Now part of a series, this excellent thriller has it all: survival of the fittest, evil intentions against man and nature thwarted, harsh weather conditions, isolated location and betrayal by trusted officials. Add a romantic interest gone wrong and many readers will, like me, want to get the next book in series.

I have a fondness for outdoor thriller/mysteries and this one had been on my TBR for a long time.

The author is clearly passionate about wildlife preservation and conservation. Her protagonist, Alex Carter, is a woman who feels she is her best self in nature. Alex has a lot going for her but I don't think I'm going to continue with the series and she is part of the reason.

Maybe it's that I've read too many of these before, but Alex seemed incredibly naive. She's threatened not once but twice before she's been on location for her study for 24 hours but she trusts the local law enforcement. She gets stalked several times in the wilderness and it takes her a long time each time to think that someone is there and it's not the wind or a bear or something. She takes quite a while to put things together. Her boyfriend Brad is a real tool and Alex is just mildly disappointed in him.

If I were Alex, I'd be extra-jumpy because she comes to her new assignment having barely survived an active shooter situation. It seems like the wilderness is all she needs to put that behind her even though she has a threatening note left on her window, is run off the road and the sheriff refuses to follow up on this, is stalked in the wild, has her photo traps vandalized and destroyed. Oh, and runs across a man who looks like he's been tortured. When Alex brings EMTs and the sheriff, only to find the (bloody) man has disappeared, the sheriff decides that he was just some stoner who got lost in the woods and was being paranoid and just didn't bother to put on shoes (!) to wander through the wilderness because he was too high- no need for concern.

The end of the book is gonzo action scenes with as many explosions and gunshots as you could wish. There's a rather strange subplot around Alex and someone who seems like a serial killer who has come to admire her from afar, but that's not explored in any depth in this book.

When Alex Carter took a job in Montana to study wolverines and if they were existent in that part of the country, she thought it was a perfect job. She had been in Boston for quite a while and missed being out in the wild country. The work was interesting and although most people would hesitate before living alone in a deserted ski resort, Alex thrived on solitude and feeling like she was contributing to the environment.
But although Alex saw her work as worthwhile, it didn't seem the population around did. Whenever she went into town for supplies, she was stared at. Someone tried to run her off the road. One of her camera traps was destroyed and she found evidence of both poaching and cattle grazing on the reserve's land.

As the weeks went on, she found evidence of wolverines but the trouble continued and grew. She started to feel stalked when she was out checking the land and found an injured man who then disappeared. Was someone determined to run her off and could they succeed?

This is the first book in a series about the adventures of Alex Carter. Alex is one of the most resourceful women I've ever read about, well prepared to spend months on her own in a hostile environment and able to quickly use whatever resources were around to get her way out of trouble when necessary. The author is herself similar to Alex in that she studied in the same fields and also does wildlife surveys and is committed to saving local habitats for animals. This book is recommended for thriller readers.

My rating: 4 stars

Traumatized by a horrifying act of violence that took place at an event at which she was speaking, wildlife biologist Alex Carter decides to get away from Boston by accepting a research position at a wolverine wildlife preserve in a remote area of Montana. She thinks the solitary, quiet setting will be a perfect opportunity to get away from the city and the memory of the traumatic event. Instead, she quickly learns that not all the locals are happy to have her there and there are some shady shenanigans happening. She begins to experience strange incidents and quickly learns there is more to this sleepy rural area than meets the eye.

If I had to describe this book in one sentence it would be "Hanna (the movie) meets Longmire (the tv show)." This was a fun, high-energy, fast-paced story that read like an action movie. If you're looking for high-brow literary fiction, this is not it. But if you're looking for a thrilling mystery with a strong woman main character and a somewhat surprising reveal at the end, then this definitely fits the bill. The writing is engaging, entertaining, and the plot moves quickly, making it an easy "one-sitting" read.

"The first book in a thrilling series featuring an intrepid wildlife biologist who's dedicated to saving endangered species...and relies on her superior survival skills to thwart those who aim to stop her. "

From the opening sentence of the description, I was hooked. Oh how I loved this book. I've been looking for a CJ Box-ish series mixing action and wildlife for a loooong time. There have been lots of misses, very few hits. But this one was A HIT.

