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Children of Wolves
A tense, Ripley-esque, cat-and-mouse thriller set in glittering Istanbul for readers of John le Carré and Patricia Highsmith
At the Mexican border, Diana ditches her car and jumps on a bus. Adam walks out of his Athens hotel with just his passport and credit cards. Marco abandons his life in London, leaving no note. At an idyllic spot on the Turkish Riviera, their comrade Chana waits for them.
Also waiting there is Tyler, a private investigator hired by an American billionaire to find his wayward, troubled daughter.
Once the five meet, a train of events is set in motion that will play out along this glittering coast, in the backstreets and renovated palaces of Istanbul and all the way to Cairo. A clash of generations, civilisations and ideologies that will test the young friends’ theory that a handful of collaborators can tilt the axis of the world through a single, striking act.
Praise for Lawrence Osborne
‘A modern Graham Greene’ SUNDAY TIMES
‘Arresting and compelling’ JOHN GRAY
‘Osborne goes from strength to strength’ LIONEL SHRIVER
‘Osborne handles surface and depth with immense skill, as only great writers can’ DEBORAH LEVY
‘If the purpose of a novel is to take you away from the everyday and show you something different, then Osborne is succeeding, and handsomely’ LEE CHILD
At the Mexican border, Diana ditches her car and jumps on a bus. Adam walks out of his Athens hotel with just his passport and credit cards. Marco abandons his life in London, leaving no note. At an idyllic spot on the Turkish Riviera, their comrade Chana waits for them.
Also waiting there is Tyler, a private investigator hired by an American billionaire to find his wayward, troubled daughter.
Once the five meet, a train of events is set in motion that will play out along this glittering coast, in the backstreets and renovated palaces of Istanbul and all the way to Cairo. A clash of generations, civilisations and ideologies that will test the young friends’ theory that a handful of collaborators can tilt the axis of the world through a single, striking act.
Praise for Lawrence Osborne
‘A modern Graham Greene’ SUNDAY TIMES
‘Arresting and compelling’ JOHN GRAY
‘Osborne goes from strength to strength’ LIONEL SHRIVER
‘Osborne handles surface and depth with immense skill, as only great writers can’ DEBORAH LEVY
‘If the purpose of a novel is to take you away from the everyday and show you something different, then Osborne is succeeding, and handsomely’ LEE CHILD
254 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 6, 2026
About the author
Lawrence Osborne
40 books614 followersLawrence Osborne is the author of seven critically acclaimed novels, including The Forgiven (now a major motion picture starring Ralph Fiennes and Jessica Chastain), and Only to Sleep: A Philip Marlowe Novel, a New York Times Notable Book and nominated for an Edgar Award, as well as six books of nonfiction, including Bangkok Days. He has led a nomadic life, living in Paris, New York, Mexico, and Istanbul, and he currently resides in Bangkok.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 15, 2026
Weer zo’n boek dat gemengde gevoelens oproept. Ik heb inning genoten van de omschrijvingen, ik waande me echt in Turkije en Caïro. De sfeer was soms bijna dromerig. Tegelijkertijd is dit best een raar boek. Wat wil het zeggen? Hoe ver een stelletje stinkend rijke jong volwassen kunnen gaan? Wat is hun motivatie? Overigens wordt dit verhaal vaak getagd of in reviews omschreven als thriller en dat is het naar mijn mening absoluut niet. Het was wel een boeiend, doch langzaam, verhaal over een wereld die ik me alleen maar kan verbeelden. Toch vraag ik me nog af: waarom?
April 14, 2026
This book was... boring to say the least. For most of the book, you really don't see a point, and the last half its like "oh, so this is what's happening?" And I really hated that, I needed more to happen throughout the story. To make matters worse, I didn't really like any of the characters either.
Maybe it just wasn't my type of thriller and thats okay!
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster | S&S/Summit Books for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Maybe it just wasn't my type of thriller and thats okay!
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster | S&S/Summit Books for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
My thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advance copy of this book that is bit of travel, a bit of noir, a bit of classic literature, featuring people lost in themselves, in wanting more, in trying to forget in and of course in anger, an anger that threatens to engulf many others, including our narrator.
There are certain authors who have a style that is unique to themselves. A writing that seems timeless, so timeless that when reminders of the present day occur, the reader is surprised. Stories about characters trying to make sense of what they have done with their lives, or what has been done to them. Stories that seem familiar, and yet told in a way that is new. And not easily forgettable. Lawrence Osborne is one of these authors. Tales of old noir detectives, suddenly lucky gamblers, people on the run, usually set in places that Americans can't find without a GPS. Stories that are not easily forgotten, with characters that stay long after the pages end. This book is no exception. Children of Wolves by Lawrence Osborne is a story of privilege told from an outside observer, sent on a particular mission, but one that changes in ways even the narrator can't really understand.
