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The Cruelest Month

(Chief Inspector Armand Gamache #3)

Louise Penny (Goodreads Author)

4.15 · Rating details · 48,313 ratings · 3,945 reviews

Welcome to Three Pines, where the cruelest month is about to deliver on its threat. It's spring in the tiny, forgotten village; buds are on the trees and the first flowers are struggling through the newly thawed earth. However, not everything is meant to return to life. . . .

When some villagers decide to celebrate Easter with a séance at the old Hadley house, one of their ...more

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Paperback, 311 pages

Published April 12th 2011 by Minotaur Books (first published 2007)

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Jun 15, 2012 Francis rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Why do I like this woman and this band of lunatics?

First there's the thing about the nice small village which just happens to have the highest known murder rate per capita in the entire world. ..I hate that. Then there's the thing about everybody in the village being slightly eccentric. ..I really hate that. Then there is the kinda obligatory creepy sceance thing in a hunted house. ..Really? do people still do that? Then she starts the book like your typical cozy and then it transforms into a ...more

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Aug 27, 2019 Thomas rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: canada-crime

4 stars for another entertaining mystery in the Armand Gamache series. This is book 3 in the series, and I recommend that you start with book 1. There are 2 plots in this book. One is a murder in the fictional town of Three Pines, Quebec, located near the US Vermont border. The second is a group of Surete Quebec officers who want revenge on Gamache for something that happened years before. This part of the story is more thriller, in that the reader learns who the bad guys are in book 2.
The first ...more

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Jul 09, 2018 Adina rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle-nou, canada, mystery

“Loss was like that, Gamache knew. You didn’t just lose a loved one. You lost your heart, your memories, your laughter, your brain and it even took your bones. Eventually it all came back, but different. Rearranged.”

Another excellent installment in Armand Gamache series. Reading Luise Penny’s books transports me in the idyllic village of Three Pines and fills me up with peacefulness and love for the simple things. This novel was a bit spookier and the atmosphere was less serene but I still “Loss was like that, Gamache knew. You didn’t just lose a loved one. You lost your heart, your memories, your laughter, your brain and it even took your bones. Eventually it all came back, but different. Rearranged.”

Another excellent installment in Armand Gamache series. Reading Luise Penny’s books transports me in the idyllic village of Three Pines and fills me up with peacefulness and love for the simple things. This novel was a bit spookier and the atmosphere was less serene but I still immensely enjoyed every page. There were a few plot ideas that I did not understand but I’ll come back to that later.

It is Easter in Three Pines and what better way to celebrate the resurrection of Christ than to organize a séance? What better place to do it than the old Hadley house where death is already so present? I suppose there is no surprise when one of the attendees dies of fright. Or was it of other reason? As always, inspector Gamache comes to investigate and to eat an Egg Benedict or two at Gabri’s and Olivier’s bistro. God, I now have an aching need to eat one of those myself.

There are 3 main narrative planes. The first one is the spookiness/supernatural aura of the old house, the second is the investigation of the strange death and the third one, which is the most prominent, is the rebirth of the Arnot case. While I thoroughly enjoyed the first two plots, I had a few problems with the third. We finally get to understand what happened with the case and why it resurfaced. However, I find it unbelievable how inspector Arnot got to do the evil thing he ended up doing and also the reason behind the treason of inspector Brebeuf. Lumieux also became an unbelievable character, his transition from an eager, friendly young officer to that ambitious and cruel monster feels forced.

What I like about Luise Penny is that she always introduces a serious theme into her books. This time the discussions about the near-enemy and jealousy were very well done and enhanced the beautiful writing. Oh, I also loved Ruth and her two little geese.

“Love wants the best for others. Attachment takes hostages.”
...more

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May 17, 2012 Contrarius rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: my-favorite-recent-reads, mystery-thriller

4.5 stars out of 5.

(non-spoiler alert here -- I'm including a few quotes in my review below, but I promise not to spoil any important surprises from the book!)

