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A History of Wild Places cover art

A History of Wild Places

Written by: Shea Ernshaw
Narrated by: Carlotta Brentan, Cassandra Campbell, Gibson Frazier, Cindy Kay, Pete Simonelli
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Publisher's Summary

In this “riveting, atmospheric thriller that messes with your mind in the best way” (Laini Taylor, New York Times bestselling author), three residents of a secluded, seemingly peaceful commune investigate the disappearances of two outsiders.

Travis Wren has an unusual talent for locating missing people. Often hired by families as a last resort, he takes on the case of Maggie St. James—a well-known author of dark, macabre children’s books—and is soon led to a place many believed to be only a legend.

Called Pastoral, this reclusive community was founded in the 1970s by like-minded people searching for a simpler way of life. By all accounts, the commune shouldn’t exist anymore and soon after Travis stumbles upon it…he disappears. Just like Maggie St. James.

Years later, Theo, a lifelong member of Pastoral, discovers Travis’s abandoned truck beyond the border of the community. No one is allowed in or out, not when there’s a risk of bringing a disease—rot—into Pastoral. Unraveling the mystery of what happened reveals secrets that Theo, his wife, Calla, and her sister, Bee, keep from one another. Secrets that prove their perfect, isolated world isn’t as safe as they believed—and that darkness takes many forms.

“As spine-chilling as it is beautifully crafted” (Ruth Emmie Lang, author of Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance), A History of Wild Places is a story about fairy tales, our fear of the dark, and losing yourself within the wilderness of your mind.

©2021 Shea Ernshaw (P)2021 Simon & Schuster Audio

What listeners say about A History of Wild Places

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Loved the ending

Started really good and then becomes a bit boring but keep listening the end was really good .
Theo’s voice wasn’t the best but got
Over it after a bit .

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Read. This. Book.

A winding, wonderful and horrific story about what being lost really means, and confronting the real monsters hiding in plain sight, in inner circles. Wonderful!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Glad to have found a decent modern writer

I fell in love with the way Earnshaw describes her characters.. more in the beginning if i am being entirely honest.. The narration and the plot mystery drives the story well till the end.. I would have loved to have more of Travis the Psychic than the otherS.. Overall a perfect thriller with amazing storytelling..

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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Pretty good

The story was interesting enough, although not especially unique until the ending. The narrators were great besides Theo, who kinda ruined it for me. I'd get really into it but then his terrible narration broke me out. The rest of the cast, especially Bea, was solid though.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Absolutely riveting.

I binged the entire book, incredibly well done. I could quibble with some of the author’s choices at the end of the book… But it was still very enjoyable.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Not my go to book

Read this for a book club, the performance was kinda everywhere and the build up wasn’t amazing but it was a creative story with interesting concepts.

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Couldn’t Stop Listening

Usually I’m pretty good at figuring out twists but this book had so many it was hard to predict what would happen! It was awesome and the entire cast was great. I definitely recommend!

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First part was amazing - other part meh

I had high hopes for this book. It was meh. The writing is a little pretentious and too descriptive. And it’s slow. And the ending was not amazing.

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