These are the elements of the holy trinity that a great story begins with and, I’m delighted to say, qualities Carla Salmon has nailed in her debut YA novel, We Saw What You Started.
Nightmares
don’t need passports … lines
like this set up a delicious air of intrigue and uncomfortable concern. What is
it exactly that US teen, Otto is fleeing from? How does it influence his
assimilation into his new Aussie coastal home in Red Sands and how will his
past implicate his future?
Salmon
deftly sows seeds of secrecy, while plunging the reader headfirst into a dire
and dangerous situation; an unchecked bushfire. Now, any Aussie worth their
salt knows this is not the sort of calamity to mess around with and yet as we
dive deeper into this story, the threat of fire occurs, again and again.
Otto is not the only one affected. Enter Milly and her family, local life saving legends. Milly is a fabulous foil to the brooding, introspective Otto. Smart and sassy, Milly is no slouch when it comes to speaking her mind or surfing the waves. She is confident and charismatic and yet labours in the shadow of her brother, Jasper.
Laden
with angst and frustration, the injustices Milly feels whenever her father shows
preference for Jasper over her, drives her to despair. That is until she
recognises something of a kindred spirit in Otto.
Despite
being a strong contender for the Red Sands Surf Championships himself, Otto
suddenly becomes the town’s number one suspect for the string of arson attacks.
He is also clueless as to how he can clear his name, prove his allegiance to Milly
and her father while uncovering the true culprit.
As
the ugliness ramps up, so too do the feelings Milly and Otto have for each
other. Playing detectives while training for the biggest surf carnival of the
season, Milly and Otto form an informal alliance but in doing so have to face
some disturbing realities. Could the culprit be Milly’s own brother, Jasper?
What if more than just priceless surfboards and property fall victim to the ravages
of this mysterious pyromaniac?
This
is a gutsy crossover mystery suited to tweens and teens teetering on
teenagerhood. Screens are suitably smoky and red herrings are obliging thrown,
with enough vigour to keep readers guessing and turning pages right until the
dramatic end.
Lovers
of the ocean who relish thrilling mysteries sprinkled with a little real-life
infatuation will surf delightedly through this tale that touches on fitting in,
self-esteem, friendship and that awful human trait, jealousy.
A ripping coming-of-age-tale with plenty of high-octane buzz, We Saw What You
Started, is a dinky-di winner.
Title: We Saw What You Started
Author: Carla Salmon
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia, $19.99
Publication Date: July 2025
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781761566790
For ages: 13+
Type: Young Adult Fiction
