The Work of Wolves: A Novel

This novel follows a horse trainer and a wealthy man's wife in rural South Dakota. When fourteen-year-old Carson Fielding purchases his first horse from Magnus Yarborough, he demonstrates a superior ability to judge horses compared to the landowner's judgment of people. Years later, Carson—now an accomplished and respected horse trainer—reluctantly agrees to train Magnus's horses and teach his wife to ride. As Carson becomes disillusioned with the power-driven Magnus, he develops a growing attraction to the rancher's wife. Their relationship triggers a violent chain of events that disrupts their quiet South Dakota town. The narrative also involves Earl Walks Alone, a Lakota student seeking to leave the reservation for college, and Willi, a German exchange student dealing with his family's troubled past. The novel explores themes of love and hatred through fine characterizations, crisp dialogue, and a fully realized sense of place.