Louise Penny’s All the Devils are Here is one of my favorite books ever. In that title as in all the others I have found that it is easy to love Armand Gamache. Much like Donna Leon’s fictional Brunetti, Gamache is a good man and it is a pleasure to spend time with him.

Glass Houses is the 13th entry in the series that began with Still Life. Most of the books are set, as this one is, in the fictional village of Three Pines (Canada). Gamache has chosen to live there for the sense of peace and community that he finds there, in contrast with the grittiness he sees in his investigations.

In this novel, all of the reader’s favorite townspeople are there. To name a few besides Gamache, there is his second in command (and son in law) Jean Guy Beauvoir, Isabelle, the inn owners, poet Ruth, and painter Clara, to name a few. There are also some weekend visitors including a politician and an architect. However…in addition, there is someone rather odd in the village. This character is dressed all in black, stands in one place, does not engage and leaves everyone feeling menaced. Why is this figure there? What does this character symbolize? What will be uncovered? What moral dilemmas will Gamache face? Readers will want to know.

The structure of this book is goes between a court trial and the actual events. This perspective heightened my interest in the story.

Kirkus Reviews notes the very high level of tension in this story. I agree. My opinion is that one can NEVER go wrong reading this series. Pick up this one and all of the others. Note that Penny has a new novel coming out this fall.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press-Minotaur Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

This book was published in 2017.

Thanks so much to the publisher and to NetGalley for giving me access to this book. Louise Penny is a favorite author of mine. She did not let me down with this installment. I love books like this - well written, great storyline and characters that you love to read about. I will be recommending this book!

I thought I had sent in a review of this book when I read it in 2017. I always look forward to Louise Penny books. She establishes an amazing sense of place and has characters that I have come to really enjoy and root for. I appreciate that Penny tackled the issue of the fentanyl crisis. I am looking forward to the next book and hope it is a little more on the cozy side as some of the first in the series were.

3.5 stars

This is my second Three Pines novel and Penny is an excellent story teller and her characters are wonderful. I felt like I could enjoy this book without reading all the books between the first one and this one. It took me longer to get into this one and I’m not sure if it was because it began at the end or what it was. But I will be reading more by this author!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book

As always, Penny is amazing. She puts together a fabulous story that is intriguing and enjoyable. Yes, Three Pines has more than its share of murders but they are all reasonably explained. Fans will not be disappointed and the characters continue to evolve.

I have read some of Louise Penny’s previous books in this series and thoroughly enjoyed them.
Glass Houses was a bit below par as the story took awhile to get into and seemed convoluted.
Perhaps it was my mood and not the writing.

I love the Armand Gamache series, and I'd live in Three Pines if I could. That being said, this entry was a bit too dark for me. The series has been steadily getting darker, with the characters I liked so much having their flaws brought into the light of day. True to life, no one is without a past, faults or secrets, I would, however, like a little more hope at the end of the book. Can't wait for the next one, but here's wishing it will be less bleak.

You can never go wrong with Louis Penny. I honestly read her books because I sell so many of them, and like to be able to give an honest assessment when a customer asks me if I have read it and what I think of it.

(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

When a mysterious figure appears in Three Pines one cold November day, Armand Gamache and the rest of the villagers are at first curious. Then wary. Through rain and sleet, the figure stands unmoving, staring ahead.
From the moment its shadow falls over the village, Gamache, now Chief Superintendent of the Sûreté du Québec, suspects the creature has deep roots and a dark purpose. Yet he does nothing. What can he do? Only watch and wait. And hope his mounting fears are not realized.
But when the figure vanishes overnight and a body is discovered, it falls to Gamache to discover if a debt has been paid or levied.
Months later, on a steamy July day as the trial for the accused begins in Montréal, Chief Superintendent Gamache continues to struggle with actions he set in motion that bitter November, from which there is no going back. More than the accused is on trial. Gamache’s own conscience is standing in judgment.

Not long ago, I read the previous book in this series, "A Great Reckoning", and had this to say about it:

Quite possibly my favourite Canadian author right now, I have read pretty much all of this series, on and off, over the years and have never found one that I could say wasn't good. They are always fresh and inviting, dragging you into the lives of the people in Three Pines and the Surete Academy.
You can go anywhere and find a good mystery novel. Will a little research, you can find a good mystery with excellent characters. Look a little harder and you find one that has a sensational setting...but it is a rare phenomenon to find all of those things - and have that sense of returning to visit friends when you open that first page. And that's what this novel was like. And, to be fair, that's what most of Louise Penny's novels are like.
If you like the sound of that, give her a try. I would recommend starting at the beginning of the series and take in all the character development that happens along the way. A fabulous addition to this series.

And, look, all of that still stands. In fact, this book probably takes that all one step further - it is hard to keep a character (and series) fresh and interesting for 13 books, but yet Louise Penny seems to be able to manage it quite delightfully.

Read them. Enjoy them. Love them!


Paul
ARH

"When a mysterious figure appears in Three Pines one cold November day, Armand Gamache and the rest of the villagers are at first curious. Then wary. Through rain and sleet, the figure stands unmoving, staring ahead.

From the moment its shadow falls over the village, Gamache, now Chief Superintendent of the Sûreté du Québec, suspects the creature has deep roots and a dark purpose. Yet he does nothing. What can he do? Only watch and wait. And hope his mounting fears are not realized.

But when the figure vanishes overnight and a body is discovered, it falls to Gamache to discover if a debt has been paid or levied.

Months later, on a steamy July day as the trial for the accused begins in Montréal, Chief Superintendent Gamache continues to struggle with actions he set in motion that bitter November, from which there is no going back. More than the accused is on trial. Gamache’s own conscience is standing in judgment.

In her latest utterly gripping book, number-one New York Times bestselling author Louise Penny shatters the conventions of the crime novel to explore what Gandhi called the court of conscience. A court that supersedes all others."

Anyone else thinking that Tree Pines is starting to rival Midsomer County as a haven for criminals and death?

Louise Penny is a master at writing mysteries, and Glass Houses doesn't disappoint. Looking forward to reading her next book!

I love the Inspector Gamache series so well that I save them to savor when I most need them. In the midst of a crazy work schedule this story really took me away from it all and into another world. The characters so real, the places clear in my mind, the mystery captivating. Another great tale. I can't wait for the next one.

The world of Inspector Armand Gamache is such a special world and Louise Penny knows the right formula for the crime to take place an to keep you guessing through the whole book!

Armand is a inspector with such a grace about him that he solves the crime within the perfect amount of time!

This whole series is amazing and I cannot wait to see what else Louise has in store!

I have heard so much about this series, but this is the first one I have read. I now know what all the other fans have been going on about. Inspector Gamache and the rest of the Quebec police have not been arresting as many people as the government and the detractors think, but he has set something in motion that will make everyone happy in the end, at least that is what he hopes. When there is a murder in the small town of Three Pines, the mystery man in the black hood and cape are investigated and the story of the Cobrador emerges. The characters are wonderful. They are typical small town residents who all seem to know each other's business, but are also there to help anyone who needs it. There is a complex plot line and Penny's writing style is unique. There is some going back and forth in time, which was a bit confusing at first, but I caught on pretty quick. I had no idea who the guilty party were until right near the end when it was revealed. There are several things happening, so it is important to pay attention to detail as there are a lot of questions along the way. I really enjoyed this story and will definitely go back and read the series from the start.

Glass Houses by Louise Penny is the latest Chief Inspector Gamache mystery. I've loved many of the books in this series and I was excited to read the latest book in this series. After reading this book, all I can say is-- Wow! The author wrote it under some difficult personal circumstances and I find that amazing, because I think it is the best in the series. The plots and subplots are so amazingly weaved into the story and the characters continue to evolve with such complexity in difficult circumstances. This book can be read alone, but I would not recommend that just because all the books are so amazing and you would not want to miss a single volume in this series. This book is definitely the best so far and I highly recommend it. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher. These opinions are entirely my own.

Glass Houses by Louise Penny

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sometimes when one reads books in a series, quality varies. In the case of Louise Penny's Gamache series each title improves, gains depth. Taking the books in order prepares the reader to feel part of the community.Glass Houses is #13.

FIRST SENTENCE: "State your name, please."

THE STORY: Chief Superintendent of the Sûreté du Québec, Armand Gamache and the people of Three Pines are puzzled by a mysterious figure standing immobile on the green. When the figure disappears, a murder takes place. Did someone pay a debt? The story begins in the courtroom some months later, when the suspect goes on trial. Gamache set the actions in motion. Was what he did right?

WHAT I THOUGHT: Sometimes I get annoyed when a story moves back and forth from the present to the past. But after the first jump in GLASS HOUSES, I had no trouble following the way the trial and the events leading up to it worked together.

Every one of Louise Penny's books has introduced the reader to something new. In this case it is the cobrador del frac. She explains that she created some of the legend to suit the story but the concept does exist.

Recently I've been disturbed by the amount of ugly violence in some of the thrillers I've read. I realized I prefer stories that demand a little more from the reader intellectually. Escape the real world and move to Three Pines.

BOTTOM LINE: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. If you are a mystery reader, you HAVE to read this series.

Disclaimer: An electronic copy of this book was provided to me by NetGalley/Minotaur for a fair review.

LOUISE PENNY is the author of the #1 New York Times and Globe and Mail bestselling series of Chief Inspector Armand Gamache novels (Still Life, A Fatal Grace, and The Cruelest Month). She has won numerous awards, including a CWA Dagger and the Agatha Award (six 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.

It is always so much fun to go to Three Pines and follow Inspector Gamache in his intriguing mysteries. This latest installment in the series was wonderfully rich and engaging and exciting just as the others have been. I can't wait to see what happens next and thoroughly enjoyed being among these friends again.

Fantastic addition to the series. So incredibly heartfelt with amazing characters that I just can't wait to revisit every year. Penny has a way with combining heart and mystery that will appeal to just about any reader, and although this can technically stand alone, you will truly miss the soul of the novel if you don't start the series from the beginning.

I had to stop many times while reading this book and just think Louise Penny is a master at conveying emotion - it is there in the bare bones of the words - not overstated at all, but so deep.

This book starts with a trial, where Gamache is testifying for the prosecution against a murder. The story skips back and forth in time, as we see the events leading up to the trial, the trial itself, and the aftermath. Usually that type of changing bothers me, but it was handled masterfully and really added to the suspense - I was dying to not only know what happened, but what would happen.

The village of Three Pines is a character in itself. I've grown to love that peaceful place as well as its residents.

This is such a good mystery, and even more, it is a great character study.

Another great read in a wonderful series. Award winning Louise Penny is always on my must read list. If you are new to the series, go back and read in order. The characters mature and bloom as the series moves along. They are my friends and I'm always interested in the next installment. Highly recommend!