All Alva Douglas wants is to survive long enough to escape her Scottish Highland home. Seven years ago, Da killed Mam. Since that time Alva has lived by a set of rules she created to protect herself. Now, the day when she can secretly escape her small village draws closer; soon she'll be safely away from her father and the scornful locals. Unfortunately, fate has other plans for the 16-year-old. Human greed is causing the loch levels to lower at an astonishing rate, setting free the òlanfhuil, terrifying, ancient creatures who have been hidden away for centuries. Alva has always known that her father is the Naomhfhuil, or caretaker of the loch. When his crime is finally exposed and Da is at last arrested for Mam's murder, Alva reluctantly steps into his role, fulfilling the Naomhfhuil's true purpose: to protect the village from the bloodthirsty òlanfhuil. Narrator Alva is a hero readers will get behind: She is a decisive, take-charge fighter who presses on when she discovers that everything she believed is a lie. The book takes place in an unnamed bygone era, and rich descriptions imbue both the setting and action with cinematic intensity. The characters, especially the almost impossible-to-kill òlanfhuil, who are described in nightmarish detail, come alive on the page. The only thing missing is a Highland bagpipes soundtrack. Assume Whiteness for all characters. Skin-tingling, blood-curdling horror perfect for reading by firelight. (Horror. 14-17) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Sixteen-year-old Alva Douglas is biding her time until she can flee the tiny cottage in the Scottish Highlands she shares with her father. Her father is the Naomhfhuil (caretaker of the loch), a sacred, legacy position from the time when the villagers worshipped the loch gods--gods that, according to legend, were killed by an earthquake centuries ago. Alva and her father are unwelcome in the village, but they take their duty seriously, so Alva doesn't understand why her father hasn't reported the loch's disastrously low level. She ignores her disquiet, planning her escape--until she finds past caretakers' secret chronicles and villagers start to disappear. Salisbury's scary, emotional thriller is set in an undefined historical period, rich with atmospheric detail. Alva is a smart, take-charge survivalist, despite experiencing vulnerability, and her two male friends are equally compelling. The slow reveal of the truth--the nature of the loch gods and Alva's family's connection to them--is heartbreaking and terrifying. From the arresting beginning to its tragic end, this is an excellent horror novel.

For seven years, Alva Douglas has known what the residents of Ormscaula only suspect: that her father, Lachlan, killed her mother. Da claims that Mam abandoned them, but Alva heard the gunshots and has lived in fear ever since. When she turns 16, Alva secures a job in Thurso and arranges to stow away on the next mail cart. Before she can carry out her plan, though, terrifying creatures called òlanfhuil begin emerging from caves exposed by the loch's dropping water level--a consequence of the local mill's expansion. As the loch's caretaker, or Naomhfhuil, it's Lachlan's duty to warn the villagers and convince the mill's owner--his nemesis, Giles Stewart--to cease operations. Alva quickly realizes that her father has no intention of doing either, however, and she resolves to save the day with the aid of fellow outcast Murren Ross, who was born with a "twisted leg," and Giles' son, Gavan. After a setup-heavy start, Salisbury (the State of Sorrow duology) launches readers headlong into a harrowing Scottish Highlands--set historical horror rife with monsters both literal and metaphorical. Keenly rendered characters, high-stakes action, and tender romance keep the pages turning until the tale's heartrending close. Ages 12--up. (Jan.)