Where the Crawdads Sing
Score Modern
What it's about
For years, rumors of the "Marsh Girl" have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when Chase Andrews is found dead, the town suspects Kya Clark, who has survived alone in the marsh since childhood, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. The novel moves between her coming of age and the murder investigation.
Why it's worth reading
It spent 44 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and was one of the ten best-selling books in three different years. It's a coming-of-age story, a love story and a mystery at once.
You'll love it if you liked
The Great Alone, The Secret Life of Bees or The Nightingale
Good to know
The writing about nature is the heart of the book. The courtroom chapters near the end move fast.
Quick answers
Is Where the Crawdads Sing worth reading?
Yes. It spent 44 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and was one of the ten best-selling books in three different years. It ranks #270 of the 2,819 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 82.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Where the Crawdads Sing about?
For years, rumors of the "Marsh Girl" have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when Chase Andrews is found dead, the town suspects Kya Clark, who has survived alone in the marsh since childhood, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. The novel moves between her coming of age and the murder investigation.
How long does it take to read Where the Crawdads Sing?
About 9 hours (379 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Where the Crawdads Sing?
If you liked it, try The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah, The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd or The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah.
By the numbers
- Readers73 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller94 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
#1 New York Times bestseller (44 weeks at #1).
Where it ranks
- #20 of the 555 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #29 of the 116 historical novels we rank
- #140 of the 1,575 modern books we rank
- #270 of the 2,819 books we rank
Bestseller
- #1 New York Times bestseller (44 weeks at #1)
- One of the ten best-selling books of 2019, 2020 and 2022 (Publishers Weekly)
Reads as
Moving, Gripping
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Trust