The dreadful decision on whether or not to terminate the life of a loved one is at the heart of Jodi Picoult’s new novel Lone Wolf. It features Luke Baxter, a man driven by his desire to explore the lives of wolves. His decision to leave his wife and children for two years to live with a pack leads to divorce and the break-up of the family. When Luke suffers irreparable brain damage in a car crash, his son Edward, on the advice of doctors, takes the decision to terminate his life. He knows Luke wished to be an organ donor and that in wolf society he would be allowed to die. Edward’s sister Cara, however, is racked with guilt and takes Edward to court for attempted murder.

Picoult is a multi-award-winning US author of 19 novels including Sing You Home, My Sister’s Keeper, Nineteen Minutes, Change of Heart and Handle with Care. She has won wide praise for her compelling works, which combine huge readability with thought-provoking reflections on the human condition.  My Sister’s Keeper has been turned into a major film starring Cameron Diaz and Abigail Breslin. We are delighted that she is flying in from the States especially to be with us at the festival.