The Wolf Den : the stunning first novel reimagining the lives of the women of Pompeii

*ELODIE HARPER’S FIRST STANDALONE NOVEL, BOUDICCA’S DAUGHTER, COMING AUGUST 2025 – PRE-ORDER NOW*Shortlisted for Pageturner of the Year at the British Book AwardsA Waterstones Book of the MonthWinner of the 2022 Glass Bell Award’Vivid, wise and unflinching, this is a triumph’ The Times ‘I loved it’ Jennifer Saint ‘I couldn’t put it down’ Claire Douglas ‘Utterly spellbinding’ Woman & Home ‘Deeply moving’ William Ryan ‘Gripping’ Independent ‘One of a kind’ RedSold by her mother. Enslaved in Pompeii’s brothel. Determined to survive.
Her name is Amara. Welcome to the Wolf Den… Amara was once a beloved daughter, until her father’s death plunged her family into penury.
Now, she is owned by a man she despises and lives as a slave in Pompeii’s infamous brothel, her only value the desire she can stir in others. But Amara’s spirit is far from broken. Sharp, resourceful and surrounded by women whose humour and dreams she shares, Amara comes to realise that everything in this city has its price.
But how much will her freedom cost?The Wolf Den is the first in a trilogy of novels reimagining the long overlooked lives of women in Pompeii’s lupanar. Perfect for fans of Pat Barker’s The Silence of the Girls and Madeline Miller’s Circe. Reviews for The Wolf Den: ‘This is a mesmerising, richly detailed tale of sisterhood and courage that fans of Circe will love’ Red ‘A deeply moving and stunningly realised start to one of the most original historical fiction trilogies of our time’ Dan Jones ‘A compelling story of survival, friendship and courage.
Amara and her fellow she-wolves are vividly drawn in a fascinating depiction of women at the time. Utterly spellbinding’ Woman & Home ‘Rich in historical detail, beauty and brutality, The Wolf Den brings to vivid life the doomed city of Pompeii and the powerlessness of its women. I loved it’ Caroline Lea, author of The Glass Woman ‘A vivacious piece of work underpinned by a woman’s longing for freedom’ LoveReading ‘Utterly gripping’ Daisy Dunn, author of In the Shadow of Vesuvius ‘Unflinching…
The best book I’ve read in ages’ Sophie van Llewyn, author of Bottled Goods ‘The best historical fiction holds a mirror up to the present and The Wolf Den is a triumph. Harper transports us thousands of years and thousands of miles and yet we see ourselves reflected there’ Claire McGlasson, author of The Rapture ‘A riveting tale of power, love, hate, privilege, female empowerment and female friendships found in the most unlikely situations’ Buki Papillon, author of An Ordinary Wonder ‘It is a wonderfully clear-sighted tale seen from the viewpoint of its main protagonist, Amara, a doctor’s daughter, who was sold as a slave into prostitution when she and her mother became destitute after his death. You really live and feel Pompeii in this book.
An amazing achievement’ Financial Times