Wild Dark ShoreWild Dark Shore
What it's about
Dominic Salt and his three children are the last caretakers of Shearwater, a remote island near Antarctica that holds the world's largest seed bank. As the seas rise, they are packing up the seeds before the island is abandoned. Then a storm washes a woman ashore, alive, and the family, each with secrets of its own, has to decide whether to trust her.
Why it's worth reading
It was a finalist for both the Edgar Award and the Goodreads Choice Award. McConaghy writes beautifully about wild places and climate change, and this is a tense, emotional mystery.
You'll love it if you liked
Station Eleven
The Snow Leopard
Remarkably Bright CreaturesGood to know
It's atmospheric and sad, with grief and violence in the family's past.
By the numbers
- Readers44 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics21 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller55 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz100 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #76 of the 555 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #92 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #141 of the 481 new books we rank
- #808 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping, Thought-provoking, Dark
If you like this, read next
The Mountain in the Sea
The Orphan Master's Son
The Yiddish Policemen's Union
The Tainted Cup
The Frozen River
A Drop of CorruptionExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Wild Dark Shore worth reading?
Yes. It was a finalist for both the Edgar Award and the Goodreads Choice Award. It ranks #808 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 74.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Wild Dark Shore about?
Dominic Salt and his three children are the last caretakers of Shearwater, a remote island near Antarctica that holds the world's largest seed bank. As the seas rise, they are packing up the seeds before the island is abandoned. Then a storm washes a woman ashore, alive, and the family, each with secrets of its own, has to decide whether to trust her.
How long does it take to read Wild Dark Shore?
About 8 hours (305 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Wild Dark Shore?
If you liked it, try Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen or Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt.