In the Company of Whales: a novel

by Judy Taylor

Her small town had no idea who she was until she gave herself away.

Washed-up punk rocker Carla Peterson went from performing for rowdy drunks in dive bars to living paycheck to paycheck in a tiny town in the Pacific Northwest, serving coffee and homemade pies to people who side-eye her leather stompers and heavy eyeliner. She can barely keep her head above water, let alone afford a bus ticket to anywhere else.

In a town where nothing happens, a pod of orcas disrupts all that by becoming trapped in the inlet near the coffee shop. The most Carla has helped any animal is moving a spider out of harm's way and caring for an elderly lady's sweet dog. This is way out of her league, but she just can't let go of it. Carla risks her job--and her life--protecting the whales from unruly tourists swarming in for a closer look.

With the orcas running out of time, Carla must find her voice and fight the local authorities who couldn't care less. She's used to going it alone, but with the support of the community, she's finding a strength she didn't know she had.

If she can save the whales, she might also save herself.

Heartwarming and inspiring, In the Company of Whales is about the power of friendship, finding your purpose, and making your own second chances. Based on true events, a gripping tale of courage and determination with a hero you can cheer for.

321 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 2, 2026

Reviews

[J. Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story of Carla and her journey that accompanies that of the orca whales that pull her into helping them. The whales meandered into an inlet in the small-ish town near Puget Sound and then stayed, stuck. No one is sure why. And this is Carla, too. She is stuck. She has a tough history with her junkie mother and is barely getting by with a low-paying job as a baker/unrecognized manager in a coffee shop. She has strong, prickly self-defensive behavior, but she doesn't miss the signs to help both her and the whales find their way again.
One of the biggest strengths of this novel is its authenticity. Carla reacts to so many situations in the same way many do when they worry about making rent or paying the phone, water, or electricity bill. The other characters react and act in kind (wait until you meet Elizabeth!) due to their own histories. I love so much how Taylor captured the realness within each character and how they all interconnected.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an engaging and compelling underdog story! Carla is a washed-up punker stuck at a poorly paid job not quite covering her bills. She loves finding lost things, and inadvertently ends up caring for an old woman’s runaway dog while she can barely afford to feed herself. But for Carla, animals always come first. When a pod of orcas ends up in Puget Sound Inlet for too long, she is compelled to do what she can to keep them from starving to death.

But Carla is a nobody in a nobody job with no friends or family. Yet as much as Carla pushes people away, her innate kindness draws people to her and she finds herself not quite as alone or helpless as she first believes. We’re rooting for Carla and the orcas through this absorbing story. It’s based on real events from 1997-https://judymtaylor.com/newsletter-ar...
If you love animals, you’ll love Carla and this book.

[Kath · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘In the Company of Whales’ is one of those books you want to read quickly to see what happens next, and also read slowly to savor each moment. Carla loves animals of all kinds, checking the paper each morning for missing pet notices, and searching for them each afternoon after her baking shift at the Coffee Spot. People, however, are not her thing, and she has learned the only person she can rely on is herself. But when she finds the lost dog Gizmo and meets his owner, and then helps a whale researcher when 19 whales swim into Dyes Inlet, cracks in her self isolation appear. Will Carla learn to see herself in a new light, or retreat into her lonely and disheveled past? Will the whales stay in the inlet or find their way out? Read ‘In the Company of Whales’ and find out!

[Pam Neuenfeldt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sit back and let this book tell you a story of development and redemption.

Carla is an alternative character who has the same sensitivities and wishes as many of us, but with challenges and situations not ordinarily experienced by most.

The trapped orcas’ story is based on true events in real places around Puget Sound. Unless you had witnessed it or studied whale behavior you’d wonder how they could be in such a predicament.

Ms. Taylor’s writing is clear and vividly descriptive. It held my attention and interest straight through to the end.

‘In the Company of Whales’ is heartwarming and suspenseful as well as educational for nature lovers and hopefuls for our own human nature.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story and highly recommend the book for all.

[Bridget O'Gara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Judy Taylor has written one of my favorite kinds of novels: In the Company of Whales is rooted in a true event, yet vividly reimagined. The real-life incident occurred in October 1997, when nineteen orcas became trapped in a Puget Sound inlet during their annual migration. Carla, the novel’s protagonist, is a former punk-rock musician barely scraping by as a waitress. She finds her coworkers and customers irritating, her neighbor strange, and her mother untrustworthy—she prefers animals to people. The whales’ arrival thrusts Carla into unfamiliar challenges and dangerous situations. She ultimately learns to trust herself and finally opens her heart to others. Taylor’s descriptions of the Pacific Northwest, and of the orcas navigating its waters, are stunning. In the Company of Whales is an excellent novel that I wholeheartedly recommend.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carla is a rough around the edges ex-punk rocker barely making ends meet in a dead-end job, but she still looks out for lost animals. Just as it seems like her luck sinks to a new low, her natural kindness and love of animals help her move beyond her comfort zone into a new life.
The story unfolds at a good pace, with dynamic scenes of the ocean and the orcas that make you feel you are there with her (or wish you were!).
If you love animals and happy endings, I highly recommend reading this book.

[Angela Lillie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deep under the rough exterior, Carla is a really kind person. I wanted so much for her colleagues to see the good in Carla, like I, as a reader saw her.

The author made it feel like the Orcas came and had a mission just for Carla, and helped Carla see things differently, and become aware of what a smart and, actually very caring and feeling, young person she is.

I couldn't wait to see how it ended, yet at the same time, I didn't want to leave the world of Carla and the Orcas.

[Alison]

Carla has about hit bottom. Her dead-end job doesn’t pay enough to live on, her car won’t start, and the horoscope doesn’t promise anything better. Then she sees the orcas. Based on the true story of a pod of orcas trapped in a Puget Sound inlet, In the Company of Whales is a well-written story of a young woman who finds herself as she works to save the orcas’ lives.

[Justin P · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really well written book that keeps you wanting to absorb page after page. Carla’s development and arc kept me captivated the entire read. I also loved the imagery as I could picture everywhere described in the book as it takes place in my neck-of-the-woods. Overall, well written and I will be recommending this book to my family and friends!

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

She is about to have a battle to save a group of orcas that are stranded. I was quickly pulled in to the tales as I love orcas and I would be like her. I would do anything to save them from those who just want to touch them. A wonderful story
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and a wonderful tale