This book caught me a little off guard on what a wonderful story unfolded within these chapters. I have said it many times that I do love a book that has me researching the history that was happening during this time. Once I was done reading this book I did further reading and research and the Hawks Nest Tunnel. It is a piece of history that I would have never have known about had I not had the chance to read this wonderful story by Sarah Thomas and way she captures the people and the landscape of Depression-era Appalachia

The main characters are strong, with grit, yet tender and caring. I found myself really enjoying learning about each of them as the story unfolded. What a wonderful read.

It's 1932 and Sullivan Harris is on the run. He promised the people of Kline, West Virginia, that he would find them water, but now he's failed and disappeared with their cash. Although he's determined to stay a step ahead of pursuers--like Jeremiah Weber--his resources are running low.
Gainey Floyd is suspicious of Sulley's claim to be a dowser when he appears in town but reconsiders after he finds water. Rather, it's Sulley who grows uneasy when his success makes folks wonder if he can find more than water--like forgotten items or missing people. He lights out to escape such expectations and runs smack into something worse.
Hundreds of men have found jobs digging the Hawks Nest Tunnel--but what they thought was a blessing is killing them. And no one seems to care. Here, Sulley finds something new--a desire to help. As Jeremiah--and now Gainey--pursue him, Sulley becomes the unexpected catalyst for finding what even he has forgotten. Hope.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* Took me a while to get into this book but i did end up really liking it! id even reread it even though i remember it pretty well.

This was a great story and I very much enjoyed it. I listened to the audiobook and liked the narrator her voice was so relaxing. I really liked the story line I loved how theain characters were interconnected. I really like these American based stories they are so wonderful and I love learning about new places and culture. I thought the author and the narrator created such a great sense of atmosphere. 

Many thanks to the author and publishers for creating this delightful heartwarming story.
The above review has already been placed on goodreads, waterstones, Google books, Barnes&noble, kobo, amazon UK where found and my blog https://ladyreading365.wixsite.com/website/post/the-finder-of-forgotten-things-by-sarah-loudin-thomas-rb-media-3-stars either under my name or ladyreading365 or lady Reading365 or ladyc reading

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review this book. The Finder of Forgotton Things by Sarah Loudin Thomas is a well written historical fiction constructed around the backdrop of the Hawks Nest Tunnel Disaster, one of the worst industrial disasters in American history, yet a topic I’d never heard anything about.

This wasn't really the right book for me, it was too slow and I wasn't too interested in the story in the end. Thank you to netgalley and the the publisher

well this was another miss for me, I will keep trying but this was not it. I am so fickle with my reading

What a fulfilling novel! I needed a good story that would take me a little while to crack my way through, and I enjoyed it all. I really fell into the plot and as for the characters... I always wanted to keep learning more about them. The characters are so realistic.

Sullivan Harris is a finder. He just can't help himself; he just happens across things and people who are lost. It was this character that I so enjoyed the entire book.

Audiobook listeners: The audio version is great! The narrator did so well. Her voices made the book even better in my opinion, as she sounded so authentic.

Definitely recommend this book! Such a well-researched historical novel.

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

Thank you to NetGalley for this audio book in exchange for an honest review.

An audio recording that was very well done. The narration by Pilar Witherspoon was excellent. It was easy to tell the characters apart by their voices and the tone and accent added much to this historical fiction, West Virginia story. It felt most like sitting in a rocking chair listening to a long story about former more difficult time. The story itself revolves about three main characters (having few characters always makes for an easier listen on audio): Sully--a bit of a con man and water dowser, Gainey--a older local woman and Jeremiah who comes looking for Sully and finds what he truly longs for.

The story is told with the backdrop of the Great Depression and the digging of the Hawk's Nest Tunnel in West Virginia by Union Carbide during the early 1930's. The story is a tale primarily about these three characters and how their lives change and are affected by the times and the many lives around them so tragically affected by silicosis as result of digging this tunnel.
I found it an interesting gentle tale about these three characters as they look for the things missing in their lives. Sully as a character was the most intriguing. He grew and changed throughout the story and became The finder more of lost but not forgotten things. Toward the end of this novel he took a back seat to Gainey and Jeremiah and I felt the book lost something because of this.

