Today was the publication date for Louise Penny’s new Armand Gamache mystery, The Madness of Crowds. I will not provide any summary of the plot as I look forward, especially with favoured authors, to the surprise of learning the theme by reading the book.
The Madness of Crowds will be the 17th book in the series. Last year’s book, All the Devils Are Here, was set in Paris. While I enjoyed the setting I hope this year Gamache is back in Three Pines.
The village of Three Pines has become an iconic setting. I am confident in saying it is the best known fictional location in Canadian fiction not just Canadian crime fiction.
I have read all the previous books in the series.
While Gail has been retired as a university professor of English for a few years she continues to write quality mysteries.
She has been one of the few authors I read that has sustained excellence throughout her long series. Several authors have disappointed me as they neared and/or passed 20 books in a series. While I loved the early letters of the alphabet in the Kinsey Milhone series by Sue Grafton I was down to enjoying the later letters.
For interested readers Gail has a stylish new website - https://www.gailbowen.com/ - with particulars of her books and semi-weekly newsletters at the bottom of the home page. She as skilled at writing small essays as full length novels.
Once again I have read all of Gail’s books.
Louise Penny has another book, State of Terror, coming out on October 12, 2021. No thriller will get more hype this fall as her co-author is Hillary Rodham Clinton. Having one of the most famous living Americans is bound to stoke interest in the book. I am certain it will be a bestseller the week it is published.
As I am not sure whether I want to read a hybrid author book I broke my own rule of not wanting to know about the contents by looking at a blurb from Simon & Schuster.
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game involving the volatile and Byzantine politics of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran; the race to develop nuclear weapons in the region; the Russian mob; a burgeoning rogue terrorist organization; and an American government set back on its heels in the international arena”.
With America’s former Secretary of State as one author and one of Canada’s foremost crime fiction writers it has excellent potential.
I was intrigued by Hillary Rodham Clinton using all three names to identify herself. I had thought she had not always used the three names. In a brief search I learned from the Washington Post and The Atlantic in articles from 2015 that she was Hillary Rodham for some years after she married Bill, moved to Hillary Rodham Clinton as Bill ascended in American politics all the way to the White House, became Hillary Clinton when she made her runs to become President and now, at least for writing, is back to Hillary Rodham Clinton.
I remain undecided if I will buy the book.
It's so nice, isn't it, Bill, when two beloved authors have books coming out. I'll be wanting to read them both, too. And I agree with you about the consistency of Gail Bowen's series. I've never been disappointed in any of her books. About the Penny/Clinton work, I have admit I'm not usually one for that sort of dual authorship. But who knows? It might turn out to be excellent.
ReplyDeleteMargot: Thanks for the comment. I am probably more interested in how Clinton and Penny worked together than the book itself. Both are busy women.
DeleteI have to read more Gail Bowen, as I really enjoy her work, and of course I love Louise Penny too.
ReplyDeleteMarina Sofia: Thanks for the comment. I hope you continue Gail's series. It has become a saga at 20 books.
DeleteI really need some Gail Bbowen books at this time. I'll see what the library has. She wrote so many that I'm not sure which to look for.
ReplyDeleteSeeing Hillary Clinton and Louise Penny on TV together the other day was fund. They got along very well and both have zany senses of humor, which was on display. They obviously became good friends. They would zoom in their pajamas often.
And they laughed with each other on TV. Clinton marvels at Penny's imagination and her writing of fiction. They obviously became good friends.
When Clinton lost the election, she read mysteries, drank wine and played with and walked her dogs. She probably read several by Penny, and so chose her as a writing partner.
Kathy D.: Thanks for the comment. I recommend reading Gail's books in order as the story Joanne Kilbourn's life proceeds from book to book.
DeleteI would like to seek Hillary and Louise.
I regret I never saw much sign of a sense of humour from Hillary over the years. I think American politics has become so brutal that a sense of humour will be twisted into being a condemnation of "something". I respect people who can take themselves lightly as well as seriously.
Hillary Clinton did laugh on the show I saw with Louise Penny. They both laughed.
ReplyDeleteI had seen her and her daughter on a late-night show a few years ago.
Chelsea Clinton said that Trump thought about her mother more than she did. Hillary laughed her head off on that one.
I watched Elizabeth WArren on the same show a few days after seeing Clinton and Penny. The audience stood for her and applauded a lot of what she said. She was very relatable and witty.
Interesting differences in personality. Clinton doesn't come across as a regular person, but Warren does and she speaks more of issues regular folks deal with daily.
Kathy D.: Thanks for the comment. I have always believed that if Hillary could have revealed the warmth she has within her she would have been elected President. Charm is important in politics. Bill had it. I think Hillary has charm but it was too seldom on display.
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