In the wild of the Maine woods, an experienced Appalachian Trail hiker has gone missing. Valerie Gillis, age 42 has vanished 200 miles from her final destination. Alone and lost in the wilderness, Valerie records her thoughts in letters to her mother as she battles the elements and struggles against hopelessness.

Beverly is the determined Maine State Game Warden tasked with finding Valerie, leading the ground search. Lena, is a seventy-six-year-old birdwatcher living in a Connecticut retirement community, who unexpectedly becomes involved in the investigation. The story flips back and forth between the two narratives. The search intensifies and becomes frantic due to some puzzling circumstances. Could there be more behind Valerie’s disappearance than just a case of becoming lost in the woods?

Heartwood is a suspenseful, yet tender story filled with mystery.

A woman whose trail name is Sparrow has flitted off course and is missing somewhere on the Appalachian Trail in Maine, about 200 miles from her destination. A game warden, whose job it is to find missing people, wants to find her. A slightly reclusive online birdwatcher slowly realizes a key piece of information. A fellow hiker who goes by Santo, rambles on and on during an interview because he knew Sparrow.

I haven't named everyone, and honestly, at least two of the characters could just be named Red Herring for all the point they serve in the book.

What do you want out of a book about a hiker lost in the woods? More.

Gaige is probably just not an author for me — many will like this book, but I will remain outside that circle. Steadfastly. Heartwood is exactly what I do not like about the pervasive use of present tense in a plot-driven novel. Reader, I was bored.

Stylistically or structurally, this just isn't a novel I would be likely to enjoy. The present tense for the game warden is one thing — I don't accept that it makes sense, but I comprehend the desire to lean into its gimmicky nature for want of a cinematic unfurling. (Please, let's stop pretending that the written word is the same medium as cinema. It's not and it deserves more respect as its own delivery system for storytelling.)

Also included in the delivery of this story are a couple of examples of epistolary narratives, one is from Sparrow's own hand by way of her journal entries which take the form of her addressing her mother for comfort, particularly during the first days in which she finds herself lost. The other is in the interview transcription for the Santo character. In both of these, but especially with Sparrow's journal entries (her real name is Valerie Gillis), Gaige pretty quickly ignores the conceit of pretending that this would be what someone would actually write down — or in the case of the interview, how someone would actually speak. There is TOO MUCH narrative, too much dialogue, and I find it so incredibly hard to believe anyone would write their experiences in a journal in present tense and with full passages of dialogue. Full stop. No.

But, even in the novel's wrap-up, the choices made for the resolution underscored why I found this novel so boring. To say more would be to spoil the ending, so I'll leave it there — but the ways in which it reached its climax and finale only bothered me further. I'm still shaking my head.

This is a literary suspense novel about a nurse and experienced hiker named Valerie who goes missing on the Appalachian Trail in Maine. Her loved ones, volunteers, and Wardens in the area all come together in the hopes of finding Valerie before it’s too late.

The story is told from the perspectives of Valerie via letters she writes to her mom while lost in the wilderness; Lieutenant Bev who organizes the search parties; and Lena - an elderly armchair sleuth in Connecticut. Lena's arc appears disjointed from the other two at first but it manages to come together in the end. While each of these women grapple with their own unique challenges, they all illustrate themes of loneliness and complex mother-daughter relationships.

The book additionally raises discussion around mental health and government conspiracy theories, which felt either heavy handed or underdeveloped. I also found them distracting from the main search and rescue mission at times. Furthermore, the pacing was slow and less tense than anticipated. Lastly, I thought some of the other characters were written in as filler rather than being substantive to the plot.

I wish I liked this one more as it is well researched, based on a true story, and full of descriptive scenes of the wild and hikers’ experiences. If you’re into literary missing person stories set against a vast natural setting then this one may be for you!

Thank you Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC!

If you are looking for a fast-paced disappearance mystery/thriller this one for you!

This story follows a missing hiker (Valerie) on the Appalachian Trail who never turned up to her midway spot. Most lost hikers get recovered within 24 hours, but time is against Lt. Bev and her search and rescue team. There's interviews with Valerie's husband, Santo- the last hiker to have seen Valerie, and an additional POV from Lena- a 70 year old lady who thinks that Valerie might be her estranged daughter who left her decades ago.

This is a deep character study for parental relationships and survival. My favorite part was how the multiple POVs meshed together at the end (THE TWIST!) and I loved having Valerie's side of things told through journal entries. Very clever writing craft. It is a little over 300 pages and it goes quick!

Absolutely a must read for fans of All Colors of the Dark and The God of the Woods.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Simon Books for the ARC!

Content: very minor language (mostly from Santo's interviews), racial bias

This book takes you on an emotional rollercoaster, and I loved every minute of this hard to put down novel. Valerie is a nurse hiking the Appalachian Trail in Maine and she goes missing 200 miles from her final stop. This story is told from multiple points of view the first is Valerie thru her emotional letters written to her Mom. The 2nd view point is Beverly the Game Warden that is leading the search for Valerie, while dealing with her own family crisis. The final point of view is Lena a woman in a Connecticut retirement home who shows great interest in the case. This book has mystery but also addresses the relationships of Mothers and daughters of all generations. I absolutely loved this quick read and will be recommending it too all my reading friends!

As a hiker, the premise of this novel, along with the epic cover art, immediately called to me—and it did not disappoint. Heartwood is a slow-burn thriller that takes place in the wilds of Maine when hiker, Valerie, goes missing.

Told from multiple engaging POVs, we get a glimpse into nurse Valerie’s motivations for embarking on a solo hike along the Appalachian Trail. When she fails to show up for a scheduled stop to meet her newly estranged husband, Maine Game Warden, Beverly, begins the arduous task of search and rescue.

As a reader I was deeply invested in determining what happened to Valerie. The pacing of the story was never break neck, but I felt consistently compelled to read “just one more chapter” and I was completely satisfied with how to story came together. Beverly was, by far, my favorite character but I definitely enjoyed all of the different points of view—especially those of Valerie’s trail buddies.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to @netgalley and @simonandschuster for the digital ARC. Heartwood publishes tomorrow.

I loved this book! A great combo of heartwarming but also thrilling, if anything I wanted MORE on these characters.

4.25 Stars

This story begins with the disappearance of Valerie Gillis, a flip-flop hiker on the Appalachian Trail, somewhere in the vast wilderness of Maine. Heading the search is Lt. Bev, a Maine Game Warden in her late 50's with a very good success rate for finding lost persons. While a good bit of the story is told from Lt. Bev's POV, we also get entries from Valerie's diary from after she is lost, interview transcripts from Valerie's hiking partner, Santo, and the story of Lena, a resident of a Connecticut assisted living facility.

I really like reading stories of the wilderness, especially those with a wildlife biologist or game warden as a central character. And, I love a multi POV book! So when I saw that this had both, I was all in. The story is well written and the characters well developed, despite there being so many points of view. In fact these multiple narrators often help the reader to learn more about the other story tellers. I was puzzled by the inclusion of some things, but overall this was a really good read, that I highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Heartwood was difficult to out down. The pace just drew me in. The book wis written from different perspectives; the search and rescue lieutenant., the lost hiker through her journal written to her mother, her hiking buddy and finally an older woman who befriends a young man.

All of the characters are flawed and trying to survive physically and mentally. The author portrays each in a believable way.

Great read. Thank you NetGalley.

Another 2025 top read of the year contender!

This slow burn missing person book unfolds between multiple POVs and includes mixed media inserts (news articles, letters, diary entries, press releases, Reddit chats, and witness interviews). When Valerie disappears off of the Appalachian Trail in Maine, so close to her final destination, local Game Warden, Lt. Bev, must lead the search and rescue operation through the thick forests that stretches over 14 heart wrenching days.
Readers are also introduced to Lena, an elderly woman who lives in an assisted living facility in Connecticut. Lena is a forager enthusiast and an active participant in Reddit threads. Gaige weaves together the threads of Valerie, Bev, and Lena’s lives with masterful storytelling, sharp characterization, and beautiful prose. There is a great blend of suspense, suspects, and potential outcomes that kept me up late into the night to finish this read. Heartwood is the type of book I will not forget for years, as I grew to care deeply about each protagonist. Thoroughly researched and with accessible writing, I felt as if I was lost in the woods myself! Heartwood explores themes of grief, life crossroads, survival, familial bonds, friendship, and legacy. Readers who enjoy books with vivid nature descriptions, poignant themes, and remarkable characters will enjoy this new release!

Heartwood by Amity Gaige is a beautifully written dramatic story of love, healing, survival and self acceptance. It is part literary fiction and part suspenseful mystery/thriller. Set in 2022, the after effects of the pandemic are featured, but the pandemic itself is not.

The story is told from 3 unique female characters points of view and revolves around a missing hiker in the dense Maine forest off the Appalachian Trail in 2022. Valerie, the lost hiker, is a nurse on a leave of absence, attempting to heal after the horrors of the pandemic. “But we were only given two options - being a hero falling apart.” Lieutenant Bev, the first female forest warden, underestimated for her entire career, is in charge of the search and rescue. Her arc features a journey of self-acceptance that forces her to forgive her estranged mother who never accepted her. Lena is a retired, disabled, intellect who became a recluse during the pandemic and is coming to terms with her part in her estrangement from her daughter. The women’s lives become intertwined in the dramatic search for Valerie.

I found the writing style to be engrossing. A few of the descriptions were so sensory they stopped me in my tracks: “the tomatoes…are absolutely pregnant with red this summer”. I was expecting more of a thriller, but once I recalibrated, I came to enjoy and appreciate the novel. 4/5⭐️

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Forty two year-old Valerie Gillis has grown weary from life, after being a nurse during the COVID pandemic. Looking to find herself, she hikes the Appalachian Trail and finds a second family amongst the other hikers. One day however, she doesn’t show up to a planned check in with her husband along the trail and it’s discovered nobody knows where Valerie is- she has vanished. Who is responsible? Her husband ? A random person? Or has Valerie become injured and is unable to continue the trek?

I loved this book. It’s a story that doesn’t fit within one category, it’s a slow burn thriller, but also much more than that.

Told through three very different points of view- the lead of the search and rescue team, Valerie herself, and an elderly birdwatcher in a retirement community, Heartwood tells the story of how the past affects one’s future, how hard it sometimes is to move on, and how connected everyone is, without even knowing it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Valerie Gillis is a nurse who has gone missing on the Appalachian Trail. As search teams are gathered to try to locate her in the dense woods of Maine, many stories are shared about Valerie's character of giving. Valerie is known to her "tramily" (those who hike the AT) as "Sparrow".
The novel is told from many POVs, but mainly from Bev Miller (the park warden leading the search and rescue mission), Lena ( a 76 year old handicapped senior), and Valerie herself (in writing a journal to her mother). As the rescue mission days drag on with little clues, will it become a rescue or a recovery??

It was very hard to put this book down. It touches on so many different things: the relationship between mothers and daughters, the human spirit when pushed to its limits, the need for someone to escape the rat race for awhile, and the bond between people and nature. FANTASTIC!

Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the eARC.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: 👀Suspense
Recommend:✅

“Heartwood” is a suspense perfection if you love stories that thread together different stories and mysteries. While “Heartwood" is about a woman lost in the woods, it’s really about women and motherhood how our stories intertwine and shape us.

Three different womens’ stories center “Heartwood”. Victoria is a married woman who takes on hiking the Appalachian Trail when she gets lost during her solo hike. While lost she spends her time writing letters to her mother in her journal. Bev is the ranger in charge of finding her and Lena is an elderly woman who becomes fixated on Victoria’s case and finding her. Many times with multiple POVs, I have a favorite and find myself rushing through certain chapters to get back to my favorite one. this was not that. All three were so interested and you needed all of them to put together the whole picture.

I absolutely tore through “Heartwood” and I know I’ll think about this one for a long, long time.

You’ll love this book if you love:
✅The Woods
✅Women Centered Stories
✅Missing Persons

"Heartwood" by Amity Gaige is a compelling novel that earns a solid 4-star rating. This intricately woven story is told through the perspectives of multiple narrators, each bringing a unique voice and depth to the narrative. Gaige masterfully balances the different viewpoints, ensuring that each character is fully developed and integral to the overarching plot.

The novel's strength lies in its rich character development and the emotional depth conveyed through the various narrators. Each voice is distinct, providing readers with a multifaceted view of the world Gaige has created. This storytelling technique adds layers to the narrative, making it a captivating read from start to finish.

Even the biggest stories that make the most headlines can be just a blip in the larger news cycle, and public interest can move on long before a story is resolved. The curiosity about the rest of the story and its unseen players was the germ for Amity Gaige's latest novel, Heartwood.

When Valerie Gillis doesn't meet her husband for a night off the Appalachian Trail as planned, worry quickly sets in. Hours later, her husband's worry has turned into a full-scale search in the Maine woods surrounding that northern part of the trail. In charge of the search is Lt. Bev, a career ranger whose expertise is only matched by her tenacity. Despite that and her fleet of experienced searchers and enthusiastic volunteers, she's not sure she hasn't met her match in the search for Valerie. One of Valerie's old trail partners, Santos, provides some insight about the missing woman's experience and level of preparedness, but no amount of protein bars can make up for the fickle weather, at turns cool and rainy and hot and dry as the days become weeks. Meanwhile, at a retirement home three hundred miles away, an elderly woman named Lena strikes up an odd friendship online that could help her figure out the location of the missing hiker that reminds her of her estranged daughter.

In an author's note, Gaige writes the seed of an idea that became Heartwood came from the 2013 disappearance of another hiker on the AT, though fiction differs from real life dramatically in most ways but some of the bare facts of that incident. This isn't, then, ripped from the headlines like some episode of a police procedural, but more like an imagined postmortem on what happens behind the scenes. It's sensitively done, something that can be tricky to do when a subject could so easily lend itself to dramatics.

