Into The Mouth of The Wolf

“My mind was bent. My heart was walloped. This extraordinary novel runs on a rocket fuel of greed and sacrifice, calamities and quiet moments, love and hope. I loved it so much.”

– Leanne Hall, author of the gaps

“Complex, imaginative, clever and compelling, [an] epic cli-fi tale underpinned by love and longing, hope and blind faith.”

– Allayne Webster, Author of The Centre of My Everything

“A nail-biting page turner. Erin has approached the topics of climate change and environmentalism with an originality, urgency, and passion that speak to the very real worries a lot of young people have about the direction our planet is heading in.”

– Alice Boyle, author of Dancing Barefoot

“Peopled with a large cast of unique, wholly realistic characters, Gough’s third novel has elements of dystopia, eco-thriller and romance, all bound together in a fast-paced, exciting mystery. I highly recommend this fascinating Australian novel for readers aged 11+.”

– Angela Crocombe, Readings Kids

“Possibly my favourite teen novel of the year.”

– Paul Macdonald, The Children’s Bookshop

“Into the Mouth of the Wolf…is impressive, engrossing, wonderfully written, a love letter to Gen Z as they come of age in a climate change denialist, slow-to-act and greedy world – a world they need to feel hopeful about. It’s action-packed, fun, and I loved its ambition.”

– Emily Gale, author of The Goodbye Year, Everywhere Girls

“This book tells a story about grief, resistance, and finding your voice in a collapsing world. It’s a sharp and compassionate Australian novel.”

– India Boon, CBCA Reading Time

Order now

Part thriller, part queer romance, Into the Mouth of the Wolf is Erin Gough’s stunning, long-awaited new YA novel, released May 2024.

Dear Iris,

If all goes well I will be in touch by this evening. If you hear nothing, contact Glassy Bay International Travellers’ Hostel and ask after me. Use our real names.

Your Mama xxx

Iris lives on the run with her mother, Rohan. They’re travelling to escape the earthquakes, though of course that’s impossible. And they’re being followed. One day, Rohan insists Iris repeat the phrase in bocca al lupo: into the mouth of the wolf. The next day, Rohan’s vanished, leaving no clues about where she’s gone besides a contact in an unknown town. Entirely alone and fearing the worst, Iris reaches out to a stranger for help.

When Lena gets Iris’s message, she’s busy panic-studying for year 12 and helping run her family’s hostel. She’s intrigued by Iris, and can’t deny there’s a spark between them – but she’s also worried. A dead body has just washed up at the beach in Glassy Bay. And Lena’s old best friend – who’s just returned after an unexplained absence – seems to know something about it.

Missing people. Mysterious deaths. A growing attraction between two girls caught up in the search for the truth. Somehow, they’re all connected. But in order to find out how – and in order to even meet each other – Iris and Lena will have to go into the mouth of the wolf …

Awards

WINNER of the Sisters In Crime Davitt Award for Young Adult Fiction
Children’s Book of Australia’s Young Adult Book of the Year Honour Book
Short listed for the ASLA DANZ Young Adult Book award
Short listed for the Queensland Literary Awards Young Adult Book of the Year

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About the author

Erin Gough is a fiction writer living on Gadigal land in Sydney, whose award-winning work has been published globally.

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