Tyler is a private detective with a 60/40 clearance rate. Tyler is also tired of being a detective, though he has quite a bit of success doing overseas work. Which makes him perfect to take on a job for Knight, a wealthy pharmaceutical industrialist. Knight's daughter Chana is missing, maybe, or just wandering. Chana's mother was Turkish, so Knight thinks she might have fled. Tyler is sent to Turkey to find out, and while there pokes around with no real sense of urgency. Tyler has nothing to go back for. Eventually Tyler comes across someone who might be Chana in a resort, along with three other young people who seem to be together. Tyler was a child of prep schools, Groton in fact, and begins to ingratiate himself into the group. Chana is most fascinated with the fact that Tyler was schoolmates with the current American consul, and asks if he can arrange a meeting. As time passes, Tyler begins to wonder what Chana is running from, why her friends are so angry. And what his feelings for everything really are.
A book that has a bit of Patrica Highsmith's Ripley, a bit of Patrick Modiano detachment, and lost narrator, and bit of Robert Ludlum traveling espionage show. This is a book that might not be for all people. There is a lot of talk, a lot of self-awareness, and a lot of wondering where things might be going. Until they do. Timelessness is a good way to describe this book. When spy cameras, and apps on phones appear, it seems so surprising. This could be a story set in the 50's when America was beginning to realise there was a world out past the Atlantic, or even an Eric Ambler spy story from the 30's. Tyler is an interesting character, from Purgatory, Maine he likes to say, but is much more than that. The others have secrets, pasts that are painful reminders that even wealth doesn't buy happiness, nor the ability to forget.
Fans of Osborne will like this, though the pot seems kind of familiar from other books. However there is a lot of character development, and a lot more going on in the plot. Also Osborne is one of those authors that really puts a reader in the setting, sipping sugared coffees on verandas in Turkey, enjoying scenic walks, which makes one want to travel the world. An author who I will always look forward to reading.
There are certain authors who have a style that is unique to themselves. A writing that seems timeless, so timeless that when reminders of the present day occur, the reader is surprised. Stories about characters trying to make sense of what they have done with their lives, or what has been done to them. Stories that seem familiar, and yet told in a way that is new. And not easily forgettable. Lawrence Osborne is one of these authors. Tales of old noir detectives, suddenly lucky gamblers, people on the run, usually set in places that Americans can't find without a GPS. Stories that are not easily forgotten, with characters that stay long after the pages end. This book is no exception. Children of Wolves by Lawrence Osborne is a story of privilege told from an outside observer, sent on a particular mission, but one that changes in ways even the narrator can't really understand.
Tyler is a private detective with a 60/40 clearance rate. Tyler is also tired of being a detective, though he has quite a bit of success doing overseas work. Which makes him perfect to take on a job for Knight, a wealthy pharmaceutical industrialist. Knight's daughter Chana is missing, maybe, or just wandering. Chana's mother was Turkish, so Knight thinks she might have fled. Tyler is sent to Turkey to find out, and while there pokes around with no real sense of urgency. Tyler has nothing to go back for. Eventually Tyler comes across someone who might be Chana in a resort, along with three other young people who seem to be together. Tyler was a child of prep schools, Groton in fact, and begins to ingratiate himself into the group. Chana is most fascinated with the fact that Tyler was schoolmates with the current American consul, and asks if he can arrange a meeting. As time passes, Tyler begins to wonder what Chana is running from, why her friends are so angry. And what his feelings for everything really are.
A book that has a bit of Patrica Highsmith's Ripley, a bit of Patrick Modiano detachment, and lost narrator, and bit of Robert Ludlum traveling espionage show. This is a book that might not be for all people. There is a lot of talk, a lot of self-awareness, and a lot of wondering where things might be going. Until they do. Timelessness is a good way to describe this book. When spy cameras, and apps on phones appear, it seems so surprising. This could be a story set in the 50's when America was beginning to realise there was a world out past the Atlantic, or even an Eric Ambler spy story from the 30's. Tyler is an interesting character, from Purgatory, Maine he likes to say, but is much more than that. The others have secrets, pasts that are painful reminders that even wealth doesn't buy happiness, nor the ability to forget.