In all I felt it was a slow, gentle telling of a difficult time in a small town in West Virginia. There were several times I had wished there would have been more background information given on the digging of the Hawk's Nest Tunnel. It was an integral part of this story but without enough historical information given for this reader to understand its purpose other than its tragic consequences.

It was a 3 star read for me. I wanted more historical information, less redundancy in the descriptions and more trusting of the reader to make connections. Too often I felt that the author was leading the reader, telling a story and not allowing the reader to fully engage in the times and the environment. I did feel the Christian background of the story was used well without being the over riding message. These were good people in hard times and that spoke well and made this a pleasant if not overly memorable listen.

Sarah Loudin Thomas has become one of my favorite authors. She has such a gift for storytelling. This book was a wonderful journey with three people that you would not expect to connect. As well as the amazing characters you get to meet along the way, the author also shares the story of the Hawks Nest Tunnel. The conditions were horrible and the dangerous working conditions were atrocious. I was not aware of this particular industrial disaster. I loved the way relationships developed and the way neighbors cared for each other. From Sully’s struggle with having grown up in an orphanage and Gainey having given up her son for adoption, you will wait anxiously to see how things will resolve. This story will tug at your heart. Don’t wait to start reading it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Format: audiobook
Author: Sarah Loudin Thomas ~ Title: The Finder of Forgotten Things ~ Narrator: Pilar Witherspoon
Content: 3 stars ~ Narration: 4 stars

The Finder of Forgotten Things is both a beautiful and sad story. But it is not a novel that I would usually read, so it worked for me only in an audiobook form. My rating is lower because this is not a novel in my style, and I think it was too slow for me for the same reason. If you like Christian historical fiction set in America in the 1930s, please consider this book because you could like it.

Sully Harris is on the run because he promised the people of Kline, West Virginia, he would find water. After he failed, he took off with their money. Jeremiah Weber is after him. Their story link with the story of Gainey Floyd, who wants to help workers at the Hawks Nest Tunnel that are getting sick.

The first quarter of the book was very slow. Therefore, it was quite difficult to follow. It doesn’t get a lot faster from there on either. Overall, the story quite dragged for me. But in the end, I found it to be a good story.

The narrator, Pilar Witherspoon, was very good. Although, I had some trouble adjusting to her narration in the beginning. But later, her voice, accent, and tone felt good for this novel.

Thanks to Recorded Books for the ALC and this opportunity! This is a voluntary review and all opinions are my own.

Sarah Loudin Thomas writes historical novels that honor the people and natural beauty of the Appalachian Mountains, and The Finder of Forgotten Things is her newest book.

Set in 1932, the plot features the real-life but little-known industrial tragedy caused by unsafe working conditions while creating the Hawks Nest Tunnel in Gauley Bridge, West Virginia. Desperate to earn income during the Depression, laborers cleared rock from the construction site with no protection to their respiratory systems. More than 750 men developed "tunnelitis" from inhaling high levels of silica and died as a result.

The novel centers around three unique characters: Sulley, a grifter who consistently promises more than he can deliver and leaves town before the consequences catch up to him; Jeremiah, a salt-of-the-earth man who is pursuing Sulley to gain restitution after he swindled his fellow townspeople; and Gainey, a postmistress who knows the hearts and needs of the locals and begins caring for the Gauley Bridge workers when one of her own is involved.

This story of second chances includes a found button, a lost Bible, wells that may or may not produce much-needed water, and a memorable array of secondary characters. Thank you to NetGalley, RB Media, and Bethany House for the review copies of the print and audiobook.

The Finder of Forgotton Things by Sarah Loudin Thomas is a well written historical fiction constructed around the backdrop of the Hawks Nest Tunnel Disaster, one of the worst industrial disasters in American history, yet a topic I’d never heard anything about.

