Slippery Beast: A True Crime Natural History, with Eels

Shell (A Child’s Place), a professor of science journalism at Boston University, delves into the international eel market with rigorous research and welcome humor in this beguiling account. Among other startling trivia, she notes that there are more than 800 varieties of eels, that they have survived for 200 million years and live in the waters of six continents, and that they comprise a $5 billion industry. Interviews with colorful industry figures including Sara Rademaker, who runs the only sustainable eel farm in the U.S., reveal more fascinating facts about the “slippery beasts.” For example, how eels navigate to their spawning sites remains a mystery, as does the most efficient method for breeding them in captivity. Other memorable sections feature a Maine fisherman known as the “Eel Godfather,” who spent time in prison for poaching, and shine a light on the worldwide illegal eel trade, which is led by Chinese smugglers and the yakuza, the latter of whom account for nearly 40% of all eel sales in Japan. Throughout, Shell balances her meticulous reporting with a sly appreciation for the absurdity of her subject and a novelist’s gift for characterization. Fans of Susan Orlean will love this. Agent: Michael Carlisle, InkWell Management. (Aug.)