I have enjoyed Louise Penny’s novels, savoring each read. While some of the most recent ones have been less captivating, The Grey Wolf was extremely disappointing.
Penny’s best novels capture the charming nostalgia of Three Pines, while challenging the reader to piece together the clues as revealed by her cast of richly portrayed characters.
The Grey Wolf, however, almost entirely abandons this formula.
Myriad characters that are not developed, needless repetition, and circuitous plot lines were frustratingly tedious. I forced myself to finish it, only skimming the last pages. I really didn’t care if the water was polluted by the end, and to consider that her next novel will pick up where this one has left off, is disheartening. Penny’s sacrificing the hallmarks of her distinctive style plummets her from memorable to mediocre. Here’s hoping she will find her way back to capturing the essence of what, at one time, made her one of my favorite mystery authors.