The second young adult novel by Carla Salmon is an action-packed thriller set on a remote island. Five teens arrive a day early for their surf-lifesaving camp on Talmar Island and before the rest of the group. The three boys are camping on the beach, and the two girls are in tents at a campsite further inland. When the boys are woken up at 4am by a beam of light, they realise that a boat has anchored at their beach and the visitors aren’t friendly. As they run, the boys discover gold bullion buried in the sand and Alex rashly puts it in his backpack. This impulse decision has serious consequences: they are chased and shot at.

Separately, the two girls, Milly and Luna, wake up early and when the boys don’t turn up as planned, they decide to look for them. They meet up with a teenage girl who lives on the island and helps them, but they’re not sure they can trust her. They also discover a historical mystery about the last family who operated the lighthouse and two young people who disappeared many years ago, both presumed drowned.

Set over a period of 24 hours, this is a pacey adventure set in an Australian coastal scene that keeps you turning the pages rapidly. The dual voices of Alex and Luna provide different perspectives on the story, and with strong themes of friendship and loyalty, as well as a touch of romance, this is a compelling tale. Readers who enjoy it may also want to seek out Salmon’s novel with the same characters, We Saw What You Started. For ages 12+.