Plot summary

Alex Carter is a wildlife conservationist with a soul for the great outdoors. Stifled in Boston, in limbo with her longtime boyfriend, and narrowly escaping death in a mass shooting, she leaps at the chance to winter in rural Montana to study wolverines for a land trust and get some space to re-center in Big Sky country. She packs more than her hiking gear with her, however; her near death experience haunts her, especially the mystery behind the second gunman who saved her life. Readers will come to know he's more stalker than savior, and her conservation work has helped keep more than habitat undisturbed.

Unfortunately for Alex, Montana is far from the peaceful place she was expecting. She's nearly run off the road on her first solo trip to town, the lodge she's staying in has multiple murders in its history, poachers regularly venture on the conservation lands, and there's even sightings of Sasquatch by her neighbors. When one of her wildlife cameras catch a barefoot, injured man running past her camera trap, Alex is convinced there's more going on than just some poaching. Will she survive long enough to figure out what's going on?

So how was it?

The book definitely draws you in right away, and while it's a little slow setting things up when she first arrives in Montana, it definitely picks back up and goes fast, like riding a zip line in a blizzard fast. The characters are intriguing; I found myself wanting to hear about Ben's adventures around the world or having a chat with Kathleen about the gossip in Bitterroot. The description of the mountains made me homesick for the Rockies. All in all, a fun read.

That said, there were a few points where Alex's views as a vegetarian/anti meat industry/pro wildlife stance felt forced and pushed me out of the plot a bit. I was able to just skim and get back to the ride, but it was a little annoying.

I will be keeping an eye out for book 2!

Nitty gritty details:
Volume 1 of the Alex Carter series

Publishing date: October 27, 2020
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Genre: Fiction, Thriller
Content warning: Mass shooting

Read-alikes
Nevada Barr, C. J. Box, Sue Grafton, Jane Harper, Sue Henry

This was an excellent thriller that I enjoyed even more for the setting and overall message of environmental conservation. The book was chock full of facts about wolverines and other wildlife, but those felt seamless with the rest of the storyline. It was definitely a page turner, and the last quarter of the book was completely packed with action.

In the interest of not giving spoilers, I will say vaguely that there was a storyline introduced that felt very mysterious and was not resolved by the end of the book, but I think that's in service of enticing readers to a potential sequel. If you like gusty, self-sufficient female protagonists, conservation, and/or a good thriller you will love this book!

"A Solitude of Wolverines" was an interesting and great start to a brand new series. While a little heavy on the descriptions at times, it still kept me interested. For me, the author and this book are reminiscent of Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon books, so fans of hers and of nature will enjoy "A Solitude of Wolverines."

I'm a big fan of CJ Box novels, so this was right up my alley. The pace, characters, and storyline are all captivating and keep you guessing throughout. I'm anxious to read the next book in the series.

Alex, a wildlife biologist, is moving from Boston to a seriously creepy, old, abandoned ski resort in Montana to survey the wolverine population. Shortly after arriving Alex receives a note that says: “You’re not welcome here. Leave while you still can.”
Add to that reports of Sasquatch roaming the woods and suddenly this place feels really remote and Alex awfully alone. It gets even creepier as Alex experiences a series of unexplained events while conducting her field work in the woods.

I must admit that I took exception to some of the plot points in the second half of the book that seemed pretty implausible to me. Perhaps I’m too logical/skeptical for my own good.

If you are looking for a mental getaway this is it. With scenic mountains, vivid descriptions of wildlife, plants, and even bugs, this is a fast-paced story for those who love the outdoors and a mystery with a strong female protagonist.
Thank you to @harpercollinsus and @williammorrowbooks
for this #advancereaderscopy

For fans of Paul Doiron and C.J. Box is the first in a new series to add to your shelves.

We meet Alex Carter, a wildlife biologist while she is being run off the road in rural Montana. Someone doesn't want her to continue the study of Wolverines in the wild. Alex is threatened by locals but is undeterred by the danger that seems to follow her. She sets out on foot to track the illusive animals and her discoveries have less to do with the Wolverines and more to do with possible crimes. Not trusting the locals and with no where to turn Alex only has herself to rely on.

This book moved at a really good pace and I found myself wishing that the next book in the series was coming sooner rather than later! I look forward to reading more by this author.

