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Once There Were Wolves cover art

Once There Were Wolves

By: Charlotte McConaghy
Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
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Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

New York Times best seller.

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 14 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.

©2022 Charlotte McConaghy (P)2022 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"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)

What listeners say about Once There Were Wolves

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant, and so original

Beautiful writing, wolves, nature, murder, mystery, good pace, unexpected twists, perfect length and an epic ending. I loved it. One of the rare books I have given 5 stars to.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A gripping story - but I struggled to engage with it

I was drawn to the premise of this book; reintroducing wolves to the Scottish Cairngorms. And there was lots I liked about the cast of characters and the relationship between the wild, communities and individuals. There was an excellent pace and energy in the writing that kept me listening to the audiobook. But, I struggled with the level of violence running through the story and that this could ever be acceptable in the communities depicted. Also that the wild landscape is such a strong part of the story, and yet I didn't find the descriptions strongly evocative of a place I have visited in summer and winter and have a strong visual image of.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great story excellent reading

A very well-crafted novel with intertwined suspenseful story threads. An excellent reader, you ‘forget she’s there’. Only thing I didn’t like was that I found the heroine very irritating!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Loved it!

I wasn’t entirely sure about this book at the beginning but as it was recommended by my Bookclub, I decided to stick with it and I’m so glad I did!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

Loved the story telling and the poetic writing, an excellent read. I agree the Scottish accents weren't great but it didn't take away from the tale told, loved the descriptions of nature, the author seems very atune with the wild.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

bad accents

really bad Scottish accents. ruined the story a bit. think it would be better to read the book not listen to it with that voice over.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

clever.... gripping....emotional

This story twisted and turned...described and lived....surprised, and yet confirmed.
One of the best books in a long time.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Deeply moving book but....

An excellently written, thought provoking book with one major flaw. The story contained a "twist" as obvious and transparent, that I can't believe a single reader didn't guess it, well in advance of the reveal.

That said a hugely relevant novel, that I'd recommend to anyone.

Performance wise the narrator is good, but if you're going to set a novel in Scotland, with the majority of the characters being Scottish, surely the ability to perform an even vaguely accurate Scottish accent, is a prerequisite? The lady performing this story makes Scotty in Star Trek sound positively authentic!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing

Would give this book six stars if it were possible. Would recommend to anyone who loves the wild.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent

This is a really great listen and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story is very engaging and it’s beautifully written and very well narrated.

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