I loved this one. I loved Alex. I loved the wildlife. I loved the conservation. And I loved the action. What a fantastic, complex read. I will definitely be devouring anything else from Alice Henderson that I can get my hands on.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

If this book isn’t the birth of a long running series, I would be stunned. A definite relative of Nevada Barr’s long running and beloved Anna Pidgeon series, Alice Henderson has created an adventure suspense mystery with a foundation in the natural world. While Anna Pigeon is a parks ranger, Alex Carter is a biologist who studies endangered species in their dwindling habitats. Like Anna, however, Alex is definitely a bad ass.

Proving her hand with action scenes, the book opens with Alex attending an event celebrating the saving of a natural habitat within a city. Her discovery of over a hundred species of birds who called the area home has prompted the city of Boston to create a protected space, upsetting plans for a development project. Alex is due to be interviewed by a TV reporter – during the interview the two women are shot at and while Alex escapes, she is traumatized by the incident.

As it happens, Alex gets a call that very night asking if she’s willing to go to Montana to study wolverines. She has recently separated from her boyfriend and hates the city – she snaps up the opportunity and heads to Montana the next morning. She’s to live in an abandoned ski lodge and work the land trust that it sits on to see if wolverines are present.

The tension in this novel, and I imagine in any future novels, comes from the hostility some feel for things like land trusts that prevent development or, as is common in Montana, cattle grazing. The residents of tiny Bitterroot seem generally hostile and suspicious, and the only place Alex feels safe is out in the woods.
A real strength of this book, aside from the character of Alex, is the specific details of how animals in the wild are tracked. Alex uses something called a hair trap and a remote camera to capture, hopefully, evidence of wolverines. The whole set up of the trap and her encounters with wolverines in the wild are pure magic.
Henderson throws in a great deal of suspense and the element of Alex not being able to really trust anyone in town makes her solitary nature, ability to tinker with motors and all things mechanical, as well as her mother’s teaching her from a young age how to survive in a wilderness situation, a rich protagonist.

At one point her ex, now a corporate lawyer, turns up to try and convince her to come back to Boston with him. The tension between the two of them is a mirror of the greater tension in Alex’s universe – that of nature preservation versus development. When he leaves – I don’t think this is a spoiler as they are so obviously unsuited – Alex really feels free.

I thought this was a wonderful, suspenseful novel with a fantastic main character and a fascinating background of endangered species preservation. I also thought it had some first mystery pitfalls – it’s a little too stuffed with elements. The cadence of the narrative isn’t as smooth as I imagine it will be in future books. However, this is a really outstanding series kickoff, a great read, and a classic character in the making.

Not what I wanted at all but it delivered a story that I couldnt stop reading and had my heart pounding at the end. I was so surprised with this book

What a great start to a new to me series , loved everything about including learning about Wolverines, and the author did an amazing job from the start to the very end , action packed , lots of suspense as well and had me sitting on the edge of my set.

The author brings her expertise in wildlife studies and environmental concerns to this novel, the first in a series. Alex Carter is a biologist who loves working in the mountains and studying native wildlife. She leaves Boston and a long-time love to work for six months in Montana to study wolverines. Home base is a deserted ski resort, a la the Overlook Hotel, and just as creepy. The story is quite detailed in the animal studies and in Alex's process of observing them. I really enjoyed the unusual action, the beautiful descriptions of nature, the surprise mysteries, and the character of Alex, as she comes into her own, and realizes exactly what she needs to do to find happiness. Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow and HarperCollins Publishers for providing an ARC.

A good first half of the book but then I felt like I was getting lectured on environmental issues. I enjoyed how tough the character was. Looking forward to the next.

Set in Montana, this first book of the series is a thrilling tale of wilderness survival. I look forward to the next book in the series.

I thought it was ok. Alex Carter is a wildlife biologist living off the grid and likes it that way. In between research she moves to Boston to be closer to her boyfriend and hates city life and the two who were so close are now estranged. Alex fights for the helpless animals and gets a post in Montana to see if wolverines are at a land preserve when she stumbles on something much sinister. It started out quick with Alex a target of a shooter and then slows down considerably in this thriller until the end when the true nature of what is happening in the small Montana town brings much needed action to the story and Alex skills who was trained by her fighter pilot mom with survival tactics. Also throw in the mix the secret sniper who saved her like in Boston had the story getting exciting and then it moved in a different direction.

