Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Recommended.

New York editor, Jen Gibbs, is a new hire at the prominent, Vida House Publishing, when a captivating manuscript appears on her desk–seemingly from the slush pile that is strictly off-limits. She is quickly drawn into the story, which takes place in the Appalachian Mountains–very near to the childhood home and family that she has intentionally moved away from. As she risks her career to chase the story, she is forced to also confront and reconcile with her own.

Initially I wasn’t sure about The Story Keeper. The first few chapters were a bit slow, and I was not instantly engaged in the story-within-the-story, which appeared as full chapters of the manuscript. Around a third of the way through, though, I was hooked. The detail of the Appalachian terrain and people (especially the Melungeons) became fascinating to me; and the parallel stories touched my heart and drew me in.

There are so many likable elements: mystery, personal connections between relatable characters, the weaving of the past into the present and back to the past, and the indirect examination of what makes a great story. As the narrative concluded, I didn’t want it to end.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers.