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Chief Inspector Armand Gamache #14

by Louise Penny

The entrancing new crime thriller featuring Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, from number one New York Times bestselling author Louise Penny

When Armand Gamache receives a letter inviting him to an abandoned farmhouse outside of Three Pines, the former head of the Sûreté du Québec discovers that a complete stranger has named him as an executor of her will.

Armand never knew the elderly woman, and the bequests are so wildly unlikely that he suspects the woman must have been delusional - until a body is found, and the terms of the bizarre will suddenly seem far more menacing.

But it isn't the only menace Gamache is facing. The investigation into the events that led to his suspension has dragged on, and Armand is taking increasingly desperate measures to rectify previous actions. As he does, Armand Gamache begins to see his own blind spots - and the terrible things hiding there.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Audiobook, Crime, Canada, Mystery Thriller, Detective

480 pages, Paperback

First published November 27, 2018

About the author

LOUISE PENNY is the author of the #1 New York Times and Globe and Mail bestselling series of Chief Inspector Armand Gamache novels. She has won numerous awards, including a CWA Dagger and the Agatha Award (seven times), and was a finalist for the Edgar Award for Best Novel. In 2017, she received the Order of Canada for her contributions to Canadian culture. Louise lives in a small village south of Montréal.

Reviews

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unfortunately I have finished. I tried to make it last as long as possible, reading it slowly, even though I wanted to rush to the end. Three Pines, such picturesque village, I would love to live there, if it was real of course. I mentioned that to someone and they said, Yes, but they have alot of murders for such a small town. True, I had to laugh, but it is the characters, the the people that live there, and the way they care for each other, even the demented poet Ruth.

Well, this time no murder in the village. Instead Gamache and Myrna, arrive separately, not knowing the other was coming, at a tumbled down farmhouse. They are tasked, along with another new arrival, with a very strange request. Despite their doubts, they are intrigued and accept. This brings them into a mystery over 160 years old and bearing a famous name. Also of course, are the remnants from the last novel, missing drugs and a suspended Gamache.

This may well be my favorite entry, so far in this series. Trademark humor, tenderness, and of course some great investigative ability is shown. Gamache and his complicated character is fully displayed. A few new characters too, and one that attaches to another, will be very surprising indeed. At books end, just when explanations are given, the cases wrapped up nicely or in some cases not, we are presented with a most unexpected zinger. Now I wonder just where the next book will take us. So I wait.

ARC from Minotaur books.

[MarilynW · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kingdom of the Blind (Chief Inspector Gamache #14)
by Louise Penny, narrated by Robert Bathurst

Once again, DeAnn and I entered Gamache-land and it has been so much fun reading this entire series together. And as much as the earlier narrator has a forever place in my heart as Gamache and company, now Robert Bathurst has a place there, too. I always feel like I'm coming home when I start a new Gamache story and sadly, I'm creeping closer to the end of the books that have been published, so far.

I was laughing almost as soon as this story started. So true about things falling into the snow when getting out of a car. Gamache and Myrna have been summoned to an address, a decrepit old house that is barely standing. There they meet two men, one being a young, goofy fellow, adorned in even more goofy clothing made by his girlfriend. Oh, and his girlfriend also gave him his goofy haircut. Penny's books almost always have scenes and things that I can hardly see in my mind's eye. Or I can see them even if they should be impossible.

There are several terrifying events in this story. Things fall, people die, things end. But there are funny people and things, of course, and we get to spend a lot of time with the residents of Three Pines. There may even be some romance in the air! I was really happy with how this story ended and look forward to the next book in the series.

First published Nov 27, 2018

[Paromjit · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is always a joy to return to Three Pines and its eccentric and offbeat residents, and this is a blisteringly brilliant addition to the Detective Armand Gamache series. Gamache has been suspended as the Head of the Surete du Quebec, a result of the fallout from his last case. His son-in-law, Jean-Guy is now the Acting Head, caught between political machinations that are looking to laying the blame squarely on Gamache to pay the devastating price for his actions. Gamache feels he deserves to lose his job as he holds himself responsible for the nightmare entry of the most deadly of opoids, carfentanyl, looking set to flood Montreal and wipe out thousands. In his desperation to locate the drugs, he is willing to take risks and do whatever it takes, as he launches an undercover operation in the menacing streets of the city that are riddled with death and danger.

Gamache, psychologist and bookseller Myrna Landers, and a young builder from Montreal, Benedict Pouliot, find themselves named as the liquidators, instrumental in implementing the will of a recently deceased woman, a cleaner called the Baroness, Bertha Baumgartnor. None of them knew her, and it is a bizarre will, distributing monies and estates that the Baroness does not have. With their curiosity aroused, they accept the role and learn more when they meet the Baroness's adult children, Anthony, Caroline and Hugo, the recipients of the non-existent bequests. The will is the latest piece of a longstanding family drama in a delusional and poisonous inheritance that goes back well over a hundred years ago, involving the descendents of twin brothers in Europe. A murder has Gamache and Jean Guy delving more closely into the family and its history. It turns out that current developments in Vienna might provide motive for murder. Nothing is as it appears as financial fraud investigator, Agent Cloutier finally gets to deploy her specialised skills that make her feel more settled in the police team, whilst deeply buried family secrets and lies are exposed.

What makes this series so special are the long established characters that Louise Penny has developed with care and flair, with the best of locations in Three Pines. There is the foulmouthed poet, Ruth and her duck, Rosa, Myrna, artist Clara Morrow, Gamache's wife, Reine-Marie and a slew of others. This is a novel and series about community, belonging, kindness, comic humour, wit, love and affection. The addition of compelling new characters, such as Benedict and Katie Burke keep this story fresh and ever evolving. The theme of blindness is strong in its application to a range of people, including Gamache, who cannot stop engaging in machinations with mixed results. This is a fantastic read, entertaining with top notch storylines, and so fabulous to revisit the well loved people that I have got to know so well. Highly Recommended! Many thanks to Kirsteen Astor and Little, Brown for an ARC.

[Cathrine ☯️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4✚ 🦆🦆🦆🦆
“Fuck, fuck, fuck.”
Admit it fans. When you finish the last page and the road to Three Pines is closed until another winter comes, quoting Rosa is the only way to assuage our anguish.

It is currently very cold in Three Pines. So cold that Reine-Marie and others can be heard muttering “Why do we live here?” as the town loses power and is buried in snow.
But not to worry, comfort foods that rarely fail in their one great task are abundant.

“Oh heaven…do you have power?
Non. A generator.
Hooked up to the espresso machine?
And the oven and fridge, said Gabri.
But not the lights?
Priorities, said Olivier. Are you complaining?
Mon Dieu, no, she said."

I really, really liked it. Not as awesome for me as the last 2 in the series, hence the missing star but I would trade my café au lait and warm apple crisp with cream for a copy if I were you.

[Margaret M - (having a challenging time and on GR as much as I can) · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this wonderful novel ‘Kingdom of the Blind’, Louise Penny embellishes the well-known proverb “In the Land of the Blind, The One Eyed Man is King.”, as the readers eye is expertly guided through a story about a questionable will, some unexplained events in the past that help create a multiple layered mystery that is being unravelled in the present, and no one seems to understand the connections. In fact they are all ‘blind’.

Carrying on this theme of ‘blindness’ we also have a cast of interesting characters who are ill-informed, unsuspecting, and oblivious to the events of the past and the present and their role in it. Even Gamache cannot explain why he and his two other executors have been chosen as liquidators to the will of a Baroness? Or is she a cleaner as some suggest? But her name - Bertha Baumgartnor and she is central to the story. Her life, her choices, and her secrets.

A brilliant mystery, a puzzling story, an intriguing cast and with this concise proverb that is integral to the whole story, we are treated to another great book from the series.

The Plot

“A will, an estate, could become about more than money, property, possessions. Who was left the most could be interpreted as who was loved the most. There were different sorts of greed. Of need.”

