Scan barcode
jade's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
snuggleberry's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This one of the ones I've enjoyed the most.
kathydavie's review
5.0
I wanna give it an "8".
Fourteenth in the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache cozy detective mystery series revolving around a core cast of characters in Three Pines, Québec, Canada, with the focus on Armand.
My Take
It starts out with one mystery and opens a flood more that reaches back into history. Stories within stories, from the inside of investment firms, family feuds, the effects of addiction and life on the streets, building a gang, the inside of worker relationships (and Cloutier's evolution), and the political machinations of those more interested in appearance with the political maneuvering at the Sûreté, where, per usual, it's more important to save face than find the truth. Who cares about doing right?
The the twists and turns and those red herrings Penny salted the story with helped as well! And the story was made richer in using third person global point-of-view, so we gain perspective from a number of characters.
It's scary, the life Amelia is reduced to on the streets. That landlady...egods!!
I love it!! Who knew Ruth would troll for trolls...and attack them. Go, Ruth! Although Rosa seems to be a bad influence on Honoré, lol.
Hmmm, I wonder if there is a future with Ruth and Stephen... I also wonder if Paris will be welcoming more than one family...
The Story
A quirky provision in a will pulls Armand Gamache into a century-old feud, providing him some relief from the Sûreté's "investigation" into his decisions...and his own investigation into his own blind spots.
The Characters
Chief Superintendent Armand Gamache is on suspension while his actions are investigated. Reine-Marie is his wife. Gracie is their foundling; Henri is their German shepherd. Annie and Daniel are their children. Daniel lives in Paris with two daughters, Florie and Zora.
Sûreté du Québec is...
...the Canadian national police force. Chief Inspector Jean-Guy Beauvoir was his (and now Isabelle's) second-in-command and is his son-in-law, married to Annie Gamache. They have a baby son, Honoré. Isabelle Lacoste is in command of Homicide but is still recovering from events in Glass Houses, 13. Memory and physical issues, including not remembering the names of her children, who include Sophia. Agent Paul Morin. Inspector Dufresne will partner up with Beauvoir to investigate the murder in the house. Dr Sharon Harris and Dr Harper are the coroners. Agent Cloutier is not a field agent but specializes in accounting, on the Sûreté's budget. Gamache arranged her transfer to Homicide, and she's horrified.
Marie Janvier and Francis Cournoyer who is with the Ministère de la Justice are part of the "investigative" committee.
The Academy
The Commander is a friend of Gamache's. Cadet Amelia Choquet, an autodidact, was encouraged to attend by Gamache, and now this former addict is in major trouble mere months from graduation.
Marc has known Amelia since they were toddlers, and now she'll become the one-eyed man. Anita Facial is a caring tranny. David is a marker. Dr Boudreau works at the hospital.
Three Pines is...
...a tiny village that can't be found on any map. The Gamaches' friends include Dr Myrna Landers who had been a psychologist who retired to open a book store in the village. Ruth Zardo is a gifted poet and major PITA whose best known work is F.I.N.E.; Rosa is her pet duck. Clara Morrow is a famous artist. Gabri Dubeau and his partner, Olivier, run the bistro and B&B. Timmer Hadley used to own the old Hadley house. Billy Williams does odd jobs and maintains the roads.
The Duchess is/was...
...Bertha Baumgartner, a.k.a., a cleaning lady in the countryside around Three Pines who moved into Maison Saint-Rémy. She's named Armand, Myrna, and Benedict Pouliot, a builder in Montréal, as liquidators, a.k.a., executors, in her last will. Her children include Anthony who is divorced from Adrienne Fournier, Caroline who sells real estate, and Hugo who is also an investment advisor. The family was lucky enough to escape Germany in the 1920s. Helga, Hans, Ingrid, and Horst Rose all died November 10, 1938. Kristallnacht.
Taylor and Ogilvy Investments is...
