New to the coast?
Start with Flotsam.
For readers drawn to adult Gothic romance, maritime folklore, haunted shorelines, and supernatural danger. Follow the connected main novels in order; the prequel is optional.
Start Flotsam · Book OneGothic coastal romance · The sea keeps records
The Salvage Claims
Maritime law gives four names to what the sea abandons. The coast knows those names are invitations.
Start with Flotsam. Continue with Jetsam. Lagan is on preorder; Derelict is forthcoming. Selvage is a free, optional prequel—not Book One.
Already reading?
The next claim is waiting.
Finished Flotsam and Jetsam? Reserve Lagan, the third main novel. The fourth novel, Derelict, is still forthcoming.
Preorder Lagan · Book ThreeThe short answer
What is The Salvage Claims?
The Salvage Claims is K.S. Valentina’s connected Gothic coastal romance series, using the old legal categories flotsam, jetsam, lagan, and derelict to explore drowned folklore, dangerous seams, and what the sea refuses to surrender.
- Status
- In progress · Two main novels available
- Start here
- Flotsam
- Romance
- Connected Gothic romances
- Setting
- A haunted Atlantic coast
Open the books in order
The Salvage Claims reading order
Follow the main sequence below. Optional prequels are marked clearly, and every available reading or purchase path is linked from its book.
Pre
Optional prequel novella
Selvage
Free online · No sign-in required
Begin a century before Flotsam and learn how the first dangerous seam was made—and why the coast never forgot it.
01
Book One · Found after wreckage
Flotsam
Available now
The first claim surfaces: something carried by the sea without anyone admitting it was deliberately lost.
02
Book Two · Cast overboard
Jetsam
Available now
What was thrown away to save the vessel returns with its own account of the bargain—and no intention of staying discarded.
03
Book Three · Marked for return
Lagan
Preorder available
A claim left beneath the water, marked so its owner could return, pulls an old promise back toward shore.
04
Book Four · Abandoned at sea
Derelict
Forthcoming · Not yet available
The final category waits beyond rescue: a vessel or thing surrendered with no intention of recovery.
Coming soon
Beyond the covers
Four claims. Four ways to be lost.
The titles come from real categories of maritime salvage law. In this series, each legal definition becomes a Gothic promise about possession, abandonment, and return.
Flotsam
Goods found floating after a wreck—lost by disaster rather than deliberately cast away.
Jetsam
Cargo intentionally cast overboard, with the possibility that someone may still claim it.
Lagan
Goods sunk but attached to a buoy or marker so they can be found and recovered later.
Derelict
Property deserted at sea with no hope or intention of return—the most dangerous claim of all.
Before you begin
The Salvage Claims FAQ
What is The Salvage Claims reading order?
Read the main series in this order: Flotsam, Jetsam, Lagan, and Derelict. Selvage is an optional prequel novella set one hundred years before Flotsam.
Where should I start The Salvage Claims?
New readers can start with Flotsam. Read Selvage first if you enjoy prequels and want the oldest layer of the coastal history before Book One.
Is The Salvage Claims complete?
No. The connected series is in progress. Flotsam and Jetsam are available, Lagan has a preorder path, and Derelict is forthcoming.
What does flotsam, jetsam, lagan, and derelict mean?
They are traditional maritime salvage categories: wreckage that floats, goods deliberately cast overboard, goods sunk and marked for recovery, and property fully abandoned at sea.
Is The Salvage Claims paranormal romance?
Yes. The series blends adult Gothic romance, haunted coastal settings, maritime folklore, and supernatural danger.
Do the books need to be read in order?
Yes. The main novels form a connected sequence and are best read from Flotsam through Derelict.
The door is open
Begin with Flotsam.
Maritime law gives four names to what the sea abandons. The coast knows those names are invitations.