It is the unravelling of the will and who the Baroness chose to be executors to her final will and testament, and why that makes this story so mysterious and menacing. Along with money laundering, an unresolved inheritance dating back 130 years, the baronesses own background, and yes back to that will. Bertha the cleaning lady / baroness has seemingly bequeathed assets to her beneficiaries that she does not own or possess. Intrigued I was!!!

Review and Comments

My confession – I was caught out a bit on this one because I hadn’t read the previous book. Yes, I went in ‘blind’. Unlike some of the other books that are standalone, but with character development through the whole series, this book did continue a number of the story threads started in the previous book such as the missing drugs and Gamache’s suspension for the drugs sting that went wrong. Anyway, I improvised but I suggest you don’t go in as ‘blind’ as me and at least read the last book.

Loved, loved, loved this one though.

5 stars for the plot – excellent and unpredictable. The author did an expert job at revealing parts of the history, the connection which kept the level of suspense even throughout the book. I do love a book that keeps the pace throughout. I had worked out the will connection to the past but there are so many twists in this that you will enjoy the story - whatever you can see before the ending!!!

The characters in a Louise Penny novel always intrigue me, and in this series, I do like Gamache. Even the three executors were appropriately cast in the story, and we didn’t see why this would make a difference and add something to the plot until the author brought the story threads together.

A complex family tree, a riveting plot, great character development and a great storyteller for the reader and the listener – and I will add another proverb that seems to sum up this book...

“Often, the unseeing hide the cunning”.

4.5 rounded up.

[Jaline · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is easy to understand why readers love the village of Three Pines and its people. Symbolically, they represent all the finer things in life: wonderful and unique friendships, tolerance and acceptance, cozy homes and businesses, integrity and honesty. There is also good food, warm fireplaces, funny pets, and of course – the scales of justice personified by Chief Superintendent Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec. These are many, if not all, of the reasons I love my visits to the fictional village of Three Pines via Louise Penny’s novels.

Another reason is because these novels don’t back away from or swerve around the big issues of our modern-day world. The opposite is true as these novels expose the underbelly of our world culture and its dark side. That is where CS Armand Gamache and his team of hand-picked officers come into play.

”Things sometimes fell apart unexpectedly. It was not necessarily a reflection of how much they were valued.”

Readers will only achieve full appreciation of this novel by reading the preceding novel in the series, Glass Houses. In this story, we find Gamache and his team finding their way through the repercussions of their heroic efforts in Glass Houses – and there are a lot of them. People’s lives and careers were altered. Sometimes in small ways, and at times with such impact that the ripples carried through into this story.

There were also loose ends that Gamache could not ignore – ones that he is determined to recover and tie up no matter how wildly those loose ends flopped and fluttered at the whim of the winds of fate. He was never one to back away no matter how difficult and dangerous the choice to move forward. Gamache would effect justice, no matter what the cost to himself personally.

There is also a sub-plot in this novel involving a family feud over money that goes back 132 years. When one of the family members is murdered, Gamache and his second-in-command, Jean-Guy Beauvoir pursue this case as well. It leads through fascinating territory, including discovering more about Gamache’s own past.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read, just as I have with the entire series. As soon as I discovered the series in 2014, I knew that this would be one I would follow for as long as the books kept arriving. Despite the grim topics covered and the harsh realities of what police forces are confronted with, these novels always leave me with a strong sense of hope, and that feelings of kindness and goodness are ones we can all act upon every single day to help counterbalance the evils of our world.

[Penny Watson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buckle up, people!

I have many, many thoughts about this book, and series in general, and Louise Penny.

1. The beginning of this book is strong. As always. One of Louise Penny's strengths is her beginnings. She sucks you right into the story with the characters, the mystery, the unknown. Everything feels profound. She throws in poetry. Philosophy. Art.

Strangely, however, the familiarity of the characters/town we know actually dragged this story down. That is no longer a strong point for the series, but a detriment.

At one point, there was a scene with our familiar cast of characters, in their familiar setting, and I thought to myself..."I've read this before." It's getting redundant, and that's a bad thing. Dialogue feels recycled, character reactions feel recycled, even the twists/big reveals are things we've seen before (Gamache has a big secret...yeah, we know. HE ALWAYS HAS A BIG SECRET).

2. There are certain scenes/moments/events in this book with huge impact. The collapse of the house, the angst-filled scenes with Amelia returning to her old life. I love the whole symbolism of the house collapsing/the family collapsing. Penny did an extraordinary job bringing that symbolic event to life.

Unfortunately, these are overshadowed by many tedious scenes that dragged and ruined the pacing of the narrative. Too many scenes with financial folks, figuring out documents, etc. These bits were dull and ruined the energy and flow of this story.

3. Pacing was a problem. The flow of the story felt disjointed. Usually, I find that Penny does an excellent job blending high-action scenes with internal POV, character bits with setting and storyline. But it was pretty choppy going in this book.

4. I love fiction that blends multiple storylines. This is a trademark for the Gamache Series. Sometimes, it works very well, and sometimes it's not as successful.

The parallel storylines for this book--the Baumgartner will and the continuation of the drug storyline from the last book (GLASS HOUSES)--did not work well together, IMO. There has to be both contrast and commonality for blended storylines to work.

The mystery about the Baumgartner family started very strong, then fizzled and died.

The storyline about Amelia had its strong moments as well, but the "twist"--Gamache has a secret from everyone else--is something we've already seen in this series. That reveal was disappointing.

The "reveal" about the Baumgartners also lacked punch. It was fairly expected.

That was the biggest disappointment about this book for me...it started with a lot of energy and suspense, and it all sort of fizzled out and died by the end.

The "post-mortem" scene at the end (everyone sitting around and discussing who/how/why-dunnit) was painful. It was an uninspired way to resolve the main mystery of this book.

I do appreciate a few new characters thrown into the Three Pines world--even the promise of romance for some of our regular characters--but that is not enough to pump fresh life into this series.

5. My big assessment about The Gamache Series: This series has lost its magic. Louise Penny has not, however, lost her magical touch as a writer. She just needs to use her "powers" with a new project.

She needs a new town, new characters, maybe even try out a new genre.

She has a lot left to say, and a wonderful way to say it. But Gamache and his buddies and Three Pines have been wrung out like a wet sponge.

I got the feeling several times that Penny is writing her "default" setting with this series. I honestly feel like it's wasting her talents.

6. Most series drag on too long. There's a fine line (or not) between exploring and re-exploring the same characters/relationships, watching them change and grow. At some point, it's done.

You know a series is still working when you return to that world and it's like putting on a favorite snuggly cardigan and going along for a wonderful adventure with "friends."

I didn't get that feeling this time. My friends felt flat and almost cartoonish. The mystery became predictable and underwhelming.

Even Gamache, who is one of my all-time favorite characters, was missing something.

Overall grade for KINGDOM OF THE BLIND: Disappointed.

Here's hoping Louise Penny tries something new and different soon. I would really like to see that happen!


Signing off from Watsonville,
Penny/Nina

[Paula K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Louis Penny is back on track as one of the finest mystery writers with Kingdom of the Blind - #14 in the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series.

One of my first GR friends, Susan from Argyle, Texas, recommended this series back in 2013. I decided to give it a go and started with How the Light Gets In which is #9 in the series. I fell in love with the the narrator’s Canadian accent. Ralph Cosham brought so much to this series. Unfortunately, he passed away not to long ago.

This series takes place in a small remote village in Canada called Three Pines. The main characters are brought back in each novel typically with a spot light on one of them. Each has their idiosyncrasies. My favorites are Jean Guy Beauvoir, right arm to the Chief Inspector, who has had a long battle with his demons; and the old poet, Ruth Zardo, who says whatever she feels like to even the best of her friends and travels with her duck.

I enjoyed reading about Three Pines and wanted to learn more about the characters’ backgrounds and started reading the first of the series and never stopped. The books don’t take long to get through and here it is 2019 and I’ve been through all 14 books. A highlight for me in each book is Armand Gamache’s quoting poetry on many occasions. I often get the chills when reading the quotes.

