Valerie Gillis, while working her way down the Appalachian Trail, has gone missing. Beverly, the Maine State Game Warden for the area Valerie goes missing is determined to find her. But as the search spans one week and then two, the likelihood of finding Valerie is slim. Meanwhile, Lena a birdwatcher in a Connecticut retirement community might be the only person who can ensure Valerie is find in time.
Separated into multiple POVs, this is a much deeper story than I originally anticipated. We get the standard detective POV from Beverely, Valerie’s POV is written as diary entries, and then Lena’s POV seems somewhat random at first. Each women’s thoughts are complex and complicated, and I enjoyed getting to know these women and their histories. The depictions of the wilderness though are what really make this book stand out.
This is for my atmospheric mystery readers and natural lovers. If you love character driven mysteries with lyric prose, then you will love this book. It’s a slow read and certainly not a thriller. But it is filled with stories of motherhood and self-discovery and certainly well written. It’s not entirely my cup of tea so 3.5 stars rounded down.
AMAZON | GOODREADS | BOOKSHOP |★★★
Heartwood comes out April 1, 2025. Huge thank you to Simon & Schuster for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review, please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof.books.
