Glass Houses

By: Louise Penny

Narrated by: Robert Bathurst

Length: 13 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's Summary

One cold November day, a mysterious figure appears on the village green in Three Pines, causing unease, alarm and confusion among everyone who sees it. Chief Superintendent Armand Gamache knows something is seriously wrong, but all he can do is watch and wait, hoping his worst fears are not realised. But when the figure disappears and a dead body is discovered, it falls to Gamache to investigate.

In the early days of the murder inquiry, and months later, as the trial for the accused begins, Gamache must face the consequences of his decisions and his actions, from which there is no going back....

Gripping, surprising and powerful, Glass Houses is the new ingenious and illuminating novel from number one best seller Louise Penny and will leave you spellbound.

This audiobook recording includes an exclusive interview with Louise Penny and Robert Bathurst.

©2017 Louise Penny (P)2017 Little Brown Book Group

Best of the series

I savored this book over several days. i would listen two hours at a time and I must say that this one had me hooked.

Not once did I figure out the murderer until it was revealed. I thought back then and realized the clues were there but they were so subtle. I will take pleasure in listening to Glass Houses again.

Ms Penny is at the height of her craft. My only criticism is that when listening vs reading, it was slightly confusing about the time frame. I didn't always know if it was flashback or present. If I were reading I would have been paying a little bit more attention.

The reader is superb.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

To be savored!

Beautifully written, original, a thoughtful thriller with a central character to aspire to.
Brilliantly narrated. If only there were more...

Mixed feelings

Would you listen to Glass Houses again? Why?

No. I enjoyed the story, but I really don't like Robert Bathurst reading these books. He's an amazing actor. I have so much respect for him, but for me this just isn't the right material for him. Maybe if I hadn't already heard Adam Sims reading the first few, it wouldn't be so disappointing. I loved Adam Sims narration of this series. He is Canadian and brings each character to life beautifully. Even hearing the difference between the French Canadian characters and the English speaking Canadians was valuable. He gave the books a sense of place that you just don't get with Robert Bathurst.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Robert Bathurst?

Absolutely and if he reads the next, I will listen to it because I want to listen to the next Gamache book. If he was reading another story (not Three Pines) I'd love to listen to him narrating, I'd just far rather he wasn't reading this series.

Any additional comments?

I love the characters in these books. I really enjoy the feeling of returning to Three Pines when I begin to read each new story. There's something remarkable about the juxtaposition between the comfort and feeling of home you get from the familiarity of the beautiful place, the warm characters, the cosy bistro etc. and the chilling, tense, angst ridden plots.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Another winner

If you could sum up Glass Houses in three words, what would they be?

Gripping! Completely gripping!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Glass Houses?

The tenderness shown by Armand to Reine-Marie after she had discovered a murder victim.

Which character – as performed by Robert Bathurst – was your favourite?

Ruth Zardo =)

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Listening to Armand talk to Isabel in the ambulance on the way to hospital and later when he visited her.

Any additional comments?

The interview at the end between Louise & Robert was a lovely treat; her manner is so genuine and relaxed, I felt like I could sit and chat to Louise for hours =)

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

WONDERFUL!

Brilliant, once again, and I had no idea who did it! Great writing, as always, thank you Louise for making me weep once again 👍🏻😍🤧

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Extraordinary,compelling,compassionate

A totally brilliant book. Beautifully read. I have already listened to it twice and mourn the fact there is not the next one to read yet. A. masterpiece,
Julie West

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

wonderful listen

thoroughly enjoyed full series. yes it took a while to get used to different narrator, but once there the performance was excellent.
In addition the interview at the end of the book is well worth a listen.

Gamache 13

This is the latest (autumn 17) Gamache book from Louise Penny. This has all the usual characters, we are back in 3 Pines and Gamache is now head of the Surete. His wife finds a body in the Church and this plot runs parallel to the Surete's hunt for drug cartels.
Great series but for me this is not the best of them - didn't like the format of courtroom and then back in time to actual events - but this author is still worth listening to!

I found the narrator good and helped the story along - my only niggle was that for me 'Clara' is pronounced Clah -ra - to rhyme with tiara! not 'Clara' as in 'Claire' with an 'er' on the end! Like she's become a comparative adjective! But that's a personal thing. Worth a listen especially if you have been following Gamache et al from the beginning.

good story; narration????

I enjoyed this book as I have its predecessors; a good tale with believable characters that develop with the series. Perhaps not the finest in the series, but most enjoyable. However, I must agree with many of the other reviews,Mr Bathurst is not the man to narrate these books. They are set in Quebec with French Canadian characters - there must surely be a Canadian who can read them and bring the characters to life. Comparisons are odious, but in this case I'm afraid I do agree that Mr Sims was by far the better narrator. It does rather spoil the book.

0 of 1 people found this review helpful

narrator's accent incongruous

a superbly plotted book but why oh why is the new narrator British, and not Canadian? He simply cannot pronounce French with a French accent much less a Quebecois accent, and the Anglophone Quebecers' accent is all wrong too. There are many great Canadian actors who could perform the Gamache books so much more convincingly. I am a Canadian living in England. The previous narrator (now sadly deceased) made me feel like I was back home, but with Bathurst I am still in England. Louise Penny says in the interview here that she doesn't listen to the audiobooks. I suggest she does so that she will see how much a British narrator, however gifted an actor, dilutes the uniquely Canadian flavour of her books.

0 of 1 people found this review helpful

among the better ones of the series

I enjoyed this book - was among the better ones and the plot line was interesting. Wonder what happens with the next instalment. The narrator is much worse than the one who did the first 10 books. I would have given it a higher rating but for him. If you like the gamache series you 'll like this one too.

0 of 1 people found this review helpful

Shouldn't throw stones

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I would not recommend this as the best example of a Louise Penny book and could not recommend based on Robert Bathurst's narration.Given the choice I would recommend any of the earlier novels read by Adam Sims.

Would you be willing to try another book from Louise Penny? Why or why not?

Yes I love her books but the experience has changed very much for me with the introduction of Robert Bathurst as narrator.

What didn’t you like about Robert Bathurst’s performance?

Robert Bathurst's performance is competent but there is no passion in his delivery, it is almost deadpan. Adam Sims the previous narrator added so much to the atmosphere you felt like you were there in Three Pines. In fact this is the first time I have been in possession of a new Louise Penny audiobook and have listened to other books before this one. This is because I did not enjoy the narration of the last book and was fearing more of the same for this new one.

Strangely Louise and Robert discuss the narration of this book in the interview at the end and mention that Robert has narrated the last three and someone called Ralph Cosham narrated the earlier ones with no mention of Adam Sims. I am wondering whether different narrators are used for the UK And US?

If this book were a film would you go see it?

Probably - they could give Robert Bathurst a part, he is a fine actor!

Any additional comments?

If we are to proceed with this narrator please could someone ask him to pronounce Clara's name correctly, that is 'Clarra' not 'Claira'

0 of 1 people found this review helpful