Wild Dark Shore

Reese's Book Club Pick (A Novel)

By: Charlotte McConaghy

Narrated by: Cooper Mortlock, Katherine Littrell, Saskia Maarleveld, Steve West

A Reese's Book Club pick and a 2026 Audie Awards finalist for Audiobook of the Year!

This program features multicast narration.

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • #1 AMAZON BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR SO FAR 2025

An ENTHRALLING new novel from the NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING author of Migrations and Once There Were Wolves

"A WILDLY TALENTED writer." ―Emily St. John Mandel
“SPELLBINDING...Exceptionally imagined, thoroughly humane.” —Washington Post
“Abounds with EVOCATIVE nature writing.” —The New York Times Book Review

A family on a remote island. A mysterious woman washed ashore. A rising storm on the horizon.

Dominic Salt and his three children are caretakers of Shearwater, a tiny island not far from Antarctica. Home to the world’s largest seed bank, Shearwater was once full of researchers, but with sea levels rising, the Salts are now its final inhabitants. Until, during the worst storm the island has ever seen, a woman mysteriously washes ashore.

Isolation has taken its toll on the Salts, but as they nurse the woman, Rowan, back to strength, it begins to feel like she might just be what they need. Rowan, long accustomed to protecting herself, starts imagining a future where she could belong to someone again.

But Rowan isn’t telling the whole truth about why she set out for Shearwater. And when she discovers sabotaged radios and a freshly dug grave, she realizes Dominic is keeping his own secrets. As the storms on Shearwater gather force, they all must decide if they can trust each other enough to protect the precious seeds in their care before it’s too late—and if they can finally put the tragedies of the past behind them to create something new, together.

A novel of breathtaking twists, dizzying beauty, and ferocious love, Wild Dark Shore is about the impossible choices we make to protect the people we love, even as the world around us disappears.

"This contemplative, heart-wrenching story is a unique and engaging listening experience made even more vibrant by its narration.” —Bookpage (Starred Review)

"The ensemble narration brings this intense story to life.” —AudioFile

A Macmillan Audio production from Flatiron Books.

Had such a hard time understanding the dad

The book was really good, but I had such a hard time understanding the dad as he mumbled and had an Australian accent. I felt like if he had spoken up a little bit, it would’ve been a lot easier to understand. Every time he would come on I’d have to turn my volume all the way up to try to understand the words he was saying.

3 hours in and i can't give anymore

i paid extra for this book as i was out of credits. i'm three hours in and can't take anymore (all of the great ratings must be from 4 hours and on...or from climate control fans).
turns out audible will only make returns when you use your audible credits for the purchase of a book. lesson learned: i won't be paying EXTRA for any books.

Good story - mediocre performance

The narrator for Dom (main character) was so hard to hear. Has a low gravelly voice and whispers. It made it very difficult to hear.

Story was good for the most part.

High or low seeded

I just finished this book and I’m not certain if I liked or disliked this story slow start but interesting end. Bring a box of tissues.

Must read/listen!!

Loved the story, characters! The performance was 4/5. I’d highly recommend this one! Never knew for sure what was going to happen