Glass Houses

I am a devoted reader of Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache series. The latest (#13) is Glass Houses.

Glass Houses opens in a courtroom with Gamache on the stand. "He knew perfectly well who the murder was. He was just a little afraid that something would go wrong. And a particularly cunning killer would go free." Well, I was immediately hooked! So many questions. The reader slowly learns what led to the case Gamache is testifying at.

A hooded figure dressed in black stands on the square in the pretty little off the beaten village of Three Pines - home to Inspector Gamache. He or she is not committing a crime, but doing nothing but standing there is all the more terrifying.

"The actual act of terror created horror, pain, sorrow, rage, show more revenge. But the terror itself came from wondering what what going to happen next. To watch, to wait to wonder, To anticipate. To imagine. And always the worst."

Gamache and a small, select group of officers are also running an operation that seems to have been almost a year in the planning. But what exactly that is, is only slowly made clear to the reader. Very slowly - which only kept me turning pages late in the night, eager to see where and what was at the end. Penny brings in elements from the a previous long running (and very current) storyline.

I love Penny's prose and the voice she has created for not just Gamache, but for every player in her books. Her mysteries are always intriguing, but it is the characters themselves that have me eager to see what is going on in their lives. It feels like settling in with old friends when I pick up the latest book. And settling into a village I'd love to live in. Penny's description of Three Pines says much:

"Some might argue that Three Pines itself isn't real, and they'd be right, but limited in their view. The village does not exist, physically. But I think of it as existing in ways that are far more important and powerful. Three Pines is a state of mind. When we choose tolerance over hate. Kindness over cruelty. Goodness over bullying. When we choose to be hopeful, not cynical. Then we live in Three Pines."

Another fantastic entry in this wonderful series. show less

Courtroom dramas bother me. This story begins with Gamache on the witness stand being eviscerated by the prosecution, even though they’re on the same side. I was antsy through the court scenes because, having litigated for years, I’m aware of the maneuvers to overcome the challenges that made this trial so difficult. I figured Canadian court rules must be substantially different from our courts. Turns out Penny knows exactly what she’s doing.

Gamache intends to dismantle the drug cartels plaguing Quebec. As he implements an improbable, impossible years-long ultra-secret plan to do so, he also testifies day after day about a murder in Three Pines. The reader senses that the trial is somehow related to his pending cartels takedown. show more In her closing comments, she explains she’s telling the story in reverse, starting from the aftermath of the crime, a trial of an undisclosed defendant. Meanwhile she describes tackling the cartels in real time. Crazy talented this woman is.

This book 13 of the series is more action-packed than any of her previous books, and that says a lot when a good part of the book is just testimony being given in a courtroom. I’m still not a fan of courtroom sagas in general, but she resolved every questionable court action to my satisfaction. A darned good book. show less

Three Pines is seriously creeped out by the figure that has appeared in the village green. It's November, which is already a wearisome month, and now there's this black-cloaked figure just standing there, not moving, like the spectre of Death. Death does come to town a few days later; a body is found, a person is arrested for the murder. Fast-forward several months, and Gamache is testifying at the trial of the accused. But this is no ordinary trial; operations are in train that could have significant repercussions on the very fabric of Quebec society, and the trial plays a role in ensuring that those operations are successful.

I spent most of an afternoon reading this because I could not put it down. The story is told in an unusual (at show more least for this series) chronology: we begin with Gamache at the trial, and his testimony is interrupted by the relevant scenes from the past storyline. It is an effective way to maintain suspense.

The plot is somewhat more action-oriented than usual; in a way, it reminded me of How the Light Gets In, and it was nearly as good as that installment in the series. And while it is a tense book, and sometimes upsetting, there is still plenty of humour in the interactions between the recurring characters and our vantage points inside their heads. (I personally always love hanging out in Beauvoir's head, because his sarcastic asides often have me giggling out loud.)

If you have this book, clear your calendar and read it in one go. This is made for readathons, long train or plane trips, or cozy afternoons. show less

Glass Houses - Penny
Audio performance by Robert Bathurst
4 stars

“There is a higher court than courts of justice and that is the court of conscience. It supercedes all other courts.” Mahatma Gandhi

“Always let your conscience be your guide.” Jiminy Cricket

The book begins with Gamache being questioned as a witness for the prosecution in a murder trial. The scene is set for a tense courtroom drama as the actual murder is related in a series of backflashes. Not exactly a split timeline, but a more complicated plot construction than a sequential murder investigation. This is not a straightforward murder trial. Something is not right. It’s very suspenseful. Not only is the accused murderer still unnamed, but it becomes clear that show more the stalwart Gamache is about to commit perjury. The backstory continues until it converges with the present storyline where all is explained in a nail biting finale.

