The Madness of Crowds

 Louise Penny has taken the art of writing a mystery novel to new heights.  All of her books have been more than just a whodonit.  They are beautiful pieces of art, the plots have a depth that goes far beyond the idea of revenge or passion or random killing.  She always find a way into the human soul, the psyche.  There is always so much more to the plot than just the murder and finding the victim.  There is a vision of what makes people tick.  There is a statement on our society.

This novel is Penny's best yet.  Not only does the reader get a terrific mystery with many twists and turns, there are moral dilemmas that are clouding the investigation and making the reader really look deep inside themselves as they are reading the novel.

Written during the world wide pandemic of 2020, without knowing the actual outcome, Penny does a good job of presenting the feelings that we are all facing.  Though she does seem to bring the lockdown and feelings of distance to more of a solution, and the world coming back together after the vaccines then is the reality of our lives, it does feel rather real.  It is also always fascinating to learn something new while reading for entertainment.  Penny has left me looking up the book, Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, Charles Mackay.  It is referred to in the novel and sounds like something that will help us understand what is happening now in the world and in the US, though it was written originally in 1841.  

Talking about the idea of euthanasia, killing those who are elderly, sick, or vulnerable or killing to save yourself.  Are these ideas justified and is there a time when taking a life to benefit the healthy or the group as a whole is agreeable.  Using the idea that the pandemic killed many in nursing homes, and that financially it saves the larger population money, having to take care of those who are most vulnerable, is this now a way to move forward. Purposely shortening the lives of those who are a burden to society,

Then there is a the storyline of a young woman who saves her own life, by killing her captures,   She was captured and tortured over a long period of time, then was able to escape by killing the men who were raping and torturing her.  She is going to get a Nobel Peace prize for her bravery.

Life and death, who is in control.  What are our rights, on both sides of the seesaw, what is the correct balance to keep the seesaw even??    Penny writes such powerful prose, "Professor Robinson was revealing, not creating, the anger. The fear.  And yes, perhaps event he cowardice they kept hidden away. She was like some genetic mutation awakening illnesses that would have normally lain dormant."Penny really know how to make you think and examine your feelings on the subject.

And again you feel also the security of being with your friends in Three Pines.  Wishing you were invited to the dinner party at Clara's.  Wanting to bundle up,  to walk across the green, covered in snow, to the Inn and nibble a croissant, sip a cup of hot chocolate and listen to the conversation between Ruth and Myra.  That is how close you feel to this group of people after reading along through to this the 17th book in this series.