Saltwater by Elaine Thomson

Saltwater by Elaine Thomson

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

Elaine Thomson is a Scottish author, who has written several historical novels under the name E. S. Thomson. Her work has been longlisted for the CWA Endeavour Historical Dagger, and shortlisted for the Saltire Prize, the Scottish Arts Council First Book Award and the William McIlvanney Crime Book of the Year Award. Hawthorn is the first in a planned quartet of ghost stories, all set in Scotland during the four 'turning points' of the year: Samhain, midwinter, midsummer and the spring equinox. The second book in the series, Saltwater, is coming in 2026.

Elaine has a PhD in the social history of medicine, and works as a university lecturer by day, and writes by night. She lives in Edinburgh with her two sons.