The Saltman's Secret
A boy who notices everything. A missing man. And a secret buried in the salt country of New Zealand.
Marlborough, New Zealand. 1956.
Fourteen-year-old Tommy Sullivan has always understood machines better than schoolbooks. He can mend almost anything, recognise a locomotive by its sound and count railway wagons without missing a beat.
But one ordinary morning, something about a passing goods train doesn't seem quite right.
Seven wagons. He's certain.
Then a respected worker at the nearby Lake Grassmere saltworks disappears after questioning suspicious freight records. Suddenly, Tommy's innocent observations become part of a mystery that threatens to tear his close-knit community apart.
With his loyal best mate Hemi beside him, Tommy begins noticing things the adults would rather dismiss. Strange deliveries. Altered documents. Whispered conversations. And a powerful local businessman who seems to know far more than he's willing to admit.
As suspicion spreads and innocent families find themselves under scrutiny, Tommy discovers that asking the wrong questions can have frightening consequences.
Soon, the danger reaches his own front door.
Set against the windswept salt ponds, rural railway lines and hardworking communities of 1950s Marlborough, The Saltman's Secret is a richly atmospheric historical mystery filled with friendship, courage, humour, family loyalty and the quiet strength of ordinary people.
Sometimes the smallest detail reveals the biggest secret.
Perfect for readers who enjoy character-driven historical mysteries, small-town intrigue and heartfelt New Zealand fiction.
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