Fans of Osborne will like this, though the pot seems kind of familiar from other books. However there is a lot of character development, and a lot more going on in the plot. Also Osborne is one of those authors that really puts a reader in the setting, sipping sugared coffees on verandas in Turkey, enjoying scenic walks, which makes one want to travel the world. An author who I will always look forward to reading.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Set against a Turkish backdrop, from the sun-drenched coast to the bustling streets of Istanbul, we follow Tyler Sedgewick, a struggling American private investigator who is hired by billionaire James Knight to locate his estranged daughter, Chana, a privileged young woman who has disappeared after years of increasingly radical behaviour. He finds her at a five star resort, calling herself Aylin and living alongside three equally wealthy and disillusioned friends. The four of them are bound together by a troubled past at an elite reform school and now reject the lives their privilege has afforded them. They believe that a single dramatic act of political violence could alter the course of history. Rather than immediately reporting his success to her father, Tyler becomes fascinated by Aylin and allows himself to fall for her and get drawn into their intoxicating lifestyle. As the line between investigator and participant blurs, Tyler finds himself involved in a cat and mouse chase involving the four friends, American diplomats and Turkish intelligence officers.
So I THINK I enjoyed this book, but it was incredibly confusing and I don’t think I ever really worked out what the story was trying to be. I never really figured out where the plot was actually going as it kind of drifts between a missing persons investigation, political commentary, and psychological drama. I’m still not entirely convinced I know now I’ve finished.
Lawrence Osborne's writing is without a doubt impressive. His descriptions of Turkey are vivid and atmospheric, and he creates a real sense of being immersed in the setting. The characters are kind of intriguing, particularly Tyler, whose growing fascination with Aylin leads him into increasingly murky moral territory. I also enjoyed the exploration of privilege, ideology, and the way people can become consumed by a cause.
That being said, I do feel like the whole thing was incredibly verbose and so much of it comes across as unnecessarily drawn out. I often felt my attention wandering, particularly in places where the political musings went on for way longer than they needed to. There also seemed to be a fair amount of dialogue that never really added anything to what I was reading.
I think by the end I had a vague idea of what the author was trying to achieve, but I’m not entirely sure. I guess it was okay, I never felt like a DNF was imminent, but it definitely wasn't the book I was expecting it to be.
So I THINK I enjoyed this book, but it was incredibly confusing and I don’t think I ever really worked out what the story was trying to be. I never really figured out where the plot was actually going as it kind of drifts between a missing persons investigation, political commentary, and psychological drama. I’m still not entirely convinced I know now I’ve finished.
Lawrence Osborne's writing is without a doubt impressive. His descriptions of Turkey are vivid and atmospheric, and he creates a real sense of being immersed in the setting. The characters are kind of intriguing, particularly Tyler, whose growing fascination with Aylin leads him into increasingly murky moral territory. I also enjoyed the exploration of privilege, ideology, and the way people can become consumed by a cause.
That being said, I do feel like the whole thing was incredibly verbose and so much of it comes across as unnecessarily drawn out. I often felt my attention wandering, particularly in places where the political musings went on for way longer than they needed to. There also seemed to be a fair amount of dialogue that never really added anything to what I was reading.
I think by the end I had a vague idea of what the author was trying to achieve, but I’m not entirely sure. I guess it was okay, I never felt like a DNF was imminent, but it definitely wasn't the book I was expecting it to be.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A psychological thriller exploring the “depths of wealth, generational divides, and political rebellion.”
Four children from wealthy families are sent to a “strict, prestigious boarding school for troubled teenagers.” Their experiences there turns them into political disrupters - at any cost. A failing private investigator, Tyler Sedgwick, is hired to find, Chana, the daughter of a wealthy petrochemical billionaire, James Arthur Knight. Chana is one of those teenagers. She’s in Istanbul with her friends. Tyler is enchanted by Chana, instead of notifying her father, he strikes up a friendship with Chana who now goes by Aylin had led a life of “destructive anti-social behavior.” When Chana learns Tyler knows the American counsel, David Meltzer, a classmate from Groton, he obliged her with an introduction that leads to a surprising event.
Chana is a disagreeable, nasty character. I suppose that’s what you need to create if you want to show the dark underside of privilege and wealth. Frankly, in today’s America I think I’m living this story. Those four friends’s disillusionment comes from a lack of gratitude, I believe. I don’t I’ve come across a book with so many characters I abhorred. But what a writer to do that!
I did like my read, but I wasn’t satisfied by the ending. I think the book ended too soon - but as the Kirkus reviewer noted “ it begs for a sequel.”
My thanks to NetGalley and S&S/Summit Books for allowing me access to this ARC.
