at a Canadian University without anyone stopping him, simply beggars belief. Here he is used to bring additional moral heft to our understanding of where certain attitudes can lead and what can happen if we allow ourselves to quiet our consciences.

I do wish that the book (and probably, the review) was shorter but I would still recommend it and, indeed, already have. A great example of how often crime fiction leads the way on tackling some of our biggest social questions.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Hodder & Stoughton for an arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advance copy of The Madness of Crowds, the seventeenth novel to feature Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté de Quebec.

This was my first introduction to the work of Louise Penny, and I was not disappointed.

The characters were strong and vibrant, and the storyline touched on deeply sensitive topics without flinching or demurring. That said, this was an intelligent, enjoyable murder mystery in the old-fashioned 'whodunnit' style, and one which I enjoyed.

I've always enjoyed Louise Penny's Gamache novels, finding them comforting (especially the descriptions of food!) This one wasn't one of my favourites but was still a good read. The characters were as familiar as ever and the storyline was particularly relevant in the current climate, perhaps too relevant, which did unsettle me on occasion.
Overall though, an enjoyable thriller.

This is my first experience of Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Surete. However I didn't feel as though I should have read the other books to understand the backstories of the characters in this story.
Armand is asked to supervise the security of a lecture taking place at the local university. The person giving the lecture is a statistician who has come to a post pandemic conclusion that those with less than a fighting chance should either be aborted before birth or euthanized when they become a drain on the strained financial systems. Obviously this has cause feelings to run deep and when there is an attempt on her life, it makes the threat even more controversial.
For some reason the statistician is invited to stay in Three Pines where Armand and his family live. She turns up at the village New Year's Eve party and after the fireworks a body is discovered.
It's down to Armand and his team to dig deep and find out why this person was killed, but also to delve in the past and discover a Canadian horror show that one of the residents had been involved in.
I really enjoyed this book.

I'm afraid I couldn't finish this book, which surprises me as Louise Penny has really good reviews generally...I'm reticent to give a score as I feel it would be unfair after reading only 100 pages, but I'm unable to leave this field blank so will sadly have to score what I've read...not ideal, I know. This is only the 2nd book I've not managed to finish out of well over 100.

My reasons for the non finish are that it seems excessively laborious reading...the subject is actually very clever, considering where we are coming out of COVID, however I found it plain dull I'm afraid...its the writing style more than anything and I feel it's best to let this one go.
The use of clauses as sentences is very off putting...its not necessarily incorrect, but is better used to draw attention/ratchet up the tension....but used liberally they lose their potency. Many thanks to Netgalley.co.uk, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read an ARC....not in any way for me this time, but I am just one person!

I absolutely love reading about people and relationships and this book is a great example.

There’s a central event and then you’re lead through the book by the people and their feelings.

The themes running through are very relatable, especially in our current climate.

Bang up-to-date, this emotive crime thriller addresses the recent pandemic and its aftermath. With the world fully vaccinated, life is getting back to normal – but what if it happens again? How will governments avoid another global lockdown? Statistician Abigail Robinson has crunched the pandemic numbers and come to a horrifying conclusion – one that right-minded people shudder at, but that more and more people are coming to embrace.
When she visits the little Quebec town of Three Pines to deliver an address at the Universite de l’Estrie, an attempt is made on her life. It’s followed by a second murder attempt – this time successful.
The murderer’s identity is a mystery but the motive seems clear – who, loving their frail, elderly and vulnerable relatives, would not want to nip this woman’s preaching in the bud? But as Chief Inspector Gamache and his team investigate, they discover there are more layers to this story, and that Abigail Robinson’s life, family and friends all bear closer scrutiny.
Atmospheric and descriptive, the prose captures brilliantly the mood and angst of ordinary people desperate for normality. But even as they frolic in the snow, gather in the bistro and share family time at home, they’re aware things may never be normal again.
The moral questions that underpin the story are as fascinating as the ins-and-outs of the who-dunnit plot. With poets, artists, philosophers and even a prospective Nobel peace prizewinner part of the cast of characters, it’s rich in philosophical musings on humankind, which can get a tad tiresome and repetitive at times, but overall this is a suspenseful and intriguing read.

The Madness of Crowds is full of apt quotations, partly because Chief Inspector Gamache is prone to quoting them. It contains plenty more phrases for others to quote. The one that showed me that the author really knew what is going on in today's society.

"It's about what happens when fear and gullibility meet greed and power."

Louise Penny describes the madness of crowds brilliantly. The opening mob event which turns nasty, to protectionist stances taken by people who won't consider any views than their own. Plus the dangers of our governments taking recommendations without fully understanding the consequences. Throughout her narrative she is fully aware of the humanity that underpins our society, which is under so much threat from ignorance and power.

Despite sounding like it could be a heavy tome, this is a fast-paced, fascinating jigsaw of a crime thriller. It takes a psychological approach, but is not a psychological thriller. There are so many twists, turns, options and scenarios, that even I had three versions in my head at once. It kept me up till 2 a.m. demanding me to read to the end.

It wasn't easy jumping into a series this far on, but it didn't interfere with my enjoyment of the plot.

Warning: this is a post-Covid narrative. I suspect the author wrote most of it before the end of restrictions in Canada. It includes accurate, and distressing, description of heinous research Ewan Cameron carried out in the 1950/60s. It also discusses the Harold Shipman murders in the UK.

Not having read any of the previous books in what is quite a long series, it felt like I had missed out on a lot of internal references and character histories that might otherwise have resonated. That said, the plot was contemporary and felt relevant and relatable. As is often the case in a book in a long series, there is very little character development and I struggled to engage with the thoughts and motivations of the protagonists. Maybe a book to return to after reading some of the prequels? With thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an advance copy.

This is the 17th book in the Armand Gamache series but the first I’ve read. It’s a brilliantly written book set at Christmas time in post-Covid Three Pines, Quebec, Canada. The characterisations are excellent and the plot is well thought out, although I thought it was a slow burner.

Briefly, Gamache is called away from his family to take charge of an event with visiting controversial lecturer Professor Abigail Robinson. Her extreme views about how things should change post pandemic are savage, and to many despicable, but she has her followers who agree with her unpleasant ideals. Ideas that cause discussions - arguments - fights - the madness of crowds. When a murder is committed on New Years Eve Gamache, his number two, Beauvoir, and the team set out to solve it. But with a growing group of suspects and possible targets can they prevent further murders?

The plot is quite intricate and the author leads you down a number of paths. There is a lot of discussion, in fact much of the book is narrative with little action. There are also some strange characters. I don’t know if it would have helped to have read the previous books as at times I felt I was missing something. That said overall I did enjoy the book and would give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My thanks to NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton and the author for an e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review.