The Madness of Crowds

Ethical dilemmas, murder, a quirky cast of characters, and more.

Inspector Gamache and his detectives begin the novel helping with crowd control at a small local college. The speaker is controversial and the subject matter makes her unlikable. First comes an attempted murder, then an actual murder. Can the Chief Inspector and his staff solve the mystery without getting caught up in an ethical dilemma that hits close to home? An enjoyable but intense novel with familiar characters to those who have read Louise Penny in the past. It is not necessary to read the books in order, although a few details are lost to the reader who hasn't.