Wild Dark Shore

A Novel

By: Charlotte McConaghy

Narrated by: Cooper Mortlock, Katherine Littrell, Saskia Maarleveld, Steve West

This program features multicast narration.

An ENTHRALLING new novel from the NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING author of Migrations and Once There Were Wolves

"The ensemble narration brings this intense story to life.”—AudioFile

"A WILDLY TALENTED writer."―Emily St. John Mandel

A family on a remote island. A mysterious woman washed ashore. A rising storm on the horizon.

Dominic Salt and his three children are caretakers of Shearwater, a tiny island not far from Antarctica. Home to the world’s largest seed bank, Shearwater was once full of researchers, but with sea levels rising, the Salts are now its final inhabitants. Until, during the worst storm the island has ever seen, a woman mysteriously washes ashore.

Isolation has taken its toll on the Salts, but as they nurse the woman, Rowan, back to strength, it begins to feel like she might just be what they need. Rowan, long accustomed to protecting herself, starts imagining a future where she could belong to someone again.

But Rowan isn’t telling the whole truth about why she set out for Shearwater. And when she discovers sabotaged radios and a freshly dug grave, she realizes Dominic is keeping his own secrets. As the storms on Shearwater gather force, they all must decide if they can trust each other enough to protect the precious seeds in their care before it’s too late—and if they can finally put the tragedies of the past behind them to create something new, together.

A novel of breathtaking twists, dizzying beauty, and ferocious love, Wild Dark Shore is about the impossible choices we make to protect the people we love, even as the world around us disappears.

A Macmillan Audio production from Flatiron Books.

©2025 Charlotte McConaghy (P)2025 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“Urgent…McConaghy ratchets up the tension as the characters’ paranoia and mutual suspicion increases and their motives are revealed…McConaghy blends entertainment with a sobering message about conservation and the impacts of geographic isolation.”—Publishers Weekly

High or low seeded

I just finished this book and I’m not certain if I liked or disliked this story slow start but interesting end. Bring a box of tissues.

Another fantastic story!

I loved this book. Always captivating start to finish. I wanted a different ending but that's just me.

beautiful storytelling

beautiful storyline. i didn't think i would like it but I loved it! engaging, tragic, and haunting. loved! performance was fantastic

Powerful, Emotional and Original

A very original story, well researched and suspensefull. I didn't want it to end. Won't go into plot because the Audible description is apt. It reminded me of Eleanor Catton's Birnam Wood, although very different, it's very much about nature, resources and the changing climate.

Climate fiction, mystery, romance and family drama

5 stars for Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte MCConaghy! This book grabs you from the first paragraph and does not let go. It's equal parts climate fiction, dysfunctional family drama, mystery-suspense and a little bit of a love story, too. I thought the setting was so well portrayed - this remote research island off the coasts of Tasmania and Antarctica where the Salt family live as caretakers to the lighthouse and the "seed vault" that houses the most valuable seeds in the world, preserving them from fire and flood with the intent to save mankind. I tend to steer away from climate change and climate apocalypse fiction as it is just so depressing and so close to home (I live in a state which has "fire season.) But the conservation theme was just so beautifully played in this story of a family who finds a woman washed up on their shores and the mystery begins as to why she is there. As the storms rage and the waters continue to rise, time is running out for this dysfunctional little family of four - a widowed dad, Dominic, and his teenage son, Raff, his teenage daughter, Fin, and the youngest child, Orly, who is 9. The arrival of the half drowned/dead woman, Rowan, is met with suspicion by Dom and enjoyment by his children. In particular, the youngest boy, Orly, develops an attachment to Rowan that becomes an important thread in the plot. I found the mystery aspect of the story kept me engaged and appreciated the care in character development, although I did think that each of the children's unique connection to nature was a bit overdrawn. I think if you like a messy family and a bit of a mystery - with some climate change sprinkled on top, you'll enjoy this book immensely!

A new way of thinking

Living in Antartica that is crumbling because of climate change is a new revelation for me. The effect on animals, buildings and the storage of seeds in the event of cataclysmic event.

Too much breathless drama for me

Liked the interludes of natural history . But characters were over the top dramatic taking away from an important message on the risks of climate change.

Very interesting

Love how this story is based on places and events that have happened. Great story.

Must read/listen!!

Loved the story, characters! The performance was 4/5. I’d highly recommend this one! Never knew for sure what was going to happen

The heart and words the characters portrayed Excellent story. Lots of character development— crushing ending

As above—I won’t stop thinking about this story for a long time. It will be my bookclub recommendation