A Black Fox Running

There is a possibility with animal stories that they will lurch into sentimentality, but there is no risk of that with this visceral book. Set in the wild folds of Dartmoor and first published in 1981, it has been reprinted by Bloomsbury for adults rather than children. This is the story of Wulfgar the fox, told from nose level. Its thrilling plot veers from the gutsy protagonist and his mate Teg, to their nemesis Scoble the trapper and his horrible dog. The descriptions range from violent to exquisite, and it’s an intense and transporting read. Miriam Darlington Nature writer