This story was a slow, somewhat melancholic read, yet well suited the Depression-era time period. I thought the historical details were well woven into the story capturing the people and landscape of Depression-era West Virginia, bringing a sense of authenticity to the story. I really enjoyed getting to know the three main characters, Gainey, Jeremiah and Sully; I thought they were very well written, multilayered and likable. Their flaws only made them more believable and relatable. With such a sad backdrop to the story and the time period depicted, I didn’t find the story depressing, in fact there was an overall feeling of hope that I appreciated.

This is the first book I’ve read from this author but will look to read others. I found her writing to be beautiful and enjoyed themes around faith, resilience, friendship and love to be heartwarming.

Pilar Witherspoon’s audio narration was fantastic!

Thank you to RB Media and NetGalley for an audio ARC to review.

Based near the Hawks Nest Tunnel disaster, I enjoyed listening to this novel about a water dowser, Sully and his journey as he is trying to avoid Jeremiah, while helping Gainey find water for her friends. After hearing their background, you begin to want to see these characters put together in their own family. Gainey being a woman who had to give up her son long ago and Sully being given up, you begin to wonder if they were related to each other after all. After a while, you begin to have compassion for Sully and all he's been through, even though he may have left Jeremiah and the people of Kline high and dry, literally. This was a book with a good mixture of history, mystery and romance as Sully finds he is more capable than he ever thought possible. Pilar Witherspoon narrated this book beautifully.

The Finder of Forgotten Things
Sarah Loudin Thomas
The Hawks Nest Tunnel disaster is the backdrop of “The Finder of Forgotten Things.” The year is 1932 twenty-eight-year-old Sullivan Harris is a dowser or at least he claims to be. He goes from community to community searching for water. The community of Kline, West Virginia paid Sulliey in cash, but he didn’t find water, so he took the money and ran. He is low on funds and only one step ahead of Jeremiah Weber. Gainey Floyd is surprised when Sulley finds water. People in the community believe Sulley can find other things like missing items or missing people. Sulley doesn’t want anyone putting that much faith in him, so he runs away. He arrives in Hawks Nest where men have jobs digging a tunnel. What men thought was a blessing is a curse; it is killing them. While searching for gold Sulley finds where the men are secretly dumped in holes.
As a child Sulley was abandoned by his mother. Gainey lives with the regret of giving up her son years ago. Gainey is a no non-sense, independent, mature female. When Jeremiah meets her, he begins to fall in love. Sulley, Gainey and Jeremiah are incredible characters. This is a touching story. I had never heard of the Hawks Nest Tunnel nor the tragedy. I was so touched that I did some research.
In the late 1920s construction of a three-mile tunnel through Gauley Mountain in West Virginia began. The tunnel had to be built through solid rock, men flocked to the area for jobs, most were African Americans. The rock contained high levels of silica. The dry drilling method used to drill through the rock released large amounts of silica dust into the air. The white dust filled the workers lungs and damaged their sight. Approximately 5,000 men worked on the project over two-thirds worked in the mine. At least 764 workers died. Years after the project was complete many more workers died due to exposure to silica dust. The unofficial death toll is over 1,000 men.
Due to the lack of burial sites for black workers the funeral parlor in Summersville, West Virginia located an open field on Martha White’s farm. The field became the burial grounds for many of the African Americans who died working on the tunnel project.

Historical fiction story based on actual events in West Virginia with wealthy Americans abusing poor Americas.

The story is narrated by Pilar Witherspoon who did an amazing job. She was so good, I'm going to search for her other performances.

There are highs and lows in the story. I was left with an aching heart. HF is hard to read when the subject matters show the lack of humanity in those in trusted positions. The Finder of Forgotten Things is based on another dark time in American History.

Thank you NetGalley, RB Media and Recorded Books for accepting my request to read and review The Finder of Forgotten Things.

