Elizabeth Heider
May the Wolf Die began with Naples Italy where I lived from 2010 until 2013 as part of my job with the US Navy and I fell madly in love with the city. There’s nothing tame about Naples. It’s chaotic and charismatic. And the beauty is excessive, almost too much to take in. The years I spent there were during an incredibly difficult period, yet the beauty was a sort of antidote, keeping me from tipping completely into anguish. It’s a meaningful place for me, and I always feel at home when I return.
Unfortunately, the transcendent beauty of the city has a bleak shadow: rampant poverty and the Commora mafia infesting all aspects of society. I wanted to explore this perilous landscape, and to also share the unique perspective from my years working with the US military.
The main protagonists are inspired by two remarkable people who work in the Italian security forces. I first caught sight of Nikki and Valerio in September 2021 when I went sailing with my friend Sara and the friend with whom she co-owns a boat. As I watched them interact, I exclaimed, “How are you not already characters in a novel?”
By the time we returned to the harbor, the book was already taking shape. When I described my project to Sara, she was incredibly supportive. Both she and her friend graciously gave their time and insight and expertise to ensure that the book was as accurate as I, a non-native, could make it. I’m tremendously grateful for this generosity.
As I began plotting this mystery, I realized I needed to really understand what would make someone plan and follow-through with murder. One dark evening in January, as I walked along the beach near my house and thought about this, I asked: what would it take for me to be willing to kill?
At once I saw all of the foundational pieces and the logic of the book. I have the voice notes from that night describing the entire plot.
Unfortunately, the transcendent beauty of the city has a bleak shadow: rampant poverty and the Commora mafia infesting all aspects of society. I wanted to explore this perilous landscape, and to also share the unique perspective from my years working with the US military.
The main protagonists are inspired by two remarkable people who work in the Italian security forces. I first caught sight of Nikki and Valerio in September 2021 when I went sailing with my friend Sara and the friend with whom she co-owns a boat. As I watched them interact, I exclaimed, “How are you not already characters in a novel?”
By the time we returned to the harbor, the book was already taking shape. When I described my project to Sara, she was incredibly supportive. Both she and her friend graciously gave their time and insight and expertise to ensure that the book was as accurate as I, a non-native, could make it. I’m tremendously grateful for this generosity.
As I began plotting this mystery, I realized I needed to really understand what would make someone plan and follow-through with murder. One dark evening in January, as I walked along the beach near my house and thought about this, I asked: what would it take for me to be willing to kill?
At once I saw all of the foundational pieces and the logic of the book. I have the voice notes from that night describing the entire plot.
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