Fatale erfenis

The vivid depiction of France adds so much atmosphere, but I wonder what drew the author to this particular time and place for the story.

The suspense was building up but then some parts felt a bit sluggish. Was that intentional to deepen the emotional stakes or just the natural flow?

The way information was layered kept me guessing, but I'm curious about whether this was plotted out from the start or developed as the story progressed.