Thank you for the advanced audiobook.. I absolutely love Charlotte McConaghy’s writing and was extremely excited to get the advanced copy. I finished this in one day. Her books are so thought provoking and beautifully written. I loved the multiple narrators. Saskia Maarleveld Is one of my favorite narrators.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen early in exchange for an honest review.
This was one of my most anticipated releases of 2025 and I'm please to say it did not disappoint! I absolutely loved Migrations and Once There Were Wolves, so this was an auto-buy for me that I pre-ordered as soon as it was up for sale.

Highly recommend for fans of her previous novels. A beautifully written, atmospheric, slow-burn mystery with an environmental science component which discusses grief, family, parenthood, love and nature and our place in it.

It takes place on a very remote, isolated island where caretakers of a seed vault are preparing to pack up and evacuate as rising sea levels make the island an unviable option for storing the seeds.
Many have already evacuated, with just one family remaining (a man and his 3 children). One day a woman washes up out of nowhere on the wild, dark shore of the island nearly dead. The teen daughter pulls her out of the water and they take her in.
All communications are down so they are unable to call anyone to come for her sooner than the prescheduled departure date months away, so until then she gets to know this family who clearly love one another fiercely but (like so many of us) struggle to talk to one another about the things that seem to be weighing so heavily on them. As relationships grow, so do suspicions that everyone is keeping secrets....
Throughout the course of the story, these characters come to open themselves up to caring for someone new while grieving those they've lost and to connect with one another again. It really was a touching story that kept me thinking about it long after I set it down. I absolutely fell in love with all of these characters. Both the writing as well as the excellent audio narration did a great job of creating distinct people in my head.

If you like beautiful writing, slow-burn mystery, found family, atmospheric isolated settings, and/or cli-fi I definitely recommend you pick this one up when it comes out in March.

Charlotte McConaghy again delivers a captivating story with Wild Dark Shore. I love her atmospheric writing, descriptively bringing the place (an island between Tasmania and Antarctica) and characters to vivid life. This is a story about the power of nature, but it's also a mystery. The Salt family are the only remaining residents of this remote island, caretakers of a repository of rare seeds that are threatened by the rising ocean and fierce storms on the island. As they are preparing to leave the island, a woman washes ashore, alive. What happens next will keep you on the edge of your seat. I devoured this book and have become a huge fan of this writer! I listened to the audiobook, and I absolutely loved the narrators.

Actual Rating 3.5

There are five POVs in this work. The dad, his three children, and Rowan, the woman who washed ashore. It wasn't unwieldy despite the higher number of narrators. They had unique voices and offered their own perspective which added to the narrative.

I disliked the romance/attraction part of this work. It's introduced suddenly, leaving me questioning why a woman who almost loses her life searching for her husband would wonder what a random guy's skin tastes like after a handful of days. We're eventually given some reasons to justify this, but it felt like too little too late. This muddied up her motivations for me and added an unnecessary romance. It may not bother most readers though as I do tend to be more harsh with romantic elements than a lot of folks.

The strongest parts of this work was the setting and how well it was incorporated throughout. I also ended up quite liking the ending and the growth that came with it.

If you're looking for a character-driven fiction with a focus on environmental disaster, then you'll enjoy this one. I listened to the audio version of this work, and the narrators did an excellent job. My thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to read this work, which will be published March 4, 2025. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Charlotte McConaghy and my friends at Macmillan Audio for gifting me with an audio ALC of McConagy’s newest novel, Wild Dark Shore. In exchange I offer my unbiased review.

Having read and loved both Migrations and Once There Were Wolves, I was ecstatic to be offered a chance to review the author’s newest novel. This book did not disappoint, in fact it might be my favorite from the three. Just like Migrations and Wolves, once again the vivid and memorable landscape, an isolated island off the coast of Australia, is very much a huge part of this gorgeous heart stopping story.

A single father, Dominic Salt and his three children are the lone inhabitants of Shearwater Island, a research site off the coast of Antarctica. Their quiet, sheltered life is upended when an unknown woman washes up on shore holding secrets and searching for answers. And like all good mysteries the Salt Family are keeping secrets of their own.

