The Madness of Crowds: Chief Inspector Gamache Novel Book 17

(Hardback)

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*** THE NEW YORK TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER ***

'Enthralling ... With beautifully drawn characters, this is crime writing of the highest order' DAILY MAIL

'A satisfying and multi-layered mystery, in Penny's excellent series' IRISH INDEPENDENT

'Louise Penny is on peak form ... a grown-up, timely thriller that considers the nature of cowardice ... merges the personal and professional life of her detective with equal skill and wit' THE TIMES

'A great sense of place and characterisation ... very much a book that will make you think' SHOTS

When Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is asked to provide crowd control at a statistics lecture given at the Universite de l'Estrie in Quebec, he is dubious. Why ask the head of homicide to provide security for what sounds like a minor, even mundane lecture

But dangerous ideas about who deserves to live in order for society to thrive are rapidly gaining popularity, fuelled by the research of the eminent Professor Abigail Robinson. Yet for every person seduced by her theories there is another who is horrified by them. When a murder is committed days after the lecture, it's clear that within crowds can lie madness.

To uncover the truth, Gamache must put his own feelings about the divisive Professor to one side. But with her ideas gaining ground, the line separating good and evil, right and wrong, is quickly blurring - especially when the case leads unexpectedly close to home ...

PRAISE FOR LOUISE PENNY AND THE INSPECTOR GAMACHE SERIES:

'Louise Penny is one of the greatest crime writers of our times' DENISE MINA

'She makes most of her competitors seem like wannabes' THE TIMES

'Gamache has become to Canada what Hercule Poirot is to Belgium' THE NEW YORK TIMES

'Louise Penny twists and turns the plot expertly tripping the reader up just at the moment you think you might have solved the mystery' DAILY EXPRESS

'The series is deep and grand and altogether extraordinary . . . Miraculous' WASHINGTON POST

'No one does atmospheric quite like Louise Penny.' ELLY GRIFFITHS

'An absolute joy' IRISH TIMES

Reviews

Penny is on peak form... The Madness of Crowds is a grown-up, timely thriller that considers the nature of cowardice - "there's no peace without courage" - and how to find and defend "that spot between freedom and safety * The Times *

The Madness of Crowds is very much a book that will make you think.

* SHOTS *

A satisfying and multi-layered mystery, the 17th in Penny's excellent series.

* Irish Independent *
This is a book of great ideas and wonderful characters * On Magazine *
Louise Penny is one of the greatest crime writers of our times -- Denise Mina
She makes most of her competitors seem like wannabes * The Times *
Gamache has become to Canada what Hercule Poirot is to Belgium * New York Times *
No one does atmospheric quite like Louise Penny . . . a fantastic series -- Elly Griffiths
Louise Penny's writing is intricate, beautiful and compelling. She is an original voice, a distillation of both PD James and Barbara Vine at their peaks and a worthy successor to both -- Peter James
A cracking storyteller, who can create fascinating characters, a twisty plot and wonderful surprise endings -- Ann Cleeves
It's always a treat to spend a few days with Armand Gamache -- James Patterson
[An] atmospheric, distinctive series -- Kate Mosse
Penny's elegant style is deeply satisfying, while Gamache is contemplative even when under pressure, and remains a man you want to spend time with * Metro *
Penny is an absolute joy * Irish Times *
Enthralling...crime writing of the highest order * Daily Mail *

Author Bio

Louise Penny is the number one New York Times bestselling author of the Inspector Gamache series, including Still Life, which won the CWA John Creasey Dagger in 2006. Recipient of virtually every existing award for crime fiction, Louise was also granted the Order of Canada in 2014 and received an honorary doctorate of literature from Carleton University and the Ordre Nationale du Quebec in 2017. She lives in a small village south of Montreal.