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The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny | Book Review

dessimalakov
Jun 22
5 min read

Updated: 3 days ago

Louise Penny blends moral complexity, emotional tension, and familiar comfort in a mystery that stays with you long after the last page.

Author: Louise Penny

Series: Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, Book 19

Release Date: October, 29th 2024

Genre: Crime

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

US: Amazon | DE: Thalia | Goodreads

Official Description:

Relentless phone calls interrupt the peace of a warm August morning in the small village of Three Pines in Quebec. Someone has managed to track down Armand Gamache, head of homicide, as he sits with his wife in their back garden. When he finally answers the call, his rage shatters the calm of their quiet Sunday morning.

That's only the first in a sequence of strange events that begin THE GREY WOLF. At first they seem small - a missing coat, a note for Gamache reading "this might interest you", a puzzling scrap of paper with a mysterious list - but then a murder. All propel Chief Inspector Gamache and his team toward a terrible realization. Something much more sinister than any one murder or any one case is fast approaching. A threat unlike anything they've seen before.

First Thoughts the grey wolf by louise penny review

There is just something about this series and Louise Penny’s writing that makes me feel warm and giddy—like coming home. And that doesn’t really make sense, because I didn’t grow up with these books. I discovered them much later. But still, the feeling is there, the same one I get when I read Andrea Camilleri’s Inspector Montalbano series, which I actually did grow up on. There’s a comfort in the return to familiar characters, a rhythm to the storytelling that instantly puts me at ease, even when the story itself is anything but.

It’s the way Louise draws you into Three Pines, this quaint little village that feels like the embodiment of safety and humanity. What I love most about this series is how close we grow to the characters. We’ve been with them for years. We’ve seen them change, stumble, grow. They’ve become real in the way only the best-written characters do—flawed, stubborn, full of heart. And while on the surface this might look like a cozy crime series, anyone who’s read more than a few pages knows: that’s not quite true. There’s coziness, sure—in the snowy landscapes, the friendships, the roast duck dinners and bookstore chats—but the stakes are often high, the crimes dark and intricate, and the emotional depth far beyond what you’d expect from a typical mystery.

The Grey Wolf is no exception. It’s filled with quiet moments and big questions, with heartbreak and loyalty, and with the kind of slow-burning tension that leaves you unsettled in the best way.

Character & Plot

The story opens with two murders that don’t seem connected at all—different victims, different places, different methods. But still, something about them feels off to Gamache. They carry the signature of professional hits. While other investigators are ready to chalk them up as isolated incidents, Gamache’s instincts tell him otherwise. And he’s not wrong.

Things escalate quickly when a break-in occurs at his apartment. But nothing is stolen—except, oddly, his coat—and in its place is a letter, inviting him to a meeting. Gamache, more cautious than ever, decides to go—but only brings Beauvoir and Lacoste into his confidence. He no longer trusts many people at the Sûreté, especially not his superiors. And given everything he’s been through over the years, you can’t blame him.

The meeting is unsettling. Charles, the man behind the letter, seems nervous and unsure. He contradicts himself constantly, offers flimsy explanations about how and why he broke into Gamache’s place, and drops cryptic metaphors instead of straight answers. There’s something desperate and sad about him—and something dangerous too. He hints that Gamache already knows what’s happening, that what he fears is true, that something is coming. And then, just when you think we might finally get some clarity, Charles is killed in a hit-and-run. A clean, calculated hit. The kind of thing that confirms every one of Gamache’s suspicions.

From here, the tension ramps up. Gamache knows something big is brewing—something coordinated, hidden, and dangerous. He doesn’t yet know what exactly he’s up against, but it’s clear that powerful people are involved. And that he’ll need to move carefully, trust selectively, and follow his gut.

What I especially appreciated in this book is how it ties back to earlier ones—without feeling repetitive or over-explained. There’s a beautiful moment where Gamache realizes that the mysterious hotel guest who left him a “gift” was actually Dom Philippe, the abbot he met years ago during the monastery case. And suddenly, that earlier story, the quiet monks, the silence of the cloister, all come back—but this time, with a deeper meaning.

Because this book isn’t just about solving a crime. It’s about which parts of ourselves we choose to listen to. That theme is echoed in the story Dom Philippe once told Gamache: that within each of us are two wolves—the one that wants to learn, to forgive, to grow… and the one that seeks vengeance, destruction, harm. The one that wins is the one you feed. It’s such a simple idea, but it hit me hard. Because this book is, in many ways, about that choice. About which wolf will win.

And it’s also worth saying that this isn’t a typical mystery with a clean ending and all the loose ends tied up. The plot stretches beyond the borders of this book. It feels like we’ve only uncovered part of the puzzle—and that the rest is waiting for us in the next installment.

Final Thoughts

I won’t spoil what Gamache uncovers or how far-reaching the consequences might be. But I will say this: The Grey Wolfis one of those books that sticks with you—not just because of the mystery, but because of the questions it asks along the way. About trust, about fear, about what it means to protect something you love.

And yes, I did figure out parts of the plot. But that didn’t lessen the experience for me at all. I don’t think Penny writes to trick or mislead her readers. She brings us in. She teaches us to think like Gamache—to read between the lines, to sit in discomfort, to weigh every possibility. It feels collaborative, almost. Like we’re solving this together. Or trying to.

But just when you think things have been resolved, a new question arises. A new shadow appears. And we remember the title of the next book: The Black Wolf. Suddenly, the meaning of the monastery’s name—Saint-Gilbert-entre-les-Loups—takes on new weight. It was never just about the wolves in the forest. It was about the wolves inside of us.

And so the story continues. I can’t wait to see where it leads next.

Five stars. Easily. One of the strongest books in the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series.

If you liked this review of The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny or if you want to share your own take on it, please feel free to leave a comment!

Disclaimer: I have added an affiliate link for your convenience so you can directly purchase the book if you are intrigued. This also means that I will receive small commission. This does not affect inclusion in my reviews or the overall rating of the book.