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PRAISE FOR ELODIE HARPER’S

THE WOLF DEN

“Vivid, wise and unflinching, this is a triumph.”

—The Times

“Harper ventures back in time in this colourful, compelling novel. . . . Direct in both its language and its presentation of life in the brothel, Harper’s narrative never romanticises the exploitation Amara suffers, but it leads eventually to a kind of painful redemption.”

—The Sunday Times

“Harper’s vibrant and thrilling story is steeped in historical detail while remaining contemporary in its concerns. Harper tells her gripping tale with conviction and wit.”

—Observer

“A gripping historical story.”

—Independent

“This is a compelling story of survival, friendship and courage, with Amara and her fellow she-wolves vividly drawn.”

—Woman’s Weekly

“Harper’s style is exhilaratingly direct, with images lingering long in the mind’s eye. You smell the oil lamps and temple incense, taste sticky figs, feel physical blows, and the dialogue packs a powerful punch too. It’s a vivacious piece of work, and all underpinned by a woman’s longing for freedom.”

—LoveReading

“This will appeal to readers of books like Circe or Sistersong, straddling that fine line between genre fiction and broader literature . . . A truly modern book telling an ancient story.”

—Grim-dark

“Lifts the curtain on a world full of deceit, lies, abuse, lust, and above all, hope.”

—Waterstones

“Elodie Harper reaches across centuries to imagine how the women of the Lupanar might have lived, fought and loved, using the fragments that remain in Pompeii to build them a tender and powerful story. I’m grateful that this book exists.”

—Samantha Shannon, author of The Bone Season series

“A superb evocation of an unexpected Pompeii, The Wolf Den is a deeply moving novel that keeps you turning the pages.”

—William Ryan, author of The Korolev series

“In The Wolf Den, Elodie Harper brings Pompeii to life in vivid detail, describing the scents and sounds of a city both vibrant and seedy. Amara’s fiercely loyal bonds with her female friends and her determination to fight for freedom against the odds and at great cost are intensely moving—a character that lingers in the mind long after reading.”

—Elizabeth Lee, author of Cunning Women

“Rich with sly humour, wisdom, and sensory detail, and with an excellent plot that kept me turning the pages late into the night, The Wolf Den breathes life into the she-wolves, women working in ancient Pompeii’s brothels whose place in history has traditionally been at the bottom of the rung, and gives them the humanity they deserve.”

—Buki Papillon, author of An Ordinary Wonder

“Totally compelling, fascinating and heart-breaking—

this is a story I won’t ever forget.”

—Claire Douglas, author of Local Girl Missing

“A fascinating story about what women do to survive set in Pompeii’s most famous brothel, the Wolf Den. With perfect prose, this brilliant and unflinching novel draws us into the world of an enslaved prostitute, Amara, and her fellow she-wolves.”

—Anna Mazzola, author of The Story Keeper