I am docking this book 1/2 star because Penny conflated two different species of plants which actually are not at all similar in the way Penny claimed -- which turned out to be important to the plot, since one plot twist hinged on it. I know that sounds confusing, but I don't want to give twists away here. Suffice it to say that her twist ...more

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Oct 19, 2018 Matt rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to Matt by: Marty Fried

Shelves: audiobook

Louise Penny dazzles with yet another novel in the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series. This is one binge-worthy collection that never seems to let up! During the Easter Season, the community of Three Pines—nestled in the Eastern Townships of Quebec—is full of colour and excitement, but there is also an evil presence. Some of its residents have sensed it for a long time and have an interest in pushing the spirts away. Of particular concern is the old Hadley House, where many horrific things Louise Penny dazzles with yet another novel in the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series. This is one binge-worthy collection that never seems to let up! During the Easter Season, the community of Three Pines—nestled in the Eastern Townships of Quebec—is full of colour and excitement, but there is also an evil presence. Some of its residents have sensed it for a long time and have an interest in pushing the spirts away. Of particular concern is the old Hadley House, where many horrific things have occurred over the years. When a psychic is brought to town to help connect some of the Three Pines residents with the spirit world, the opportunity to banish the Hadley abode of its haunting nature is too alluring to pass up. However, things seem to get a little too intense and Madeleine Favreau ends up scared to death, literally. The news hits the presses and Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is sent with his team to investigate. It would appear that the higher-ups in the Sûreté du Québec do not always respect that Gamache may wish to spend time with family before their departure back to Europe. When Gamache arrives, he learns that Favreau’s death was not the act of a vengeful spirit, but rather a highly potent—and illegal—drug that has been found in diet pills. Who could have slipped this woman something to cause her heart to seize during the aforementioned event? While the Chief Inspector pulls out all the stops with his Homicide squad, there are other issues that begin to create problems for Gamache. It would seem that the Arnot case—a Superintendent within the Sûreté who was sent to jail for sanctioning murder by a group he was set to protect—is coming back to haunt him. Gamache was one of the few men within the Sûreté who wanted justice, crossing the Blue Line and fingering one of his own superiors. Now, with knives sharpened, someone is trying to push Gamache to the edge, using his family and media outlets to smear him. With a killer hiding in Three Pines and Gamache’s own family in some sort of crosshairs, the Chief Inspector will have to choose which is more important, as if there’s even a question! Penny does a masterful job yet again and keeps the reader wanting more in this rollercoaster of a police procedural. Highly recommended for the reader who likes ‘quaint’, yet intense, mysteries full of Canadian references throughout.

Louise Penny’s novels have proven to be wonderful for a binge, as I am fully committed to the stories and characters found therein. Using the peaceful Eastern Townships as her setting, the author is able to inject a less than chaotic nature to the narrative, but still packs a significant punch to the story. Armand Gamache receives a great deal of coverage here, as most protagonists should, tapping not only into his backstory, but also some character development that series fans may have been wanting. When the Arnot case was mentioned in passing during the debut novel, I was curious to see how Penny would bring it up in a more thorough manner. She chose this novel to do so, tossing Chief Inspector Gamache into the centre and using his love of family as an Achilles heel. Penny permits the reader to see where things went wrong for Gamache and how, all these years later, those within the Sûreté are still trying to hunt him. Penny’s ongoing exploration of the Homicide squad continues to evoke interest, especially with Gamache’s future in doubt. Who might take over and how will their current sentiments towards the Chief Inspector shape the way they handle this current case? All this receives decent attention within the narrative, as well as some character development that is top notch. However, as with each novel, it is the collection of Three Pines locals who steal the show! Their acerbic wit and banter with one another cannot be matched and the attentive reader will see many of the wonderful pokes they take at one another. Penny has kept them on their games and by doing this binge, I am able to see if she can keep the intensity high. The story moves well in this piece, with interesting subplots that keep the reader curious and highly entertained. Penny places the reader in the middle of the investigation, watching Gamache’s mind spin and his heart ache as life comes crashing down around him in the middle of an investigation. I love all the Canadian references, something that many outside of this country may not notice. Their placement makes me feel at ease and I hope others will enjoy them—eh?! Bring on more Penny and keep them coming, if you please!

