Readers of series crime fiction treat each new book as a type of family reunion—a chance to revisit characters they love within a location they have come to cherish. That has certainly been the case with Louise Penny fans and their annual return to Three Pines. Always looking to redefine reader expectations without ultimately disappointing them, Penny occasionally throws out a literary curveball—the Gamaches unexpected trip to Paris, France, or a weekend stay at a local monastery, for example—and this year’s new Three Pines novel is another such example.
The Grey Wolf, itself, was a bit of a departure for the beloved series. The novel read more like a global thriller than the more traditional mystery fans expected. It was the ending of that novel, however, that harkened to a unique follow-up. Rather than being just another book in the series or even a direct sequel to The Grey Wolf, The Black Wolf feels very much like a continuation of the same larger story. The two “wolves” together tell one epic story—the ramifications of which will echo throughout the series moving forward.
With The Madness of Crowds, Louise Penny predicted what the post-pandemic landscape might look like—and got more right than wrong. In The Black Wolf, soothsayer Penny is once again in full effect. The core elements in The Black Wolf’s plot read like the daily news briefs out of Washington, despite the fact that Louise Penny finished writing the novel well before Trump took office. This is largely because she is a writer who knows and understands her native country’s impact on World politics and isn’t afraid to journey into some complex waters to tell a gripping story.
While The Black Wolf does continue with the structure of the previous novel—having our favorite investigative team dividing and conquering—it does differ in that the village (and residents) of Three Pines play a larger role this time—at least in the first half of the novel. This will please long-time fans who miss their annual visits with the likes of Reine-Marie, Ruth, and Olivier, etc. All of the political heavy-hitters that appeared in The Grey Wolf also return, though their loyalties are ever-shifting—like the sands in a rogue hourglass. No one working in the crime fiction genre elucidates human nature like Louise Penny, and that remains true in both the intimate moments, and the larger brush stroke set pieces found throughout this novel.
It’s scary to think that even just a few years ago, the plot of The Black Wolf would have seemed preposterously speculative, and yet here we are with everyday life around the world turning into one huge conspiracy theory. While it is true that some might not find these topics ideal for a relaxing comfort read, there is something to be said for knowing that Gamache is going to save the day once again. Maybe we all need a bit of that type of coddling at this moment in time.
So, in the end, even though The Black Wolf and its companion, The Grey Wolf, remain a departure of sorts for the overall Three Pines books, this type of seismic event may have been necessary for the future health of the series. Each of the main characters is changed by what happens in The Black Wolf, and only time will tell how that affects their choices in the future. Most certainly, Louise Penny’s massive fanbase will be anxiously awaiting those answers.
BUY LINKS: The Black Wolf by Louise Penny
Disclaimer: A print galley of this title was provided to BOLO Books by the publisher. No promotion was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel.
