LEAH’S WOLF

An elusive wolf in Alaska comes with mystery and a potential virus in Nix’s unsettling novel with supernatural undertones.

Not long after confirming his wife is cheating on him, mountain guide Warren Benning stumbles into the woods in a daze. A huge gray wolf attacks him, but he survives the vicious chomp to his neck. The next morning, there’s no sign of a wound underneath Warren’s bloody bandage. Another victim of a wolf attack, however, doesn’t make it; Dr. Catherine Grey of the CDC arrives in Alaska after an autopsy shows an “unusual enzyme” suggesting the four-legged assailant carried a pathogen. Warren soon teams up with Catherine, and it’s clear he has the virus— the astonishing healing ability he displayed isn’t a one-time event. Meanwhile, Yellowstone authorities send two experts to track down the gray wolf, which they dub Lucy. Who knows what studying the wolf and the virus will uncover? Someone certainly doesn’t want others finding answers; they ransack Catherine’s hotel room and steal her data, and, perhaps, they are responsible for a CDC colleague dying under mysterious circumstances (“the troopers extended their deepest sympathies as they informed her that Dr. Freeman had died in an automobile accident that morning”). Nix’s story doesn’t unfold quite the way readers may anticipate. It takes a largely plausible approach, with the CDC quietly looking into what Catherine suspects could result in a pandemic. A host of innately suspicious characters aid in providing a moody atmosphere that blankets the narrative. Warren isn’t an easy protagonist to warm up to; he does something in the opening scene that likely provokes the wolf’s attack and will undoubtedly infuriate more than a few readers. Still, his story is engaging throughout, and he’s part of a sublime cast, from the resourceful Catherine to the highly skilled wildlife biologist Susan Washburn. A plot turn near the end throws everything into a tailspin; while it’s a lot to take in, there’s enough story left for a gratifying wrap-up.

This atmospheric tale captivates while subverting expectations.