Kudos, Madam Penny, for intriguing me greatly yet again. I have yet to find a ‘rogue’ move, as some readers seem to feel this series takes!

Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/... ...more

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Nov 18, 2015 carol. rated it liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: fans of cozys, Quebec, naps

Recommended to carol. by: Richard Derus

Shelves: mystery, awards

It is Easter in Three Pines, Quebec, and the locals are discussing Easter traditions and the dangers of hiding edibles outdoors when bears are emerging from their dens. But nevermind! There's a seance to attend, but there are some abstainers--including the spirits. Jeanne says the village is too happy for them to visit. Oh, but the abandoned Hadley house is available, right? Just because Clara was trapped in the basement and the deceased owner spread malicious lies for years doesn't mean it is a ...more

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Feb 13, 2018 PattyMacDotComma rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-crime-thriller, chcc-library

4.5
“Gabri rose, trembling, to his feet. ‘Dear God,’ he cried, making the sign of the cross with his fingers. ‘It’s the pre-dead.’

At the mullioned window Ruth Zardo’s eyes narrowed and she gave him half a sign of the cross.”

HA! This is what I love about Penny’s writing. Her characters are such characters, from the gentle Gabri to the crotchety poet Ruth.

The quiet hamlet of Three Pines, near the Canadian-US border, is enjoying/enduring April, with its fickle weather. Trees bud, bulbs bloom, killer ...more

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Sep 08, 2010 Richard Derus rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Rating: 4* of five

Ruth Zardo comes out best in this awful, wrenching hanky-moistener of a book.

That's all I can say. Anything else is a spoiler, and if I spoil this book for anyone, that person will hunt me down and kill me.

Dead, like Madeleine Favreau! Eternal rhyming blank verse written by Odile recited in my ears by Rod McKuen. *shudder*

Secrets. Lies. Jealousies. Anguish. Loathing for the happiness of those close to us. If it lasted a few thousand more pages, I'd say it was a Ken Follett Rating: 4* of five

Ruth Zardo comes out best in this awful, wrenching hanky-moistener of a book.

That's all I can say. Anything else is a spoiler, and if I spoil this book for anyone, that person will hunt me down and kill me.

Dead, like Madeleine Favreau! Eternal rhyming blank verse written by Odile recited in my ears by Rod McKuen. *shudder*

Secrets. Lies. Jealousies. Anguish. Loathing for the happiness of those close to us. If it lasted a few thousand more pages, I'd say it was a Ken Follett novel of medieval times. It was impossible to put down, as "People" magazine yodels from the cover. It was harrowing to see these characters I've invested so much in suffering from blindness of the spirit, self-inflicted, attempting to shun painful knowledge.

(Kath--re A Certain Party I indicated admiration for--you were right, ew.)

Being a murder mystery, one knows from the outset that one is being set up to sympathize with a character who later proves to be a murderer, doubtless to one's shock and horror. Strangely, this murderer left me cold, was someone I thought, "oh yeah, that's logical" about, and in whom I made not the smallest investment.

I was wretchedly, abjectly, tearfully sorry for someone else's miserable awakening, and almost...only almost!...forgave an annoying, nasty character's existence at the end of the book.

There is, about 2/3 of the way through the book, a scene of memorable power and beauty between Gamache and Beauvoir. The sex is awesome!

No, not really, but the two men confront each other honestly and unguardedly for the first time, and it adds so very much to the extant emotional resonances that Penny layers into each of her works that I can't wait to read the next installment. Next year. I need some time off, back reading about the Cathars and how the Pope and his fellow Satanic Minions tortured, murdered, and vilified their fellow beings for the greater glory of Jesus. Less emotionally draining, y'know.