That doesn't mean that easy potential for dramatics is ignored. Gaige wisely lets her characters feel the pull of someone else's disaster, especially Lena, whose life in the senior living center has shrunk to a claustrophobic extent and for whom Valerie's disappearance represents both distraction and the opportunity to play armchair detective. Bev, meanwhile, has to either sift through useless tips or battle accusations her team isn't doing enough even as every one of them has been pushed to the breaking point. The wounds of the COVID-19 pandemic also can't be escaped; it's Valerie's experience as a nurse in a hard-hit area that drove her to take to the trail in the first place. These elements of real life give credence to the story, making it feel that we, too, are behind the scenes of headline-making news.

Valerie may be the focus of the search, and the story, but her voice is the least heard within the pages of Heartwood. What we hear from Valerie is in the form of letters to her mother, which we learn are in fact written in a notebook from her pack to keep herself occupied and sane during her long isolation. Rather, this is a story about Bev, worried not about her career potentially coming to a close or her difficult mother's last days but whether she missed any signs that could point to the missing hiker before her chances of survival grow too dim. It's about the friendships you find upon the trail, and how a hiking self may or may not reflect the person someone is in society. It's about finding kinship in people we might never have met were it not for the particular place (or cyberspace) that brought us together.

This is a strength in Heartwood. The novel has a focus and it rarely wavers from it. Although some aspects might feel familiar for readers of last year's The God of the Woods (someone lost in the woods, the narrative revolving around the people who knew and/or are trying to find her), this is no thriller. Nor is it a mystery, really, though there are a few elements that show up later in the narrative. Ironically, I found that particular subplot to be the weakest part of Heartwood, as if man vs nature wasn't enough conflict to keep readers reading.  

This is not a story of tricky plot devices and big reveals. Instead, it's a portrait of a search for a missing person, and how it takes a community of professionals and amateurs, friends and strangers, to locate them. No one type of strength will overcome the odds stacked against Valerie, and it's heartening to see such a rendering of what happens behind the scenes of the lost and found.

(This review will go live at https://ringreads.com/2025/04/01/heartwood-explores-questions-behind-headline/ at 3pm MDT on 1 April 2025

Thanks to NetGalley and Smon & Schuster for the eARC.

This missing person story certainly kept my interest. I loved the multi POV, especially the letters. I found myself eager to learn what was going to happen and satisfied by the conclusion. 3.75/5

Just wow! My first Amity Gaige novel but definitely not my last! This was so intense and gripping, easy to get totally involved in. And fantastic characters that kept me burning the midnight oil. I was pulling for the main character until I was flat worn out. Brilliant storytelling, big 5 stars from me.
Thank you NetGalley, Amity Gaige and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read and review this gem of a book.

Heartwood by Amity Gaige was great! I thought the premise was excellent and it kept my attention throughout. The writing was fresh and great pacing.

I let this book sit with me for 24 hours before writing this review hoping time would change my opinion. Sadly, it did not.

First, let me say that the amount of research Gaige did for this book impressed the bleep out of me. She is clearly one of those writers who understands the value of setting, and uses that knowledge (and beautiful writing) to make Maine come alive. I liked how she portrayed the concept of Trailamy, that is, the camaraderie that grows among hikers. I grew up playing on a section of the Appalachian Trail, but I never understood what it took to hike the entire length. This book brought that experience home.

Thematically, the book is about the complex and often dysfunctional relationships between mothers and daughters. Gaige does a great job here showing that no matter how far apart we grow, the bond forged in the uterus never completely breaks.

But all the research and beautiful descriptions in the world won't help if you can't identify with any of the characters, and I couldn't bring myself to care about any of them. Game Warden Bev came across as a sad sack, not the take-charge badass the secondary characters purported her to be, For a book where time is of the essence, she did way too much navel gazing. I understand this is a literary thriller so we're going to have more introspection, but being literary doesn't negate the need for pacing.

As for Sparrow, I found myself completely indifferent to her rescue. That's not a good thing when the key story question is whether they'll save her in time. I was sick of hearing how deeply caring she was, and how Covid burnt her out. It's no secret that medical staffs had a helluva time during the pandemic. No need to hammer it home multiple times.

The less said about Lena the better.

The secondary characters were one-dimensional as well. IMO, Gaige leaned in far too much on stereotypes. The uncooperative paramilitary types. The ultra-Beta husband. The overweight but sensitive Dominican hiker from the city. (This character especially bothered me because he mentioned being a fat Dominican <i> in every scene </i>. A person is more than their weight and race.)

Bottom line - as a study into the mother/daughter relationship, the book works great. As a thriller, not so much.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced read in exchange for this honest review.