‘The Madness of Crowds’ by Louise Penny (Inspector Gamache, Three Pines Mystery # 17)

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I am reading Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache series in order. I had the 11th instalment ready to go on my nightstand, but then a friend recommended I skip to this latest one because it is timely and relevant and set after the pandemic. Jumping the queue is not my usual modus operandi, but she simply said, “just do it,” and I’m very happy I did (thanks Alice!).

Three Pines is a charming fictional town in Quebec that followers of the Gamache series have grown to love. The quirky characters feel like old friends by now–honestly, we all want to live there. This mystery series has a reflective and atmospheric quality, as well as being a whodunit. I found the premise a bit implausible and the conclusion a bit drawn out and convoluted, but I’ve forgiven her for that. The book held my interest and felt so current. We’ve seen the madness when an idea can spread like a virus and people are inexplicably swayed by the crowd.

It’s winter and people are taking advantage of the deep snow to ski and toboggan. But they are also awkwardly and guardedly gathering indoors again and adjusting to the freedoms of life after the pandemic. It’s been a difficult time and even though the effects of isolation, fear, and loss have begun to heal, the scars are still pink and fresh.

Chief Inspector Gamache has his holiday with family interrupted by a simple request. He is asked to provide security for an event at a University where a visiting Professor of Statistics will be giving a lecture. It sounds easy enough, perhaps even a bit boring, but when he discovers the Professor’s agenda is controversial and repulsive, he tries to stop the event. When the event turns explosive, and a body turns up, an investigation is launched into not only a murder, but a dark ethical issue unearthed by the pandemic.