Bear Season - by Gemma Fairclough (Paperback)

About the Book

When Jade Hunter, a PhD student from Manchester, goes missing in the Alaskan wilderness, suspicion falls on the reclusive survivalist Ursula Smith, who is swiftly arrested and convicted of murder.

Book Synopsis

When Jade Hunter goes missing in the Alaskan wilderness, everyone is shocked. She was scheduled to speak at an academic symposium but never turned up. What was Jade really doing in Alaska?

Blood is found in the woods and suspicion immediately falls on the reclusive survivalist Ursula Smith. She is swiftly arrested and convicted of Jade's murder - even though a body has not been found.

Several years later, Jade's doctoral thesis leaks online, fuelling rumour and conspiracy over the true nature of her disappearance, leading investigative journalist Carla Young to dig through Jade's life and discover what did happen to Jade Hunter.

Review Quotes

'Bloody hell! BEAR SEASON is terrific. A supremely confident blend of found-footage, true crime, and dark fairy tales that I found utterly impossible to put down. Fairclough's debut refuses easy answers and categorisation, just like the two women who become entangled in this dark story about a missing British PhD student in the Alaskan wilderness. Simply addictive.'

- Ally Wilkes, author of All the White Spaces

'Mystery and longing intertwine seductively in this compelling exploration of three women's minds. All three are drawn inexorably to the Alaskan forest, where desire, grief and fear take on wilder forms, and human nature might blur with animal instinct. BEAR SEASON asks: what does each of us conceal, under our pelts?'

- Zoe Gilbert, author of Folk and Mischief Acts

'BEAR SEASON is a deft, thoughtful, unique gem of a book. Crafted with care, skill and sensitivity, it weaves together tension, mystery, ambiguity and obsession, questioning the stories we live and tell, and exploring the unanswered questions and legacies that we leave behind. Innovative, atmospheric and unsettling.'

- Jane Claire Bradley, author of Dear Neighbour