"The wildlife and its habitat cannot speak, so we must and we will." (Theodore Roosevelt)

It's been the mantra of Dr. Alexa Carter throughout her career as a wildlife biologist. She's been the protector of the Wetlands and the mountain regions and anywhere and everywhere that there is a desperate need for animal preservation.

But somehow she's not been able to preserve her relationship with her long-standing boyfriend, Brad. She and Brad had a vision that was unified at one time. Alex moved across the country to Boston to be with him. The change in Brad occured when he swapped his civil rights law practice to that of corporate law. His head seemed to be turned in the wrong direction.

Alex yearned to be in the wilderness where she belonged. When the opportunity availed itself to study wolverines in Montana, Alex knew it was time to move along.

Wolverines had not been spotted in this part of Montana since 1946. Their strength and persistence were renowned in the animal world. Although weighing only about 35 pounds, they could take down a moose.

Little did Alex know that she would be stationed at a run down ski resort that was purchased by the Land Trust for Wildlife Conservation. It was in the middle of nowhere and miles from the nearest town. As the solo biologist, Alex quickly set up her areas for observation and for recording movement.

But when Alex's sites are trashed time and time again, she knows she isn't welcome in this wooded area. Contacting the local police only leads to frustration as they don't take her claims seriously. Soon enough, Alex will meet head-on with an unnameable force who wants her away for good.

Alice Henderson creates quite an adventure here. Her character of Dr. Alex Carter is strong-willed, dedicated and determined. The tension starts out slowly and widens like pooling water. As readers, we begin to suspect everyone and anyone that has had interaction with Alex. Hey, that includes the possibility of a Sasquatch.......or maybe not. At any rate, there's some bad business going on here and Henderson reveals something wild behind every door. This one hits the ground running.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Harper Collins Publishers and to Alice Henderson for the opportunity.

Fans of suspenseful thrillers may expect Alice Henderson’s A Solitude of Wolverines [William Morrow, October 27, 2020] to follow the lines of similar books on the market. However, the combination of environmentalism, suspense, and action strategically placed throughout A Solitude of Wolverines makes this novel distinctly different than others in its respective genre.

The first in the Alex Carter series, a new suspense thriller collection from Alice Henderson, A Solitude of Wolverines follows the story of Alex Carter, a seasoned wildlife biologist and conservationist trying to establish herself in the professional environmentalist world. After spending some time in the deserts of New Mexico and the plains of Wyoming, Alex finds herself back home in the Boston wetlands awaiting an important interview with a local news team about the importance of conservation. However, when Alex begins this long-awaited interview, a gunman fires into the crowd and changes her life forever. When Alex tries to find a sense of peace and normalcy within her Boston apartment, a phone call from a former professor sends her on her next adventure; exploring the mountains of Montana in search of the steadily declining wolverine population. Upon her arrival, Alex quickly realises that she is not welcome in this secluded town---and the locals are willing to do anything to drive her out.

This is a tale of adventure and discovery within itself. A particularly enjoyable aspect of the novel is the way the reader learns about wolverines while being able to “live” Alex’s life through her eyes as she tries to navigate life on the reserve. While readers are able to learn about many aspects of conservationism such as camera trapping and facts on endangered species, readers are able to be a part of the many conflicts Alex faces while she spends her time in Montana. Throughout the novel, the relationships Alex makes with the very few trustworthy people in town fill the gaps between conservationism and action and reliability.

With the balanced amount of action, suspense, information, and relationships, A Solitude of Wolverines is filled with twists and turns that keep readers interested and engaged. Alex continuously encounters suspicious activity on the reserve including rumours of murderers, sasquatch, and even a severely injured man up the mountain. The reactions of the townspeople, both concerned and unconcerned, keep the reader interested and questioning the reliability of these characters. The twists and turns the reader experiences by the conclusion, along with Alex’s fierceness as the protagonist, keeps the reader turning the pages.

While a majority of A Solitude of Wolverines focuses on the conservation efforts of wildlife across the world, some of the information becomes tedious in this first instalment in the series. Through Alex’s character alone the reader can learn a lot of information about conservationism and wolverines. Having pages of chapters dedicated to explaining behavioural patterns and family dynamics of wolverines proves to be more than anticipated. However, Alex Carter is able to create her own version of the world around her while remaining accurate to the events in A Solitude of Wolverines.

