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Cary J. Griffith
138 ratings | 132 reviews | avg rating:4.49

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Cary J. Griffith

Goodreads Author


Born
in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, The United States
Website

Twitter
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Genre
Nonfiction, Thriller, Suspense

Influences
Ernest Hemingway, Father, ...more

Member Since
March 2010


Award-winning author Cary J. Griffith grew up among the woods, fields, and emerald waters of eastern Iowa. His childhood fostered a lifelong love of wild places.

He earned a B.A. in English from the University of Iowa and an M.A. in library science from the University of Minnesota.

Griffith’s books explore the natural world. In nonfiction, he covers the borderlands between civilization and wild places. In fiction, he focuses on the ways some people use flora and fauna to commit crimes, while others with more reverence and understanding of the natural world leverage their knowledge to bring criminals to justice.

He lives with his family in a suburb of Minnesota’s Twin Cities.

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Popular Answered Questions

If you could travel to any fictional book world, where would you go and what would you do there?
Cary J. Griffith Go fishing with Nick Adams on the Big, Two-Hearted River.
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Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?
Cary J. Griffith Minnesota is home to the largest population of gray wolves in the continental US. The state has a robust population, but also robust controversy. Many…moreMinnesota is home to the largest population of gray wolves in the continental US. The state has a robust population, but also robust controversy. Many people love the wolves and lobby to keep them on the Endangered Species List, which would provide them with blanket protection against hunting and trapping. Ohers want them delisted so they can be hunted and trapped.
If you head up to Northern Minnesota, you’re likely to see Lost Dog signs and hear stories of wolves killing and eating pets, a rare though troublesome occurrence.
I have always been interested in wilderness. Since wolves are interesting animals and icons of wilderness, I was naturally drawn to a story that explored wolf biology, and the controversy surrounding them. Setting it all against a backdrop of murder, mystery and a difficult family history were compelling ways to surface the issues in which I’m interested.
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See all 8 answers from Cary J. Griffith…

Combine Editions

Average rating: 4.04 · 4,177 ratings · 566 reviews · 11 distinct works • Similar authors
Lost in the Wild: Danger an...
4.09 avg rating — 2,207 ratings — published 2006 — 15 editions
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Wolf Kill (Sam Rivers #1)
3.93 avg rating — 468 ratings — published 2013 — 7 editions
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Gunflint Burning: Fire in t...
3.92 avg rating — 425 ratings — published 2018 — 7 editions
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Gunflint Falling: Blowdown ...
3.86 avg rating — 295 ratings — 7 editions
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Cougar Claw (Sam Rivers #2)
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 241 ratings — published 2022 — 2 editions
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Rattlesnake Bluff (Sam Rive...
4.27 avg rating — 158 ratings — 2 editions
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Killing Monarchs (Sam River...
4.10 avg rating — 144 ratings — 2 editions
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Dead Catch (Sam Rivers Myst...
4.34 avg rating — 107 ratings
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Savage Minnesota
3.73 avg rating — 71 ratings — published 2014
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Opening Goliath: Danger and...
3.89 avg rating — 61 ratings — published 2009 — 7 editions
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More books by Cary J. Griffith…

Series by Cary J. Griffith

Wolf Kill Cougar Claw Killing Monarchs Dead Catch Rattlesnake Bluff Grizzly Narrows
(6 books)
by
4.05 avg rating — 1,118 ratings

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Healing Back Pain...
Cary Griffith is currently reading
bookshelves: currently-reading
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Apr 29, 2025 07:29PM

