“Gripping, revealing, and devastating, The Wolf Den made me ache for its women and their simple dreams. This novel left me breathless.”

—Rebecca F. John, author of The Haunting of Henry Twist

“An utterly gripping story. It humanises the men and women who had their humanity taken away from them, and helps to remind us that the brothels of Pompeii were far more than seedy tourist attractions.”

—Daisy Dunn, author of In the Shadow of Vesuvius

“Textured, alive and sweary historical fiction, depicting a vivid city full of life with nuanced characters, giving voice to slaves who had few choices.”

—Kate Sawyer, author of The Stranding

“The Wolf Den gives a voice to the forgotten women of Pompeii with a portrayal of slavedom that is so visceral that Amara’s story was simultaneously utterly compelling and difficult to read. Whilst Harper doesn’t shrink from laying bare the grim realities of life in the Wolf Den, she does so with such wit and compassion that this is not a tale of oppression, but of resilience, and of female friendship formed in the most harrowing of circumstances.”

—Sonia Velton, author of Blackberry & Wild Rose

“A rich and moving story about the women of ancient Rome, set in the brothels of Pompeii.”

—Laura Shepherd-Robinson, author of Blood and Sugar

“I read a lot of great books, but The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper took my breath away. A journalist’s eye for the truth, a storyteller’s art with words, and a feminist’s love of sisterhood and solidarity set among the underclass of slaves in Pompeii. Cannot recommend highly enough.”

—Samira Ahmed, presenter, BBC Front Row

Copyright

UNION SQUARE & CO. and the distinctive Union Square & Co. logo are trademarks of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.

Union Square & Co., LLC. is a subsidiary of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.

Text © 2021 Elodie Harper

Cover illustration by Holly Ovenden © 2021 Head of Zeus

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (including electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without prior written permission from the publisher.

This is a work of fiction. All characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

First published in the UK in 2021 by Head of Zeus Ltd.

This 2022 e-book edition published by Union Square & Co., LLC.

ISBN 978-1-4549-4655-7 (e-book)

For information about custom editions, special sales, and premium purchases, please contact [email protected].

unionsquareandco.com

Original cover illustration and design by Holly Ovenden

Cover typography US/CAN edition by Melissa Farris

Dedication

To my brother and my sisters by birth and marriage, Eugenie, Ruth and Tom, with all my love

Author’s note

Lupanar in Pompeii had two meanings for the Romans—both “brothel” and “den of wolves,” just as the word lupa could mean both “prostitute” or “she-wolf.”

74 CE

FEBRUARIUS

1

“Baths, wine and sex make fate come faster.”