It comes down to a matter of conscience. An early event, prior to the precipitating murder, has all of Three Pine’s residents confessing sins and examining their consciences. As for the new Chief Superintendent of the Sûreté du Québec, “ Gamache admitted to himself that while he believed in the law, had spent his career working within the justice system, what he really had to answer to was his conscience.”

As usual for this series, this was an excellent mystery. The added bonus is that it also left me with so many interesting issues to think about after I read the last page. show less

yesterday was a totally hellacious day, preceded by some pretty un-fun times. so i went to bed at 4pm... as one does. i brought the three pines gang with me because i needed something familiar and comforting. and i read the whole damn thing. this most recent instalment from penny is good -- and she brings us a bit more of gamache's darker side, which she's done in a couple of previous books. i totally appreciate gamache is a multilayered, complicated character... but i wasn't totally ready for darker gamache in my current state so felt a bit stressed during the read - something i was trying to get away from. oops! luckily, ruth to the rescue. she has a sad revelation, but her humour and prickliness remain, as does rosa. her duck that show more says 'fuck'. love this series. love these characters. love three pines.

also -- this recent national geographic photo (by cristina mittemeier) makes me think of ruth and rosa. (yes, i know that's a goose, though. just play along, okay?)

https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/310537336788510898/ show less

5.0 out of 5 stars"Burn our ships. No going back."
By booklover10 on August 29, 2017
Format: Hardcover
In Louise Penny's "Glass Houses," Armand Gamache, Chief Superintendent of the Sûreté du Québec, faces a terrible dilemma. Drugs, opioids in particular, are flowing from Canada into the United States. This scourge has already taken a huge toll, and there is no end in sight. Gamache fears that it may be impossible to crush the powerful and well-organized traffickers who reap huge profits from the sale of addictive substances. After conferring with his most trusted colleagues, including Superintendent Madeleine Toussaint, Chief Inspector Isabelle Lacoste, and Inspector Jean-Guy Beauvior, Gamache decides on a daring plan that may be their show more only chance to identify and apprehend the cartels' kingpins.

The author takes us back to the small and picturesque Québec village of Three Pines, south of Montréal and near the Vermont border, where Armand and his wife, Reine-Marie, have their principal residence. The Gamaches cherish the generosity and kindness of their neighbors, Olivier Brulé and Gabri Dubeau, who operate a wonderful bistro as well as a cozy bed and breakfast. Their close-knit group also includes Clara Morrow, a portrait painter who is preparing for her forthcoming exhibit; Ruth Zardo, a talented poet and foul-mouthed lush whose tough demeanor belies her underlying decency; and Myrna Landers, a retired psychologist and beloved bookstore owner. These familiar characters are so real that we can almost imagine them sitting across from us having a chat. Unfortunately, the peace and tranquility that makes Three Pines a haven is being threatened by a masked and menacing figure known as a cobrador. This anonymous individual stands day after day, silent and accusatory, in the village green of Three Pines. When a visitor to the village is brutally beaten to death, Armand must decide whether he should uphold the letter of the law or follow the dictates of his conscience.

"Glass Houses" is rambling at times, but Penny's lyrical prose, evocative figurative language, and magnificent setting compensate for the book's sluggish pace. The author captures the nuances of emotion as well as the significance of a glance, gesture, and tone of voice. She teases us with hints of what is to come, but coyly withholds key information until she is ready to reveal the truth. This mystery is far from a simple whodunit. It is a sophisticated analysis of what makes people behave the way they do: What drives a person to lie, say hurtful things, or even commit murder? Conversely, what prompts an individual to make sacrifices for the greater good? "Glass Houses"—the title is telling--allows us to see into people's souls. This humane and literate work of fiction reveals the best and worst of humanity: Love and respect confer warmth, peace, and comfort on a community, but hatred and selfishness warp relationships and destroy lives. At the center of it all is Armand Gamache. He is courageous enough to risk his reputation, both as a law enforcement officer and a model of integrity and professionalism, to achieve his goal--unmasking the most ruthless and dangerous villains and bringing them to justice. show less

Intriguing slow-burn with surprises

Louise Penny does a suspenseful mash-up here of courtroom thriller, murder mystery, police action, historical fiction, moral quandary and, of course, small town village comic relief.

The big tease is that the action opens in a courtroom setting with an accused defendant who is sitting right there, but we are given absolutely no hints as to who they are. You look for them in vain of course and keep on compulsively reading. So it is a drama in a present day courtroom situation with flashbacks to a crime & aftermath that took place several months previously. It soon becomes apparent that there is more than meets the eye about the courtroom situation and that Chief Inspector Gamache is playing a long game show more behind the scenes. Is it with the defendant or someone else? Or maybe both?

Old fans will not be disappointed and although it would be difficult to recommend this as a first Gamache since all of the background of the previous dozen books would be missing, the plot is still entirely self-contained and new-comers will just have to deal with a wider group of suspects. show less