The Madness of CrowdsThe Madness of Crowds
What it's about
Armand Gamache is asked to provide security for a statistics lecture at a university, a strange assignment for the head of homicide. But the lecturer's dangerous ideas about who deserves to live spark fury, and then a murder follows.
Why it's worth reading
It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It's set in the aftermath of the pandemic.
You'll love it if you liked
Glass Houses
A Better Man
All the Devils Are HereGood to know
It's the seventeenth Gamache novel; the series begins with Still Life.
By the numbers
- Readers55 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller41 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #259 of the 555 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #285 of the 481 new books we rank
- #1643 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping
More by Louise Penny
How the Light Gets In
A Great ReckoningAll the Devils Are Here
A World of CuriositiesIf you like this, read next
The Correspondent
The Housemaid
Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty
Remarkably Bright Creatures
The Tainted Cup
The Frozen RiverExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Madness of Crowds worth reading?
Yes. It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It ranks #1,643 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 67.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Madness of Crowds about?
Armand Gamache is asked to provide security for a statistics lecture at a university, a strange assignment for the head of homicide. But the lecturer's dangerous ideas about who deserves to live spark fury, and then a murder follows.
How long does it take to read The Madness of Crowds?
About 11 hours (448 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Madness of Crowds?
If you liked it, try Glass Houses by Louise Penny, A Better Man by Louise Penny or All the Devils Are Here by Louise Penny.