Le Sourire d'ivoire

The characters' motives and inner struggles felt so real and layered. I'm curious what influenced Macdonald's approach to character development in this noir setting.

The story took a bit of a breather before ramping up again. I'm wondering if Macdonald used this to build atmosphere or if it was just the natural flow of the plot.

The exploration of personal guilt versus societal judgment added a complex layer. I’d love to hear how others interpreted these themes in relation to the story’s resolution.