Oh my. This was an enjoyable book. First book in a new series, and the first time I've read Alice Henderson. Starts off with a bang, and then moves to the great outdoors to continue the adventure. Great characters and pacing, can't wait for the new book in this series. #ASolitudeofWolverines #NetGalley

If you love a good mystery read this one. It's part mystery part survival story taking place in Montana, making it clear there is a real need to protect animals.

As a big fan of the Nevada Barr books, I looked forward to reading this one, a first in a new series about a wildlife biologist, who is focused on a different species with each book. Obviously this one is about wolverines, and is set in Montana. Really liked this one, and the writing sucked me in with the first chapter. Highly recommend this one and look forward to the next in the series.

While studying wolverines on a wildlife sanctuary in Montana, biologist Alex Carter is run off the road and threatened by locals determined to force her off the land. It seems this small town has a series of secrets they don’t want Alex to uncover. Alex is undeterred in her mission to help save the wolverines and sets out tracking them on foot and by camera. When she reviews the photos, she finds more than she bargained for and a severely injured man seemingly lost and wandering in the wild. After searches for the unknown man come up empty, local law enforcement is quick to dismiss the case. Alex won’t stop on her quest to find the man or save the threatened species that brought her here.

A SOLITUDE OF WOLVERINES is the start of a series focused on biologist, Alex Carter. This book gives the reader a fantastic footing for getting to know Alex and her strong willed, take charge attitude. Alex is determined to accomplish the goal she has set out before her and will stop at nothing to see the endangered species she is studying saved even if that means putting her own life in danger.

I loved that A SOLITUDE OF WOLVERINES whisks the reader away to an isolated and remote town in Montana where the abandoned ski resort our main character finds herself living is taken straight from a horror novel. The setting is absolutely perfect for the pacing and tension that this story embodies. The atmospheric qualities of this book truly ramp up the suspense and give this book an adventure story meets mystery vibe that is addictive to read about. My only qualm with this book was that I had a bit of trouble believing our main character could truly do a lot of the actions she takes. There are some extreme situations and despite saying she has survival training, I’m just not sure I buy her having the depth of skills portrayed. Overall, I really loved this book and can’t wait to see where the second installment takes Alex!

A huge thank you to William Morrow for my gifted copy!

Solitude of Wolverines by Alice Henderson is a suspense series opener featuring Alex Carter, a wildlife biologist who takes a position studying the wolverine population in a remote corner of Montana. Her base of operations is an abandoned ski lodge (a tip of the hat to The Shining) but the dangers here are more earthy than supernatural: hostile locals, the occasional rogue mountain lion turning up in her living room, and the unshakeable sense that she's being followed / watched / ambushed at every turn. Some buzzwords that put a sparkle in my eye 🤩: wolverines, wildlife sanctuary, Montana, imperiled species, invasive predator, wild and dangerous landscape ... Some scenes are wildly improbable, but A Solitude of Wolverines is thrilling fun from start to finish, and I can't wait for Alex Carter #2: A Blizzard of Polar Bears!

The setting and the suspense of this book made it incredibly hard to put down. I loved Montana the few times I have been there to visit, and I am also in the field of wildlife biology. I really enjoyed the strong female character of Alex, and was rooting for her throughout the book. Truly unique

Dr. Alex Carter’s life revolves around nature. When an opportunity to study wolverines at a remote Montana former ski resort, now nature preserve, comes along, she immediately leaves Boston to pursue it. What happens there is a combination mystery/thriller that holds your interest. A story with a strong female protagonist that also gently imparts knowledge and respect for the wilderness and the lives within it.

What a fascinating book. I was impressed by the storyline and the characters were all well written and complex. Where there are complex storylines combined with intriguing characters the reader experience is magnified tremendously. To have a book that is well written as well as entertaining is a delight. Reading is about escaping your world and entering another one. Here I forgot about my own life and was immersed in the world created by the author. I would recommend this book.