• Age: 14 to 18
• Grade: 9 to 12

Shortlisted for the 2020 Ottawa Book Award
Longlisted for the 2020 Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Literature of the Fantastic

Tanvi isn’t the girl of Misha’s dreams; she’s the girl from his nightmares. She has appeared in his chilling dreams before he even meets her; when he DOES meet her, he falls for her.

Their relationship turns stormy, bordering on abusive, and takes a dramatic turn when they are held captive by a group hoping to extract money from Tanvi’s wealthy family.

But there is something more sinister at work, and the kidnappers and their victims find themselves struggling for survival as a supernatural force from Misha’s nightmares makes itself known in the real world.

Cara Martin is a pseudonym for C.K. Kelly Martin. She is the author of such acclaimed novels as I Know It’s Over, One Lonely Degree, The Lighter Side of Death, My Beating Teenage Heart, Yesterday, Tomorrow, The Sweetest Thing You Can Sing, and Delicate. Her most recent novel, Stricken, was released in 2017. A graduate of the Film Studies program at York University, Martin currently resides in Oakville, Ontario.

Cara Martin's profile page

• Short-listed, Ottawa Book Award
• Long-listed, Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Literature of the Fantastic

"Cara Martin has created a beautifully haunting rendition of the classic haunted house tale that feels true to the genre but offers a new twist."

Canadian Review of Materials

With its sparing prose, inclusive cast and difficult themes, Cara Martin’s Shantallow is crackling YA. It addresses themes of revenge porn, abuse, drugs and sex, but at its heart is a message all young people should hear: there’s life after transgression, and while it may not include forgiveness, personal amends can be made, behaviour changed and community rediscovered.

Ottawa Book Awards Jury Citation

"A good pick for thoughtful horror readers."

Booklist

"Gut-wrenching on various levels."