First published 2013
Kaile dreams of making music in Zombay, where goblins roam the streets and witches cast spells. When a goblin presents her with a flute carved from bone, she eagerly accepts the gift. The instrument produces only one melancholy tune, but that single song triggers a catastrophic consequence: it splits Kaile from her shadow. In Zombay, people without shadows are deemed dead. Her family banishes her from their home, believing she has become a ghost. Kaile discovers the flute connects to a monstrous ghoul constructed from the bones of drowning victims in the Zombay River. This creature pursues her relentlessly while the river rises toward flood stage. Kaile and her separated shadow must master the flute's proper melody to defeat the ghoul and protect their city from destruction. The fate of Zombay rests on whether they can learn the correct tune before the flood arrives.
Genres: adventure, fantasy, magical-realism, young-adult
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: chosen-one, found-family
Setting: Zombay
177 pages · Kindle Edition · Margaret K. McElderry Books