Salt Water Blood

by Manuia Heinrich

An Indigenous teen fights to clear her brother of a murder charge by embracing her gift of hearing the sea’s prophetic thoughts in this debut young adult speculative thriller that’s Firekeeper’s Daughter meets Moana.

Eighteen-year-old Moe hears the sea’s prophetic thoughts. Not just hear them—she feels them. That’s how she experienced her father’s death before he did and how she felt her mother’s relief when she abandoned Moe and her younger brother, Tao, months later.

So when the sea warns Moe that Tao will drown, she’s determined to get in fate’s way and soon secures them a way off their island home. But those plans are ruined when Tao’s girlfriend goes missing and Tao is found where she was last seen…with blood on his hands—and no memory of what happened.

Moe will do anything she can to clear her brother’s name, even if it means swallowing her pride and teaming up with her annoyingly clever school rival, Temanea. Even if it means relying on the sea’s prophecies.

Because her dreaded gift may be the only way to save her brother—and uncover a sickness lurking in their community before it poisons them all.

Genres: Young Adult, Thriller, Fantasy, Mystery

368 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication November 17, 2026

About the author

Manuia Heinrich is a writer of Tahitian and Chinese heritage. She holds a PhD in Pacific Studies and is an alumna of the We Need Diverse Books and New Zealand Society of Authors mentorship programs. She also cofounded Pacific Islanders in Publishing, a non-profit dedicated to amplifying Pacific Islanders’ voices. Salt Water Blood is her debut YA novel, forthcoming from Sarah Barley Books (S&S/NA) and Allen & Unwin (ANZ) in 2026. She lives with her family in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Reviews

[Heihei · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely enchanting, perfect for people who love a good thriller with romantic undertones, humour and a bit of history. The storyline had me sat and I finished this book in 1 sitting. This is definitely one of my new favourite books and Temanea reminds me of Kenji from shatter me. Really recommend for hopeless romantic girls too.

[rachel x]

"Pitched for fans of Firekeeper's Daughter and Moana, Salt Water Blood is a speculative YA thriller following an older sister who is able to hear the sea's prophetic thoughts and must race against time to clear her brother's name before he's blamed for his girlfriend's disappearance and eventual murder. The mystery is set against the backdrop of mounting tension over the impact of France's nuclear testing on the people of Ma'ohi Nui (French Polynesia)."