The Tenderness of Wolves

Mystery and suspense set in the desolate Canadian frontier, during the winter of 1867. The characters are immigrants or decendents from Scotland, Ireland, France or Norway, and First Nations people. The harshness of the climate feels like a character itself, and determines every action made by the searchers. This is a brilliant, epic first novel, made all the more remarkable by the fact that the author was agoraphobic and had never traveled to Canada.

In my neighborhood book club, once a year, it is my turn to pick a book. Deciding is angst filled, but this year, I picked The Tenderness of Wolves. In a good book there must be: good character development, some likable characters, a great plot with unexpected twists and turns, and a message. I could feel how the author loved her characters and one could understand the choices they made. It read like a screen play and was very visual with scenes of the wilderness of the 1800's in northern Canada. Great Book!!! PS. Everyone in the book club enjoyed the book.

This book was recommended to me by our local independent bookstore - the book passage - as an excellent read. On their recommendation I picked it up. It took a little while for me to really enter into the story and understand all the characters and names involved. However, once I was past the first 50 pages, I was hooked. I couldn't put this book down. I was able to predict some aspects of the story-line, but the descriptions of the Canadian wilderness were amazing, I could feel cold toes and snow on my face as I walked each day with the characters. I very much enjoyed the character of Mrs Ross and this book unfolded into one of my favorites for a long time. I will definitely be seeking out future works by this author. Definitely recommend it !

'The Tenderness of Wolves' proves Stef Penney is an über-filmwriter: the mystery rolls vividly frame-by-frame in HD. Mrs. Ross discovers her neighbor, Laurent Jammett murdered in his bed. From this point on, frontier investigators, the town magistrate, two suspects and a host of clearly drawn support characters are intertwined in the story up to the dénouement. Whether told in Mrs. Ross' first person narrative, or through the heteroglossia of the cast of 19th Century settlers, Stef displays a unique storytelling gift. Penney doesn't allow any of the characters to get into each others' minds. The reader doesn't know how many of them are connected to each other or what any of them are going to do next. Thus, the intrigue is maintained until the last page. And, because each character is imbued with distinct history, personality and motives, the reader is never confused about who is on stage. Every word and scene is placed carefully and intentionally, not for literary flourish (that's here, too), but to serve the storylines that come seamlessly together. As individual parties trek across the Northern Territory in separate searches for Jammett's killer, Mrs. Ross' son (a suspect) and two sisters who disappeared 17 years before, the storylines congeal with an unexpected ending.

The power, simplicity, beauty, and exquisitely hypnotizing imagery of this book makes me want to cry as I finally, reluctantly lay the finished book down. I've hated for it to end, and have read the last chapter very slowly, thinking it will have to be quite an extraordinary book to capture me as this one has. This wonderful multi-layered story (and each new layer is as compelling as the last) is set in 1860's Canada just below the Hudson Bay. A trapper has been murdered in the tiny settlement, and we are taken on an exciting unpredictable journey searching for the killer. The environment is brutally harsh, yet we feel the beauty and lure of the country as well; each fascinating character brought to life vividly and unforgettably; I feel as though I've been in their presence..I can feel and touch and smell each one...can look into their eyes, feel their breath, the beauty and the evilness. Oh! What an experience! The same lady that recommended this book, via a blog regarding "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle" recommended "Out Stealing Horses". I'm hopeful, and will get back to you on that one. I wish I knew how to contact this person and get more of her recommendations!