Shortlisted for the Newcomer of the Year Award at the Galaxy British Book Awards 2008.
Winner of the Costa Book of the Year 2006.
A big sweeping drama set in an icy Canada of 1867. A trapper is murdered, a young man disappears into the wilderness, agents from the Hudson Bay Company are called for and a small settlement is in turmoil. Trackers arrive, secrets appear, love blossoms, duty calls … and the whole mystery and adventure is revealed to us through different voices in a thoroughly intriguing manner. I found this very difficult to put down, it haunted me until I could come to it again. Full of strong characters and magnificently visual descriptions, it is a wonderful read.
Similar this month: None but try James Morrow.
Comparison: Alistair MacLeod, Joseph Boyden, Leif Enger.
Costa Book Awards 2006 Judges' comment: "The Tenderness of Wolves is atmospheric, gripping and compassionate and perfectly evokes the snowy wastes of nineteenth-century Canada."
10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY EDITION - FEATURES READING GROUP QUESTIONS AND NEW MATERIAL FROM STEF'S UPCOMING EPIC NOVEL, UNDER A POLE STARCOSTA AWARD WINNER and WORLDWIDE BESTSELLER. A breathtaking tale of mystery, buried secrets and romance, set in nineteenth century frontier Canada - for fans of THE SNOW CHILD and A PLACE CALLED WINTER.'Unquestionably atmospheric, evocative and rewarding' Independent on Sunday'A tense and delicately written thriller' ObserverCanada, 1867. A young murder suspect flees across the snowy wilderness. Tracking him is what passes for the law in this frontier land: trappers, sheriffs, traders and the suspect's own mother, desperate to clear his name. As the party pushes further from civilisation, hidden purposes and old obsessions are revealed. One is seeking long-lost daughters; another a fortune in stolen furs; yet another is chasing rumours of a lost Native American culture. But where survival depends on cooperation, their fragile truce cannot afford to be broken, nor their overriding purpose - to find justice for a murdered man - forgotten.The Tenderness of Wolves is a must-read historical epic, weaving adventure, suspense and humour into an exhilarating thriller, a panoramic romance and ultimately, one of the books of the last ten years.
| Primary Genre | Crime and Mystery |
| Other Genres: | |
| Recommendations: |
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Closing date: 15/10/2026
10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY EDITION - FEATURES READING GROUP QUESTIONS AND NEW MATERIAL FROM STEF'S UPCOMING EPIC NOVEL, UNDER A POLE STARCOSTA AWARD WINNER and WORLDWIDE BESTSELLER. A breathtaking tale of mystery, buried secrets and romance, set in nineteenth century frontier Canada - for fans of THE SNOW CHILD and A PLACE CALLED WINTER.'Unquestionably atmospheric, evocative and rewarding' Independent on Sunday'A tense and delicately written thriller' ObserverCanada, 1867.
The Tenderness of Wolves features in the following genres: Crime and Mystery, Modern and Contemporary Fiction, Historical Fiction, eBooks of the Month, Fiction, General Fiction, Recommendations
Paperback, Hardback. £9.89, down from the £10.99 cover price. In Stock.
The Tenderness of Wolves was written by Stef Penney and published by Quercus an imprint of Quercus Publishing
The Tenderness of Wolves has 450 pages
£9.89, reduced from £10.99. In Stock.
