Song of the Saltings

In the isolated island of Brack, the people live by an ancient bargain: every year, a sacrifice must be made to the Glimm, the creature that haunts the salt marshes.

Eight years after the monster spared her, 16-year-old Lotta tends the Council's sacrificial horses and keeps her distance from the villagers who whisper about her fate.

But something is stirring. The island is dying. It hums beneath her feet, and a song threads through her dreams. Is the Glimm calling Lotta back?

A chance encounter with Moss, a village outcast, will change both their lives, and the fate of the island, forever.

To uncover Brack's deepest secrets, Lotta and Moss will need to trust each other and risk everything they hold dear.

Because on Brack, monsters come in many forms.

Perfect for YA readers looking for:
- Folk horror fantasy like The Scorpio Races
- Excitement, passion and danger
- A strong heroic female character
- A read that will have you on the edge of your seat

Rachael King is a writer, reviewer, former literary festival director and ex-bass player living in Otautahi Christchurch. Her novels for young people include The Grimmelings, which has won several awards and is published worldwide; the Violet and the Velvets series, inspired by her time as a teenage bass player; and Secrets at Red Rocks, which won the Esther Glen Medal in 2013 (as Red Rocks) and was relaunched to coincide with a television adaptation released on Sky/Neon in March 2025. her first novel for young adults.

Rachael was named Best Reviewer at the Voyager New Zealand Media Awards in 2023, received a Waitangi Day Honour Award for her work at WORD Christchurch in 2020, and was awarded the 2025 Frank Sargeson Fellowship. She sometimes writes for adults too.

Age: From 13 years

Paperback, 336 pages

H: 234mm W: 153mm

Weight: 386 grams