Armand Gamache has accepted the position of head of the Sûreté du Québec. The war on drugs is escalating at an alarming rate and Gamache, Beauvoir, and Lacoste are hard pressed to keep up. Gamache has an unusual plan.

Back in the village of Three Pines, something odd is happening. A costumed stranger stands in silent vigil outside the bistro. It is discovered that the thing represents a conscience, and it's there to hold someone accountable for a past wrong. The trouble is that everyone has something on their conscience in Three Pines.

There is always the fear that the newest Louise Penny book won't measure up to the last one, but so far that has never happened! I'm glad that Armand Gamache has decided not to retire, because Glass Houses is just as satisfying and engaging as all the previous books in the series. I would mention that if you have not read any previous books, it might be hard to understand what is going on. Reading all of the books, in order, is definitely the most satisfying reading experience for this wonderful series.

When I found out that Penny was coming out with another of her Gamache books, I had to read it.  Immediately!  I'm pleased to say that, once again, she crafted an excellent story.  The setting, of course, is marvelous, but then again so are her characters.  Especially Ruth Zardo, the elderly, ill-tempered, eccentric poet, who carries a duck named Rosa around with her.

I do admit that Glass Houses starts off a little slowly than others in the series.  Although the opening scene begins in the middle of a murder trial, there is a lot of back and forth time sequences that can, at times, become confusing.  I think this flashback/flash forward would work well in a movie since the visual cues would help ground things.  However, in a novel, the effect can be jarring.

The central figure of this story is a mysterious figure clad in black robes.  The figure stalks the quiet village of Three Pines, creating a lot of anxiety among the residents.  Then, when a body is discovered in the basement of an old church, the tension skyrockets as the villagers struggle to figure out who among them is a killer.  It may sound like a simple whodunit, but it's not.  Penny is excellent at weaving together seemingly unrelated story threads to create something far more complex and clever.  The ending of the book came as a complete surprise.

If you haven't read an Inspector Gamache book, I highly recommend them.  Since this book works as a stand alone as well as a part of a series, you could easily begin with Glass Houses.

I give this book five out of five stars.

It's so hard to review a Louise Penny book without taking away from the prospective reader's upcoming experience. Her stories are a delight to every sense both physical and mental. I've read every book in this series - most of them 2 or 3 times, and I never fail to put it down with a feeling of regret that the story has come to an end. I will not do any spoilers here. I will simply say that this author manages to surprise me with every book. The characters are becoming more like family, the setting Three Pines definitely shines in this one, the plot is complex and very different, and once again I am left wanting to turn back to the beginning and read it again and again. STUNNING.

Inspector Armand Gamache, the dependable head of the Sûreté du Québec, is in court. His testimony is measured and succinct but the newly appointed Judge, Maureen Corriveau, is troubled by the attitude of the Chief Crown Prosecutor. Instead of guiding the policeman’s answers to help convict the defendant, he belittles his primary witness. Obviously, there is more to this homicide than meets the eye.

Alternating between the court room and the days leading up to the murder case. The story begins in the sleepy little village of Three Pines where a festive Halloween Party starts the clock on a bizarre and ominous chain of events, which threaten to topple Chief Superintendent’s Gamache’s precarious investigation. If Armand fails, he will not only ruin his own career but he will be taking down the entire department. This murder is the least of his worries, he has put everything on the line to put a stop to a monstrous crime and the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Gamache is a role model to his team. By showing them trust, he asks no less from them and they are all in. This is a worrying burden for Armand because he cannot allow himself to betray his own doubts. He finds himself walking a very fine line between integrity and the law.

This is the thirteenth book in the Chef Inspector Gamache series and one of the most riveting. Gamache’s son-in-law and second-in-command, Jean-Guy Beauvoir, Inspector Isabelle Lacoste and the eccentric residents of Three Pines return like old friends. One of my favorite authors, Louise Penny, has once again immersed me into the Canadian woods for a captivating mystery.

