Book cover for Wild Instinct: A Novel by Jefferson Parker

Wild Instinct

A Novel

2025 Released
336 Pages
5-6 Hours
Paperback Available December 1, 2026
Minotaur BooksISBN 9781250907929

INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER!

A gripping high-stakes thriller by three-time Edgar Award winner and New York Times bestselling author T. Jefferson Parker ("A marvel...hits the high-water mark for crime fiction every time out." —Gregg Hurwitz)

The hunt for the truth is the deadliest game.

Former Marine sniper Lew Gale, now a detective with the Orange County California Sheriff’s Department, is assigned to track and shoot a mountain lion that has killed a man in the rugged country east of Laguna Beach, California. The victim is Bennet Tarlow, a rich developer and man-about-town in upscale coastal Orange County.

The investigation takes a chilling turn when Lew and his new partner, Daniela Mendez, discover that Bennet was dead long before the lion got to him. And while he might have been the first to die, he certainly will not be the last.

Jefferson Parker

Jefferson Parker is an award-winning journalist and the author of ten previous novels, including The Blue Hour and Red Light, both featuring Merci Rayborn, and Silent Joe, winner of the Edgar Award and the Los Angeles Times Best Mystery/Thriller Award.

More by Jefferson Parker

Why Readwise Books?

Readwise Books is an ebook & audiobook platform that automatically logs how much you and your friends read, making it fun and easy to read more. Learn more →