Save Our Souls: The True Story of a Castaway Family, Treachery, and Murder

From the bestselling author of The Taking of Jemima Boone, the unbelievable true story of a real-life Swiss Family Robinson (and their dog) who faced sharks, shipwreck, and betrayal in this gripping work of narrative nonfiction.

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 vessel in two and leaving those onboard 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 could quickly educate 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 like a stroke of luck to have the mysterious man’s assistance became something ominous, something darker in this incredible survival story.

Like David Grann and Stacy Schiff, Matthew Pearl unveils one of the most incredible yet little-known historical true stories of 19th-century adventure, and the only known instance in history of an actual family of castaways. Save Our Souls asks us to consider who we might become if we found ourselves trapped on a deserted island.

• A True Story of Survival at Sea: Follows the Walker family—a captain, his wife, their three sons, and their dog—as a violent storm splits their vessel in two, leaving them at the mercy of the unforgiving Pacific.
• Deserted Island Mystery: After washing ashore, their hopes are raised by a mysterious castaway named Hans. But his secrets and strange behavior soon turn their miraculous rescue into something far more sinister.
• Shipwreck and Betrayal: Based on an unbelievable but little-known historical event, this chronicle of endurance explores the dark side of human nature when all rules of society disappear.
• Meticulously Researched History: Perfect for fans of David Grann and Stacy Schiff, this immersive account unveils the only known instance of a real-life family of castaways surviving against all odds.