Salt Water Blood by Manuia Heinrich
The sea calls to her––quite literally. Eighteen-year-old Moe is an Indigenous teen living in the Polynesian islands who can hear the prophetic thoughts of the ocean, Moana. She has been able to hear them for as long as she can remember, but has viewed them as a curse rather than a blessing. Moana sent her a vision in which she foresaw her father’s death and her mother’s abandonment of her and her younger brother, Tao. Now, whenever Moe hears Moana’s call, she puts on her headphones to drown out the visions and thoughts the ocean keeps trying to send her.
Moe and Tao plan to leave their home (and Moana) behind in three days' time…until Tao is found, unconscious and covered in his girlfriend Sabine’s blood, with Sabine missing and Tao unable to remember the previous night’s events. Quickly, the siblings’ plan to leave the island is brought to an immediate halt as Tao becomes suspect number one in Sabine’s disappearance.
When Tao is imprisoned by the corrupt local police force, Moe decides she––along with the assistance of her long-time crush, Temenea––will find Sabine and clear Tao’s name. Together, Moe and Temenea search the island for clues, unearthing old stories that lead to new truths. But when Sabine is found dead and Tao is charged with her murder, it’s a race against the clock to discover who really hurt Sabine and is framing Tao. Suspects and motives abound on the island are plentiful, especially when Moe and Temenea start uncovering secrets that some residents are desperate to keep buried.
To free her brother, Moe must answer Moana’s call, even if it puts her own life at risk. Those who have been chosen to hear the call of Moana and the forest, Aru, often go mad or are targeted with violence for their abilities. It’s one of the reasons Moe is desperate for herself and her brother to leave the island––another of which is the environmental damage wrought long ago by the French government and their bomb testing programs. Moe has seen dozens of friends and family become sick and die from exposure to the French government’s reckless desecration of the island, even as so-called “scientific reports” continue to absolve France of any wrongdoing.
SALT WATER BLOOD by Manuia Heinrich is an OwnVoices debut thriller that leaves readers on the edge of their seats. The novel moves at a breakneck pace, keeping me hooked from the opening, ominous pages. Teen readers will undoubtedly enjoy this novel, and has great crossover appeal to adults who love fast-paced mysteries.
I loved reading about Moe’s journey to save herself, her people, and her brother. It’s a powerful story of anger, vengeance, love, and family. No moment is wasted, and the novel beautifully balances mystery, romance, and social justice. The commentary on France’s longstanding colonialist violence against Pacific Islanders was expertly interwoven with the mystery and is incredibly timely.
SALT WATER BLOOD is available on November 17th, 2026, from Sarah Barley Books. Thank you to Simon & Schuster for sending along an advance copy in exchange for an honest review!
Review by Hannah Martian; editing and photography by Akira Park.
Comments