Reply To: How do the different locations in The Grey Wolf affect the tone of the novel?
The different places definitely give the terrorist plot an international scope and increase the stakes for our heroes. There’s added suspense and tension during Isabelle’s investigations in Rome and France because she’s in no position of authority to demand answers, so there are difficult challenges for our team in getting the information they need. The different locations also provide us with interesting history (especially of the power structure within various religious orders).
Also, Jean-Guy’s interactions in DC are important in bringing together the clues they need. These diferent places gives Louise an opportunity to reintroduce some of Gamache’s powerful foreign allies, which I thought were fun call-backs to earlier novels and were quite organic to the plot!
