Delia Owens
Delia Owens is an American wildlife scientist and author whose debut novel, Where the Crawdads Sing, became a literary sensation. Before turning to fiction, Owens co-authored several nonfiction books about her experiences as a zoologist in Africa, including Cry of the Kalahari. Her fiction reflects a deep reverence for nature, with vivid depictions of landscapes and animal life. In Crawdads, she combines a coming-of-age tale with a murder mystery, drawing on her scientific background to enrich the story’s setting. Owens writes with an ecological sensibility, celebrating solitude, resilience, and the bond between humans and the natural world.
Delia Owens' Where the Crawdads Sing follows Kya Clark, a young girl abandoned by her family and left to raise herself in the marshes of North Carolina. As she grows up isolated from the community, Kya becomes a naturalist and author, finding solace in the wilderness. When a local man is found dead, Kya becomes the prime suspect, and the ensuing investigation reveals long-held secrets. The novel intertwines a coming-of-age story with a murder mystery, exploring themes of loneliness, resilience, and the human connection to nature.