Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gun violence, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Pandemic/Epidemic
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
relaxing
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Another great installment and I really enjoyed the new audiobook narrator
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Louise Penny’s The Grey Wolf is the 19th installment in her Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series. While Penny’s skill in crafting atmospheric settings and delving into moral complexities is evident, this novel fails to live up to the standards of her earlier work.
The story kicks off with Gamache enjoying a quiet morning in Three Pines, only to have it interrupted by a series of strange events—a cryptic note, a break-in, and a trail of clues tied to a plot to poison Québec’s water supply. The stakes are high, taking Gamache and his team from Three Pines to monasteries, the Vatican, and beyond. While this epic scope adds intrigue, it sacrifices the intimate character dynamics that make this series shine.
The pacing is slow, bogged down by overly complicated plot threads and philosophical musings that feel excessive. The plot stretches believability, and the lack of focus on Three Pines’ beloved residents is a major letdown. Fans of Penny’s charming village setting will be disappointed to see it play such a minor role here.
The conclusion, while offering some closure, ends with a cliffhanger leading to the next installment, *The Black Wolf, due out in October 2025.
While The Grey Wolf has moments of suspense and flashes of Penny’s talent, it ultimately feels muddled and uninspired. Other diehard fans may appreciate it, but I was disappointed. 3 stars.
The story kicks off with Gamache enjoying a quiet morning in Three Pines, only to have it interrupted by a series of strange events—a cryptic note, a break-in, and a trail of clues tied to a plot to poison Québec’s water supply. The stakes are high, taking Gamache and his team from Three Pines to monasteries, the Vatican, and beyond. While this epic scope adds intrigue, it sacrifices the intimate character dynamics that make this series shine.
The pacing is slow, bogged down by overly complicated plot threads and philosophical musings that feel excessive. The plot stretches believability, and the lack of focus on Three Pines’ beloved residents is a major letdown. Fans of Penny’s charming village setting will be disappointed to see it play such a minor role here.
The conclusion, while offering some closure, ends with a cliffhanger leading to the next installment, *The Black Wolf, due out in October 2025.
While The Grey Wolf has moments of suspense and flashes of Penny’s talent, it ultimately feels muddled and uninspired. Other diehard fans may appreciate it, but I was disappointed. 3 stars.
Torturous plot with unlikely plot , convoluted and lacking the local charm of previous 3 Pines books.
slow-paced
I love Penny’s Gamache books but this was one of the very worst. The plot was so tenuous and unbelievable… it became annoying. She is at her best when Armand is working in Three Pines … the grander the plot the weaker the book. A totally personal perspective.
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
It took me a while to connect the dots, and I found it very confusing (although my flu might have had something to do with that too). The second half was better and I couldn't stop reading.