A Solitude of Wolves is the first book in a new series by Alice Henderson. Alex is a strong female character similar to Nevada Barr’s character, Anna Pigeon. This entry holds much promise for this series. Ms. Henderson gave a lot of information of wolverines and an insight on how wildlife studies are conducted. This title concentrates on the science side of the outdoors and not so much the law enforcement side.
Any reader who loves outdoor suspenses will welcome this new series which will find it’s place in the wilderness suspense sub-genre. Give this title to anyone who enjoys reads by Nevada Barr, C.J. Box and even Kelley Armstrong’s new series.
I received an ARC ebook from NetGalley and the publisher, Harper Collins, in exchange for an honest review.

A Solitude of Wolverines
A Novel of Suspense
by Alice Henderson
HarperCollins Publishers
You Like Them You Are Auto-Approved
William Morrow
General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date 27 Oct 2020 | Archive Date 22 Dec 202

First book in a new series! I have really been waiting for a book like this to be published.
You will want to read this book if you love suspense and action. You can feel the sense of foreboding throughout the book. Thanks to Net Galley and Harper Collins Publishers for the ARC.
5 star.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of A Solitude of Wolverines by Alice Henderson.

After being a witness to a tragic shooting, biologist Alex is ready for a change of scenery. She readily and quickly jumps on a change to study wolverines in Montana. And unlike many people, Alex isn't scared of living in seclusion, in fact, it suits her just fine.

But it becomes quickly apparent that the locals are not as enthusiastic about her arrival. She quickly begins to receive threatening notes and warnings, as well as vicious glances from the towns people. What do they have to be so hostile about if she simply wants to put up camera traps? But the warnings escalate.

Lately I've really been craving some creepy atmospheric novels, so this really did the trick. I loved the Shining-esque quality of the lodge she was staying in, as well as the hours of hiking and tent sleeping she did in the wildlife reserve. It's not a lifestyle I see myself living AT ALL, which may be why I vicariously enjoyed living it through someone else.

The storyline and suspense were also fantastic. I loved the constant rolling undertones of foreboding throughout the whole story. You could just feel the seedy underbelly of the town doing everything it could to stay concealed. I love stories like that!

Fans of Nevada Barr and her hard-core National Park Ranger Anna Pigeon meet Alice Henderson's "badass" wildlife biologist named Alex Carter.

Like Nevada Barr, herself a former Park Ranger, Alice Henderson, an author of a science fiction series and suspense novels, is an experienced wildlife researcher. Her previous works include the dystopian series, The Skyfire Saga.

A Solitude of Wolverines (October 27, 2020) is her first book in a new suspense series and is set in Montana, high up in the Rocky Mountain wilderness. Alex Carter, an audacious female wildlife biologist, faces head-on, all types of wild creatures and dangers- wild, exotic, and human.

We meet Alex struggling with why she made the concession to put her boyfriend's needs above her own and move to the big city. Brad's high-flying big city career has made him a demanding narcissist. Alex pines for a return to her life working in nature. Her achievements in conservation in the city haven't met all her needs. While Alex is dealing with her failing relationship, she attends a conservation award ceremony and is nearly killed by a rabid anti-conservationist shooter. Rattled to her core, she jumps at the chance to leave the city to takeover a wolverine study in the Rocky Mountains wilderness of Montana.

The book excels in revealing Alex's affinity for the natural world. As a woodsy woman, I found myself sharing time with Alex to the whispering wind in the trees, the sounds of creatures carrying on their daily lives, the joy of discovery of what lies just over the hill or a spotlighted wildflower captured in a sudden moment of shifting sunlight. I also remember, like Alex, the unnatural sounds of impending danger, a sound out of synchrony with the normal harmony of the wilderness - a low threatening snort, the slithering in the grass too close for comfort, or the sense of being observed or stalked.

Most of the residents of the fictional town of Bitterroot, like other cloistered towns, disdain outlanders. The recent creation of the Land Trust for Wildlife Conservation has everyone's dander up. The land, the site of an abandoned large-scale ski resort, had been openly used by the locals to graze livestock and hunt game. The land is now off-limits. The ban is observed by some and abused by others.

After settling into the old ski lodge, Alex takes a deep breath and looks out the bedroom window reflecting on her trip to town the day before. She had used the old truck to pick up supplies in town and had been nearly forced off the road by a reckless driver. She became startled by finding a man placing a note under the windshield wipers of the truck. Now what?

"You are not welcome here.
Leave while you can."

Our girl hitches up her gear and heads out to set up camera traps looking for wolverines. She will not be scared from her completing her mission. She is grateful for her childhood trips with her mother learning wilderness survival skills. And it won't hurt that she has martial arts training.

