Save Our Souls

The True Story of a Castaway Family, Treachery, and Murder

Author:	Matthew Pearl
Published:	2026
Format:	Paperback, 272 pages
Size:	203 × 135 × 18 mm

£10⁹⁹

Tax included

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1887 shipwreck and survival on a remote island

The true account of the Walker family's ordeal after the wreck of the Wandering Minstrel, their struggle for survival, and the dark secrets of a mysterious castaway.

From the bestselling author of The Taking of Jemima Boone, the fascinating true tale of a real-life Swiss Family Robinson (and their dog) who faced sharks, shipwreck, and betrayal.

'Oh, what a story! Matthew Pearl tells it, this dark tale of the 1887 wreck of the Wandering Minstrel, with flair and aplomb; transfixingly brilliant.'
– Simon Winchester, New York Times bestselling author of Knowing What We Know

On December 10, 1887, a shark-fishing boat disappeared. On board the doomed vessel were the Walkers—the ship's captain, Frederick; his wife, Elizabeth; their three teenage sons; and their dog—along with the ship's crew. The family had spotted a promising fishing location when a terrible storm arose, splitting their craft in two and leaving those on board adrift on the perilous sea.

When the castaways awoke the next morning, they discovered they had been washed ashore—on an island inhabited by a large but ragged and emaciated man who introduced himself as Hans. Hans appeared to have been there for a while and quickly educated the Walkers and their crew on the island's resources. But Hans had a secret . . . and as the Walker family gradually came to learn more, what seemed to be a stroke of luck to have the mysterious man's assistance became something ominous, something darker.

Matthew Pearl unveils one of the most unusual yet little-known historical true stories and asks us to consider: who might we become if we found ourselves trapped on a deserted island?