Once There Were Wolves

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What to expect

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

Critics Review

Blazing...Visceral...As McConaghy shows in this stunning book, the limits of language lead us to the limits of empathy
Los Angeles Times
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
The New York Times Book Review
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
Newsweek
Suspenseful and poignant...humans and animals alike can break our hearts
Scientific American
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
Electric Literature
Urges us to take a lesson from the wolves, and learn to lean on one another
BookRiot
Lyrical, captivating, thought-provoking and thrilling, this immersive read will capture your attention from the first page
Good Morning America
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
Entertainment Weekly

User Reviews

Book 4.7
Narration 4.3
5.0
5.0
tootyfruity 08/09/2025
5.0
5.0
Loved this! Animal protection, climate change, and a mystery. I loved the relationship between the sisters and between the main character and the townsfolk.
ClareR 29/08/2023
4.0
3.0
NicLee 30/01/2023

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