As you head out into the mountainous wilderness with her, don't lose track of your will to live. Forget your phone. There is no service. When you find yourself in danger, it is just you against the unknown. And there are plenty of those things that go bump in the night.

I rated the book a solid 4 stars. The information about wolverines was fascinating and informative. The suspense scenes were captivating. The exacting descriptions of her equipment and research skills was very interesting. I was pleased to see that our new heroine could take on the big guys - go girl! The book wasn't perfect. As a first book in a series, it felt mired down at times establishing the character. And let's just say, her boyfriend, Brad seemed distracting and unnecessary and phone calls to her best friend interrupted the tension from time to time. Looking forward to the next book!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced reading copy in exchange for review and honest opinion.

This book was a fun and fast-paced read. While there was action and a creepy-factor to it, there were many portions that were almost meditative. The author included a lot of interesting information about conservation and various kinds of wildlife. The book's ending leads me to believe there will be a followup book to this - and I am eagerly anticipating it already!

This is my first time reading Alice Henderson but I have heard such amazing things! This really goes out of my comfort zones, following Alex AND wolverines in the mountains near a wildlife sanctuary.

Overall this thriller kept me interested from page 1! I loved the setting, and I love the character being a biologist who is interested in protecting the area and the animals.

My biggest issue with the book, and why I gave it three stars, is because it was maybe too much detail. I think thrillers tend to lose steam for me when there is too much background, like with Alex's boyfriend) where I just tend to glaze over and want to get to the more exciting stuff.

Overall, a really good read! I would suggest you read this if you are into thrillers!

Thank you to NetGalley, and Amazon Kindle for this ARC in exchange for my review!

YESSSSSSSS this book is absolutely just what the doctor ordered! This was such a perfect wilderness adventure. It was bombastic and outrageous, absolutely badass, well-drawn characters, and a heroine to root for. There were so many twists, and some of them you could see coming but honestly it doesn't matter because the action is so good and everything builds perfectly. The second I thought to myself, "how is this all going to come together?" everything snapped right into place. I can't wait for more books in this series!

I received email from publisher of upcoming Fall Titles
This one jumped out at me
First Book in a New Series!
Female Wildlife Biologist saving endangered species
author compared to CJ Box who is a Top Author for me

Travel to Snowline Resort Wildlife Sanctuary in Northwest Montana
a Wetlands dedication Ceremony turns violent
1 phone call changes everything - sets a new course for her life path
"The mountains are calling, and I must go." - John Muir

This adventure began and I could not stop reading until the end.
I am looking forward to more in this series!!

A good fast-paced thriller with a helping of environmental conservancy at its base. Alex heads west from Boston to live in the middle of nowhere to study wolverines in a nature preserve. Excited to be back in the field and having left a longtime relationship behind, she finds much more danger and intrigue than she bargained for. If this is the start of a series I’ll be interested to see how the series progresses.

For the first two thirds of A Solitude of Wolverine I was totally creeped out by the writing but then it seemed as though someone else took over the writing and made the protagonist a super charged warrior rather than the intelligent scientist of the first part. I did enjoy the book and learned a lot about wolverines but it was just a bit choppy for my tastes.

I absolutely loved this book. It was a great suspense with lots of twists and turns. Alex, uncovers a bizarre mystery while researching wolverines in the wilds of Montana. . So excited this is going to be a series. The book ended with a bit up a cliffhanger.

A Solitude of Wolverines was just plain fun. There is a lot going on. A bad ass woman wandering around an abandoned and isolated resort on a giant wilderness preserve. Check. Snipers. Check. Lions, tigers, bears (and a gorilla?!). Check. Fast paced crazy unrealistic action scenes. Check. The list goes on.

Absolutely over the top and outlandish in some ways while uber realistic and fact driven in another A Solitude of Wolverines somehow managed to pull all these facets together into a cohesive story. I enjoyed learning about Wolverines and the conservation aspect as an added bonus.

Downsides: The characters lacked a bit of depth, I found the relationship with Alex's sort-of ex forced and unnecessary, lots of unrealistic scenarios, some repetitive language throughout.

Overall this was a great segue into a series - I can definitely see myself checking future additions out. Read this if you are looking for a fast paced, fun thriller. If you are someone who needs everything realistic I would skip. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for my ARC to read and review.