...where Anthony works as an investment advisor and is a senior vice-president. Bernard Shaeffer was his assistant...and lover. Bernice Ogilvy is the daughter of the CEO and the chairwoman of the board. Louis Lamontagne is a broker.
Horowitz Investments is...
...where Hugo is a senior vice-president. Stephen Horowitz is president of the company and Armand's godfather.
Maître Laurence Mercier is a notary who died six months ago. His son, Lucien, took over his business. Jeanne Halstrom is the president of the Caisse Populaire, a bank. Filatreau was the moronic steel magnate Horowitz didn't like. Monsieur and Madame Kinderoth had been clients with an odd will. In Germany, Kontrollinspektor Gund thinks Armand is a lunatic. Justin Trudeau is the prime minister of Canada. Patricia Houle has a poison garden. Joseph works for the nursing home. Katie Burke was a frequent visitor to the Duchess. Pierre is the waiter at the Ritz.
1885, Vienna
Baron Shlomo Kinderoth set the cat among the pigeons with that will of his.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a texture of white and gray frosty ferns, that pure frame of frosty window with the author's name in an embossed copper with the title immediately below it in an embossed deep blue. Beneath that, in tiny text, is the information that it's a novel with a round copper decal with an info blurb to the right. I do wish she'd put the series info on.
The title refers to Amelia as well as Gamache for being in the Kingdom of the Blind, desperate to find drugs.
Fourteenth in the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache cozy detective mystery series revolving around a core cast of characters in Three Pines, Québec, Canada, with the focus on Armand.
My Take
It starts out with one mystery and opens a flood more that reaches back into history. Stories within stories, from the inside of investment firms, family feuds, the effects of addiction and life on the streets, building a gang, the inside of worker relationships (and Cloutier's evolution), and the political machinations of those more interested in appearance with the political maneuvering at the Sûreté, where, per usual, it's more important to save face than find the truth. Who cares about doing right?
As usual Penny's tale is full of warmth, particularly with regard to Benedict and the lost girl on the streets and the care Gamache takes of them. It's also a tale of reflection for Gamache, for it's a hard thing, sending men to die. It's even more difficult to figure out what Gamache has planned for Choquet. At times I lean one way and then the other. Penny really kept me off-kilter."I don't know.
I need help.
I was wrong.
I'm sorry.
The the twists and turns and those red herrings Penny salted the story with helped as well! And the story was made richer in using third person global point-of-view, so we gain perspective from a number of characters.
It's scary, the life Amelia is reduced to on the streets. That landlady...egods!!
I love it!! Who knew Ruth would troll for trolls...and attack them. Go, Ruth! Although Rosa seems to be a bad influence on Honoré, lol.
Hmmm, I wonder if there is a future with Ruth and Stephen... I also wonder if Paris will be welcoming more than one family...
The Story
A quirky provision in a will pulls Armand Gamache into a century-old feud, providing him some relief from the Sûreté's "investigation" into his decisions...and his own investigation into his own blind spots.
The Characters
Chief Superintendent Armand Gamache is on suspension while his actions are investigated. Reine-Marie is his wife. Gracie is their foundling; Henri is their German shepherd. Annie and Daniel are their children. Daniel lives in Paris with two daughters, Florie and Zora.
Sûreté du Québec is...
...the Canadian national police force. Chief Inspector Jean-Guy Beauvoir was his (and now Isabelle's) second-in-command and is his son-in-law, married to Annie Gamache. They have a baby son, Honoré. Isabelle Lacoste is in command of Homicide but is still recovering from events in Glass Houses, 13. Memory and physical issues, including not remembering the names of her children, who include Sophia. Agent Paul Morin. Inspector Dufresne will partner up with Beauvoir to investigate the murder in the house. Dr Sharon Harris and Dr Harper are the coroners. Agent Cloutier is not a field agent but specializes in accounting, on the Sûreté's budget. Gamache arranged her transfer to Homicide, and she's horrified.
Marie Janvier and Francis Cournoyer who is with the Ministère de la Justice are part of the "investigative" committee.