This book is absolutely stunning. The multicast audio narration is phenomenal. If you enjoy nature writing, climate fiction and contemporary storytelling, definitely pre-order your copy today. Wild Dark Shore is available March 2025.

4.5 stars. I’m still undecided on whether I liked the ending or not; I personally think one character deserved better, but I still found the end moving. That said, I did enjoy getting to know the Salt family (gruff dad, kind but closed-off son, wild daughter, and plant obsessed youngest son) and the mysterious woman who washed up on their beach. It became clear that all of them were keeping secrets, which made for a very compelling read. Things continued to get more chaotic as these secrets started coming to light, all while rising tides made their island less and less hospitable.

The author mentioned viewing the island as a character of its own in the story, and I very much felt that same way as I read. The island is set between Tasmania and Antarctica, and I loved the descriptions of the animals, plants and rugged beauty of the landscape. It was definitely a harsh, dangerous place, but it also offered the characters freedom and a sense of belonging. I felt their pain as they wrestled with potentially being forced to leave the home they love.

Wow! Fantastic thriller set in the wilds of Antarctica. This creative novel was not only a thriller, but a family drama bursting with past trauma and shocking mysteries.

A father and his three children are living in Antarctica alone when a body of a woman washes onto the shore. The Salt family is there protecting seeds that may save the world and protecting their own secrets as well. As the family brings the woman back to health, they discover that she has secrets of her own and may be searching for someone or something.

This novel had captured me from the moment I began reading and it held me on the edge of my seat throughout. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the Advanced Reader Copy. I have already recommended this book and will continue to suggest this incredible story to by reader friends. #NetGally #WildDarkShore @Macmillan.Audio @MacmillanAudio

Charlotte McConaghy's newest novel is more expansive, tense, and ultimately disturbing as ever.

Dominic Salt is the caretaker of a remote island used for research, and as the home of a vast seed bank. He lives there with his 3 children haunted by the ghost of his late wife. One stormy day, a woman named Rowan washes up on the shore. She begins prying into the personal life of the Salt family, unveiling their secrets while also risking exposing her own. The island quickly becomes uninhabitable due to rising water lines, and Rowan and the Salts race against the clock to save the seeds before a rescue ship arrives in 6 weeks' time.

There's a lot going on here: family drama, a few mystery elements, McConaghy's signature scientific backdrop. There's also a lot of miscommunication and secrecy among the characters used to move the plot forward. This is one of those stories that could have been resolved with a few honest conversations. The tension seemed unnecessary, and overdone. The characters themselves were bizarre, making the oddest choices that ultimately lead to the most of pocket revelations. Their evolution was wildly accelerated for what is supposed to be a novel set over the course of 6 weeks. There's one particular dark story arc between characters that I believe merited more care. The author's attempt to blend genres was unsuccessful in my opinion, and resulted in a book that lost its focus.

An absolutely captivating read. This was fantastic and well-written. I loved her writing style and thought the prose was beautiful. It had a wonderful, unique setting and strong character development. The audio was amazing with a full cast of characters. Every narrator did a spectacular job at their parts and really brought the story to life. My only issue was with the pacing; at times this felt extremely slow.

This is somewhere between climate fiction and thriller, mild suspense and elegy for the natural world. A father and three children live in a lighthouse on a remote island off Australia, the last residents tending a seed bank (based on Macquarie Island). They and (some of) the seeds are being forcibly relocated by rising seawater and melting permafrost, when a woman washes ashore during a storm. She and they are suspicious of each other, even while she bonds with the children. The secrets eventually come to light in a suspenseful and tragic way. Much of the story is filled with descriptions of the island, its wildlife, and climate-driven weather events that threaten everyone's physical and mental well being. It's a microcosm of what we're seeing everywhere - and as such, it's pretty depressing. But beautiful.
The audio is pretty outstanding. The cast of four gives distinct perspectives to Ro, Dom, and Dom's children, which helps keep their individual information siloed and distinct. Each narrator was excellent, but I particularly liked Steve West, who reminds me of an Australian Richard Armitage in a very good way.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ALC!

In August 2021, Charlotte McConaghy captivated me with [book:Once There Were Wolves. In February 2023, she shared a rare glimpse into a research trip for her next novel. Two years later, in February 2025, Wild Dark Shore finally landed in my hands—and it was well worth the wait.

I want to thank the publisher for granting me a digital copy, but I also want to thank McConaghy for continuing to craft complex, deeply human characters and for her understanding of the interconnectedness of our ecosystems. In this novel, she shifts focus from a single species to the future of the planet’s plant life, reinforcing the delicate balance that binds the natural world—and the people who inhabit it.

This is not an easy read. The remote setting and atmospheric tension pull you in, but the novel takes its time unraveling its mysteries. Secrets emerge gradually, and, alongside Rowan, the reader must piece together the past to fully understand Shearwater and its inhabitants. The novel’s emotional weight is undeniable, exploring grief, isolation, and the fragile ties that define family.

One of the most striking moments is the story of the wombats—an exquisite metaphor for the Salts and Rowan at that moment in their journey. By the end, I found myself reflecting on how the Salts truly embody the phrase "salt of the Earth."

Once again, McConaghy has crafted a world that held me spellbound. Once again, she has written a story of grief, which is, at its core, a story of love. And once again, I finished her book in tears. The author’s note on the setting brought everything full circle, a poignant reminder of the dedication and care McConaghy puts into every story she tells.

This book broke my heart. Now, don’t get me wrong, it was a truly wonderful story, but it did leave me heartbroken and in tears. This was the first time I’ve read Charlotte McConaghy’s work, and she’s an amazing writer. I listened to the audiobook version, and I was pulled in from the very beginning. Saskia Maarleveld is one of the four narrators, and I would listen to her read Old McDonald Had a Farm because she is honestly one of the best narrators I’ve ever listened to and one of my favorites. I purposefully seek her out, which is one reason I stumbled upon this book in the first place. The other narrators are enjoyable too, although sometimes it was hard to understand the character Dominic’s narrator. (I don’t remember his name). He has a deep voice that is sexy and spine tingling, but he also has an Australian accent that is sometimes hard to understand. There were several times I had to rewind the book and turn up the volume to try and grasp what he said. That wouldn’t deter me from recommending this book though because I would HIGHLY recommend it to everyone, especially the audiobook version. The plot was very different and unique from anything else I’ve read before, and I loved that because I never knew what was going to happen next, and it kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. But, alas…that ending. *deep sigh* I’m not going to give away any spoilers, but I will say the last thirty minutes of the book left me in tears - literally - and broke my heart. I still can’t get it off my mind.

This was an audio read about a family of three children and their dad living and surviving on a remote island . The island was a thriving research centre at one time but its purpose and functionality have become obsolete with raising sea waters and climate change. It now holds thousands of seeds that may be used in the future. The family has adapted quite well to their life here becoming well educated on the animal and plant life . Events occur that upset their lives and nature . This book explores each member of this family plus that of a woman who washes up on shore in search of her researcher husband who has spent time on the island . It is a book about loss, rekindling relationships, resilience and unconditional love.

3.5 This is an interesting one for those who like thrillers with a lot of POVs. What I like about that aspect (in this book) is that each one is different, with different ages, generations, backstreet, motivations, and even flashbacks. Two themes that are in constant focus are couples' relationships, the fact that one wants or not to have children, the impact of having children on different characters and ages, and environmental awareness; we are constantly reminded that we're walking towards a bleak dystopian.

The author has a way of volunteering a lot of relevant information since the start that we may not catch on immediately making the twists interesting.

We get attached to some characters, and it catches our interest as we want to know more about their secrets, their tragedies, and how they relate to each other.

It wasn't my favorite type of thriller but I am glad I listened to it. The audio has more than one narrator.

"Wild Dark Shore" swept me away! Once again, McConaghy invites readers to see the natural world fresh—in all its wildness, beauty, and ferocity. There is an environmental message here, but this novel is really about the power of love. The characters - Rowan and the Salt family - are so alive that I truly feel I know them. I feel bereft to leave them and their island, yet I am grateful for the time I spent with them.

The full cast audio production was outstanding. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advance copy.

Includes spoilers....

I really enjoyed the other two books I read by this author, but I don't know what happened with this one. The seed vault was such an interesting idea (the main draw for me) and it felt very tacked on and used as a weak plot device to explain why the undercooked characters were there and give them something to do when they weren't slogging through their melodrama. The mysteries of Rowan (who I hated so... SO much...) are lukewarm and almost immediately explained, and her reason for coming to the island is immediately invalidated by her actions with Dom. What a great marriage that must have been. Travel across the world to find your beloved husband, oh he's gone, well are YOU seeing anybody...? Why grieve when you can hop into bed with the first man you see?

Boring, bleak, and at the end I was hoping for everyone to drown and put them (and me) out of their/our misery.

I saw this book recommended several places and went into it knowing little more than a woman washes up on the beach of a remote island. I'm not sure how to categorize it - climate fiction, mystery/suspence, romance. The setting was outstanding, as was the narration. There are multiple narrators, which adds to the enjoyment.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for a free copy of #WildDarkShore by Charlotte McConaghy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for this gifted ALC!

When I saw that Charlotte McConaghy was on a research trip for her next book, I began counting down the days until its release. I’m not sure how long ago that was, but it was too long. And yet, here I am, writing a review for this long awaited book. 🥹

I didn’t even read the premise, because I know that the book would evoke any and all emotions from me regardless. But when I realized we’d be visiting a fictional version of Svalbard (“Hello from Svalbard, it’s me Cecilia!” Anyone? Anyone?) I was PUMPED. Ever since I discovered Cecilia on TikTok and the seed vault by proxy, I have been obsessed. And I knew Charlotte McConaghy would take that to a deeper level.

Absolutely no surprise here - that’s exactly what happened. We’re introduced to another vulnerable environment and its inhabitants, and it flat out humbled me. Finishing this book on the back of finishing The Vanishing Kind has left me adrift.

Our earth deserves so much better from us as humans, but as this book glaringly stated, we already decided who to save, and it was us. I wish it were easier for others to see that we need to save our planet in order to save us, and that our impact on the planet is essential to this.

Books like Wild Dark Shore frame this crisis in such a transparent and tangible way, that it makes me frustrated others don’t see that, together, we can make a change. To choose their one small action. To make this world a better place for us, for species of flora and fauna, for the eco system.

Very quickly, Charlotte McConaghy has solidified herself as one of my favorite writers of all time. She always writes to the heart of it. Always makes me feel such deep and rich emotions. Always makes me think. Always challenges my empathy. That’s what reading is about, and I’m so thankful to her and her words for that.

Charlotte McConaghy doesn't miss. I read Migrations first and loved it and I felt the same about Once There Were Wolves. So when I saw that Wild Dark Shore was available to request on NetGalley I jumped all over it. This story immediately pulled me in and it kept my attention the entire time.

I rated Migrations five stars and I would have rated Wild Dark Shore the same but a few elements of the ending knocked it down a star for me. This book is one that I will definitely re-read in the future when I do another run through the other two McConaghy novels. If you're a fan of either of the other two I highly recommend checking this one out, too.

Thanks NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. I don't even know where to begin in talking about this book. I read a lot of books and I will say that this is like nothing I've ever read. Wild Dark Shore spans a few genres - mystery/thriller, literary fiction, nature writing, a slow burn romance, and family drama. There were times when reading this that I had NO idea where the narrative was going.

There are so many themes explored throughout -- motherhood, fatherhood, childhood, grief, mental illness, coming of age, the environment, and how we, as humans, exist within our world.

I'm not going to lie - it's pretty bleak in some ways and completely devastating. At the end of the day, my main takeaway is about the power of love. How even in the darkest of situations and when the outcome seems impossibly dim, love is always worth the risk.

The audio is incredibly well done with multiple narrators for the various POVs.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing an Advanced Listening Copy for review.