Il Lupo

Il Lupo

Il Lupo is a 2023 novel by author and podcaster, Gregory Alexander Sharp. Il Lupo was published by Olympia Publishers in the UK and internationally. Il Lupo is a supernatural thriller, where the antagonist is a werewolf, and the two main protagonists suffer with mental health challenges.

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Premise

The story centres around two main protagonists, who are long lost friends. Nick Frobisher, heir to a coffee importing empire, has recently lost his father to cancer. He and Charlie Mortimer, an introspective writer, come together for the first time in more than two decades for the funeral of Nick's father, Atticus Frobisher.

Nick suffers with grief, and we learn that it is not the first time he has found such a loss hard to deal with, having lost his mother ten years before.

Nick invites Charlie to join him on a trip to the Frobishers' holiday home on the Amalfi Coast, and Charlie accepts. Immediately upon arrival, Charlie begins to suffer with debilitating panic attacks, which Frobisher has some experience of himself.

By way of attempting to handle his grief, Frobisher drinks heavily, and leads himself and Charlie into trouble on more than one occasion, ultimately resulting in a confrontation with a man named Telemaco Russo. Telemaco stands accused of being a werewolf, and it is out of character for Charlie to take him on, but he is trying to live up to the example his friend has set for him. It is at this point that Charlie becomes convinced that the curse has been passed to him, and the remainder of the book revolves around a race against time to try and save Charlie from the same fate as Telemaco. Lacking the knowledge or skill to solve this problem, Charlie and Frobisher call on the experience and expertise of a diverse group of collaborators, including the mysterious Agatha and her son, Garrow. Located in a remote estate in the highlands of Scotland, Agatha and Garrow are much more than just a farmer and his mother, and they may hold the key to Charlie's salvation. But the clock is ticking, and the full moon won't wait!

Locations

Il Lupo is broadly set across three locations, these being central and southern England, the Amalfi Coast and the Bay of Naples in Italy, and the Cairngorms National Park in the highlands of Scotland. Significant references are made to both the beauty of the Amalfi Coast, and the looming and foreboding presence of Mount Vesuvius, evoking a real sense of travel. The landscape of the Highlands of Scotland is described as being rugged and harsh in comparison. 

Paradoxically, it is the beautiful Italian landscape which presses the threat of the curse upon the protagonists, while there is crucial knowledge that can only be found in the Scottish Highlands which might lead to their salvation. 

The author draws upon his own personal experience of travelling and staying in these locations to evoke the experience of being there. A notable scene towards the end of the novel is set in the historic archaeological site of Pompeii at midnight, a part of the book which has inspired much positive and enthusiastic feedback from readers.

Main Characters

Charlie Mortimer: University friend of Nick Frobisher's who has always been introspective when compared with his more outgoing friend. Charlie has chosen a career as a writer, as that allows him to spend the majority of his time in total control of his surroundings. Charlie has always been a diligent worker and someone who lives his life in accordance with careful and precise planning.

Nicholas Frobisher: President and CEO of the J Frobisher Coffee Company. Nick Frobisher is bombastic and forthright. Nick lives life flying by the seat of his pants. While his outward appearance is of indomitable strength, we learn that Nick has suffered expensively with grief, to the point of agoraphobia. Nick has a tendency to self-medicate with alcohol, which he recognises is detrimental to his health and wellbeing.

Ernest Wainwright: Ernest is Nick's godfather, and lifelong friend to the late Atticus Frobisher. Ernest is a semi-retired historian with a specialism in folk-lore, including werewolf mythology. Ernest always wears a red waistcoat with gold trim, and has a passing similarity in appearance to William Shakespeare. The author has stated in interviews, that Ernest was loosely based on an English teacher he had while at school, who also almost pronounced his Rs as Ws, as the character does.

Maria Esposito: Daughter of restauranteur, Fredo Esposito, Maria has known Frobisher since she was a child. Noted for her intelligence above all else, Maria is beautiful and brave, and known to be a dab-hand with a hunting rifle. Maria is a great ally to have.

Fredo Esposito: Goffredo Esposito is the son of Liliana. His father Filip, and his brother Vincente, were both murdered by a werewolf fifty years before the novel is set. Fredo is a colourful character, full of pride and passion, and a true and loyal friend, no matter what.

Constance Hadley-Scott: Connie, as she is known, is a Harley Street psychiatrist. In the opening pages of the book, Connie is engaged in counselling a suffering Charlie, and is quite certain that werewolves do not exist. Connie has her mind changed during one of the books more thrilling scenes, which is set at Radcliffe Hall, the family seat of the Frobishers.

Telemaco Russo: Telemaco Russo is a former farmer from just outside Sorrento. Many years ago, Telemaco fled the area amidst widespread hysteria surrounding the deaths of Filippo and Vincente Esposito, and the assertion that it had been a lycanthrope who had done it. Telemaco believes himself to be that lycanthrope. After suffering some misadventure in Rome, Telemaco returns to the area for the first time in decades, seeking financial support from his only remaining family.

Reception

Reviews have been good, with Il Lupo consistently scoring four and five stars on both Amazon (internationally) and Goodreads.