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Table of Contents
About The Book
Her mother vanished into the sea. The villagers said she belonged to it.
Orkney Islands, 1695.
Malie has spent her life haunted by the story of her mother's disappearance. According to local legend, she was one of the seal-folk—mythical women who shed their skins to live among humans before answering the sea's irresistible call.
Now married and expecting her first child, Malie is determined to live the safe, predictable life expected of her. But beneath the surface, a restless longing stirs. Drawn to the wild waters surrounding her island home, she begins to question everything she has been taught about duty, freedom, and the woman she is meant to be.
As the grip of a harsh and unforgiving world tightens around her, Malie finds herself pulled towards the mystery of her mother's fate—and the untamed wildness within herself.
Rich in Scottish folklore, history, and atmosphere, The Woman in the Seal Skin is a haunting tale of grief, motherhood, resilience, and the enduring power of the sea.
Orkney Islands, 1695.
Malie has spent her life haunted by the story of her mother's disappearance. According to local legend, she was one of the seal-folk—mythical women who shed their skins to live among humans before answering the sea's irresistible call.
Now married and expecting her first child, Malie is determined to live the safe, predictable life expected of her. But beneath the surface, a restless longing stirs. Drawn to the wild waters surrounding her island home, she begins to question everything she has been taught about duty, freedom, and the woman she is meant to be.
As the grip of a harsh and unforgiving world tightens around her, Malie finds herself pulled towards the mystery of her mother's fate—and the untamed wildness within herself.
Rich in Scottish folklore, history, and atmosphere, The Woman in the Seal Skin is a haunting tale of grief, motherhood, resilience, and the enduring power of the sea.
About The Author
credit to come
Lauren Keegan is an author and psychologist living on Dharawal and Gundungurra Country (Wollondilly, New South Wales). She has worked in perinatal and infant mental health for fifteen years, has two young girls and drinks more tea than is sensible. She is the author of All the Bees in the Hollows, which was voted Best Debut Fiction at the 2025 Indie Book Awards and longlisted for the ARA Historical Novel Prize 2025. This is her second novel.
Product Details
- Publisher: Affirm Press (March 31, 2026)
- Length: 352 pages
- ISBN13: 9781761822452
Raves and Reviews
‘Heartache and loneliness take centre stage in this 17th century tale as Keegan, a psychologist, explores loss, family, misogyny, violence and the search for truth through the eyes of a woman unwilling to let go of the wild streak she inherited.’
– QWeekend
'Slides beneath your skin and hooks you completely.'
– Madeleine Cleary
'At once both treacherous and tender.'
– Kell Woods
Resources and Downloads
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Book Cover Image (jpg): The Woman in the Seal Skin
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Author Photo (jpg): Lauren Keegan credit to come(0.1 MB)
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