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Cary’s Recent Updates

Cary Griffith rated a book liked it
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Atmosphere
by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Goodreads Author)
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If there was a way to give this book 3.7 stars, I would. It's quite good. But there were a few plot points that didn't add up for me - that lacked veracity. The idea a grown, mature, adult woman living in contemporary times (admittedly this was a few ...more
Jan 16, 2026 03:34PM  ·   · see review
Cary Griffith rated a book it was amazing
Horse by Geraldine Brooks
Horse
by Geraldine Brooks (Goodreads Author)
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I won't waste anyone's time adding my accolades to the others who have rated this book with 5 stars. I see some have rated is with fewer stars. I'm not sure why, and I don't really care to find out. This book had it all - great story lines, lots of p ...more
Jan 16, 2026 03:30PM  ·   · see review ·  preview book
Cary Griffith is now following
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Taylor Jenkins Reid
Author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Jan 03, 2026 07:23PM  · 
Cary Griffith rated a book it was amazing
Where Wolves Don't Die by Anton Treuer
Where Wolves Don't Die
by Anton Treuer (Goodreads Author)
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Nov 14, 2025 12:28PM  ·   ·  preview book
Cary Griffith rated a book it was amazing
Leave No Trace by A.J. Landau
Leave No Trace (National Parks Thriller, #1)
by A.J. Landau
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Wow. Katy bar the door. As soon as you begin this rip roaring read through several of our national parks (and other interesting venues) you won't want to put it down. There's a reason it's an Editor's Choice. I liked much about this book. The charact ...more
Nov 14, 2025 12:22PM  ·   · see review ·  preview book
Cary Griffith made a comment in the group Goodreads Librarians Group — Merging two records for the same book and consolidating reviews under the one entr topic
" Greetings. My latest mystery novel - Rattlesnake Bluff - has two entries on Goodreads.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... (has 67 reviews), and ...more "
Sep 15, 2025 08:26AM
Cary Griffith rated a book liked it
Charlie Martz and Other Stories by Elmore Leonard
Charlie Martz and Other Stories: The Unpublished Stories
by Elmore Leonard
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Again, uneven stories. I guess there was a reason many of them were unpublished.
Sep 04, 2025 05:33AM  ·   · see review
Cary Griffith rated a book really liked it
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
Project Hail Mary
by Andy Weir (Goodreads Author)
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Lots of kudos for another winner from Weir. That said, at times I bogged down in all the science. I know that's what a Weir book is known for, but in this instance it made the book way too long. ...more
Sep 04, 2025 05:32AM  · 1 like ·   · see review ·  preview book
Cary Griffith rated a book really liked it
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
Project Hail Mary
by Andy Weir (Goodreads Author)
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Lots of kudos for another winner from Weir. That said, at times I bogged down in all the science. I know that's what a Weir book is known for, but in this instance it made the book way too long. ...more
Sep 04, 2025 05:31AM  · 1 like ·   · see review ·  preview book
Cary Griffith rated a book really liked it
A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhirst
A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck
by Sophie Elmhirst
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An incredible survival story. But also an incredible story about marriage.
Sep 04, 2025 05:30AM  · 1 like ·   · see review ·  preview book
More of Cary's books…

Topics Mentioning This Author

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Nothing But Readi...: New 2 U Authors 2021 113 614 May 23, 2022 09:14AM  
Goodreads Librari...: GR authors 117 86 Jan 14, 2025 04:06PM  
Hooked on Books : 2025 Book Carnival Circuit: Team Magics & Mystics 357 65 Jun 30, 2025 05:26AM  
Nothing But Readi...: Team Lotus Tower 2187 189 Aug 22, 2025 12:21AM  

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Cary’s Groups

220 Goodreads Librarians Group — 309469 members — last activity 2 minutes ago
Goodreads Librarians are volunteers who help ensure the accuracy of information about books and authors in the Goodreads' catalog. The Goodreads Libra ...more
31471 THE Group for Authors! — 12967 members — last activity 14 hours, 57 min ago
This is a group for authors to discuss their craft, as well as publishing and book marketing.

Cary’s Friend Comments

Comments (showing 1-2)    post a comment »
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message 2: by Dorothy
Dec 25, 2012 03:54PM

Dorothy Thanks for friendship. :D


message 1: by Nicholas
Oct 07, 2012 09:21AM

Nicholas Griffith Padre! You should be exploiting Goodreads! Seriously! It's your friend. Look up Cary J Griffith and they've already made a profile for you because you're an author, but there's nothing listed. Social Media is the future.


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