Penny has the ability to give you a very fine murder mystery with a feel of camaraderie. She has won and been nominated for many awards - the Edgar, Agatha, Barry, Macavity, and Anthony Awards among others.

I have now switched to the Kindle version of the series, with Cosham’s passing, and will continue to do so as Penny continues to write new installments. The good news is #15 is due out in August of 2019.

5 out of 5 stars

[Phrynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an excellent read! Thank you Louise Penny for bringing Armand back to us - for a while there it looked as though it might not happen.

Kingdom of the Blind has everything we expect from a Three Pines novel. Gamache is his normal understanding, calm, all knowing self - and of course as usual, he is keeping secrets. Beauvoir is being emotionally torn apart which is very common for him. I must admit he is one character I just do not like probably because he is always letting Gamache down. And I do not know what Annie sees in him.

Anyway, I got side tracked there! There is also lots and lots of snow and hot chocolate and scenes between our favourite characters with their usual banter. Rosa teaches an unexpected person to use her favourite (her only) word. People get murdered, people attempt to hunt down drug thieves and there's a lot of excellent investigative work. There are also a couple of surprises at the end.

In other words another great book from Louise Penny. I hope she is already writing another one!

[Kaceey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m slowly catching up in this much-loved and popular series.

In book 14 we have Armand Gamache, the former head of the Sûreté du Québec. He’s been appointed as one of three to be an executor of a will for a woman he doesn’t know.

Very odd…why would this woman appoint three strangers when she had a family of her own. What secrets does she and the family share?

An extremely enjoyable visit to my favorite Canadian village of Three Pines, with all their eclectic inhabitants.

I’m ready for book 15! Queuing up shortly!

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars for another absorbing book in the Armand Gamache series by Louise Penny. This series is best read in order, as events happen in the series that carry over to subsequent books. My wife and I both enjoy this series and recommend it.
This book builds on the previous book, where Armand let a shipment of fentanyl pass into Quebec without stopping it in order to shut down the entire drug cartel. Much of the shipment was found in the US, but some is still undiscovered in Quebec and Armand is determined to find it before it hits the streets.
But then something else happens. Armand is named one of three liquidators(executors) of an estate of a woman that he has never met. Her death and the unusual will leads to a murder and subsequent investigation which leads to some surprises.
In addition, there is an ongoing investigation by the Surete into Armand's questionable decision to let the fentanyl into Quebec. I read this library book in 3 days.
Two quotes: Quebec winter: "Minus thirty -five," said Olivier proudly, as though he were responsible.
"But it's a dry cold," said Gabri. "And no wind."
Armand on life: "What I was going to say is that my mentor had this theory that our lives are like an aboriginal longhouse. Just one huge room." He swept his arm out to illustrate scope. "He said that if we thought we could compartmentalize things, we were deluding ourselves. Everyone we meet, every word we speak, every action taken or not taken lives in opus longhouse. With us. Always. Never to be expelled or licked away."

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a lengthy binge-read of Louise Penny’s spectacular series, I was forced to wait a few weeks for this latest release. The wait was worth it, as Penny continues to impress while building on established story angles. Fans will surely find something with which they can relate in this highly detailed novel. On a cold day in the dead of winter, Chief Superintendent Armand Gamache finds himself searching for a nondescript home. He received a letter from a notary, asking that he attend this location, though cannot make sense of what might be taking place. Gamache soon notices that his longtime friend and fellow Three Pines resident, Myrna Landers, has also been summoned. When a third individual, the eccentric Benedict Pouliot, arrives, things begin to make sense, in a way. All three have been named liquidators—read: executors—of the will of a woman they do not know. While trying to piece together this mystery, the hierarchy of the Sûreté du Québec are working through the major gaffe Gamache facilitated, which is just now reverberating through the streets of Montreal. In order to neutralise a major drug cartel, Gamache permitted a huge supply of opioids onto the streets, including the new carfentanil, which is exponentially more potent than fentanyl. Gamache remains suspended and his eventual permanent demise is a certainty, given time. While Quebec’s Justice Ministry is now involved, it is close to impossible to stay ahead of this, as drugs tend to move at light speed. The Sûreté Academy is rocked when one of its cadets is found with a significant amount of drugs in her room, forcing her immediate expulsion. Gamache knows this woman all too well and wonders if her past experience with street drugs might help him track down the new shipments as they hit the streets. Gamache is staying busy as he tries to peel back the layers on this drug shipment, as well as the details of the will, which poses numerous financial hurdles that span over a century. Soon, all three liquidators can understand their connection to the deceased, though when an immediate relative is found dead inside a collapsed house, questions arise as to who whether there may have been a murder to grease the financial wheels within this family. With all this taking place, needy addicts are turning up marked with ‘DAVID’, though no one seems to know who this could be. Gamache and his second-in-command, Jean Guy Beauvoir, work to piece it all together before more people die at the hands of these new drugs, which may also be the only way for Gamache to save his job. A thrilling addition to the series that will keep Penny fans wanting more. I would highly recommend this book to series fans who have a great handle on the characters and writing style. Readers new to Penny’s series ought to begin where the stories began and progress accordingly.

Those who follow my reviews closely will remember that I recently completed a major Louise Penny binge, reading her entire collection of Gamache novels. I saw a great deal of development in the series, both in the settings—particularly Three Pines—and the characters, especially Armand Gamache, the constant protagonist. Some readers were critical of such a major undertaking, but I found it highly refreshing. Penny places her protagonist in an interesting spot as the novel opens—the head of the entire Sûreté du Québec and yet on active suspension—which enriches the entire reading experience. He seems sure that his past choices related to drugs and the cartels will be vindicated when the bureaucrats see the bigger picture. As usual, Gamache seems unfazed by the trouble that awaits him, content to find a mystery that needs his attention. Gamache is pulled in by this ‘liquidator’ mystery, which takes over much of his time, though the opening with former Cadet Amelia Choquet returning to her life as a drug addict is an interesting subplot that permits the Chief Superintendent a glimpse into the drugs he has permitted to hit the streets. This character struggle is a brilliant angle that Penny adds to the mix of this piece, which enriches his already-strong character. While Jean Guy Beauvoir and Isabelle Lacoste are active throughout the book, their police presence blends in with Gamache’s work, rather than standing out alone. There are references and entire scenes related to the Three Pines residents, though the story takes place out of the community, making these unique and highly entertaining characters more decorative than essential. There are a handful of other characters whose presence help propel the story forward, in true Penny fashion, and offering the reader some wonderful development opportunities. The story is well done and it pulls on both threads left hanging from past novels and new ideas, which serve as a mystery that keeps the narrative moving forward. Penny finds new ideas to entertain and educated the curious reader, as well as showing her great abilities at painting a scene that pulls the reader in and does not let go. While some may have panned the latter part of the series, I cannot offer enough praise for this novel or the entire collection. Penny has a grip on things and there is no sense that it is in trouble, even with more than a dozen novels completed. I cannot wait for more and hope Penny has more ideas over the coming years to keep the characters exciting for all. Her acknowledgement section is worth a read for those who have followed the series, as Penny reveals an interesting tidbit.

Kudos, Madam Penny, for allowing me to be fully committed throughout. This is a series I will not soon forget or regret!

Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

"We are only as blind as we want to be." (Maya Angelou)

And with that Louise Penny opens her captivating novel with the nooks and cranies of what appears to be truth on the surface but bears the scales of something far more devious below. Is it shadowy eyes that mirror the heart or the heart that mirrors what is in the line of pure vision?

Ah, our footsteps take us, once again, to the panoramic sight of Three Pines nestled in a barage of blanketed snow. Our familiar characters take refuge in the local bistro seeking the warmth of friendship as well as the draw of the hearth.

