Heartwood
Amity Gaige
04/01/2025
Simon & Schuster

This book was absolutely incredible. It caught me by surprise with how deeply moving and beautifully written it was. There are several characters in this book who are oddly and intricately connected to one another. Each one is flawed. Each person has a story to tell, their story, and I encourage you to listen. This is more than a missing person mystery. This is a story of love, growth, failure and strength. This is a very character driven story where mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, coworkers, siblings, friends and more all bear their heartwood – their innermost strengths and vulnerabilities to the reader.

The author immerses the reader directly onto the Appalachian Trail in Maine, where it is known for its breathtaking natural beauty and challenging terrain. Valerie journey winds through dense forests, over rocky peaks, and along pristine rivers and streams. The Appalachian Trail is both a physical and mental test, allowing for introspection, solitude, friendship and an unparalleled connection to nature. However, when Valerie, aka Sparrow goes missing with less than 200 miles to the end, a complex mystery unfolds filled with red herrings, twists and turns that you will not see coming.

The investigation centers on Beverly, a dedicated Maine State Game Warden who takes charge of the search for Valerie on the ground. Meanwhile, Lena, a seventy-six-year-old birdwatcher living in a Connecticut retirement community, unexpectedly steps into the role of an armchair detective. As the story alternates between these captivating perspectives, Valerie’s disappearance starts to seem more than just a coincidence.

This was a slow burner, but it never dragged. The multiple POVs kept things moving and interesting. I loved the setting and felt like I was out there hiking along.

Each page of this literary thriller has you literally on the edge of your seat with worry as a lovely and beloved nurse, Valerie, suddenly vanishes in a remote, thick woods Maine stretch of the Appalachian trail. Valerie spent the night before the night before at a trail lodge before failing to show up at the end of the next day at a meet point with her husband, Gregory Bouras. George has been driving the trail alongside Valerie as support for the past three months and knows Valerie can be a slow hiker who often gets waylaid, so he waits a day before alerting the authorities.

In steps the beyond competent Lt. Beverly Miller who has dedicated her life to the Maine Warden Service. And the search is on. The tense narration points of view anchored by Lt. Miller’s orchestrating an increasing huge effort to find Valerie, led by wardens and staffed by hundreds of citizen volunteers, law enforcement, and K-9 teams. Then there’s a recording of interview transcripts with various hikers Valerie has met and bonded with on the trail and her family members, along with hot line tips. We also read diary entrees by Valerie as she fights for her survival and slowly begins to reveal what threat she encountered on the trail. Lastly, there’s misanthropic, elderly Lena Kuccharski living in an independent living complex and having engaged in in-depth Reddit conversations with a Maine nature forager that may ultimately hold clues as to what happened to Valerie.

Lt. Miller captures the dedication of what it takes to be a Maine Warden, in all the complexities of this role, including her having lead many successful searches for lost Appalachian trail hikers. We also follow along in depth as she fights her way to her leadership position as the first female in the role, having to contend with sexism at every step long the way. Her vulnerability comes clear, as the search drags on with the odds of a successful find of Valerie diminishing with each day that goes by.
The book explores the complexities and experiences of “thru-hikers” on the Appalachian trail, and how they must tackle physical and emotional hardships. You feel drawn into the multitude of stories and insights of what undertaking such a long and ultimately lonely hike involves.
An amazing read that really stays with you!!

Also, if you haven’t read Gaige’s book the Sea Wife, I can’t recommend that highly enough!

Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an advanced reader’s copy.

A slow burn mystery thriller that had me HOOKED from the start, I enjoyed the multiple POVs and thought it was done well sometimes it can feel a bit muddy but this wasn't the case, each perspective added a piece to the puzzle, propulsive and captivating I had a hard time putting it down!

My thanks to Simon.and Shuster for this arc. Unfortunate I dnf. It was a struggle and I was dragging myself to read it. The breaks in the chapter were confusing and I couldn't get back I'm focus to the story. Writing style didn't flow.

I devoured this! This was a great little quiet mystery, for lack of a better description. It follows narrative of three different women when one of them disappears hiking the Appalachian Trail in Maine without a trace. The writing is lovely and I really enjoyed all the characters, especially Bev, the game warden tasked with finding Valerie, and Lena, a resident of a care facility in Connecticut. I love reading about places I am familiar with, so the book being centered in Maine and CT was really enjoyable to me. The woods of Maine was definitely its own character. One thing I did not expect from this book were beautiful and profound musings on motherhood and reflections on mother/child relationships. This book lacked the tense-ness of a traditional mystery but this did not affect its propulsiveness - in its place were depth, beauty and reflections on life, love, and healing. I had a few gripes with parts of the plot and some political points sprinkled throughout- but it did not bother me enough to detract from my rating. There seem to be fewer and fewer books lately that I truly cannot put down, but this was one of them. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the advanced copy. Heartwood hits shelves April 1st.

