In Wild Dark Shore, Charlotte McConaghy places Dominic Salt and his three children on Shearwater, a small island near Antarctica. They are its last inhabitants and caretakers of a seed bank; once home to researchers, the island is increasingly threatened by rising sea levels.

A stranger arrives in the storm

During the worst storm the island has faced, Fen discovers Rowan washed ashore and brings word to her family. As the Salts nurse Rowan back to strength, the arrival offers the possibility of connection to a family worn down by isolation. Rowan, who has long protected herself, begins to imagine belonging again, though she has not revealed the full reason for her journey to Shearwater.

Trust under pressure

The danger is not only the gathering storms. Rowan finds sabotaged radios and a freshly dug grave, while Dominic keeps secrets of his own. The family must weigh whether they can trust one another enough to protect the seeds in their care and confront the tragedies that still shape their lives.