Four children from wealthy families are sent to a “strict, prestigious boarding school for troubled teenagers.” Their experiences there turns them into political disrupters - at any cost. A failing private investigator, Tyler Sedgwick, is hired to find, Chana, the daughter of a wealthy petrochemical billionaire, James Arthur Knight. Chana is one of those teenagers. She’s in Istanbul with her friends. Tyler is enchanted by Chana, instead of notifying her father, he strikes up a friendship with Chana who now goes by Aylin had led a life of “destructive anti-social behavior.” When Chana learns Tyler knows the American counsel, David Meltzer, a classmate from Groton, he obliged her with an introduction that leads to a surprising event.
Chana is a disagreeable, nasty character. I suppose that’s what you need to create if you want to show the dark underside of privilege and wealth. Frankly, in today’s America I think I’m living this story. Those four friends’s disillusionment comes from a lack of gratitude, I believe. I don’t I’ve come across a book with so many characters I abhorred. But what a writer to do that!
I did like my read, but I wasn’t satisfied by the ending. I think the book ended too soon - but as the Kirkus reviewer noted “ it begs for a sequel.”
My thanks to NetGalley and S&S/Summit Books for allowing me access to this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Sadly, I don't have much to say about this book. It is a story about the adventures of 4 privileged rich kids and a private investigator trying to uncover one of their secrets. Ironically, it felt mundane to me - but perhaps I am missing some critical component.
80% of the novel felt slow, then suddenly we are given insight as to what is actually going on between the four of them. It felt underwhelming, and I feel as though the author wants us to root for them. I didn't, but perhaps I couldn't relate to them at all.
To note to fellow thriller lovers out there, this isn't a typical thriller but more so an analysis of who each character is. This didn't land for me, but perhaps another may enjoy this more!
Thank you to Netgalley, Simon & Schuster, and Lawrence Osborne for sending over this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
80% of the novel felt slow, then suddenly we are given insight as to what is actually going on between the four of them. It felt underwhelming, and I feel as though the author wants us to root for them. I didn't, but perhaps I couldn't relate to them at all.
To note to fellow thriller lovers out there, this isn't a typical thriller but more so an analysis of who each character is. This didn't land for me, but perhaps another may enjoy this more!
Thank you to Netgalley, Simon & Schuster, and Lawrence Osborne for sending over this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Children of Wolves had a strong premise, but it never fully came together for me. The setting in Turkey was easily the standout, creating an atmospheric backdrop that kept me reading.
I was expecting more of a thriller, but it leaned much more into a slow character study. The pacing dragged, and I never really connected with the characters or felt invested in where the story was going.
It wasn't a terrible read, but it wasn't a memorable one either. If you enjoy slower, literary suspense with morally gray characters, you may have a better experience than I did.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was expecting more of a thriller, but it leaned much more into a slow character study. The pacing dragged, and I never really connected with the characters or felt invested in where the story was going.
It wasn't a terrible read, but it wasn't a memorable one either. If you enjoy slower, literary suspense with morally gray characters, you may have a better experience than I did.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Read
August 10, 2026"Children of Wolves" is a stylish, atmospheric thriller that mixes wealthy social circles, international intrigue, and a dangerous game of manipulation. Tyler’s decision to hide Chana from her powerful father pulls him deeper into a world where no one seems to be exactly who they claim, while the Turkish setting gives the story an exotic and unpredictable backdrop. The characters are morally complicated, and the tension builds as Chana’s plans become increasingly dangerous. Readers who enjoy thrillers filled with deception, privilege, and characters playing several sides at once will find this an intriguing read.
August 17, 2026
The first half is dreamy like a Sofia Coppola film and hides much from the reader. The action picks up when we learn more about Chana and are introduced to Yavuz the security officer. It's a compulsive read at that point and very much a novel the terminally online will be flattered by with discussion of Zizians and a few mentions of Bugmen. I never bought the gang of four as motivated or ideological enough to go where they did but maybe they are purposely elusive and Osborne wants us to wonder what it would look like if spiritually dead and checked out rich young westerners actually did something. If you've enjoyed any of Osborne's novels you'll like this too.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Not much to say about this one. The first part meanders around setting up an ending you know is coming. Not much suspense. The characters are all unlikeable rich kids behaving badly, but the reason they are that way is vague. The one positive is a good creation of the setting. 2 1/2 stars.
June 2, 2026
A well crafted twisting tale of a man hired to track down a rich man’s daughter that has all the glitz and glamour of traveling the world to escape something or someone…once the daughter is located; the job complete, you’d think it would be all over…
A book I read in a day.
A book I read in a day.
May 20, 2026
Thoroughly enjoyed this, an excellent novel.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews