Inti is not the woman she once was, either, changed by the harm she’s witnessed—inflicted by humans on both the wild and each other. Yet as the wolves surprise everyone by thriving, Inti begins to let her guard down, even opening herself up to the possibility of love. But when a farmer is found dead, Inti knows where the town will lay blame. Unable to accept her wolves could be responsible, Inti makes a reckless decision to protect them. But if the wolves didn’t make the kill, then who did? And what will Inti do when the man she is falling for seems to be the main suspect?

Propulsive and spell-binding, Charlotte McConaghy's Once There Were Wolves is the unforgettable story of a woman desperate to save the creatures she loves—if she isn’t consumed by a wild that was once her refuge.


Praise for Once There Were Wolves – the #1 Indie Next Pick for August 2021

A Most Anticipated Book (Newsweek, Scientific American, Sydney Morning Herald, BookRiot, Thrillist, PopSugar, AARP)

“Blazing…Visceral…As McConaghy shows in this stunning book, the limits of language lead us to the limits of empathy.”
—Los Angeles Times

“Intense, emotional and rich with beautifully rendered prose, McConaghy’s novel is a powerful meditation on humanity, nature and the often frightening animalistic impulses lurking within us all…Another triumph for a rising fiction star, offering an intensely realized world for readers to get lost in.”—BookPage (starred review)

“Vividly realized… Gorgeously rendered…A story full of subtle surprises…This is a stunner.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Poetic…A lovely, gripping tale about a world that could be our own.”—Kirkus (starred review)

“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…[Inti’s] story unfolds as a meditation on the social and scientific consequences of influencing ecosystems, while reminding us that humans and animals alike can break our hearts.”
—Scientific American

“Lyrical, captivating, thought-provoking and thrilling, this immersive read will capture your attention from the first page.”
—Good Morning America

“Bold…A heartfelt and earnest novel.”
—The New York Times Book Review

“Gripping and often very moving…Despite the darkness and pain at the heart of McConaghy’s novel, it is not a bleak book. Instead, it bears within it an argument about the possibility of change. Recognizing the presence of other ways of being, of other minds and presences enlarges us, affording us a glimpse of the unknowable.”
—The Sydney Morning Herald

“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

“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

“Spellbinding…Charlotte McConaghy has once again created a world where we must balance trust and fear, humanity and nature.”
—Washington Independent Review of Books

“From the author of 2020's gorgeous Migrations comes a similarly earth-shattering tale of humanity's influence on the natural world.”
—Thrillist

“Urges us to take a lesson from the wolves, and learn to lean on one another.”
—BookRiot

“A lyrical novel with a wild heart.”
—PopSugar

“A moving, moody story by the author of the 2020 novel Migrations.”
—AARP

“McConaghy infuses Inti’s adventures with ravishing descriptions of the landscape and the ‘infinite mysteries of wolves’… McConaghy's richly plotted tale of suspense and psychological insight poses provocative questions about predators and humanity's impact on Earth.”
—Booklist

“This poetic and atmospheric novel is a mystery, a celebration of wolves, and a tribute to those who work to rewild our landscapes.”
—EcoLit Books

“McConaghy excels at conveying the sensuous experience of nature and the emotions it provokes: wonder at its majesty, sorrow at its destruction. Unflinching in its view of the harm humans inflict on the environment and on each other—and insisting on the interconnectedness of the two—Once There Were Wolves delivers a powerful call for hope in the face of catastrophe.”
—Shelf Awareness

"Once There Were Wolves is one of those very rare, special novels that changes you as you read, which you do as slowly as you can because you want to savor it, except the pages keep turning furiously because the story is so thrilling and so powerful. It’s also funny and warm and perfectly crafted with some of the best characters I have ever read. I will be enthusiastically recommending this novel to everyone forever. Charlotte McConaghy has cemented herself as a sure-thing, must-read writer for me."—Laurie Frankel, New York Times bestselling author of This Is How It Always Is

"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)