The Madness of Crowds

“I have no ideology beyond finding and defending that spot between freedom and safety.”

Gamache speaks this quotation to Colette when she criticizes him for asking her to cancel the lecture. Gamache acknowledges that he has a responsibility to be impartial and unbiased and insists that he is acting objectively. Gamache’s assertion highlights his ongoing internal tension between duty and emotion. Although he claims objectivity, his personal investment—especially as a grandfather to a disabled child—undermines this neutrality. Penny uses this moment to question whether such impartiality is ever truly possible, highlighting the theme of Bias and Emotion Impacting Decisions.

“But it wasn’t mercy killing she was proposing. It was, he knew, just plain old killing.”

This quotation occurs when the specific nature of Abigail’s proposal is finally explicitly revealed. Abigail’s theory that it would benefit society if more vulnerable individuals were euthanized is only revealed when her speech is cut short. Gamache’s blunt internal monologue strips away the euphemistic veneer of Abigail’s ideology. The phrase “just plain old killing” serves as a moral anchor in the novel, reasserting that language can’t cleanse unethical acts. Penny draws a sharp line between scientific rhetoric and moral truth and highlights Individual Rights in Conflict with the Collective Good.

“You’ll be long dead and buried, and she’ll still be living with us. Forever. And then, one day, she’ll be Honore’s burden.”

This quote highlights the theme of Parental Desire to Protect Children. Jean-Guy speaks this to Gamache when he breaks down and admits to his ambivalence about being the parent to a child with a disability. Jean-Guy loves his daughter, but he fears an uncertain future in which she will always need care. Jean-Guy uses the word “burden,” which he is subsequently very ashamed of. His fears about his son being forced to care for Isola also foreshadow the tension that existed between Abigail and her sister. Penny does not shy away from the complexity of love tinged with fear, guilt, and exhaustion. This quote also lays the emotional groundwork for the later revelation that Abigail killed her sister for similar reasons, forming a chilling parallel.

“Not like us. Better than us. We really were expecting a saint.”

Ruth Zardo (a longtime resident of Three Pines) says this to a group of her friends who live in the community. The women are discussing how Haniya is very different from what they expected, and Ruth points out that they had elevated and unrealistic expectations (especially in light of the trauma Haniya has experienced). The use of the word “saint” foreshadows the parallelism between Haniya and Vincent Gilbert, who is widely referred to as the “asshole saint.”

“Abigail Robinson and Debbie Schneider were a couple, as surely as any lovers. Perhaps even more than most.”

This quotation occurs between the attack at the lecture and the murder, during which time Gamache observes the dynamic between Abigail and Debbie closely. The quotation alludes to the intimacy and strong bond between the two women, which subsequently becomes a major consideration as Gamache tries to solve the mystery of who killed Debbie. Describing Abigail and Debbie as “a couple” blurs boundaries between personal loyalty and ideological alignment. Their bond is not just emotional but complicit, with Debbie becoming a keeper of secrets. Penny suggests that intimacy can sometimes act as a blindfold, obscuring moral clarity.

“Our interpretation of facts can depend on our experiences. Even our upbringing. On what we want the facts to say.”

Gamache argues with Colette and Abigail about Abigail’s theories. Abigail attempts to argue that her controversial claims are based on logic and objective evidence and therefore are morally neutral. Gamache counters that evidence and statistics can also be manipulated and misinterpreted; the comment reflects his insights as someone who has solved many mysteries and understands how evidence can be misunderstood. This insight resonates with the novel’s critique of statistical rationalism, particularly Abigail’s claim that her theories are emotionless and neutral.

“Do you want her to go killing old people? Kids? What sort of person wouldn’t want to stop her?”

Edouard Tardif speaks this quotation as he explains why he shot at Abigail during her lecture. While Edouard insists that he didn’t intend to harm or kill her, he is equally insistent that she needs to be stopped. While other individuals speak about Abigail’s theories in vague or euphemistic terms, Edouard is very blunt that he sees Abigail as a threat to vulnerable individuals.

“Half the people here, given a chance and a gun, would pull the trigger.”