Really, if you're so suspicious or so backward not to have run out and bought or checked out this entire series already, there is little point in recommending that you do so, but I must: Highly, highly recommended, and NOT just for mystery lovers, but for those who live to discover subtlety and grace in writing. ...more

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Jul 16, 2015 Paula Kalin rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: crime, audio-book, favorite-authors, read-in-2015, series, award-winner, mystery

Winner of the Agatha Award for Best Novel in 2008, the Cruelest Month is Louise Penny's 3rd in her Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series. I started this series recently and have found the books to be one of the best in the murder mystery gendre. The books not only engage you in a mystery, but allow you to get an inside glimpse of the characters in a lovely, poetic way.

The Cruelest Month centers around a seance in the scary old Hadley house where no one wishes to tread. Full of fear and ...more

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Sep 03, 2015 Carol rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: series, fiction, audio-books

The Hook - I loved the title and wondered just what month is the cruelest. You’ll have to read the book to find out> I must say I agree.

The Line – ” One was dead and one was left behind, one again.”

The Sinker – This passage about Armand Gamache intrigued me.
” He gathered feelings. He gathered emotions. Because murder was deeply human. It wasn’t about what people did. No, it was how they felt, because that’s where it all started. Some feeling that had once been human and natural, had ...more

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Oct 01, 2018 Brenda rated it it was amazing

Shelves: canadian-author, crime, mystery, borrowed-from-library, 5000-books

It was Easter Friday in Three Pines and once again the adults were hiding beautifully painted wooden eggs for the children to find. The tradition was a well-honed one after the mistakes of the past. But it was the innocent séance at Clara and Peter’s house after dinner that turned talk to exorcising the evil at the old Hadley house. People had died there in the past; its malevolence was known and felt by all in close proximity. The séance would remove all evil they hoped…

Chief Inspector Armand ...more

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May 20, 2012 Lewis Weinstein rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: crime-and-thrillers

Early scenes are confusing and slow developing. Waiting for someone to be killed so Gamache can appear and the book can take off.

updated 9/16/13 ...

Gamache has arrived, and the writing style has changed. In the early chapters, there was mostly conversation among the residents of Three Pines, who spoke in the shorthand of people who know each other well. When Gamache is on the scene, clarity accompanies him. Suddenly, Penny finds the few extra words that put characters in context and make it ...more

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Aug 09, 2018 Emma rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: crime

I am a book hopper. I read a variety of genres and usually have about 4 books on the go at the same time and like to read a chunk of each every day if I can. Well I started this last night and basically read it straight through. I loved it. It’s funny because I was reluctant to pick up this series for a long time because it sounded too twee and cosy. It can be that but it is also so much more. These are not the stories of serial killers or madmen, but fermenting and smouldering resentments, ...more

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May 18, 2017 Katie Ziegler (Life Between Words) rated it really liked it

Absolutely LOVED this book. The stakes are continuing to rise. I continue to fall in love with the good, decent, wonderful Inspector Gamache. This book felt a little twistier than the first two. I liked that. Can't wait to keep going in the series!

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May 14, 2013 Nancy Butts rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery

Book 3, and though I hate to leave bad reviews, this one is poor. I don't like the head hopping and her plot in this book seemed implausible. The whole thing about the Arnot case and the vendetta against Gamache didn't ring true to me; nor did the notion that every single person in the book seems to believe that the Hadley house is actually haunted. Really? And Penny's character portrayal is weak. It's not that her characters are cardboard; I think one of her themes is that all of us are a mix ...more

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May 23, 2019 Heidi The Reader rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, fiction

