Delia Owens

Biography

Delia Owens (born 1949) spent decades as a wildlife scientist in Africa before writing fiction. She co-wrote three nonfiction books about her research in Zambia and Botswana before turning to fiction in her late sixties. Where the Crawdads Sing was published when she was 69 and became one of the fastest-selling debut novels in publishing history — over 15 million copies as of 2023. The novel draws directly from her scientific expertise: every bird, insect, and plant is rendered with field-guide accuracy. She grew up in the American South, which grounds the social and historical texture of Barkley Cove.

Delia Owens at a glance