Vincent Gilbert speaks this quotation to Abigail Robinson at the party, shortly before the murder. The comment foreshadows the violent act that will soon occur and establishes that Vincent will become a key suspect in the murder. The quotation also establishes why solving the case will be so complex: Many people had reason to want Abigail dead.

“No one had been in a hurry to use precious and increasingly rare resources on those who would die soon anyway.”

Gamache reflects on the events of the pandemic and the callous behavior that emerged when people felt threatened. He saw the same fears and selfishness emerge during this time and knows that people are not always inclined to be caring and altruistic. Abigail’s message is dangerous because it reflects beliefs people may already be harboring. This quote connects the horrors of the pandemic with Abigail’s theories, showing how easily utilitarian logic can slip into dehumanization. Penny underscores that real-world systems are already capable of endorsing the very violence Abigail proposes, albeit implicitly. This quote highlights Individual Rights in Conflict with the Collective Good.

“Now he watched as the stiff body of Abigail Robinson was turned over. He stared. Then looked at Jean-Guy. Who was also staring.”

This quotation takes place right after the body is discovered, when Gamache and Jean-Guy are both shocked to discover that the body belongs to Debbie and not Abigail. The initial belief that Abigail is the murder victim reveals how bias and preconceptions will make solving the case challenging: Everyone involved brings strong preconceptions and emotions, so objectivity and neutrality are impossible. The confusion about the victim also reflects the intense and interconnected relationship between the two women, which becomes a major factor in the plot.

“The murderer had killed Abigail Robinson, or thought they had.”

This quotation reveals an assumption that drives Gamache and his team for most of the investigations. They assume early on that Debbie was killed by mistake, since there are no clear motives for why someone would want her dead, and many motives for why someone would want Abigail dead. This assumption proves to be false and shows the risks of misleading conclusions. Penny uses this narrative detour to explore how truth can be obscured not by lack of evidence, but by the emotional investments of those interpreting it, thus highlighting Bias and Emotion Impacting Decisions.

“I would have little trouble killing Professor Robinson, but I wouldn’t make such a shit show of it.”

Haniya speaks this quotation when she asserts her innocence. Haniya is a suspect because she detests the beliefs and values that Abigail espouses. Haniya’s response to the accusation is interesting because she does not hide that she would be willing to kill, which renders her suspicious even if she denies having actually committed the murder.

“My findings, my research, have nothing to do with Maria, and everything to do with the future of the social safety net in this country.”

Abigail speaks this quotation after Gamache implies that her research might be fueled by the trauma and ambivalence of having grown up with a sibling with a disability. Abigail is insistent that she works purely from objective facts and data: This is a claim that she returns to throughout the novel, as it helps her to justify the controversial arguments she is making. The comment later turns out to be ironic because Abigail’s whole life has been driven by emotion, impulse, and the need to cover up her guilt. Abigail’s insistence on detaching her research from her traumatic past reflects her need to construct a rational persona.

“It’s not that you did no harm […] It’s that you did nothing.”

Gamache speaks this quotation to Vincent Gilbert when he confronts him with the video footage showing that Vincent could have intervened when shots were fired at Abigail. Gamache uses the language of the Hippocratic Oath (a promise that all physicians make) to subtly imply that Vincent has an extra layer of guilt: He wasn’t simply a bystander, but he is someone who has promised to protect human life. The quotation highlights the novel’s exploration of moral ambiguity and the difficulty of distinguishing which actions are moral and which ones are not.

“They didn’t hide in dark alcoves. The distinguished monsters sat among them.”

This quotation occurs just after Jean-Guy is shocked to learn that Ewen Cameron conducted sadistic experiments while employed at a prestigious university and being celebrated as a leading researcher. The quotation alludes to how individuals can have a secret past even while they appear to be respected and impressive. It foreshadows the revelation that Abigail Robinson is a murder, even though she appears to be rational, analytical, and highly intelligent. The juxtaposition of “distinguished” and “monsters” points to the novel’s central concern: Evil is not always grotesque or obvious. Penny draws attention to the insidiousness of systemic violence, which often hides behind prestige, academia, or reasoned argument.

“I’m not sure if it’s heroic or psychotic, but Haniya Daoud seems to see every innocent man, woman, and infant in the world as her children. She’s driven to save them. Obsessed even.”