Armand Gamache, former head of the Surete du Quebec, has received a letter stating that he is one of three liquidators of a mysterious will. With only the directive of time and place, Gamache heads out in the heavy snow towards a farmhouse some distance from Three Pines. Upon arrival, he is shocked to find Myrna Landers, bookstore owner in Three Pines, as one of the executors along with a young builder whom they don't know. None of them have ever heard of the woman who passed away. How is it that they have been chosen?

Penny doesn't wait for the icicles to melt before a dead body is found in the farmhouse days later. The three executors find themselves almost buried alive literally and figuratively in the aftermath. It will take much persistence for Gamache and his son-in-law, Jean-Guy, to shovel out of this one.
Gamache still has the weight of his suspension hanging precariously over his head for the last six months. Opioids and cartels promise to bury him under the scandal of it all.

Kingdom of the Blind is a literary vessel of friendship and camaraderie that finds itself back at that welcoming hearth. It speaks to the finer sensibilities that have somehow lay dormant in today's cut-throat world. Three Pines reflects upon the pearls of kindness, accommodation, and acceptibility. These inhabitants are so flawed and so utterly human. The dialogue is quick-witted, snarky at times, and belly laugh endowed at most times. It is a place of refuge as well for the die-hard readers who find a place at the table each time a new offering comes along. Penny always sees to that.

And yet, even though Three Pines is a fortress, it has been touched by crime, by murder, and by dastardly acts. The dark side of the moon seeps into crevices welcomed or not. And this is at the very core of Louise Penny's writing talent. She dabbles in the constant battle of good vs. evil. Reality visits Three Pines time and again, and as in life, the challenges are relentless but so is the little band of people gathered around that village hearth.

Like us, they wait for the door to crack slowly into another adventure next time around......

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

“In the kingdom of the blind, the one eyed man is king.”

The Armand Gamache series is one of my absolute favorites. The books are much deeper than a typical mystery. It’s always about the why, not the how.

Continuing the story from the prior book, a load of deadly opiates is missing in Quebec. Gamache has not been cleared for allowing these opiates to get away from the Surete. In fact, the powers that be are looking to make him the scapegoat for the potential disaster if the drugs hit the streets. So, even while on suspension, he is attempting to track them down. And the guilt and responsibility are weighing on him. “He was tired of the tyranny of the greater good.”

Meanwhile, he has been named as a liquidator for a deceased woman he never knew. And within days, there’s a dead body in her abandoned farmhouse.

I love the characters, the residents of Three Pines. And this time around, Gamache, always a deep soul, seems even deeper. And Jean Guy really struggles with whether Armand has gone too far in his attempts to fix things. Penny uses Myrna to wonderful effect to explain human nature and letting go of grievances. There are so many emotions at play here - hope, guilt, revenge. I loved the realization that “Hope itself wasn’t necessarily kind. Or a good thing.”

I am so thrilled that Penny did not follow through with her initial thoughts to stop writing this series upon the death of her husband, Michael. Now, I will be anxiously waiting to see where we all go from here.

[JanB · Rating 4 out of 5]

“In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king”

The Three Pines series is a favorite series of mine, and the village is a character in itself. In Penny’s own words the books are about “...the common yearning for community. For belonging. They’re about kindness, acceptance. Gratitude.” Wisdom and insight into human nature are infused into her books naturally and with ease. She’s never preachy but gives us much to think about.

Reading her books feels like coming home to good friends. Even the cold and snow is appealing when it’s combined with sitting in front of a roaring fire with good friends and a glass of red wine after a hearty meal of beef bourguignon and hot crusty bread. Or enjoying a croissant and a café au lait in the bistro and a visit to Myrna’s bookstore. If I had to choose fictional characters that I’d most like to join at a dinner party the residents of Three Pines would be my top choice.

But back to this book. There is a dual plot line with the first a continuation of the opioid crisis situation Armand found himself in when the last book ended. Loose ends are tied up and Armand tries to correct wrongs.

The second story line involves an inheritance as well as financial fraud. I found it to be quite convoluted and unnecessarily complicated. It’s probably just me but I had trouble following the different threads and ramifications.

This isn’t my favorite of the series but it’s not my least favorite either. The book started out very strong but fizzled a little. One twist I figured out quite early but there were still some surprises. There’s a big change in store for one character and, as always, I’m anxious to see where the author takes us in the next book.

Lastly, don’t miss the afterward. The author gives us a peek into her heart and talks about losing her husband and what that means for the series.

The copy I have from B&N has exclusive content where Louise Penny introduces us to the places in the village where she lives that are the inspiration for Three Pines. I loved the pictures and hearing from the proprietors.

This was another great buddy read with my friend, Marialyce ❤️

[Margitte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I decided at #9 not to continue reading when the ambiance of the books changed and I strangely felt left out of our beloved Three Pines intrigue. The stories went global and somehow felt like 'our home' was opened up to all the world and strangers were sleeping in our beds, or something :-)

However, I have introduced so many readers in my immediate circles here in reality to Louise Penny's books, that when one recently asked me about her latest novels, I had to get into it again myself. She became so wildely popular around here, that I could not tell people about my decision to stop reading them. So here I am again.

I missed out on a few. However, lately, when extremely limited time permitted, I indulged in non-fictional reading, and for some time now I wanted to read a good murder mystery again. The Kingdom of the Blind became the next read. It was like going home and eat the family's comfort food. So by the way, in my big family we never 'enslaved' mom to do all the cooking. We all cooked together. One huge big hang-out behind the cooking pots and stoves. The only meal mom insisted on cooking was Sunday lunch. She was a maestro in everything she ever did. The men in our family were excellent chefs themselves and proud to take the heat of the kitchen with the rest of us.

In Three Pines all the neighbors were still there with their idiocyncracies, like Ruth Zardo-with her alter ego, Rose (the fuck fuck fuck duck; Inspector Armand Gamache, his wife-Rein-marie; his dog, his son-in-law(Jean-Guy Beauvoir), his daughter, Anne; the retired psychologist and book shop owner, Myrna Landers, the famous otherwordly artist Clara Morrow; the bistro buddies- Gabri Dubeau & Olivier; Gamache's other mean-team colleague-Isabelle Lacoste; his latest recruit from the underworld, Amelia Choquet.

But then a hermet sort of resident Bertha Baumgarter, the Baronness, passed away and named Gamache, Myrna and an unknown young man from Montreal, Benedict Pouliot, as the liquidators of her estate, which lead to a fratricide- in a home, which became a house, and was now simply a building. And not even that for much longer...

The mystical presence of the late Bertha Baumgarter was like releasing a chimera in the small village. Some thought it was Godzilla meeting Mothra. For some it was like bindweed in a poisonous garden. Some thought it was a fairy tale gone wrong: "Most fairy tales are pretty dark," said Armand, ... "Have you read any to Honoré? Rumpelstiltskin? It starts with a lie and ends with a death."

In Glass Houses Armand made a serious faut pas, which left some of his colleagues dead, or seriously wounded, and himself in serious trouble. He got suspended. And now, in the land of the blind, the one-eye had to become king again and save Canada, and the rest of the region from a drug disaster.

The taxi let Armand off where it had picked him up. Outside the offices of Horowitz Investments. They were just down rue Sherbrooke from the Musée des Beaux-Arts and Holt Renfrew. On Montréal’s Golden Mile, where glass towers were fronted by old Greystone mansions.

A cab ride, and a lifetime, away from where he’d just been. What separated them, Gamache knew, wasn’t hard work but good fortune and blind luck. That picked some and not others. That introduced some to opioids and not others. Five years ago, two years, even a year ago, the futures of the ghastly figures on the street looked very different. And then someone introduced them to a painkiller. An opioid. And all the promise, all the good fortune of birth and affluence—of a loving family, of education—were no match for what came next.

Never rains but pours. At least, in the cold Quebec winter it never was just minus something. It was deadly cold... and below the soil the bindweed was waiting...

After finishing the novel, and reading some of the comments, I was glad that I was not Louise Penny. In an afterthought she writes: I want to thank my neighbors, for their patience and kindess. For saving a place at the table for both Michael and me. And I want to thank you. For your company. We are very fortunate, aren't we? To have found each other in Tree Pines.

It is widely known for the Armand Gamache-groupies, like yours truly, that his character was loosely based on Penny's late husband who passed away from complications of Alzheimers. In this after thought, she thus thanked her readers for keeping a place in our lives for her and Gamache. And how right she is.

We want more of the same all the time, yet complain when she delivers on just that. Then we're bored and want something new, something exciting, and when she delivers, we're in a tiff again about that.

Louise Penny has a rapport with her readers like no other. She explains in the acknowledgments how this book came about, talking directly to us.

My heart was light. Even as I wrote about some very dark themes, it was with gladness. With relief. That I get to keep doing this. Far from leaving Michael behind, he became even more infused in the books. All the things we had came together, in Three Pines. Love, companionship, friendship. His integrity. His courage. Laughter. I realized, too, that the books are far more than Michael. Far more than Gamache. They're the common yearning for community. For belonging. They're about kindness, acceptance. Gratitude. They're not so much about death, as life. And the consequences of the choices we make.

And this, I realized, was why I wanted to rate this novel five stars. The Armand Gamache series is like no other I have ever read in this genre, except perhaps for Martin Walker's Bruno, Chief Of Police series playing out in rural France. Similar concept, similar winning recipe.

After reading this author, I feel whole again, but enlightened. Happy, but wizened. And so utterly grateful that there is still a place in this dark literary world we can call home. Three Pines will always be part of home to me, even if the author decides to move on and take us on a new adventure.

[PattyMacDotComma · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5★
“He saw the dealers and addicts and prostitutes, going about their business in broad daylight. Knowing no cop would stop them.

This part of rue Ste.-Catherine wasn’t so much an artery as an intestine.”

Montréal, mid-winter, chasing the drugs that Gamache allowed to slip across the border and for which he has been suspended. He is the former head of homicide, now the Chief Superintendent of the Sûreté du Québec, a thoughtful, compassionate man who took a calculated risk with a drug shipment in order to shut down a big cartel.

This particular opioid has the potential to kill every user, depending on the dose, and Gamache has had nightmares about what he has unleashed on the youth of Canada. This is similar to the trolley-car dilemma, where you are asked whether you’d choose to sacrifice one person to save a group. [Here it is, if you’re interested : https://theconversation.com/the-troll... ]

Mind you, Gamache has cleaned up the rot in the Sûreté, turfed out a number of crooked cops, and recently headed up the Sûreté Academy before moving to his current (suspended) role. As is customary in this series, there is more than one thread. Alongside his ongoing issues with the department is the hunt for the drugs, plus a completely separate storyline about his being appointed as one of three liquidators (executors) of a will.

He has no idea who Bertha Baumgartner, “the Baroness”, is nor does Myrna, another liquidator and our favourite retired psychologist who now lives in and runs a bookshop in Three Pines. Three Pines! Yes, we do spend time in my favourite Canadian village, although it is far, far too cold for me. They meet the notary in a deserted farmhouse in a blizzard, where I wondered if they’d all expire, frozen, in the first chapter.

But no, Armand and Myrna made it back to Three Pines, and the blizzard blew itself out.

“Snow had climbed halfway up, blocking most of the light and almost all the view. Bur Reine-Marie could see that the blizzard had blown itself out and left in its wake, as the worst storms often did, a luminous day.

Though it was, as any good Quebecker knew, an illusion. The sun was gleaming off its fangs.”

Fangs, indeed. When the power goes out, people are pulling mattresses next to their woodstoves so they can wake up and stoke fires through the night, hoping they have enough wood at hand until this isolated village is discovered by the “powers” that be (sorry about the lame play on words).

Another young fellow is the third liquidator (sounds like a hit-man), adding to the character list, and later we meet the three offspring/heirs of “the Baroness”. The will and the family history are intriguing, and as the sons are in the financial world, there is yet another thread about that.

Of course there is a murder and an investigation.

“It was always an odd feeling, walking around a person’s home uninvited. Seeing it as they’d left it in the morning. Not realizing they’d never return. Not realizing it was the day of their death.”

I always enjoy Penny’s plots, multiple storylines and all, and she splits up the threads in separate chapters to make it a bit easier to follow. I have to say that I found the drug thread a bit weak, but the Sûreté issues have always been my least favourite parts of the books. Politics is a necessary evil, I guess. But I do like seeing things from his offsiders’ viewpoints.

“Chief Inspector Lacoste regarded the steady man in front of her, who believed everyone could be saved. Believed he could save them.

It was both his saving grace and his blind spot. And few knew better than Isabelle Lacoste what that meant. Some things hurtled. Some slithered. But nothing good ever came out of a blind spot.”

The usual Three Pines community is present, cooking and hosting unexpected visitors who’ve been caught in the snow, so we see Clara, and Ruth and ‘the boys’, Gabri and Olivier. Gabri has a running banter with Ruth, an ancient poet and heavy-drinking crone.

“Out of the darkness, just as she closed the door against the biting cold, Clara heard Gabri say, ‘Oh look. An ice floe. Come on, Ruth. It has your name on it.’

‘Fag.’

‘Hag.’”

Love them all. :)

I always look forward to this series, but I have to say the end of this book has me a little worried. Where to now?

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Catching Up…

Having read this when it first came out, I am now re-visiting this book and bringing my review to Goodreads.

This story starts with a sense of menace.

It is a dark, snowy morning when Gamache comes upon an old broken-down farmhouse in an isolated area in the village of Three Pines.

The scene is so well-written, it is as if we need to put on a warm jacket, knowing that within moments we are going to feel the approaching blizzard, and we too need to get warm.

Apparently, Gamache and 2 others have been purposely summoned to this place because they are the designated executors of the will of the recently deceased person who once lived there.

What is going on here?

We are also dealing with some loose ends from what occurred in “Glass Houses.” So, if readers did not read Penny’s previous book in the series, don’t even begin this book without having read that book, first.

There is much to decompress within this story – to finish what occurred from the last book, as well as solve the mystery of what Gamache has just walked into at this farmhouse.

So, is it possible that the darkness surrounding our beloved characters, isn’t just weather?

Penny has a deep love for her ongoing characters. In this story, we find our characters navigating their way through a complicated world. She creates situations with emotional depth, and for any reader who has patience, the love can be contagious. Although sometimes finding the patience can be difficult for some.

This is a character driven story with a couple of storylines to follow and several twists. And as a mystery reader who loves this series, what more could we ask for?

Well, maybe a little more patience. But that would be asking that of me, wouldn’t it?!

[Kristi Lamont · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, it's not often that I finish a fiction book and immediately google the *DEA and a certain drug, but by golly I did this time. Scary, scary stuff -- and major props to Ms Penny for always being ahead of the curve on whatever's really going on out there regarding the latest in getting high/hooked/dead.

Now, that said, I'm going to pick nits. I'm entitled, right, as a longtime reader? Loyal dissent and such. (Yes I have read the entire series to date.)

First, that whole "the junkies and trannies and whores" phrase went from being a thoughtful insight to a repetitive conceit. A condescending, repetitive conceit. Which is not like Our Louise. So I'm really puzzled by it (or maybe I'm just puzzled by my reaction to it?). To the point where two hours later I'm still actively troubled.

Second, I figured just about everything out about the plot/s way early on. Usually, that doesn't happen with this author's books. Part of me wants to say, "Give her a break, she wrote this in the near-immediate aftermath of her husband's death." And the other part of me, with whom you'd like to drink wine but not coffee, thinks all manner of snarky thoughts about plots and character development being stunted/rehashed and the like.

Having said all that, it comes down to this: If Louise Penny were to write another Armand Gamache book I would read it. In. A. Heartbeat. So why won't Goodreads let me give it 3.5 stars?

Also? She really sums up everything better than I could myself (in the Acknowledgements section): "I realized, too, that the books are far more than Michael. Far more than Gamache. They're the common yearning for community. For belonging. They're about kindness, acceptance. Gratitude. They're not so much about death, as life. And the consequences of the choices we make."

Yep. Take me to Three Pines, please. Just not in the winter.

* https://www.dea.gov/press-releases/20...

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being invited to an abandoned and derelict farmhouse near Three Pines, Armand Gamache didn’t expect to see Myrna there as well. There was also a stranger, Benedict – all three of them had been named as executors of the will of a woman none of them knew. Lucien, the man who’d directed them all there, informed them of what was to be done – this began a set of bizarre and unsettling events of which murder was a part.

The snow and ice; the violence of the storm – conditions were dangerous. Cars were buried, Three Pines had almost disappeared under the deluge of snow. And it was freezing. But that didn’t stop Gamache. Jean-Guy was acting head of the Sûreté du Québec while Gamache was on suspension after the events of the previous novel but they investigated, digging deeply into the lives of those involved. All the while, Jean-Guy was deeply, reluctantly associated with the intense, political departmental meetings. And Gamache had his own agenda – but would it work? Or was he making it much, much worse?

Kingdom of the Blind is the 14th in the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series by Louise Penny and it was brilliant – as I’ve found the whole series to be. I flew through the pages, wanting to know what was going to happen, while not wanting it to finish. Armand Gamache is an excellent character, and of course the usual favourites were out in force in this novel. Ruth and Rosa (her duck), Reine-Marie, Clara, Myrna – and the rest of the wonderful Three Pines characters; the zany humour that litters this series and keeps me smiling. And what an ending! I am really looking forward to the next. Highly recommended.

With thanks to Hachette AU for my copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

[Esil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, Armand, you kept me waiting this year... Our annual date usually takes place at the end of the summer, but this year I had to wait until Christmas to read the next chapter in your life. But it was worth the wait.

Louise Penny knocked it out of the park again this year.

If you don’t know this series, it’s well worth it but you should start from the beginning. Through Gamache and a number of recurring characters, Penny tackles real and pressing issues, with depth, compassion and humour. This time, while Gamache is on suspension from the Surete du Quebec, he is named as the executor of a mysterious will and he is living with the consequences of allowing a large shipment of opioids enter into Quebec. As usual, the mysteries get resolved, all the while we get to spend time in Three Pines with the usual cast of charming characters.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that the story takes place in the dead of winter in Quebec. Winter is depicted perfectly — the effects of a blistering snow storm, the different textures of snow, the hazards of winter driving, and the sheer pleasure of coming out from the cold and eating comfort food.

As always, it feels like Penny covers familiar terrain, but with much intelligence and originality.

After finishing, my heart skipped a beat when I read Penny’s afterword in which she said that, before writing Kingdom of the Blind, she thought she was done writing books in this series. Her husband, after whom Gamache is modelled, recently died of Alzheimers, and she assumed that it would be too painful to keep writing. Fortunately for me and many other fans, Penny found that, once she sat down, it turned out that writing this book came naturally and she was happy to be reunited with Gamache and the other eccentric characters in this series. Hopefully, she will feel the same about writing the next book in the series.

Armand, you’re keeping things fresh by making me guess if and when we’ll meet again next year. But I know you to be considerate and gentlemanly, so I trust you won’t keep me guessing for too long. In the meantime, all the best to you, and to Reine Marie too.

[Dennis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've never read anything by Louise Penny before, and I've definitely never read her Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series, but you don't need to in order to follow along with Kingdom of the Blind. The author provides a lot of developments along the way for the reader to quickly get up to speed about the characters and their mishaps. While Armand Gamache is under suspension from the Sûreté du Québec, he receives a letter summoning him to preside over the execution of a will of a woman he's never met in his life (her name is Bertha, but is nicknamed The Baroness). When he arrives to this woman's house, he notices that there's two other people who have been included as co-executors of the will as well—Myrna Landers, a bookseller residing in Three Pines, and Benedict, a builder. Neither Myrna nor Benedict have ever met this woman, but the three are intrigued by this mystery and decide to distribute this woman's estate to her family. When the trio start allocating the estate to the Baroness's family, they stumble across a murder, linking them to this family's dark history. Armand's skeletons of the past also become a factor in this tale, leading to an ultimate showdown between the police force in Quebec, the estate of this deceased woman, and the trio themselves.

I questioned whether or not my low rating was given because I've never read anything in this series. I may be in the minority, but I just wasn't a fan of how the story was written. It's a very dialogue-based novel, reminiscent of the Cormoran Strike series by Robert Galbraith (JK Rowling's pseudonym). If you've enjoyed that series, then please ignore me and pick up this novel! There's enough action throughout the story to entertain, but the driving force in this tale is the dialogue between Armand, Myrna, Benedict, Armand's wife, and the family of the Baroness. While the story had entertaining moments, I was bored to death by the dialogue. It could be because I haven't grown to care for the characters, as I would've if I read the series from the beginning, but I'm not confident enough in that statement to really confirm that theory. If you have read this series before and are curious, I do think it's worth a try in reading—prove me wrong!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

In this 14th book in the 'Chief Inspector Armand Gamache' series, the Canadian cop becomes the executor of a will and investigates a murder. The book can be read as a standalone, but familiarity with the series is a bonus.

*****

As the story opens, Chief Superintendent Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec is on suspension for a partially bungled drug operation.




While Gamache is under investigation he takes on another task, as executor of the will of Bertha Baumgartner - a woman he's never met. It seems that Baumgartner, who worked as a cleaning lady, named three strangers to execute her will: Gamache; Gamache's neighbor in Three Pines Myrna Lander; and a young Montreal man called Benedict Pouliot.



Baumgartner's notary, Maître Mercier, can't explain why his client chose a cop (Armand); a bookstore owner (Myrna); and a builder (Benedict) to carry out her final wishes, but it's not really his business. Thus Mercier carries out his duties and reads the will, which turns out to be a very odd document.

Ms. Baumgartner - who had no savings and owned nothing but an old crumbling farmhouse - left each of her three adult children five million dollars. She also directed her 'European estates' to be sold, and left 'the title' to her eldest son. This seems ludicrous on the face of it, but becomes more clear when the executors learn that Baumgartner's Austrian ancestors were involved in a family feud that started over one hundred years ago.



While Gamache is looking into the will, one of the legatees is killed in suspicious circumstances. Even though Gamache is suspended from the Sûreté, he investigates with his son-in-law, Chief Inspector of Homicide Jean-Guy Beauvoir. Other Sûreté' officers help as well, as do Gamache's friends in Three Pines. As a result many secrets are revealed and an ongoing lawsuit in Austria - that has repercussions for the Baumgartners - comes to light. (In one scene Gamache calls an Austrian policeman and speaks pidgin German, which is hilarious. 😊)



As all this is happening Gamache is trying to repair the damage done by the botched drug case, which allowed powerful new opioids to get loose in Montreal. Because Gamache is vulnerable, the powers-that-be are trying to smear him for political reasons, and even want Jean-Guy to help them. To clear his name (and conscience) Gamache is trying to track down the drugs before they cause mass overdoses and deaths. This is difficult, but the Chief Inspector has a 'secret weapon' of sorts.....which just might work.



There's some drama in the book when a blizzard blows through southeastern Canada and knocks out the electricity, but Armand and his neighbors are very capable and resilient, and organize a lovely gathering with food and drinks.



Many of Gamache's friends and relatives make an appearance in the story, including his wife Reine-Marie; the eccentric old poet Ruth and her duck Rosa (whose quacks sound like 'f**k, f**k, f**k); the portrait artist Clara - who painted a peculiar picture of wrinkled old Ruth as the Virgin Mary; the café owners Oliver and Gabri - who make delicious food; Gamache's daughter Annie and his grandbaby Honoré - who learns his first word from Rosa 😲; and Armand's dogs Gracie and Henri. I laughed when Ruth refers to Myrna Lander's bookstore as a lending library - apparently because she walks out with 'free books' under her coat.

