For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life–until the unthinkable happens.

Perfect for fans of Barbara Kingsolver and Karen Russell, Where the Crawdads Sing is at once an exquisite ode to the natural world, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of possible murder. Owens reminds us that we are forever shaped by the children we once were, and that we are all subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.

Some characteristics of the “10 star” book rating we rarely give is the author’s ability to feel the emotions of each character, smell the aromas of the setting, and envision yourself as part of the cast until the very last page!

This book…this author…did all of those things exceptionally well! I literally smelled the aromas of the marsh, felt the emotions as Kya felt them (pain, anguish, love, abandonment), and I felt the tension in the courtroom as the Marsh Girl sits on trial for the murder of Chase Andrews as if I was actually there!

This was an incredibly rich plot with an extremely unique storyline. It weaves the events of a historical time period and a HUGE, BOLD story of a young girl who had a heart wrenching childhood. Her unbelievable strength, independence and motivation is so inspiring. You will no doubt love Kya and despise anyone who dares to judge her.

Don’t crack the cover of this book open unless you have long periods of time to devote to devouring it, a box of tissues, and someone to talk to/vent/yell at.

Delia Owens hit the jackpot with this book. The popularity of this story is growing like wildfire and I have no doubt it will climb charts rapidly! OUTSTANDING!

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Delia Owens is the co-author of three internationally bestselling nonfiction books about her life as a wildlife scientist in Africa including Cry of the Kalahari.

She has won the John Burroughs Award for Nature Writing and has been published in Nature, The African Journal of Ecology, and many others.

She currently lives in Idaho. Where the Crawdads Sing is her first novel.