Wolf Point - by Lisa Howells (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

A newly promoted police officer is thrust into a race against time and the harsh Alaskan elements when a teenage girl disappears--just as a crushing storm descends--perfect for fans of True Detective and Mare of Easttown.

"A brutal, wild, and wonderful thriller." --Chris Whitaker, bestselling author of All the Colors of the Dark

Wolf Point, Alaska.

When police officer Terril Black is appointed sergeant under brutal circumstances, she expects a quiet first night in charge. Instead, a teenage girl vanishes from a remote motel--and for Terril, turning her back is never an option.

With a department that doesn't want a woman in charge, a hostile officer undermining her every move, and a rookie fresh from Miami as her only back-up, she is plunged into a desperate missing persons investigation, racing against time and the elements.

Here, it isn't the first 48 hours that count--it's the first four to eight. After that, even something innocent can end badly.

But unsettling clues point her towards something dark festering beneath the surface of this small town. And when a violent snowstorm cuts them off from the outside world, Terril isn't just fighting to save the girl--she's fighting to get out alive.

Review Quotes

"A stunning debut, Wolf Point blends thriller, small-town mystery and a plaintive cry on behalf of forgotten victims with consummate skill...Tense, poignant and page-turning, this is a book to read into the dark hours."--Vaseem Khan, internationally bestselling author of Midnight at Malabar House

"Any real-life investigator who's spent a long time in the profession will have a case that exposes an underbelly that defies understanding. Newly appointed Sergeant Terril Black finds just such a case in the treacherous Alaskan wilderness in this compelling and urgent debut. Pay attention to this one--it's onto something great."--Paul Holes, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Unmasked: Crime Scenes, Cold Cases and My Hunt for the Golden State Killer

"There's nothing glacial about this ice-bound thriller, as it drags you kicking and screaming into the darkest of corners. The prose is sublime, sleek and slips behind your defenses to leave you breathless by the end. A remarkably assured debut."--Robert Rutherford, internationally bestselling author of Seven Days

"Wolf Point blew me away. A masterfully crafted thriller with heart and soul, it brings together a haunting Alaskan landscape, truly unforgettable characters, and the kind of atmosphere that lingers long after the final page. I absolutely loved it."--G.R. Halliday, author of From The Shadows, adapted for television as The Dark

"Wolf Point is a debut of immense power. Along with Sergeant Terril Black - a formidable protagonist you wouldn't dare bet against - and a cast of expertly drawn characters you instantly connect with, this novel conjures a unique, frozen darkness that will leave you thrilled and chilled. Quite simply outstanding in every way."--Rob Parker, No.1 Audible bestselling author of Far From The Tree

"A brutal, wild, and wonderful thriller. Atmospheric, clever and full of heart, Wolf Point is a truly stunning debut."--Chris Whitaker, #1 bestselling author of All the Colors of the Dark

"Lisa Howells captures the solitary wilderness of Alaska so intensely that I forgot where I was. Every page had me holding my breath, the setting and the characters throwing me for a loop. Many books are pitched as 'just one more chapter'. This intricately crafted thriller is that, and more. But don't rush it--take your time, because you'll want to savor every page."--Sandie Jones, New York Times bestselling author of The Other Woman

"Lisa Howells pulls off the near-impossible in this stunning debut. Not only has she written an intensely gripping thriller, she has also crafted a powerhouse protagonist in Terril Black - a lone female detective in charge of a team as hostile as her environment. Beautifully written, the vividly realised landscape is as much a character as the people of Wolf Point and almost as dangerous. Full of dark secrets and gasp-out-loud revelations, miss this 'just-one-more-chapter' page-turner at your peril."--Fiona Cummins, internationally bestselling author of When I Was Ten, Rattle and All Of Us Are Broken

"Mapped out across the mythic, remote terrain of great television dramas (think Broadchurch, Mare of Easttown, even Twin Peaks), this triumphant debut leads readers into the mystery-fiction wilderness--clues dangling like leaves overhead, one-way roads that double back on themselves, dead ends and sudden drops and currents that sweep you away... Yet Wolf Point never surrenders its humanity. Terril Black, Eli Ash, Angela Stone--you'll remember these names long past The End. And you'll remember too how seamlessly Lisa Howells blends the intimate and the savage, the worldly and the mysterious, in a novel to remind readers of Chris Whitaker. Magnificent."--A. J. Finn, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Window

"With its brilliantly stormy setting and slippery cast of suspects, this dark, evocative crime debut will give you the chills - in every sense of the word."--Louise Candlish, internationally bestselling author of Our House and The Only Suspect (soon to be a major TV series starring Kevin McKidd)

About the Author

Lisa Howells is a UK-based journalist with almost thirty years' experience. The Deputy Editor of Crime Monthly magazine--which she co-created and launched--and co-host of the CrimeCon UK Book Club, she is committed to being an advocate in the true-crime field. As a book reviewer, she champions fiction in all its forms, but particularly female voices in crime. She has a love of wild animals and wild places, which inspire the landscapes of her work. Born in London, she now lives in the East Midlands with her two cats.