"Anyone who wants to walk two thousand miles in a row does it because they find beauty in the unreasonable"

Heartwood is a beautifully written literally mystery. In its core it is a missing person search. But it is also about the beauty and ruggedness of the Maine wilderness. The search is a page turner but what made this book stand out for me is the subtle way the mother daughter relationships were woven into the plot. We learn what happened to Valerie from the letters she writes to her mom. Game warden Bev has a complicated relationship with her own mom. And Lena, the armchair detective is estranged from her daughter.

I've always been fascinated by people choosing to walk the Appalachian Trail. Gaige delves into why people take on this daunting task.

The book was very informative about what goes into a search and rescue mission on AT.

Heartwood was an impressive wilderness thriller. It is a gripping page turner with strong female characters. I had a great time reading it

A literary mystery surrounding a missing woman on the Appalachian Trail. The book rotates through various perspectives including a woman detective, the woman missing, and a woman named Lena, who spends her days chatting with strangers on Reddit threads. The book also shares transcripts, letters and well drawn backstories of all characters. The book is filled with beautiful and contrastingly harrowing descriptions of nature as well as intense search and rescue details. I think this book is going to appeal to a lot of people and it definitely is one I’ll recommend all year.

It took me a minute to get into HEARTWOOD, but once I was in, all I wanted to do was read this book and figure out what the. heck happened to Sparrow, the trail name for our missing hiker. While I generally get frustrated with stories of beginner hikers embarking on a huge undertaking such as the AT, I was mostly just intrigued and fully along for the ride in this unique and beautifully written story.

I loved the format, adored the writing, and appreciated the research that clearly went into this novel. It's pretty short and goes quick, jumping POVs from Sparrow, the warden in charge of finding her, and a keyboard warrior who is obsessed with all things foraging. These three women contain multitudes and show such different but inspiring strengths and I just ate it up.

HEARTWOOD comes out 4/1 and I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys spending time in the woods, on the trail, or just likes a good mystery

Valerie Gillis goes missing in the woods while she’s hiking the Appalachian Trail. As she battles elements and tries to survive, she journals her experience. Meanwhile, a game warden dedicated to her job leads the search, and an elderly birdwatcher investigates the case from her retirement community.

Survival thriller and nature book lovers will enjoy this one! It’s such a unique story and we find out in the author’s note that the idea came from a true event. I loved the scenes in the woods and of the search, which were the true survival parts. I didn’t quite get Lena’s chapters but of course it all made sense in the end. This was a really interesting and suspenseful story that peaks with a satisfying end.

“Now I would do anything to be visible. To be large. Not just tall - a giantess. I want to be seen. I want to be as imposing as a mountain. I WANT TO BE SEEN.”

Heartwood comes out 4/1.

I received a digital advance copy of Heartwood by Amity Gaige via NetGalley. Heartwood is scheduled for release on April 1, 2025.

Heartwood is a story told by three women. Valerie is a hiker, lost somewhere off the Appalachian Trail, writing letters to her mother as she struggles to survive. Beverly is a game warden, in charge of the search for the missing Valerie. Lena is an armchair detective in a retirement community, sucked into the search for the missing woman. Each of these women is lost in some way, with their narratives describing their search for redemption.

Each of three narrators has a distinctive voice and set of motivations that drive them on their search. While their stories echo each other from the beginning, it is not until later in the novel that we begin to see how their stories are truly entwined.

At the heart of all their stories is the search for the missing hiker, Valerie. While I did see the turns and reveals of this mystery before they arrived, I was still satisfied with their place in the story. In the end, the answer to why Valerie lost the trail in the first place was not what I would have chosen, but did make sense within the story.

Overall, Heartwood is an exploration of the some of the ways women can be lost, and the possibility of being found.

This was a fantastic mystery about a woman who goes missing on the Appalachian trail. The author has at the end that this is based off a true story of a female who went missing but unfortunately wasn’t found. The dialogue and story isn’t based off the true story, but it does have elements from it.

This has three POV. There is the Lieutenant who is heading the search, a woman who is in an elder care facility, and the woman’s journal who is missing. There are also some interviews within the book. The flow of this is smooth even as it transitions through the different POVs.

I want to thank #siminbooksbuddy and Simon and Schuster for this ARC. It was fantastic!

Sometimes I read a book, not for the ride, but because I want to find out the ending. Who did it? Do they end up together? Etc
Heartwood was the complete opposite. Every chapter, every word kept me engaged. Told through multiple PVOs, we follow the search and rescue mission of Valerie, a missing Appalachian trail hiker. On the surface, this was a mystery, but it was also a story about the strength of women and mothers, human motivation, and self-perseverance.

5⭐️

A gripping novel.

Valerie Gillis is a 42 year old hiker, hiking the Appalachian Trail alone. When she fails to check in with her husband at one of the stops, Maine State Game Warden Beverly starts to coordinate the search to find her. But where did she go missing? Which direction did she go? What made her leave the trail?

