Penguin Random House USA The Mires Roman

Three women give birth in different countries and decades, then become neighbours in a coastal town in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Single parent Keri manages four-year-old Walty and teenager Wairere, a gifted child drawn to the waters of indigenous wetlands. Sera and her family arrive as refugees from ecological devastation in Europe, while Janet, an older white woman, shares strong opinions about everything. When Janet’s adult son Conor returns home with a fresh buzzcut and a disturbing tattoo, the community senses something dangerous brewing—an unknown threat that only Wairere can feel, along with the swamp beneath their street, watching and waiting. Water, both life-giving and deadly, threads through the narrative as a powerful symbol and a force shaping choices and loyalties.

The novel blends intimate family stories with a suspenseful coastal setting, exploring resilience, belonging, and the impact of ecological upheaval. It portrays communities in flux, the complexities of refugee experiences, and the fragile balance between neighbors who must confront hidden dangers together.

• Three women, different backgrounds, years of birth
• Coastal town setting in Aotearoa, New Zealand
• Refugee family from ecological devastation in Europe
• Wairere is a gifted child connected to wetlands
• Conor’s return brings a troubling, escalating tension

• Water as life and as death, a recurring motif