The novel's plot is interesting and well-constructed, and I enjoyed visiting with old friends from Three Pines. I think mystery readers would like the book, especially fans of the series.

You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....

[Brina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A trip to Three Pines was sorely needed after I took a week to immerse myself in a 725 page history tome. I love history but admittedly the work is tedious and while I would love to read one of those books each month, I do know my limitations. A quote Louise Penny has used in this series is to be a “brave man in a brave world.” I would list the author as being brave in having the strength to go on after the passing of her husband from dementia. He was her basis for Gamache and just as she has created her fictional protagonists Armand and Reine-Marie, Louise Penny and her husband Michael were soulmates. It is difficult to go on when one half of you is missing, and for awhile it appeared as though Penny was done with Gamache. One day, she sat at her long pine table and wrote two words: Armand Gamache, and the next day she continued. Such began Kingdom of the Blind, which brought the world of Three Pines back to us. With a new book on the horizon later this year, I am determined to be brought up to date before that time, so off to Three Pines I go.

A phrase I use usually in conjunction with athletes is that if you use, you lose. At the end of the previous book, Gamache and Beauvoir foiled a drug cartel but in the process allowed a shipment to remain on the streets of Montreal. Gamache’s decision making in this case made him many enemies and put him on suspension just when he had finally cleaned up the Sureté of graft. Yet, Gamache had an end goal in sight: find the drugs killing a generation of youth and the war on opioids is won. To do this, Gamache places undercover agents to track dealers in places where he would stand out on his own. This action takes bravery because should Gamache fail, the suspension becomes permanent, and, with it, the work he did to clean up the Sureté would be lost. In the drug crisis, Penny writes of the game of life, which puts sports into perspective. I have issues with drugs because schools teach students from a young age not to put chemicals into one’s body; however, generations of outcasts have done that anyway, some of them intelligent teens who made poor decisions and are doomed to life on the street or death. The new drug that Gamache must stop is powerful enough to kill with one dosage. The story arc in the last three books has been taxing on myself as a reader but also on Gamache and his team who have to deal with the drug war on a daily basis.

To counter the war on drugs, Penny introduces new characters when Gamache is asked to be a liquidator of an estate. The deceased one Bertha Baumgartner claims to be from the house of Rothschild known as the Kinderoth family in Austria. Her family was fortunate to immigrate to Canada before the Holocaust, but any assets in the family fortune were usurped by the Nazis. Mrs Baumgartner known as the Baroness believes that the money exists and left each of her children five million dollars. She chose neutral liquidators of her will in case the middle aged children fought over the inheritance, children now middle aged who grew up hearing their mother’s delusional story about millions of dollars that do not exist. Who better to liquidate a will than a high ranking police officer and a psychologist who spent a lifetime judging people. Hours after the reading of the will, the oldest son is found murdered, leading Penny to do what she does best, insert a second mystery into her first one, leading Gamache and his team on a two pronged case that must be solved before lies and deceit lead to more certain death.

In a heady case like this one, the villagers of Three Pines offer more relief than usual. The village in winter is a character in its own right. The dialogue between Clara and Gabri as they prepare for the yearly winter carnival had me in stitches only because I knew that it was done tongue in cheek. When the village is snowed in, neighbors help neighbors and even Ruth isn’t left behind. Love or detest her, Ruth Zardo is immortal and her character appears to be in the series for the long haul. While the villagers relax in the warmth of their homes, Gamache and his team race the clock to beat the drug war. The last few years have taken their toll on Beauvoir, who has survived his own personal war on addiction but has been questioned by colleagues who he thought were friends. In questioning a suspect Beauvoir is asked if he loves his job, and Penny actually has him contemplate this even though he is excellent at his job. Jean Guy has a family now, and life as an inspector is fraught with risks. He may love the job, but his family comes first, and after seeing his sister inspector LaCoste nearly pay with her life in the previous book, Jean Guy is uncertain how much longer he can sustain himself as Chief Inspector of homicide. If not he, than who is Gamache grooming to take the position.

I have seen family members succumb to dementia so I can see how distraught Penny was following the death of her spouse. Like us readers who turn to Three Pines in times of need, Penny returned to her creation as a salve. Rather than sadness, she wrote this installment with joy, as evidenced with her anecdote to Gamache’s bench at the end. After two cases that provided the meat for this story arc, it became apparent that Kingdom of the Blind would tie up loose ends, for better or worse. Nearly ten years later, Penny is still writing about the Three Pines universe, but Kingdom of the Blind ended on a positive note, giving her the option of finishing, which I am glad that she has not as of yet. For now, I will cherish my time in Three Pines, a village which Penny has noted has brought together a community of readers.

4 stars

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full disclosure. I am somewhat biased with regards to this series. I have read all of the books in this series and while some are better than others I haven't come across one that I haven't enjoyed. I like the characters and often find myself wishing that I could visit Three Pines. Sit in the bistro and enjoy good food and good company.

This book picks up approximately six months after Glass Houses. Armand Gamache, the former head of the Sûreté du Québec, remains on suspension for his part in allowing opiates to get away from the Surete. The story opens with Armand Gamache arriving at an abandoned farmhouse in response to a mysterious letter. There he learns that a complete stranger has named him one of the executors of her will. The other two executors are Myrna Landers, the owner of the bookshop in Three Pines, and a young builder. None of them had ever met the elderly woman. The terms of the will are so bizarre Gamache at first thinks the woman may have been delusional. Until a body is found in the farmhouse.

In the meantime the investigation into the events that led to his suspension is ongoing. While most of the opiates he allowed to slip through his hands in order to bring down the cartels have been retrieved there is one exception. Enough to kill thousands is about to hit the streets and Armand Gamache is under increasing pressure. Exactly how will he go and what steps will he take to prevent the drugs from hitting the streets? He will begin to see his own blind spots.


Jean Guy Beauvoir, second-in-command and Gamache's son-in-law, is facing pressure of his own. There are some who want to use Jean Guy to get Armand. To throw him under the bus. Jean Guy has to make a decision ... save his own career at the expense of Armand Gamache. Where does his loyalty lie? I must say Jean Guy is the one character in the series I have mixed feelings about. I have alternately liked and disliked him.

There are several stories in this book. Many different emotions. Hope, greed, guilt, revenge.

‘Be very, very careful who you let into your life. And learn to make peace with whatever happens. You can’t erase the past. It’s trapped in there with you. But you can make peace with it. If you don’t,’ he said, ‘you’ll be at perpetual war.”

I understand that Louise Penny considered ending the series after the death of her husband, Michael. It may be selfish but I am so glad she didn't. Armand Gamache and the residents of Three Pines have become friends.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's lovely to be back in Three Pines with all Louise Penny's wonderful and quirky characters that we've come to know so well over the series. This time it's winter and the village is coated in snow and there is much consuming of hot chocolate and warming foods as residents concentrate on keeping warm. Just before a blizzard hits Gamache and Myrna are called out to a crumbling farmhouse to discover that they as well as a young carpenter from Montreal have been liquidators of an extraordinary will. None of them can recall the person who died, a cleaner called Bertha Baumgartner, or work out why they were chosen as liquidators and the mystery deepens further when a body is later found in the house.

Gamache is still on suspension from the Sûréte after trapping a major drug ring six months ago but allowing a huge shipment of deadly new opiods to slip through the net. He is determined to somehow stop the drugs hitting the streets and is continuing to hunt for them undercover despite his suspension. His son-in-law Jean-Guy, now the Acting Head of the Sûréte is torn between supporting Gamache and keeping the politicians handling the enquiry into Gamache on side.

Louise Penny has delivered another magnificent addition to this series. Her charming characters are as full as life as ever and there is much wit and love in her rendering of them. Gamache has lost none of his sharpness and strength and is a force to be reckoned with. It was also good to see Isabelle back on her feet since her terrible head wound and to meet some new characters. I'm so glad Louise Penny decided to keep writing this series and can't wait to see what's in store next for my favourite characters.