The search was fascinating, and such a roller coaster of emotion. I really appreciated the information of the psychology of people when they get lost - but this wasn't a dry and boring book. This was a nerve-wracking plot, following the highs and lows of the searchers and Valerie's family. Told from two points of view, we hear from Valerie as she keeps a diary while waiting to be found. She slowly reveals what happened to cause her to be lost.

Lena, a wheelchair-bound senior living in a retirement community in Connecticut, starts playing amateur detective in the search. Can she find something that will help the search before it is too late?

As we get down to the wire, with Valerie having been gone for almost 2 weeks, all nerves are on edge as the hope of finding her fades.

This was a fascinating books and such an emotional roller coaster. It had me in tears in places and holding my breath in others. Such a great book.

This is the first book that I have read by this author. I liked the writing style incorporating journal entries, interviews and multiple point of views. It was fast paced keeping me turning the pages to the very end..
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the E ARC.

What a beautifully written story about the strengths we have within ourselves and the strength we find in others. The story of Lena, Lt Bev, and Valerie are all unique in their own telling, but so similar and intertwined once read together, as most women tend to find out when comparing stories. I found myself inspired, grief-stricken, anxious, and proud as I read their stories. It was one I definitely could not put down. We need more stories like these of women and their trials, tribulations, and triumphs. It’s so very important. It was also very interesting to have a first eye view of what a game warden endures, especially as a female. Also, given the current happenings in the US and State Parks, it was even more so an eye-opening tale.

"And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul." (John Muir)

Oh, Momma. We have a winner here.

Amity Gaige is new to me. But, believe me, she can write like gossamer wings that float you up to a new dimension. It spoke to me because I'm an avid hiker and outdoor person. But more importantly, it speaks to humanity in a broad sense. We depend on one another whether we want to acknowledge that or not. All it takes is for someone to step forward in our favor.

Valerie Gilles has taken to the Appalachian Trail at 42 years of age. She's taken time away from her job as a hospital nurse after the pressures of Covid. Her caring and supportive nature follows her along on some of these brutal trails with the code name of Sparrow. She meets up with Santo, a heavyset Black hiker from all places from the Bronx. Santo has been ridiculed because of his weight and his unlikely presence on the Appalachian Trail. His incredible sense of humor is endearing.

But soon Santo must return to the Bronx because of a family matter leaving Valerie on her own. Valerie is due to meet up with her husband, Greg, at a stopping point along the trail for added supplies. When she doesn't show up, Greg informs the authorities. This is not like Valerie.

Enter Lieutenant Beverly Miller of the Maine Warden division. Beverly has an excellent track record in finding missing hikers. She assures Valerie's family that they will find her until she can no longer assure even herself. Bev is a diligent tracker, but the Maine woods are ominous. No one knows exactly where Valerie went off the trail and, moreso, why?

Gaige will insert an unlikely character by the name of Lena who is seventy-six years old and a member of an assisted living facility. Lena is a wildlife researcher by nature and spends hours outdoors and on her computer. Lena will become a little nugget.

Heartwood marches to a slow, steady beat while gaining speed midway. Gaige assists the reader in feeling every pulsating moment within Valerie herself and the throngs of volunteers searching for her. She injects writings by Valerie that take us to a deeply personal place within her. Will they ever find her in time or will she become another statistic? Walk the trail alongside the rest of us.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Simon & Schuster and to the talented Amity Gaige for the opportunity.

This book is a TREASURE! I loved it. I had to know what was going on, how it would would end. I thought about this book when I wasn't reading it, and couldn't wait til I could pick it up again. I love the intertwined characters who have little in commone..or everything. The mother image as a characteristic amazing as well.
Well done!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

This book is a slow burn but told so beautifully. It is about a 42-year-old woman who goes missing on the Appalachian Trail. You get multiple viewpoints and learn the tragedies the main character has gone through in life. You also get the perspective of a game warden and a bird watcher. This book allows you to identify with the multiple perspectives told and what many women have gone through in life or feelings they have felt. This book really resonates, and the mystery was an added bonus. Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

Such a different story! A 42-year-old nurse goes missing on the Appalachian Trail in Maine; her on-trail companion is a big, burly man from the Bronx; her husband dutifully trails her in his car at scheduled rest stops, but there is an underlying tension in their relationship; a strong, determined female warden leads the search for the missing hiker; an elderly woman in an assisted-living facility far away has an unexpected connection to what may have happened to the hiker. It sounds like a crazy story, but somehow, it all makes sense. The chapters alternate from the missing hiker’s journal entries (which made the novel more interesting, in my opinion), with the various search members, fellow hikers, tipsters, and family members. While it could be a hot mess, the author brilliantly balances the beauty of the AT with the harrowing experience of the lost hiker and the efforts to find her. It’s a well-plotted book that kept my interest.

Thanks to the author, NetGalley, and Simon & Schuster for the eARC, and the opportunity to read and review this novel.