#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING PHENOMENON—NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE!
More than 18 million copies sold worldwide
A Reese’s Book Club Pick
A Business Insider Defining Book of the Decade
“I can't even express how much I love this book! I didn't want this story to end!”—Reese Witherspoon
“Painfully beautiful.”—The New York Times Book Review
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.
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.
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"Well developed characters came across as believable people. In the time frame set, all the discriminatory thoughts and acts are believable and realistic. Yet the audiobook is not judgemental not does it try to form the listener’s opinions, as I find in so much modern fiction. It also does not find “fault” or “blame” for the character’s situation. How refreshing to have a audiobook where folks are troubled, yet find satisfaction with their situations in life. Although justice is vigilante, the listener is held to keep listening to find out the conclusion."
— ~ A Great Listen ~ (5 out of 5 stars)
“Owens delivers her mystery wrapped in gorgeous, lyrical prose.”
— Alexandra Fuller, New York Times bestselling author“Narrator Cassandra Campbell has a floating, feather-soft drawl that sticks to your memory long after you’ve finished this worldwide bestseller.”
— Elle (audio review)“Narrator Cassandra Campbell serves up a bushel of Carolina accents…[which] give the mix of classes and regions in the story the same realistic detail Owens provides for the marsh… Prepare to be enchanted and haunted. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award.”
— AudioFile“A fresh exploration of isolation and nature from a female perspective along with a compelling love story.”
— Entertainment Weekly“It’s just beautiful. I loved every page of it. That little girl Kya stole my heart.”
— Reese Witherspoon, Academy Award–winning actress“Kya makes for an unforgettable heroine.”
— Publishers WeeklyA painfully beautiful first novel that is at once a murder mystery, a coming-of-age narrative and a celebration of nature....Owens here surveys the desolate marshlands of the North Carolina coast through the eyes of an abandoned child. And in her isolation that child makes us open our own eyes to the secret wonders—and dangers—of her private world.
— The New York Times Book ReviewSteeped in the rhythms and shadows of the coastal marshes of North Carolina’s Outer Banks, this fierce and hauntingly beautiful novel centers on...Kya’s heartbreaking story of learning to trust human connections, intertwine[d] with a gripping murder mystery, revealing savage truths. An astonishing debut.
— PeopleThis lush mystery is perfect for fans of Barbara Kingsolver.
— BustleA lush debut novel, Owens delivers her mystery wrapped in gorgeous, lyrical prose. It’s clear she’s from this place—the land of the southern coasts, but also the emotional terrain—you can feel it in the pages. A magnificent achievement, ambitious, credible and very timely.
— Alexandra Fuller, New York Times bestselling author of Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs TonightHeart-wrenching...A fresh exploration of isolation and nature from a female perspective along with a compelling love story.
— Entertainment Weekly“This wonderful novel has a bit of everything—mystery, romance, and fascinating characters, all told in a story that takes place in North Carolina.
— Nicholas Sparks, New York Times bestselling author of Every BreathDelia Owen’s gorgeous novel is both a coming-of-age tale and an engrossing whodunit.
— Real SimpleEvocative...Kya makes for an unforgettable heroine.
— Publishers WeeklyThe New Southern novel...A lyrical debut.
— Southern LivingA nature-infused romance with a killer twist.
— Refinery29“Anyone who liked The Great Alone will want to read Where the Crawdads Sing....This astonishing debut is a beautiful and haunting novel that packs a powerful punch. It’s the first novel in a long time that made me cry.
— Kristin Hannah, author of The Great Alone and The Nightingale“Both a coming-of-age story and a mysterious account of a murder investigation told from the perspective of a young girl...Through Kya’s story, Owens explores how isolation affects human behavior, and the deep effect that rejection can have on our lives.
— Vanity FairLyrical...Its appeal ris[es] from Kya’s deep connection to the place where makes her home, and to all of its creatures.
— Booklist“This beautiful, evocative novel is likely to stay with you for many days afterward....absorbing.
— AARPThis haunting tale captivates every bit as much for its crime drama elements as for the humanity at its core.
— Mystery & Suspense Magazine“Compelling, original...A mystery, a courtroom drama, a romance and a coming-of-age story, Where the Crawdads Sing is a moving, beautiful tale. Readers will remember Kya for a long, long time.
— ShelfAwarenessWith prose luminous as a low-country moon, Owens weaves a compelling tale of a forgotten girl in the unforgiving coastal marshes of North Carolina. It is a murder mystery/love story/courtroom drama that readers will love, but the novel delves so much deeper into the bone and sinew of our very nature, asking often unanswerable questions, old and intractable as the marsh itself. A stunning debut!