I have read every book in this series and it is always a joy to come back to. Pick up any one book in the series and you will be hooked. As my mind comes over the hill and sees the trees of Three Pines I know that I am with characters that give me comfort, adventure and intrigue. My brain gets a wonderful workout trying to keep up with Armand Gamache and his team and I have never been able to be one step ahead! This latest book does an incredible job of keeping you guessing. Louise Penny drops a few well placed clues along the way but never enough to know everything that is going on in the mind of Gamache. An added character in this book is the environment as the story leaps from hot summer days to frozen winter.
The only downside is the end - because I know I must now patiently wait for the next adventure in Three Pines. So in the meantime my mind will curl up in Myrna's bookstore with a hot chocolate from the Bistro and listen to Rosa and her infamous quack - that is more like a commentary from Ruth. I may even be F.I.N.E. before I get to jump into the next book.

Brilliant, intense, told from the middle of the story, than flashing back and forth throughout the timeline, never revealing too much, and completely drawing in the reader.

All the Three Pines characters are present, along with some new faces. This time, there is an intersection between a current murder trial, and a fight against drug cartels in Quebec.

It is difficult to review this book without spoiling the story. This is the 13th book in the series, and should be read in order to fully experience the magnificence of Louise Penny. It does seem to me, as I am reading these books, that too much happens to/in/around Three Pines. But the storytelling is so wonderful that I am easily able to suspend my disbelief and fully immerse myself.

Highly recommended. In fact, this entire series is not to be missed.

First off, thank you to NetGalley, for allowing me to read this book prior to publication. And thank you to the publisher for supplying it to NetGalley.

This is my first review of a book that I've received pre-publication, but I have been reading Louise Penny's Armand Gamache novels since Still Life (the very first one). I feel that over the years I have come to know the main characters as if they were family. Their characters have grown incrementally (although some have been in the spotlight, while others not so much).

This latest book is a fitting continuation to all of their stories: Jean-Guy Beauvoir, Isabelle Lacoste, Reine-Marie, Annie, the citizens of Three Pines (yes, even Ruth Zardo!). And it shows how they support each other, even if they have serious misgivings about why.

The story centers around what is truly a timely problem - drugs and the proliferation of drugs; and murder, and the reasons for murder. But the story is also about revenge and how far revenge can go astray.

There is the usual mix of history - the history of Quebec, the history of drugs in general - and philosophy; the love of the citizens for each other; the love of Armand Gamache for his family and his extended family, his fellow Officers of the Surete, and his fellow Quebecois - especially those who are hopelessly addicted because of the greed and callousness of the pushers and the cartels. And to what lengths he will go to 'save' them.

The central story - murder in Three Pines - seems to be only a sideshow at times, but it really has importance and it leads to the real crux of the novel. I really like the way that Ms. Penny - as she has in previous books - jumps from the present to the past as the story(s) unfold.

Read this book - you won't be disappointed.

Louise Penny produces another well-crafted mystery in the Gamache/Three Pines series, with enough plot twists and turns to keep you guessing until the end. Superbly developed characters have become regulars, and it is a pleasure to meet them in every book of this series. If you like mysteries, you will love this book (and series, which I recommend you read in order).

In her latest Inspector Gamache novel, Glass Houses , Louise Penny has brought me again to my fictional happy place, among characters I have grown to love.

As autumn is turning to winter in Three Pines, the quiet comfort of the village is disturbed by the sudden appearance of a mysterious being on the village green. The entire village is now on edge; it’s all anyone can talk about, but the figure stands silently for days, interacting with no one, an ominous presence. The real trouble begins, however, when it finally disappears, as the body of a regular visitor is discovered in the root cellar of the church. Armand Gamache, now the Chief Superintendent of the Sûreté du Québec, is left to wonder what more he could have done to prevent the death, knowing all the while that there was nothing he could do.

