The Madness of Crowds

A Novel

By: Louise Penny

Narrated by: Robert Bathurst

Length: 14 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

"...listeners will be able to sense the benevolent heart and soul of a careful investigator amidst choices that cause deadly consequences." (Booklist)

"Robert Bathurst's narration is calm, collected, and earnest, reflecting the blend of emotion and professionalism that Gamache embodies as an investigator. It's perfect for listeners seeking both captivating intrigue and insightful reflection." (BookPage)

Chief Inspector Armand Gamache returns to Three Pines in number one New York Times best seller Louise Penny's latest spellbinding novel.

You’re a coward.

Time and again, as the New Year approaches, that charge is leveled against Armand Gamache.

It starts innocently enough.

While the residents of the 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 finds his holiday with his family interrupted by a simple request.

He’s asked to provide security for what promises to be a non-event. A visiting Professor of Statistics will be giving a lecture at the nearby university.

While he is perplexed as to why the head of homicide for the Sûreté du Québec would be assigned this task, it sounds easy enough. That is until Gamache starts looking into Professor Abigail Robinson and discovers an agenda so repulsive he begs the university to cancel the lecture.

They refuse, citing academic freedom, and accuse Gamache of censorship and intellectual cowardice. Before long, Professor Robinson’s views start seeping into conversations. Spreading and infecting. So that truth and fact, reality and delusion are so confused it’s near impossible to tell them apart.

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.

When a murder is committed it falls to Armand Gamache, his second-in-command Jean-Guy Beauvoir, and their team to investigate the crime as well as this extraordinary popular delusion.

And the madness of crowds.

A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books

©2021 Louise Penny (P)2021 Macmillan Audio

So Far I'm Loving This Book

I'm four hours into the book. I'm enjoying the subject matter and the performance. I've had no issues with the audio at all. No skips or other problems. Perhaps if there are audio problems deleting the book and downloading again will help

Timely, dark and complex and absolutely terrific!

I love Louise Penny’s books. The depth of her stories, characters, their humanity, feelings, insights and struggles cannot be matched. They speak to me on so many levels. The characters are so real and so human. The Madness of Crowds is, I think, one of her very best. It is an absorbing morality tale. I first bought the audiobook and then the hardcover so I could find my favorite sections and wallow in the joy of reading them.

Another great mystery

As a fan and having read all of the Inspector Gamache books I was not disappointed. Can't wait for the next book.

Coming Home

Reading a Louise Penny book makes me feel like I’ve come home to good friends. This was wonderful to be back in 3 pines.

Another winner

Louise Penny does not disappoint. A pleasure in every way. Excellent story and superb narration.

Listened to it twice

This was Louise Penny’s best inspector Gamache and I’ve listened to or read them all. I first listened to this latest well written, thought provoking story to find out ‘who done it’. I then listened to the story again to really think about my feelings are about the subject of mercy killings. And, is it really possible,due to the pandemic, that we can let fear have power over our souls. For me the answer is yes to the fear and no to mercy killings.
This story shows our need to be vigilant against the hyped up media that can cause fear to rule our lives in the name of keeping us ‘safe’.

The Madness of Crowds

Once again, Louise Penny does not disappoint. This is one of her best! We are back in Three Pines, thank goodness, and the global pandemic has taken its toll there as well. The deep psychological elements and the deft handling of such a repugnant topic are no surprise give. Ms. Penny’s talent. You will love this latest Gamache adventure!

The Madness of Crowds - Ca va bien aller

"All Will Be Well" doesn't mean it will be easy and doesn't mean the same thing to everyone which makes this book far from a cozy but set within a cozy framework in the village that heals people. I was interested in reading how mixed the reviews were and how uncomfortable this book made people. I see that as addressing the greatness of Louise Penny's writing. It is gentle but not escapist literature. And it reminds me why I admire this woman's writing so much. I suggest if you tried reading the print version and find it uncomfortable that you listen to the audible book narrated by Robert Bathurst. For me the narrator coaxed me along through uncomfortable realities to remind me of the strength and complexity of being human.
Louise Penny is an author whose works I don't always recommend reading in order as some people aren't attracted to the cozy humor of her early works. And it appears some of her readers are struggling with this pandemic novel that's too close to the current situation. But I encourage people to stick with this book as it will provoke thoughts and quite possibly a positive outlook.

A Painful "What If" of 2020

If this had been my first 3 Pines book, it may have been the last.Thank goodness it wasn't, and I'd saved books 1 and 2 for the day I couldn't bear to wait a year for the next one. As the tree frog serenades me with "fuck, fuck, fuck" in my Mon Louis Island bayou, I hold Rosa in my heart, and long for a whole book of Ruth's poetry, and an exhibit of Clare's art. I want to be there, to live there and to be of the friends, the villagers of 3 Pines. Louise has had her own losses and heart breaks over the years...let's hope and pray the book of 2021 is uplifting and full of the quirky humor of the past. I wish her a long, long life of writing.

We love the characters

Of course the book is wonderful. Readers of Louise Penny rejoice to be with her characters again in the familiar territory of Three Pines. The issues are both current and profound: The epidemic, the cruelty of war, the necessity of ethical structures on scientific research, the morality of euthanasia, the intricacies of love and forgiveness. The plot has evolutions of surprises. Reading this book is comparable to a grand guessing game. However, the busyness of the plot cuts into my pleasure. Others may revel in the complexities.

Posy Lincoln