Daughters Of The Tide: The Gorgeously Atmospheric 2026 Debut That Explores Secrets And Selkies In 1920s Tasmania

Daughters of the Tide by Arianne James is a spellbinding debut of historical fiction shot through with selkie folklore and a distinctly Tasmanian gothic mood, perfect for readers who like their stories salt-stung, lyrical and quietly unsettling.

Set in 1923 on Tasmania’s edge-of-the-world coastline, it follows Isla Findlay, living in a rambling seaside mansion where the family past is thick with rumour, grief and the lingering suggestion of madness. When an estranged aunt returns home, Isla’s childhood selkie tales begin to press back into her life—through vivid dreams, half-remembered warnings, and a melody she can’t quite escape. As old secrets surface, Isla, her mother and her aunt are forced to face what was buried, and what the sea might be asking of them.

Ideal for fans of atmospheric Australian fiction, women’s stories, and folklore retellings with dark family secrets.

Step into the tide and see what waits beneath the song.