Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy
Published by Flatiron Books, 2021
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Charlotte McConaghy blends powerful eco-fiction with the intrigue of a thriller in this stunning look at human nature.
Environmental biologist Inti Flynn has just arrived in Scotland. The head of a controversial rewilding project, she is tasked with overseeing the release of wolves throughout Cairngorms National Park. Fearing for their livestock, the surrounding community of rural farmers is immediately resistant, and their hostility reaches a fever pitch when a man is found dead. Inti is determined to absolve the wolves of blame — and thus spare them from a brutal culling — but to do so means proving there’s a killer in their midst.
McConaghy’s prose is gorgeous, without ever feeling overwrought. She paints vivid pictures of Scotland’s rugged landscape, contrasting its beauty with the inherent dangers of living and working on such harsh terrain. The nuance of her writing is such that, though the novel is a gripping page-turner, it also delves deeply into the psyche of its characters, as more and more secrets bubble to the surface.
You can find my full review over on BookBrowse. To go alongside it, I also wrote a piece about efforts to rewild Scotland.
Callum McLaughlin 
That cover is gorgeous – would definitely attract my attention…
It is! It fits the mood of the book perfectly as well. I’d be shocked if this isn’t one of my reads of the year.
Must!! Read this!!
YES! Please do, I’d love to see more people pick this up 👀
Others have praised this one. Sounds so very interesting.
I’m glad it’s getting praise; it definitely deserves it in my eyes!
I read The Wolf Border by Sarah Hall a few years ago, which also centers around the rewilding of wolves in the UK, but, unfortunately, I found it a bit disappointing and like it fell short of its potential. I feel like this book could work a lot better for me. I’m very excited to pick it up and definitely have my eye on it for October.
I’ve heard lots about The Wolf Border (the good and the not so good!) but I haven’t read it myself. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did if you get around to it!
I also found The Wolf Border disappointing (and I’m a big Sarah Hall fan) so I’d be very interested to read this new take on the same premise.
I’d love to know your thoughts!
A fine example of masterful storytelling. Thanks for sharing this. We have also reviewed this novel. Do read our review and share your comments. https://gobookmart.com/once-there-were-wolves-by-charlotte-mcconaghy-is-a-fine-example-of-masterful-storytelling/
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