The Academy
The Commander is a friend of Gamache's. Cadet Amelia Choquet, an autodidact, was encouraged to attend by Gamache, and now this former addict is in major trouble mere months from graduation.
Marc has known Amelia since they were toddlers, and now she'll become the one-eyed man. Anita Facial is a caring tranny. David is a marker. Dr Boudreau works at the hospital.
Three Pines is...
...a tiny village that can't be found on any map. The Gamaches' friends include Dr Myrna Landers who had been a psychologist who retired to open a book store in the village. Ruth Zardo is a gifted poet and major PITA whose best known work is F.I.N.E.; Rosa is her pet duck. Clara Morrow is a famous artist. Gabri Dubeau and his partner, Olivier, run the bistro and B&B. Timmer Hadley used to own the old Hadley house. Billy Williams does odd jobs and maintains the roads.
The Duchess is/was...
...Bertha Baumgartner, a.k.a., a cleaning lady in the countryside around Three Pines who moved into Maison Saint-Rémy. She's named Armand, Myrna, and Benedict Pouliot, a builder in Montréal, as liquidators, a.k.a., executors, in her last will. Her children include Anthony who is divorced from Adrienne Fournier, Caroline who sells real estate, and Hugo who is also an investment advisor. The family was lucky enough to escape Germany in the 1920s. Helga, Hans, Ingrid, and Horst Rose all died November 10, 1938. Kristallnacht.
Taylor and Ogilvy Investments is...
...where Anthony works as an investment advisor and is a senior vice-president. Bernard Shaeffer was his assistant...and lover. Bernice Ogilvy is the daughter of the CEO and the chairwoman of the board. Louis Lamontagne is a broker.
Horowitz Investments is...
...where Hugo is a senior vice-president. Stephen Horowitz is president of the company and Armand's godfather.
Maître Laurence Mercier is a notary who died six months ago. His son, Lucien, took over his business. Jeanne Halstrom is the president of the Caisse Populaire, a bank. Filatreau was the moronic steel magnate Horowitz didn't like. Monsieur and Madame Kinderoth had been clients with an odd will. In Germany, Kontrollinspektor Gund thinks Armand is a lunatic. Justin Trudeau is the prime minister of Canada. Patricia Houle has a poison garden. Joseph works for the nursing home. Katie Burke was a frequent visitor to the Duchess. Pierre is the waiter at the Ritz.
1885, Vienna
Baron Shlomo Kinderoth set the cat among the pigeons with that will of his.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a texture of white and gray frosty ferns, that pure frame of frosty window with the author's name in an embossed copper with the title immediately below it in an embossed deep blue. Beneath that, in tiny text, is the information that it's a novel with a round copper decal with an info blurb to the right. I do wish she'd put the series info on.
The title refers to Amelia as well as Gamache for being in the Kingdom of the Blind, desperate to find drugs.
kate01970's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
lindseyrinehart's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This one was at a disadvantage because I loved the last book in the series so much that it would have been impossible to meet that standard. There were some great scenes and two storylines. The drug story line carried over from Glass Houses, and I think I preferred that part of the story. But most of the airtime was given to the Barroness, multiples wills, and complicated stock trading. I found the financial timeline tedious. But, I always love Three Pines and my friends there.
marieeve1978's review against another edition
4.0
Although all Louise Penny books are good, this wasn't my favorite. 3.5 stars
ellesfena's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
superdewa's review
3.0
I keep trying to like these books, but they always disappoint me. So much cliché. So much back and forth between different characters’ heads. So many storylines that match up too conveniently. So much silly philosophizing. So much reading of other characters’ expressions. I find myself squirming with irritation. Listening was only slightly better than reading. I long for the feeling I had as a child reading Miss Marple, Lord Peter Wimsey, and Sherlock Holmes whodunnits. I’m wondering if those books were just better than today’s books or have I changed? If anyone has recommendations for me, I’m open.