5 stars out of 5
Basically, the story centers around Valerie Gillis, a 42-year-old nurse and hiker (trailname: Sparrow) who went missing about 200 miles from her destination on the challenging Appalachian Trail. Once that fact is established, the spotlight begins to shine on other characters, first and foremost Lt. Beverly Miner, a Maine game warden to whom falls the job of locating Valerie. Then there's the elderly Lena, an assisted living resident in Connecticut, who spends much of her time on her computer and initially believes Valerie is her estranged daughter, and Santo, Valerie's wacky, oversized hiking buddy who left her on the trail believing she was close enough to the finish line that she'd be fine even if he wasn't there to cheer her on.
Readers see what's going on in the hearts and minds of all these characters and a couple of others, including Valerie's husband, who tracked her progress along at least part of the way. We get to know their backstories as well as present circumstances - most notably Valerie's written "letter" to her mother as she documents her feelings and physical deterioration as she tries to survive the wilderness alone and without much food or shelter.
Details, of course, I cannot provide, but except to say my heart was beating faster and faster toward the end and the whole experience was well worth the time it took to read it. Oh, and one other thing: thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for giving me the chance to enjoy it via a pre-release copy. Outstanding!
Heartwood by Amity Gaige (Simon & Schuster, April 2025); 320 pp.
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