Silver Ghosts

Life is confusing for Aberdeen teenager Callum Anderson as he drifts through the lockdown summer of 2020. With exams cancelled and activities restricted, the aimless days and late drunken nights all merge into one another. When Callum’s behaviour puts the family dog at risk, his mother compels him to do something more productive with his time, forcing him to join a fly-fishing course on the banks of the beautiful River Dee. 

In the pages of Silver Ghosts, Callum is soon absorbed by a new passion and finds himself drawn to someone he unexpectedly meets there. Igniting a bond with his grandfather in their pursuit of the king of fish, he discovers how life is connected and how a legacy can live on. 

This coming-of-age story explores the restorative power of nature and the environmental fragility of Scotland's waterways. As Sir David Attenborough famously noted: “The salmon is the king of fish. Their journeys up rivers are some of the most thrilling spectacles in the natural world. And yet, now, their very survival is at risk.” 

Through this intergenerational journey, Callum learns that the Atlantic salmon represents more than just a catch; it is a symbol of resilience and the delicate threads that tie our past to our future.