[Barry who enjoys well-written thrillers, mysteries , & espionage & loathes romance, horror & supernat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, head of the Sûreté du Québec, has been suspended for allowing a shipment of drugs stronger than fentanyl to get into the hands of criminals - which he did, intentionally. These ultrapowerful drugs could kill thousands. So, he is jobless at the moment.

He then receives a letter inviting him to an abandoned home without explaining the purpose of his visit. Being, by nature, a curious guy, he goes to the home at the appointed time. He is joined by two others who received similar letters, one of whom is his good friend, Myrna Landers, owner of the local bookshop. The other is a young builder unknown to either Gamache or Landers. They are met by an attorney who tells them that they have been asked by a recently deceased woman to be the executors of her estate. None of the three can recall having met the deceased or even knowing of her.

It turns out that this elderly woman was a cleaning lady who insisted on being called ¨Baroness.¨ The will is extraordinarily peculiar and purports to leave millions to the woman's children, all adults who live in nearby Montreal. Since Gamache's suspension has left him without a job giving him plenty of time, his curiosity impels him to accept the role of executor as do Ms. Landers and the young builder.

Gamache, naturally, cannot stay completely away from the investigation of the missing drugs. He is, after all, a very long-term cop. As a result, he now has two mysteries on his hands in which he becomes thoroughly embroiled.

Louise Penny has such a comfortable writing style that her characters seem like old friends with whom you might want to sit around a fireplace with a glass of mulled wine. She also creates quite complex plots, as is the case with Kingdom of the Blind, but they are complex in a comfortable, intriguing, familiar, and intricate way. Many of the characters are carryovers from previous books and seem like old friends. The new characters have been created vividly and with great depth (whatever the hell that means).

If you haven't read a Gamache book before, you might want to start earlier in the series although not necessarily with the first. I found some of the early books to be a bit slow and, in fact, I DNFed one but nonetheless decided to read this one and I am very glad that I did. I will read more Gamache books probably not including the first five or six. If you are a Gamache fan, you'll no doubt love this book. If not, I can still recommend it as either one of a very good series (save the first few) or as a standalone.

Finito

[Kelly · Rating 1 out of 5]

The casual use of several slurs for trans people as well as stereotypical depictions of trans people throughout the book were incredibly upsetting. Using slurs is not okay. Depicting trans people as drug addicts and prostitutes is not okay. consider why those stereotypes exist instead of perpetuating them. Hint: people are extremely transphobic and existing as a trans person in our society means submitting ourselves to the casual violence such as that seen in this book every second of every day. And that's nothing to say of the problem of homeless trans kids being kicked out of their homes for being themselves or the insanely high murder rate of trans women of color or the many other issues trans people face.
Stop perpetuating casual violence against trans people and stop using us as thrown in plot point.

[LJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

First Sentence: Armand Gamache slowed his car to a crawl, then stopped on the snow-covered secondary road.

Armand Gamache, former head of the Sûreté du Quebec, Myrna Landers, a bookseller, and a young builder have been named as liquidators (executors) for the will of an apparent stranger. But why the three of them, and not the woman's children? And how does a murder play into the disposition? Of greater concern to Gamache is locating the highly dangerous missing drugs over which Gamache was suspended. Cadet Amelia Choquet, a former prostitute and drug user, has been kicked out of the Sûreté Academy for possession. What is her connection? One instinctively knows these threads will join; or will they. One is compelled to find out.

Reading Louise Penny can be a very personal experience. It can take one back to childhood with the inclusion of a favourite poem, the memory of meeting a special author and a very kind man before dementia clouded his memories or a lovely, but simple, childhood song. For those who have read the series from the beginning, it is a reminder as to why these books have become important to us. For new readers, it is a welcome to, yet a reminder of, life's truth that—"Things sometimes fell apart unexpectedly. It was not necessarily a reflection of how much they were valued." And haven't we all, at some point, proclaimed that we are FINE, hoping a listener would truly understand.

Although each book stands on its own, much is gained by having read the previous books. Not only do the characters and their relationships become better known, but one then truly feels a part of the Village of Three Pines. One of the things of which readers may be assured is that Penny's characters don't stagnate. They evolve and grow, certainly no one's more than Jean-Guy, acting head of homicide, and Gamache's son-in-law

There are so many dynamic, strong characters; characters one comes to know and who become personal and real, such as Myrna, Gabri, Clara, Ruth and Rosa, the duck. A new character, Benedict, is appealing. The poetry battle between him and Ruth is delightful. Isabelle Lacoste, now the head of homicide, is the type of person one wants to be; determined, trusted by someone one admires, and wise. Agent Cloutier is transferred into a department she dislikes and is stuck there by circumstances. It is the realness of her character which is so appealing, as it is she who brings a touch of humour and veracity to the story, but also an opportunity to witness her growth. Ruth, who, for all her eccentricities, has a sense of clarity.

Most of all, there is Armand Gamache, a man guided by a code of conduct—the four statements that lead to wisdom, whose underlying foundation is kindness, but is far from naïve and understands, too well, Matthew 10:36. Even the title, when one learns the meaning behind it, not only makes perfect sense but is something one may tuck away and remember.

It is the story's balance which makes Penny so remarkable. This is not a cozy which ignores the hard realities; especially those of Gamache's job and responsibilities, of the losses or injuries, or the often-overlooked fact that—"When a murder was committed, more than one person died." Penny also acknowledges the importance of being conscious and remembering the good things; the things one loves. There is wisdom here. One need only take the time to absorb it.

In case one is concerned about a lack of suspense, fear not. There is a situation which causes one to catch one's breath and fear for the safety, if not lives, of the characters. Yet even then, there is the reminder of hope through the explanation of the book's title.

For all it's quality, the plot does bog down a bit in following the money trail, but is saved by the final, climatic scene. There is also a small plot inconsistency. Still, it is the characters and their lives in whom one becomes truly invested and, therefore, willing to forgive the small weaknesses. Even a less-than-perfect book by Penny exceeds most other books available and, in the end, one finds oneself thinking about the story long after closing the book.

"Kingdom of the Blind" has a well-done twist and a wonderful summation containing humour, love, and is bittersweet. This is an excellent and somewhat more complex book than those in the past, and it certainly provides an interesting transition for the books to come.

KINGDOM OF THE BLIND (Pol Proc-Armand Gamache-Canada-Contemp) – VG+
Penny, Louise – 14th in series
Minotaur Books – Nov 2018

[Greg · Rating 2 out of 5]

I used to love these books. Fleshing out the characters. Fleshing out their relationships. Fleshing out Three Pines and all their different residents. So much fun along with the murder mysteries.

This book? Murder storyline fun, twisty turney, as usual. But the other storyline with people playing superhero? Come on.

Same storyline problem with previous books. Blowing up a bridge. Corrupt Suretè. International drug cartels. Gamache playing superhero. C'mon!

And no more character development. No more relationship development. No more development of Three Pines. A set stage with set characters never changing. Stagnant. Boring. (And, no, Stephen and Billy don't count. Mere brush strokes.) Give me a new character, fully fleshed out, shaking Three Pines up, and an integral part of the story. Maybe some tension as this person does not fit into Three Pines, at least at first.

How many dinners can be served, wine and bread and stew? How many walks around the village circle can be walked in the chilled and crisp air.? How many penetrating but kind looks can Armand give people? How many times can Rosa the duck say fuck, fuck, fuck. That duck drives me crazy, stupid, would make a tasty dinner. Duck al'orange. Yummy! I'll cook.

It seems to me that each book contains more and more pieces from previous books until, with this one, all that is left is the old, recycled pieces, nothing new.

Maybe most fans love going home to a beautiful place that never changes. Nice people who live comfortable, simple lives. Affection for all. But not me. For me the beginning of the series was great. Now it is petering out. Repeat, repeat, repeat…

Louise, I would like you to shake things up a bit. But, maybe, the rest of your fans like it exactly the way it is..