The story flashes back and forth between the November discovery in Three Pines and the murder trial in Montreal the following July. In addition, we discover that Gamache has been spending his young tenure at the helm of the Sûreté developing a most unique plan to combat drug cartels in what had been a losing battle. In taking this huge risk, he put career and reputation on the line, not only for himself, but for those he works with.

The three strands of this story weave together beautifully to a tense and surprising conclusion. Penny releases details slowly and deliberately, keeping the reader actively engaged the whole way through.

I continue to be inspired by the life Penny has breathed into Three Pines. She has created a community of supportive people, who recognize the light and dark in everyone, especially themselves. There is a consistent theme of non-judgment and forgiveness that can be so elusive in the real world, and I appreciate the reminder that no person is as bad as their worst deed.

I am grateful to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book.

Louise Penny's books keep getting better with each one. Glass Houses starts the tension with the first sentence and keeps it taunt until the end. One reason I love Louise Penny's books is how she reveals the humanity of her characters. I also love her books because I feel like I get to hang out with some of my favorite people in the village of Three Pines.

I have recommended the Gamache series for everyone who asks for a book recommendation in the Library. I also told a library vendor about them yesterday.

Anyone who has talked to me in the past year and a half knows how much I love this series, so I had high hopes for this book. I was delighted when Netgalley approved me for an advanced ebook because I was anxious to immerse myself in Three Pines again. Like many others, I feel that this series is best read in order and I feel that the books improve quite solidly as they go along. In fact, some of my favourites of the series so far were The Nature of the Beast and A Great Reckoning.

Glass Houses was unbelievably good. The style was a bit different as many parts of it were told between two time periods (about 9 months apart so not a major time travel type book). As always, the residents of Three Pines featured prominently in the book, and there were a few newcomers too. Gamache's character made some very tough decisions and some actions in this book that really caused me to pause and think. I don't want to say much more about it but I do understand all of why it had to happen. All of the corruption in the past books really led up to the major plot in this particular story.

The way that Louise Penny was able to connect various plots and storylines in this book was amazing and I couldn't believe it when I got to the end and figured it all out. I am also hopeful for the next book and concerned for some of the uncertainty at the end of this one.

I would not hesitate to recommend this series to anyone. I haven't felt this way about a series since Harry Potter, which was still a different type of passion I felt. :) I will forever be a fan of this wonderful author and her stories.

PS - Read the afterword after you read the book and I dare you not to feel like crying.

I clearly made an error in selecting this book.

You see, this is book 13 in a series…and (including this one), I’ve read exactly one.

Ms. Penny’s writing is clearly lovely. She invokes such imagery in every paragraph. You can tell that each word is chosen carefully, but it shows such an effortless beauty.

I just didn’t know the characters and I felt lost. There's no backstory. No explanation as to who these people really are.

As I read, it was very clear that certain characters, descriptions, and phrases would have meant so much to readers already familiar with this series. There’s sly wit in some descriptions – especially of Armand. Oh, and the description of that mysterious person staring at the village – the imagery that drew me to the book in the first place – was stunning.

I think that readers who already love the book and its characters will adore this. But readers new to the series (like me) would likely be better advised to start at the beginning, lest they feel just a little left out. I’m going to go back and start with book one now.

I have, most of my life, had a list of authors I've considered my "auto-buy" authors. Slowly, over the years, the list as dwindled. There is now a small group of writers remaining on that list. Louise Penny has been there, at the top, since I happened upon Still Life. Honestly, I do not think there's anyone writing today who is writing as well as she. She has taken pen to page and created a group of people her readers have grown to love. Some have stories we're still waiting to learn. Some have broken our hearts. Ms. Penny takes the pieces of broken hearts, puts them back together and raises them high - to the light. And she does it fearlessly. She's able to write about hard topics, as she does in Glass Houses, with a deft and sure hand. Helps us remember that even when we're doubting the world we live in, there is goodness. Glass Houses kept me on my toes. It had some surprises that made me think. And, as always, there was the irreverence and subtle humor that have become a Louise Penny signature. I loved Glass Houses. I want to stumble into Three Pines and never leave.

Glass Houses by Louise Penny
Glass Houses (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #13)
by Louise Penny
108416
Nancy Cunningham's review Jun 07, 2017 · edit
really liked it
bookshelves: netgalley

Louise Penny can always be counted on for an interesting, character-driven novel. And, I love the tight community she features in each book.

In each succeeding novel, as Armand Ganache encounters crime in his almost off-the-grid Quebec village, we become better acquainted with his friends and neighbors. To me, they are decidedly NOT characters in a book, but are real people that I am encountering on the printed page. They are alive, filled with quirks and sentiments, and often problems.

There is always a psychological component to Penny's stories, but this new book is a step beyond that. It is dark. It is brooding. It is daring. And, it is damaging. Although some might look at these as "cozy mysteries" because they are set in a village and the pages are not filled with violence, this is an exception. It is both a psychological drama and a courtroom drama in addition to the "typical village mystery" that Penny thrives on.

I was white-knuckled as I read the book because there were threats to characters I cared about. It was also the kind of story that simultaneously asked both the reader and the character to explore their moral stand on various issues.
It was an intriguing story and a great addition to the Inspector Ganache series--but, far, far, far from typical or expected.

Net galley provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A new Louise Penny novel is a day to rejoice, and I think the latest is particularly strong and well-plotted. Gamache is at the top of his game, and I so enjoyed the weaving of Spanish culture and the conscious of the book. She always takes such human emotion into consideration, and the emotions are what drives the narrative and whodunit. Very clever, and a spellbinding installment. I'm just sorry it ended, but what a flight read back home from BEA.

The less said the better since I don't want to give anything away, so my review will be very brief. I will say fans of this series will not be disappointed, this one may well be the best so far. A hard thing to accomplish in series of this length. Gamache will put everything on the line. Something old will be mixed with a current scourge in many countries, has reached epidemic proportions, and is hurting and has hurt many. Ruth, my favorite, and her duck get a somewhat larger role and more of her poetry is quoted. It will all come down to who did what where and who knew what when. So, so good, very suspenseful and as always the characters of Three Pines will pull together. There is after all a great deal of love in this little town and a great deal of good. Remember to read the afterward, it is poignant and awe inspiring.

ARC from Netgalley.

An amazing book. This is the 13th book in the Inspector Gamache books and it is even better than the previous books though one would not think that possible. An amazing book, from an amazing author who suffered great personal loss during the period in which she was writing.

Glass Houses maintains a level of tension and suspense which does not let up which has not been present in previous books. It also switches time frames with nothing to let you know it is going to happen without becoming confusing. As with all of Louise Penny's books, there are great moral questions which are central in this book. What part of one's moral code can be sacrificed to achieve results that will work to the good of all?

This book touched my soul in ways that the other have not. A solid hit that everyone should read but really one should start with book one. And really I want to move to Three Pines.

I like the way that Louise Penny describes "Three Pines" as an ideal place to live, in a safe atmosphere out in the boondocks hidden away from the world. Where the drug cartels finely found a home to drag all the main characters out of their positions to have a final battle with the U.S. and Canadian cartels. Only there was a murder that they had to solve prior to going after the drug cartels. I was aware of the inner battle that Louise Penny was having as she wrote this story and the passing of her husband. This was not even brought out until the afterword. Her book showed that she was really focused on the material in her book. Another reason to read this book.

Glass Houses by Louise Penny is another wonderful novel about the peaceful small village of Three Pines and all the interesting people who live there. Chief Superintendent Gamache is head of Surete in Quebec and makes his home in this quiet country village. Death and violence come to his town when he is involved in fighting a drug war. The book is a thrilling adventure story and well written.