Delia Owens Books in Order: Complete Reading Guide
All Delia Owens books in order — her wildlife memoirs and Where the Crawdads Sing. What to read before and after her bestselling debut novel.
Delia Owens’s career falls into two distinct phases: twenty-five years as a wildlife biologist and non-fiction writer, then a 2018 fiction debut that became one of the most successful novels in recent publishing history.
Delia Owens Books in Publication Order
Non-Fiction (co-authored with Mark Owens)
1. Cry of the Kalahari — 1984
The Owenses’ account of seven years living among lions, brown hyenas, and other wildlife in the Kalahari Desert of Botswana. A genuine adventure story as well as a naturalist memoir. The best starting point for readers interested in her non-fiction work.
2. The Eye of the Elephant — 1992
Their account of conservation work in Zambia’s North Luangwa National Park — protecting elephants from poachers during a period of significant political instability. More dramatic and darker than the Kalahari book.
3. Secrets of the Savanna — 2006
A return to Zambia and the conclusion of their African conservation story.
Fiction
4. Where the Crawdads Sing — 2018
Start here for fiction. Kya Clark, the Marsh Girl, has been abandoned by her family and raised herself in the marshlands of North Carolina. When the town’s golden boy is found dead, she is the prime suspect. A crime novel, a coming-of-age story, and a nature book in one — the bestselling novel of 2019 and one of the most popular books of the 2020s.
➡ Full review → | Buy on Amazon →
What Makes Where the Crawdads Sing Work
The novel’s enormous success comes from the combination of three things most literary fiction separates: a genuinely gripping murder mystery plot, a deeply sympathetic and resourceful protagonist, and nature writing of real precision and beauty. Owens spent decades as a wildlife biologist, and the North Carolina marshland she describes is rendered with the specificity of a scientist who has lived in similar places — not as picturesque backdrop but as a complete ecological world.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Has Delia Owens written any other fiction besides Where the Crawdads Sing?
No. Where the Crawdads Sing (2018) is her only novel. Before it, she co-authored three non-fiction wildlife memoirs with her husband Mark Owens about their years living among wildlife in Africa. A second novel has not been published as of 2026.
Should I read Delia Owens's wildlife memoirs before Where the Crawdads Sing?
It is not necessary, but the wildlife memoirs — particularly Cry of the Kalahari — give context for the naturalist sensibility that makes Where the Crawdads Sing's nature writing so specific. They are also excellent books in their own right.
Is a sequel to Where the Crawdads Sing coming?
As of 2026, no sequel has been announced. Delia Owens has discussed working on a second novel but has not given a publication date.
