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Saltwater by Elaine Thomson

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Saltwater

Publisher
Little, Brown Book Group
Publish Date
18 June 2026
Run Time
8 hours 34 minutes
Format
Audiobook
$13.95

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What to expect

For fans of Michelle Paver and Sarah Waters, the second in a quartet of exquisitely haunting ghost stories set in the wilds of Scotland.

The Isle of Stroma, 1896. Tom Torrance has been sent to oversee the completion of a new lighthouse, which will guide ships through one of the most dangerous stretches of water in the United Kingdom. The construction so far has been plagued by difficulties, giving rise to superstitious whisperings amongst the men, but Tom is a man of sense and science. He will not be cowed by stories of hauntings and bad omens.

Yet Tom is unprepared for the conditions on the island: the isolation and delirium of the endless summer nights. He soon learns that the real dangers on the island have nothing to do with the wild waves. There are some problems that science cannot answer, and some threats so ancient and strange, that nothing can keep them at bay.

PRAISE FOR ELAINE THOMSON
'I was so impressed by Hawthorn' MICHELLE PAVER, author of Dark Matter
'Delightfully brooding and gloriously gothic' CJ COOKE, author of The Book of Witching
'A hugely entertaining and evocative treat' BRIDGET COLLINS, author of The Binding
'A new classic' SARA SHERIDAN, author of The Fair Botanists
'The best Scottish ghost story of the 21st Century so far' HERALD
'A wonderfully atmospheric ghost story' 5* NETGALLEY REVIEW
'A truly haunting tale, beautifully written' 5* NETGALLEY REVIEW

Critics Review

  • Very satisfying indeed [...] Although this is a novel of haars, mists, and tricks of the mind, what is most admirable is its clarity of vision

    Scotsman

  • A satisfyingly old-fashioned ghost story, but Thomson still manages to keep a sense of surprise alive throughout.

    Herald

User Reviews

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Details

Author
Elaine Thomson
Narrator
Lorne MacNaughton
Duration
8 hours 34 minutes
Release Date
18 June 2026
ISBN
9781405569262
Format
Audiobook
Publisher
Little, Brown Book Group
Genre
Ghosts and poltergeists

Synopsis

For fans of Michelle Paver and Sarah Waters, the second in a quartet of exquisitely haunting ghost stories set in the wilds of Scotland.The Isle of Stroma, 1896. Tom Torrance has been sent to oversee the completion of a new lighthouse, which will guide ships through one of the most dangerous stretches of water in the United Kingdom. The construction so far has been plagued by difficulties, giving rise to superstitious whisperings amongst the men, but Tom is a man of sense and science. He will not be cowed by stories of hauntings and bad omens. Yet Tom is unprepared for the conditions on the island: the isolation and delirium of the endless summer nights. He soon learns that the real dangers on the island have nothing to do with the wild waves. There are some problems that science cannot answer, and some threats so ancient and strange, that nothing can keep them at bay.PRAISE FOR ELAINE THOMSON'I was so impressed by Hawthorn' MICHELLE PAVER, author of Dark Matter'Delightfully brooding and gloriously gothic' CJ COOKE, author of The Book of Witching 'A hugely entertaining and evocative treat' BRIDGET COLLINS, author of The Binding 'A new classic' SARA SHERIDAN, author of The Fair Botanists'The best Scottish ghost story of the 21st Century so far' HERALD 'A wonderfully atmospheric ghost story' 5* NETGALLEY REVIEW'A truly haunting tale, beautifully written' 5* NETGALLEY REVIEW

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