AN INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER
From the #1 internationally bestselling author of Recipe for a Perfect Wife comes a must-read book of the season.
A 1970s feminist facing the costs of loss and autonomy strives to create a better future for women at her Adirondack camp; meanwhile, an aspiring screenwriter makes a shocking discovery in the present that sets her on a course of rewriting her own story.

Rowan is stuck. Her dreams of becoming a screenwriter are stalled, along with her bank account, as she and her fiancé Seth try to make sense of what’s next for them after leaving LA. But when the couple takes a trip to a cabin in the Adirondacks, hoping the change will provide inspiration for Seth’s novel-in-progress, Rowan finds herself drawn into a story greater than her own—that of socialite-turned-feminist-crusader Eddie Calloway, who vanished one day in 1975 and was never found or heard from again. In a handbook left behind in the abandoned ruins of a once great camp, Rowan starts to discover clues to what happened to Eddie.

As Rowan delves deeper into the mystery, we meet Eddie herself, a fierce and loving woman whose greatest wish was to host women at her camp and unlock their “wildness.” However, Eddie’s wild ways aren’t welcomed by everyone, and rifts between camp owners threaten her mission. When Rowan gets closer to the truth of Eddie’s disappearance, she realizes that it may hold the key to unlocking her own ambition and future.

KARMA BROWN is an award-winning journalist and author of the bestsellers Come Away with Me, The Choices We Make and In This Moment. In addition to her novels, Karma's writing has appeared in publications such as Redbook, SELF, and Chatelaine. Karma lives just outside Toronto with her husband, daughter, and their labradoodle, Fred. The Life Lucy Knew is her most recent novel. 

Karma Brown's profile page

INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER
One of CBC's 30 Canadian Books to Read in Winter 2024

"Karma Brown keeps delivering knockout after knockout. She is an auto-buy author for me!”
—Taylor Jenkins Reid

"What Wild Women Do is a total joy to read—it’s mysterious, atmospheric and pacey, with heaps of heart and soul. Rowan and Eddie are two women to root for, each on their own soul-searching journey of independence and a reckoning with their past. An uplifting celebration of women, and the courage it takes to find one’s true self."
—Ashley Audrain, New York Times bestselling author of The Push
"Once again, Karma Brown has delivered a heartening and honest feminist tale of self-discovery. Part mystery, part ode to female solidarity and strength, What Wild Women Do explores the challenges faced by women who dare to defy societal expectations and prescriptions, and also serves as an important reminder that the path to healing doesn't always take the route we think it will."
—Heather Marshall, #1 national bestselling author of Looking for Jane

"Karma Brown has long been one of my favourite authors, and no wonder. Her latest, What Wild Women Do is such a unique, compelling, and beautifully written story that sucked me in from the very first page. Part mystery, part journey to self-discovery, I quite simply loved everything about this book. A highly recommended, spectacular read.”
—Hannah Mary McKinnon, internationally bestselling author of The Revenge List

“Book yourself in for a stunning stay at Camp Callaway with Karma Brown’s latest triumph, WHAT WILD WOMEN DO. The ferociously authentic Eddie Callaway leaps off the page, reminding readers that life is best lived on one’s own terms — the wilder, the better — in this heartfelt story of redemption, sisterhood and courage.”
—Bryn Turnbull, bestselling author of The Woman Before Wallis
“Brown’s latest is a remarkable story of two complicated women, almost fifty years apart, trying to make a mark in a world that often demeans and trivializes their dreams. Set in the lush Adirondack forest, the story addresses feminism, friendship, and the creative spirit, and is guaranteed to keep readers guessing until the very end. A terrific read.”
—Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Spectacular
"Propulsive, fearless, What Wild Women Do is a spirited portrait of two women who contend with societal expectations head-on and find unexpected strength and rebellion from communion with the natural world. Utterly captivating, the story shifts seamlessly between former heiress now inspired feminist leader Eddie Calloway, and Rowan, a fledgling screenwriter who has journeyed to the woods to write. . . . A dynamic examination of women, power, and creativity— each sentence is vigorously alert and brilliantly alive. You won’t want to put it down."
—Heidi Sopinka, author of Utopia
"As inspiring as it is compelling, What Wild Women Do is a poignant journey into the hearts of two women yearning to take up more space in the world. Karma Brown has offered a gift to the seeker, the treasure hunter, in all of us."
—Katie Gutierrez, bestselling author of More Than You'll Ever Know

“A story of self-discovery in a gorgeously-drawn setting, What Wild Women Do isn’t afraid to confront the bold choices women must make sometimes, and its dual-timeline heroines are both perfectly suited for the job. . . . A heartfelt exploration into the importance of honesty, legacy, and being true to one’s self.”
—Shelby Van Pelt, New York Times bestselling author of Remarkably Bright Creatures
"Brown has a deft touch for time and rhythm, and in the Adirondacks her dual narrative alternates between the early 1970s at Camp Callaway and the present. . . . What’s truly remarkable about Brown’s tale are the subtle yet tangible ways she conjures the denizens of a 50-year-old utopian dream . . . led by a philanthropist, a brave second wave feminist, who aimed to heal women (like her) who’d been betrayed or suffered irreparable loss. Be bold, she counselled her visitors, claim your space."
—Toronto Star

"Brown has always done well at balancing multiple narratives and in including journal entries, recipes, letters, and other pieces to deepen and add extra color to the characters and stories. . . . Eddie shines as an inspiring but relatable character who believes genuinely in her work, uses her vast wealth to fund it but still experiences moments of doubt."
—Winnipeg Free Press