"But Three Pines itself was a village forgotten. Time eddied and swirled and sometimes bumped into it, but never stayed long and never left much of an impression. For hundreds of years the village had nestled in the palm of the rugged Canadian mountains, protected and hidden and rarely found except by accident." pg 10, ebook

Readers are back with Chief Inspector Armand Gamache for another unlikely murder in the village of Three Pines. This time, it appears as if someone was scared literally to ...more

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Jan 20, 2008 Dorian rated it really liked it · review of another edition

My wife stumbled upon the first Louise Penny mystery, Still Life, in the Halifax Airport bookstore a few years ago. (A surprisingly good store, I recommend it to all on your next layover to St. John's.) We both rapidly became fascinated by Penny's writing, which is sometimes too precious, but always redeemed, because made more complex by, her turns towards hatred and anger.

These are really strange books (The Cruellest Month is the third; I expect there will ultiamtely be four; each is set during ...more

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Feb 11, 2017 Jim rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-suspense-thriller, books-read-2017

Reading a Chief Inspector Gamache novel by Louise Penny is a terrific reading experience. This is the 3rd novel in the series and the fourth which I have read. As I was reading this book I was reminded of when I first discovered Agatha Christie and Hercule Poirot. A small village, a murder, a small group of suspects, and a detective who will discover the truth by reasoning and deduction.

Is it possible to be scared to death? Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and his team return to Three Pines, a Reading a Chief Inspector Gamache novel by Louise Penny is a terrific reading experience. This is the 3rd novel in the series and the fourth which I have read. As I was reading this book I was reminded of when I first discovered Agatha Christie and Hercule Poirot. A small village, a murder, a small group of suspects, and a detective who will discover the truth by reasoning and deduction.

Is it possible to be scared to death? Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and his team return to Three Pines, a small village outside Montreal, to investigate a bizarre death. Some of the villagers decide to spend their Easter holding a séance at the Old Hadley House to rid it of it's evil, the curse, that seems to hang over their town like a dark cloud. The séance has barely begun when Madeleine Favreau collapses, apparently dead of fright.Was this a natural death? Or was the victim somehow helped along to the next world? If it was murder how was it done? And who would want Madeleine dead? She was attractive, successful, popular, the life of the party. At least that is what everyone tells Inspector Gamache when he first arrives. But he is a very patient man and knows how to unlock secrets.

Readers of this series know that previously Gamache arrested a Sûreté officer, Superintendent Arnot, for murder. An arrest that caused division within Sûreté du Québec and has ended any advancement in his career. Fellow officers either loved or hated his actions. Now someone has started a campaign to smear his name, as well as his family, in a newspaper. He does not respond to the newspaper but faces off against the man in the Sûreté he believes is responsible. And it is no spoiler to remind readers that there is a spy (or spies?) on his team placed there by someone in the Sûreté. Armand Gamache must deal with these events while trying to solve the death of Madeleine Favreau.

In this story the reader gets better acquainted with the characters in the series. One of the more interesting character developments is Ruth Zardo, the renowned poet, who bonds with a pair of ducks. Each time we return to Three Pines we learn a little more about the quirky residents and it's like catching up with old friends. ...more

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Oct 29, 2014 Erica rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: dead-friends-and-family, girlfriend-power, murder, police-pi-fbiciadodetc, canadia, mystery, cancer_is_an_ahole, terribly_tiny_towns, audiobook, men-and-boys

Previously on Goodreads, my review for book 2

I think this is my favorite in the series, so far.

Ruth got her duck. Mom is so happy I've made it to the duck.

To me, this story is about transformation, how it can be brought about by love, jealousy, betrayal, illness, or just being in the right place at the right time.

I enjoy watching this town and its residents, the petty little squabbles, the festering secrets, the togetherness they have. I know small town life and while it's not quite like this, ...more

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Dec 12, 2018 Beata rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Book 3 ... truly enjoyed it!

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Jan 04, 2015 Margitte rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2015-read, detective-story, mystery, canadian-authors, community, murder, drama, fiction, suspense

Loved it. Some of the issues brought forward from the first two books are kind of resolved in this third book in a dramatic way.