#NetGalley
#RBMedia
#RecordedBooks
#NarratorPilarWitherspoon
#SarahLoudinThomas
#TheFinderofForgottenThings

This atmospheric historical fiction grabbed me from the very beginning. Taking place in Depression era southern West Virginia, it follows Sully Harris, a dowser and possible scam artist, through the state. He’s followed by Jeremiah Weber, a resident of Kline, WV. Sully had left Kline with the town’s money but without providing them the promised well. Sully pulls into the next town, where he meets up with Gainey Floyd, who is suspicious of his claims. But when he actually finds water, folks start hoping he can find other things, like missing people.
This is an interesting story in which everyone will surprise you. These three get intertwined in a desire to help the men working at Hawks Nest Tunnel, where men are falling sick from the silica dust.
I was drawn to all three of these characters, even grifter Sully. They are provided with layers of depth and engrossing back stories. And the disaster of the Hawks Nest Tunnel truly will tug at your heart.
The story speaks to family - those we’re born into and those we form. I wanted so badly for this trio to find a way forward together.
This book fulfills my two requirements of historical fiction - to teach me something new while keeping me engaged and entertained.
Pilar Witherspoon did a wonderful job narrating this story.
My thanks to Netgalley and RB Audio for an advance copy of this book.

Well I made the mistake of reading this book just after finishing another historical fiction set in the same timeframe and also in the south...with a thread about racism. So periodically for about the first half of the book, I was getting confused and mixed up waiting for the characters and storyline from the other book.....my mistake. I don't usually do that, read books in the same genre back to back. This was lighter on the racism but still it was there and addressed. And I also very much appreciated that since this was Christian fiction, there wasn't the language. (That gets so taxing to read/listen to in many books these days.)

This book was actually quite refreshing...once I stopped get confusing between stories! What I appreciated the most was that even though there were trials and devastation and deaths, that there was an overall feeling of hope throughout the book. It could have been written to be such a depressing downer, being set in a town where there was tunnel digging that was making many of the townpeople horribly sick and even die. The author didn't downplay the tragedies at all, but there was still a feeling of hope to overcome. And I believe there was that feeling because the characters leaned so much on Jesus. Without being "preachy" as many Christian fictions I read in the past have done. Which is why, even as a Christian, I have kept away from much of the genre. In this case, I really appreciated that for the most part, you knew which characters were Christians, and there was prayer, but everything else was entirely story based. Nothing shoved down your throat. And in reality, I believe as a historical fiction, prayer and talk of Jesus would have happened a lot more back in this time period anyway, so that's quite believable and is left out of far too many other historical fiction.

I really enjoyed the three main characters, but my favorites were definitely Jeremiah and Sulley. Gainey was cute and she won me over. But I loved Jeremiah and Sulley from the very beginning. Just something so genuine about Jeremiah. And Sulley, well he's just loveable....a con-man, yes, but a loveable one. That's all I'll say without spoiling the story! Anyway, a great read in the end.

As for the narrator in the audiobook...she was so fabulous that I had to look her up to see what else she had narrated. There was no awkward "why is a woman doing a weird man voice" feeling, and she did a great job with the different southern accents.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced readers audio book in exchange for an honest review.

4.0 stars

The Finder of Forgotten Things follows Sullivan Harris, a bit of a con man, who dowses for water. He gets involved with Postmistress Gainey Floyd and Jeremiah. The backdrop is 1932 West Virginia and the Hawks Nest Tunnel project, which was very interesting to learn about. The main focus is about choices and forgiveness.

I enjoyed the narration by Pilar Witherspoon.

I thought I would like to hear a story, sorry did not like this audio but thought the story had promise. For me, it is different if I read rather than hear.

Great narrator. Likeable flawed characters. I am not into Christian fiction, and it veered towards that at the end, but otherwise this was a just a slow, nice story, about people who interacted with each other and cared about each other. The backdrop of the tunnel disaster was well-done. I learned a little history, but that didn't drive the story, it only enhanced it. I'm glad I listened to this book.