Once There Were Wolves

By: Charlotte McConaghy

Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld

Brought to you by Penguin.

New York Times Bestseller

A wild and gripping novel about one woman's quest to reintroduce wolves to the Scottish Highlands at any cost

Inti Flynn arrives in the Scottish Highlands with fourteen grey wolves, a traumatised sister and fierce tenacity.

As a biologist, she knows the animals are the best hope for rewilding the ruined landscape and she cares little for local opposition. As a sister, she hopes the remote project will offer her twin, Aggie, a chance to heal after the horrific events that drove them both out of Alaska.

But violence dogs their footsteps and one night Inti stumbles over the body of a farmer. Unable to accept that her wolves could be responsible, she makes a reckless decision to protect them. But if the wolves didn't make the kill, then who did? And can she trust the man she is beginning to love when he becomes the main suspect?

Propulsive and unforgettable, Once There Were Wolves is the spellbinding story of a woman desperate to save her family, the wild animals and the natural world she loves, at any cost.

'One of those very rare, special novels that changes you as you read' Laurie Frankel

'So damn good. A page-turner that makes you think and has a huge emotional impact' Jeff VanderMeer, author of Annihilation

© Charlotte McConaghy 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022

Critic reviews

Blazing...Visceral...As McConaghy shows in this stunning book, the limits of language lead us to the limits of empathy (Lorraine Berry)

So damn good. A page-turner that makes you think and has a huge emotional impact (Jeff VanderMeer, New York Times bestselling author of Annihilation (via Twitter))

Bold...A heartfelt and earnest novel

One of those very rare, special novels that changes you as you read ... It's beautifully written and smart and impressively, importantly atmospheric. And it's also funny and warm and perfectly crafted with some of the best characters I have ever read ... I loved loved loved this book (Laurie Frankel, New York Times bestselling author of This Is How It Always Is)

This heart-pounding novel digs into the complex relationships between humans and the creatures with which we share the natural world

Suspenseful and poignant...humans and animals alike can break our hearts

Far more than an old wolves' tale. Instead, it illustrates what it's like to be an outsider from both a human and animal perspective and the level of healing and acceptance it takes from within to be accepted and to accept yourself

Urges us to take a lesson from the wolves, and learn to lean on one another

Lyrical, captivating, thought-provoking and thrilling, this immersive read will capture your attention from the first page

The Australian author made waves with last summer's Migrations, a meditation on climate change and loneliness, and returns with a new story set in the Scottish Highlands, where two twin sisters join a team attempting to reintroduce a pack of wolves to their natural surroundings