Where the crawdads sing

The marsh near Barkley Cove, North Carolina, is the setting of Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, a story about a young girl left to fend for herself as, one by one, family members leave home. Catherine (Kya) Clark is six years old when the story begins. Kya has learned much about the marsh from her older brother, Jodie, including how to navigate her way in the family boat through the waters near her home. This ability becomes the life support for the young girl as she is able to travel to Barkley Cove to swap mussels for enough supplies to keep her alive and refuel the boat. Most of the community is hostile to people who live in the marsh but Kya is befriended by Jumpin' and his wife, Mable.

The reader follows Kya's story as she not only learns to become self sufficient but also studies her surrounding environment in detail. It is this passion for collecting and documenting shells and feathers that leads to a frienship with Tate, a former friend of Jodie. Together the two youngsters explore the marsh and the creatures living in it. However, life changes for Kya in 1969 when the local football hero, Chase Andrews, is found dead near the fire tower and the townsfolk immediately conclude that he was murdered by the Marsh Girl.

This book is much more than a murder mystery, it is a story of survival - an escape from family violence - the need to learn to trust people plus a love of the environment leading to a life long passion.