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In the spirit of Station Eleven and California, award-winning novelist Holly Goddard Jones offers a literary spin on the dystopian genre with this gripping story of survival and humanity about a group of adrenaline junkies who jump "the Salt Line."
How far will they go for their freedom--once they decide what freedom really means?
In an unspecified future, the United States' borders have receded behind a salt line--a ring of scorched earth that protects its citizens from deadly disease-carrying ticks. Those within the zone live safe, if limited, lives in a society controlled by a common fear. Few have any reason to venture out of zone, except for the adrenaline junkies who pay a fortune to tour what's left of nature. Those among the latest expedition include a popstar and his girlfriend, Edie; the tech giant Wes; and Marta; a seemingly simple housewife.
Once out of zone, the group find themselves at the mercy of deadly ticks--and at the center of a murderous plot. They become captives in Ruby City, a community made up of outer-zone survivors determined to protect their hardscrabble existence. As alliances and friendships shift amongst the hostages, Edie, Wes, and Marta must decide how far they are willing to go to get to the right side of the salt line.
PRAISE FOR THE SALT LINE
"The Salt Line is a ‘literary thriller’ that manages to fulfill each side of that phrase with admirable vigor. It's both gripping and emotionally resonant, both suspenseful and heartfelt. Holly Goddard Jones has a true storyteller’s instinct for suspense, along with a deep gift for empathy. She’ll make your heart race as you turn the pages, and then she’ll crack it open a little before she’s through.” -- Scott Smith, author of The Ruins and A Simple Plan
"With this intense, arrestingly vivid fever dream, Holly Goddard Jones fully realizes a completely original and wholly terrifying dystopian nightmare. Jones's wild, ventriloquist talent unfurls in this novel like never before. Each magnetic character in The Salt Line is boldly alive to the novel's world, at once monstrous, uncanny, and yet entirely ours." -- Claire Vaye Watkins, author of Gold Fame Citrus and Battleborn
“Jones' darkly clever worldbuilding creates a nightmare that seems far from unthinkable, from the bug-borne health crisis and climate issues to anti-abortion legislation (they call it feticide) and severe socio-economic division. It's The Hunger Games meets The Godfather meets Robin Cook, with female characters playing all the key roles. Hell, yeah.” --Kirkus Starred Review