Agent Lacoste speaks this quotation as she summarizes her impression after speaking with Haniya about her traumatic past. Lacoste concludes that Haniya has an exaggerated sense of moral responsibility and protectiveness and that might make her willing to murder Abigail if she believed she was protecting the innocent. The quotation illustrates how those who are most fiercely protective and concerned with justice actually have the highest odds of being capable of murder.

“Was it to protect himself? To stop Abigail Robinson from revealing his one great secret. His great shame.”

This quotation reveals Gamache’s train of thought as he reflects on Vincent Gilbert’s potential motives for killing Debbie (while thinking she was Abigail). Once it is revealed that Vincent participated in cruel experiments, Gamache wonders if Vincent would kill to conceal this shameful past, which is deeply at odds with his later identity. It will later turn out that the murderer was indeed motivated to kill in order to conceal a secret, but it was Abigail and not Vincent who had something to hide.

“Conjoined sisters. Not by some cartilage or artery. They didn’t share an organ, they shared a father and a fate.”

This quotation describes Jean-Guy’s reflections as he tries to make sense of whether Paul Robinson could truly have been responsible for killing his daughter. As a father himself, Jean-Guy can only entertain this possibility by considering that Paul was killing one daughter in order to protect and liberate the other. He thinks about the intense degree of interconnection between Abigail and Maria, and how this bond eventually turned toxic.

“Everyone was quick to say what happened was heartbreaking. But really, privately, they considered the tragedies of the pandemic a cull. Of the weak.”

As it becomes increasingly probable that Paul deliberately killed his daughter, Gamache reflects on the circumstances under which individuals condone or even endorse killing other people. He thinks back to the events of the pandemic, and the reality that some people were not distressed by the deaths of the elderly and individuals with chronic health conditions. Paul’s possible action and Abigail’s theories reveal that many people think that some lives are not worth living, and that it may even be merciful to kill those individuals. This quote pierces the polite veneer of public discourse around the pandemic, revealing a darker undercurrent of apathy or even relief. Penny does not accuse characters outright but asks the reader to confront uncomfortable truths about social priorities, highlighting Individual Rights in Conflict with the Collective Good.

“I wanted to say that the truth doesn’t set everyone free. For some it becomes a burden. A stinking albatross.”

Ruth speaks this quotation to Gamache when she explains that she cautioned Reine-Marie against telling Enid’s children the full truth about their mother’s experiences. Ruth does not think this knowledge will be helpful to them, and she alludes to both a popular saying (“the truth shall set you free”) and to the metaphor of an albatross as a burden and source of guilt (an allusion to the poem “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge). Ruth’s observation reframes the value of truth, especially in the aftermath of trauma. Penny challenges the assumption that disclosure is always healing, introducing the idea that silence can sometimes be a protective act.

“It would be so much better all around if Abigail Robinson was arrested and convicted of the crime.”

This quotation occurs after Lacoste cautions Gamache that his bias and desire for Abigail to be guilty might be skewing his ability to properly investigate the crime. Gamache is annoyed by Lacoste’s implication, but he also reflects that there would be many benefits to convicting Abigail of murder (she would be unable to continue publicizing her theories). The quotation shows that while Gamache’s hunch turns out to be correct, he holds himself to a high standard of integrity and honesty.

“He didn’t believe it was you. He knew it was. He knew you.”

This quote highlights the Parental Desire to Protect Children. Gamache speaks this quotation to Abigail at the novel’s climax, when he confronts Abigail with the theory of what he believes happened during her childhood. He surmises that Paul Robinson knew his daughter well enough to be certain that she had killed her sister and thus that he needed to protect her by taking the blame himself. The quotation reveals that Abigail has an essentially evil nature that even her own father couldn’t avoid seeing.

“It’s me or your daughter.”

Abigail speaks this quotation to Jean-Guy as she tries to antagonize him into shooting her. Once her crimes have been revealed, Abigail would rather die than be held accountable and have her reputation publicly destroyed. She taunts Jean-Guy by implying that she is a direct threat to his child, playing on the deep parental impulse to protect. Abigail is aware of the depth of this response because her own father likewise took radical actions to protect her. This moment crystallizes the theme of Parental Desire to Protect Children.