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Apr 04, 2017 Barbara rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: crime-novel, 2017-reads, audiobooks, canadian

I love Gamache. He is an ethical, caring human being. An illustration of this is the incident in the book when Gamache notices a native woman, a Cree, standing in front of the Le Chateau Frontanac Hotel protesting. The woman thinks it is the Quebec seat of government, as it is a very impressive building. She has raised money to seek help in investigating the disappearances and deaths of Cree youth, including her son. She doesn't speak French or English. After days there, Gamache sees her and ...more

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Nov 26, 2014 Robin rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: canadian-lit, 2014, mystery

I know there's a lot of people who love Louise Penny books, but I am steadily, with each of her books, losing my esteem for her as a writer. This one was particularly unbelievable, especially the subplot of the Surete trying to destroy Gamache and his family. Without spoiling any of the specifics, the mole and their superior exposed their intentions - for what possible reason or gain? - with a dozen or so potential witnesses in earshot in the next room. Also I had a really tough time believing ...more

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Feb 16, 2018 Liz rated it really liked it · review of another edition

The mystery in this story was decent, but the beauty of Penny’s writing, I believe, lies in the way she can take a theme and thread it through more than just the murder plot. It’s paralleled throughout in various relationships and situations. There’s much more to this writing than just the words on the surface. Very, very clever and handily done.

BUT… yes, there’s a “but.” Please don’t ask me to buy into those machinations happening behind the scenes of the Sûreté… all this conspiring against ...more

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Nov 28, 2017 Kelly rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2017

This 3rd installment in the Inspector Gamache is set during Easter. This time the crime committed at three Pines involves the spooky Hadley house, a séance, and a psychic. This novel does involve a lot of Inspector Gamache's backstory which at first I found a bit distracting but by the end I was 100% interested in both the crime and the backstory. This may not be my favorite so far, but I do love all the characters in Three Pines. I am definitely looking forward to continuing this series.

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Nov 01, 2017 Laura (Kyahgirl) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction-with-animals, gotta-love-small-towns, humour, audio-books, compelling-characters, detective-series

3/5; B

This was my first Inspector Gamache story which I read after having no less than three people in one week recommend I read this series. I really enjoyed the portrayal of the Inspector as well as many of the characters in the town of Three Pines. There might have been an element of too much perfection in the town but that's ok. It was a good story.

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May 16, 2018 joyce g rated it really liked it

I love Three Pines.

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Mar 19, 2019 Kylie H rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: crime, great-read

Love, love, love this third book in the Gamache series! It is one of those books you want to race through to find out what happens, but you don't want it to end as it is easy to read and the characters are great. These books contain a great deal of humour, as well as a fair amount of pain and despair.
I could go on and on, but won't if you have read the first two books you will know exactly what I am talking about.

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Oct 20, 2017 Obsidian rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: tbr-2017, halloween-bingo-2017

I really need to get a timeline down on the events that have happened to our main character and the villagers of Three Pines. Both seem tied together in my head, but you realize that things have occurred to Chief Inspector Armand that colors how he investigates now. I really wish we had gotten more detail about that. It sounds like a terrible case he was involved with that is now causing repercussions to his family. Three Pines is still the picturesque village that has a darkness on the fringes I really need to get a timeline down on the events that have happened to our main character and the villagers of Three Pines. Both seem tied together in my head, but you realize that things have occurred to Chief Inspector Armand that colors how he investigates now. I really wish we had gotten more detail about that. It sounds like a terrible case he was involved with that is now causing repercussions to his family. Three Pines is still the picturesque village that has a darkness on the fringes of it though. Another murder takes place and Armand is called in to investigate. Honestly though, most of the book is about Armand's former case and who is out to get him. Things get somewhat wrapped up in this one.

Without trying to fully recap the book. We have the villagers of Three Pines along with familiar characters dealing with the annual Easter egg hunt. Ruth is being a pain, everyone is ignoring her, and people are at odds with each other due to a seance that is going to be happening later. The seance leads to another one that leads to a death. We don't know for sure if it's murder, but Armand and his team is called onto the scene to investigate.

We deal with a lot of things this book, but ultimately Penny focuses on love and jealously. We see love via Armand for his wife and family, for his friends (or those he counts as them) and for his protegee Jean Guy Beauvoir. Heck, we even see the love Armand has for Three Pines and the inhabitants there. But ultimately we get to see his love for justice in this one. It's been alluded to that Armand has been through the wars so to speak and we finally get some minor details about what case did Armand close which caused him to be an enemy of most of the senior officers.

We also see jealously play out again and again in this book. Peter's jealousy of the fact that his own wife is better at him in painting. Other characters jealously of Armand and several side characters jealously of one another. It's definitely one of those, hey just take a walk in someone else's shoes for a moment and quit thinking things are rosy.

The writing was good in this one. I just got a bit bored at times. Probably because there were two story-lines going on and honestly I was not interested that much in the murder. I was interested in Armand coming out ahead of those who are trying to ruin his name. The flow was pretty good though. I think I only got bored because I was just over the Three Pines characters at certain points. Some of these characters have been dealing with murder for a good decade I think. At that point you have to wonder how many of them like it when heartbreak comes around.

The setting of Three Pines is definitely a village that seems to attract darkness. We hear the fact that the village itself is a warm and loving place, but that is why bad things keep occurring to blot it out so to speak.

The ending left things up a bit in the air though about what is Armand going to do next. I am glad we finally get to see some of the guilty parties unmasked in this one. But it doesn't seem like Armand is going to have an easy go of it. ...more

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Mar 26, 2010 Goose rated it really liked it · review of another edition

You know you have a good mystery writer when the mystery isn't always the most important part of the book. Louise Penny continues to grow as a writer in her third book about the members of the village of Three Pines and Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. The members of the village that we have previously met; Ruth, the crabby old poet, Clara and Peter, the artist couple, Myrna, the bookstore owner, and Gabri and Oliver, the gay innkeepers, are all back. New to this story are Madeleine and Hazel, ...more

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Crime, Mysteries ...: The Cruelest Month (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache #3) - April 2019	30	38	May 15, 2019 01:56PM
Play Book Tag: The Cruelest Month / Louise Penny - 3.5***	1	15	Aug 24, 2018 06:19AM
Around the Year i...: The Cruelest Month, by Louise Penny	1	14	Oct 12, 2017 08:52PM

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About Louise Penny

Louise Penny

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LOUISE PENNY, a former CBC radio journalist, is the #1 New York Times and Globe and Mail bestselling author of fourteen Chief Inspector Armand Gamache novels. She has been awarded the John Creasey Dagger, Nero, Macavity and Barry Awards, as well as two each of the Arthur Ellis and Dilys Awards. Additionally, Penny has won six Agatha Awards and five Anthony Awards, and has been a finalist for an ...more

Other books in the series

Chief Inspector Armand Gamache (1 - 10 of 15 books)

Books by Louise Penny

Still Life (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #1)

A Fatal Grace (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #2)

How the Light Gets In (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #9)

A Rule Against Murder (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #4)

Bury Your Dead (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #6)

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Quotes from The Cruelest Month

“Love wants the best for others. Attachment takes hostages.” — 27 likes

“Gamache knew people were like homes. Some were cheerful and bright, some gloomy. Some could look good on the outside but feel wretched on the interior. And some of the least attractive homes, from the outside, were kindly and warm inside.

He also knew the first few rooms were for public consumption. It was only in going deeper that he'd find the reality. And finally, inevitably, there was the last room, the one we keep locked, and bolted and barred, even from ourselves. Especially from ourselves.” — 17 likes

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