Moonlight and Dust

An intriguing, fast-paced debut YA fantasy novel, featuring sixteen-year-old Torres Strait Islander Zillah, who is caught up in the world of exclusive high school parties after her sister has a mysterious accident. For fans of kick-arse girls, enigmatic boys, true friendships, dark secrets and illicit magic.


There's something dangerous in the air. It shimmers in the night, wrapped in the warm, humid breeze. I stand on the kerb outside my cousin's house waiting for my sister. 


Zillah has always been a good girl - nothing like her rebellious big sister Nik. After Nik has an accident that leaves her comatose, Zillah has to find a way to navigate life and high school in Cairns without Nik's guiding light. 


Determined to fit in, Zillah seeks out the secrets of her school's after-hours party scene and discovers Moondust - a sparkling elixir with magical properties. Could this have something to do with Nik's accident? To find out, she must plunge further into a world of moonlit parties and take out-of-character risks. 


As Zillah unravels what might be going on at Craigmont High, she forges friendships with other Island students and starts falling for a boy who might know more about Nik than he lets on. But Zillah is not entirely sure who she can trust. And she has no idea of the danger they're all in. 


A wonderful new voice in YA fantasy with a unique story about family and friendship, mysterious parties and unknowable secrets.


'Moonlight & Dust is a captivating page-turner with characters so full of life they seem to step off the page.' - VANESSA LEN, internationally bestselling author of Only a Monster 


'Jasmin McGaughey is a must-read author - I never regret picking up one of her stories.' - AMIE KAUFMAN, NYT bestselling author


'A powerful new voice in Australian YA, Jasmin McGaughey skilfully weaves threads of family, secrets and magic into something vivid and utterly unputdownable.' - LILI WILKINSON, award-winning author of A Hunger of Thorns 


'Overflowing with lush mystery, intriguing secrecy and complex characterisation, Jasmin McGaughey weaves magic to create an enthralling fantasy YA debut.' - C.S. PACAT, New York Times bestselling author of DARK RISE