— Christopher Scotton, author of The Secret Wisdom of the EarthA compelling mystery with prose so luminous it can cut through the murkiest of pluff mud.
— Augusta Chronicle“Carries the rhythm of an old time ballad. It is clear Owens knows this land intimately, from the black mud sucking at footsteps to the taste of saltwater and the cry of seagulls." It's long...12.2 hours...but if you have a long trip this audiobook becomes a spellbinding who-done-it. The heroine is as unique as they come, growing up alone in the marshland on the Carolina coast. The story jumps back and forth through the years with carefully chronicled dates at the start of each chapter. Narration is well-done, even complete with Southern drawls. Happy listening, y'all. "
— Devon Porter, 2/16/2023" Listened to this from being to the end with 6hrs of sleep then finished it soon as I woke up.. Absolutely loved this book.. I truly didn't want it to end.. Thanks Audiobookstore for yet another great story.. The reader was wonderful as well! God Bless! "
— Sharon Gwyn Daniels, 9/16/2022" I loved this story, full of anticipation, excitement and love Thank you so much Maggie "
— Miss Maggs, 7/25/2022" I loved this story, full of anticipation, excitement and love Thank you so much Maggie "
— Miss Maggs, 7/25/2022" This is one of the best books I have ever read! the story line is amazing and I could not put the book down. The suspense kept me reading until late into the night. Highly Highly recommend. "
— ltuller@comcast.net , 6/28/2022" This is one of my top 2 favorite novels, right next to Memoirs of a Geisha. Although Memoirs and Crawdad are as different as a good chocolate bar is from a good steak, I love them them both equally. You are transported into a geography and a culture, and the experience is pure delight. "
— Gina Greer, 3/6/2021" Prendergast and his, maybe, sidekick Coldmoon are together again and solving a new mystery. Severed feet, mysterious location in the swamp, drugs, and even a surprise sharp-shooter to help save the doomed agent certainly create plot twists, anxiety and drama. I just love these novels and Pendergast is my favorite detective, who is both mysterious, daring and casually heroic. Of course!!!!! "
— Linda, 8/10/2020" Wonderful story. Wild child growing up in the swamp becomes a very special and talented young woman. Rape, betrayal, loss, murder, of course, but also talent, beauty, love both young and enduring, amazing and unlikely friends. Yes, I'll be listening to this one again!!! "
— Linda, 7/5/2020" Grate read set you back when you are young, but determent that make yourself heard, never gave up. Life is what you make it. There always some one looking over you.Road could be rough never gave up . "
— Steve M., 4/7/2020" This is a lovely portrait of a brave and fascinating child in an environment totally foreign and unimaginable to most of us. The narrative ebbs and flows with descriptions of a coastal area perceived as uninhabitable even by those who live around it. The maturing of this remarkable child is a story worthy of attention and respect. "
— Minerva, 11/2/2019" I felt as if I had been transported back in time to a place I grew up in ,in Florida even though it wasn't in Florida it had the same feeling and same kind of characters I am familiar with. It touched me deeply. "
— BARBARA , 8/1/2019" Where the Crawdad’s sing was a spectacular book portraying the strength to survive of a young girl to womanhood of a ‘Swamp born girl. Some of the emotions are heart breaking. The ending was a surprise. "
— sandra coffee, 4/8/2019" Delia Owens is a masterful writer. Spellbinding story and beautiful prose. I look forward to her next book. "
— terry, 4/3/2019" Oh, my goodness! This was SOOOOO good! I was left guessing right up until the end. My heart was totally wrapped up in the main character's potential and hopes for her future. Powerful, beautifully detailed story and heart-wrenching situations that seemed unavoidable, yet so heartbreakingly painful. I was so sad when it ended. I miss Marsh Girl! :) <3 "
— PenEllis, 4/1/2019" Too good for words. Spellbinding. "
— Penelope Thompson, 10/15/2018Delia Owens is the author of Where the Crawdads Sing, her first novel, and the coauthor of three internationally bestselling nonfiction books about her life as a wildlife scientist in Africa—Cry of the Kalahari, The Eye of the Elephant, and Secrets of the Savanna. She has won the John Burroughs Award for Nature Writing and has been published in Nature, the African Journal of Ecology, and International Wildlife, among many others. She lives in Idaho, where she continues her support for the people and wildlife of Zambia.
Cassandra Campbell has won multiple Audie Awards, Earphones Awards, and the prestigious Odyssey Award for narration. She was been named a “Best Voice” by AudioFile magazine and in 2018 was inducted in Audible’s inaugural Narrator Hall of Fame.