HEARTWOOD

5 stars out of 5

No question readers will run the gauntlet of emotions in this one, from sadness to trepidation to fearfulness to elation and more - but one thing clearly pulls them all together: Stellar writing.

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.

MISSING

4 stars out of 5

For sure, there's no shortage of twists and turns in this one. On the other hand, the only reason most of them happen is that at least one major character can't get her head on straight and ignores even the most conventional wisdom - which I must say didn't exactly endear her to me. Overall, though, it's a nonstop adventure that makes for a perfect read on a sandy beach or next to a roaring fireplace.

A little over a quarter of a century ago, Josie Bennett's little brother Jimmy was murdered - locked in an empty airtight freezer until he suffocated. A 19-year-old neighbor boy who had a history of hurting people, Samuel Barlow, was convicted for the murder - thanks in part to testimony by his mother Maggie. Now, he's unexpectedly getting out of prison a little early.

That news puts Josie on red alert; after all, her daughter with ex-husband Terry is Jimmy's age when he died and Samuel once had a "thing" for Josie. If that weren't enough, his mother Maggie seems to be stalking her. But balancing her need to be extra-watchful of Ivy and keep an eagle eye on her fledgling business, Delicious Desserts, proves almost impossible, even with friend Fiona there to be Ivy's caregiver when needed - which these days, is a good bit of the time. By the time the inevitable happens - Ivy does indeed go missing - just about every character is a suspect. Josie, though, has no doubt whatsoever: the culprit is the same man who murdered her little brother.

When the police aren't much help - they've got all those procedures and rules that must be followed, don't you know - so of course Josie basically sets out to prove she's right about Samuel. His mother, who Josie detests, tries to convince Josie that she can help - but only if Josie doesn't tell anybody else including the cops. So when Josie agreed, while I of course hoped Ivy would be found safe and sound, from that point on I really didn't care what happened to Josie.

Also of course, I won't reveal any of the details (and certainly not the twists). Chapters flip back in time to detail earlier happenings that provide insights - not a technique of which I'm fond, but the author does an exemplary job of keeping things straight so it's all very easy to follow. Now that I've finished and know the whole story, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me with a pre-release copy to read and review.

Missing by K.L. Slater (Bookouture, May 2022); 256 pp.