"Like the Amish raise their barns, Mainers search for each other in the woods. It's what we do."

Oh my. I really am at a loss as to how I want to approach this review. Well, first off, I didn't just read this book: I inhaled it. This struck a chord so deeply and so purely that I was racked with chills at the end. I felt this was a beautifully-told, masterfully-constructed tale, that, on the surface, is the story of a woman lost in the Maine woods. But it's more than that. To me, this was the story of three very different, very strong women. I don't want to ruin anything; just read the book.

I'm sad that I'm finished with the story, and I will absolutely read anything the author decides to put to paper...

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

Heartwood is a wilderness suspense novel that will make you think about life, love, and relationships. Valerie Gillis, a forty-two-year-old nurse, is hiking the Appalachian Trail and vanishes almost 200 miles from her final goal. She has her journal with her and writes letters to her mother while she waits for help. Beverly is the Maine State Game Warden in charge of finding Valerie. She is tough as nails and will not give up the search until Valerie is found. Another character central to the story is Lena, a seventy-six-year-old bird watcher who lives in a retirement community in Connecticut. Lena becomes an unlikely internet sleuth for Valerie. Will they find Valerie in time?

The heart of this story is the mother-daughter relationship. The author weaves the stories in and out beautifully. I love the letters Valerie wrote to her mother. I can’t say more without giving anything away. Sometimes the pace lagged a little for me and I wished it had been a little faster. I appreciated the detail on trails, hiking, and search and rescue procedures. I loved the idea behind the name Heartwood. This is a special book and I look forward to reading more from this author. Thank you to Simon & Schuster for providing this book for review consideration via Net Galley. All opinions are my own.

"Heartwood" presents a distinctive approach to the suspense genre. The story centers around Valerie Gillis, a 42-year-old hiker who mysteriously vanishes while trekking the Appalachian Trail in Maine. As she navigates her way back, Valerie shares her innermost thoughts through poignant letters addressed to her mother. Meanwhile, Beverly, a dedicated game warden, spearheads the search efforts for Valerie. Additionally, Lena, an elderly birdwatcher residing in a Connecticut retirement community, takes on the role of an amateur detective. The narrative unfolds through the varied perspectives of these three women, creating a compelling and engaging experience. The suspense builds as readers are left questioning whether Valerie will be located in time, making it a thrilling addition to any reading list.

I was afraid this would be a rip of Cheryl Strayed — wow was I wrong! This tale of the deep wild woods of Maine had me captivated and enthralled. The language magic Amity Gaige used created characters and descriptions of such depth and truth. I have hiked in some beautiful places but nowhere as challenging as the AT. I am familiar with all the areas evoked so beautifully and that enriched my experience immensely. But the most wonderful thing about this book is how character driven it is. Very very highly recommended you will not want to eat or sleep till you’re done!

Warning - make sure you have time to read this book - you will want to keep reading. This is a story about a woman Valerie who is lost while hiking the Appalachian trail. All of the characters are interesting. I found the descriptions of the hiking process very interesting. The story unfolds as the author includes Valerie's hiking friend, her husband, the Maine warden who is in charge of the search and rescue team. This book was hard to put down. This was a 5 star book for me. Something different.
Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a story of an experienced hiker who has taken to the Appalachian Trail for a long hike. Somehow she has become lost - she is 200 miles from her final destination. What she does to survive. She also writes letters to her mother while looking for the right trail.
It is also about the woman who is in charge of finding her on the Trail and the hundreds of people searching for her. It is what each does - one to save herself and one to save another.

This was quite an interesting story of hiking and searching - their personal stories as well - and the battles that you may find along the way. I found it very interesting and educational as well. Even tho I am not a hiker this was interesting as to the trails and what to do and not to do. I believe you will find it interesetinfg as well. I highly recommend it. Thank lyou to @Simon & Schuster for allowing me the opportuhity to read this pre publishsed novel.

A creative central plot (Valerie, a nurse/hiker goes missing in the Maine wilderness), well-honed, interesting and sympathetic characters (including “Lt. Bev,” the game warden leading the search, and Lena, an armchair sleuth working from her retirement community), and enchanting prose that illuminates and transports the reader, all combine for a very satisfying and memorable read. Mother/daughter relationships add an additional element of familial humanity to this story. Don’t miss this one!

I really enjoyed this story and found it very engrossing. I particularly liked that it was so female-driven with three strong women as the main characters:

Heartwood is about a woman who goes missing on the Appalachian trail. I absolutely loved this book and I could not put it down. The amount of detail and research that went into this novel is stunning. I loved the characters and their stories. Everything tied together so well in the end. This was one of my favorite books of 2024. Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for my advanced reading copy of this book.

3.5 solid stars for this story of three strong women.

Valerie Gillis is 42 years old and she’s hiking the Appalachian Trail. She goes missing in Maine, only two hundred miles from her final destination. While she tries to survive the unthinkable she writes letters to her mother.

Beverly Miller, a Maine game warden leads the search for Valerie while Lena Kulcharski, a 76 year old biker swat her living in a Connecticut retirement community acts an an armchair detective. Can the women find Valerie in the vast wilderness and what is behind her disappearance?

Interesting story, especially the parts about the AT and survival on it….I would have liked more of that.

Valerie Gillis’s voice is raw and poetic as she pens letters to her mother while battling the elements. Her fragmented reflections pull the reader into her psyche, revealing her determination, fear, and vulnerability as she navigates the isolation of the Appalachian Trail. These passages are beautifully written, capturing both nature's grandeur and the human spirit's fragility.

In stark contrast, Beverly, the tenacious Maine State Game Warden, offers a grounded and methodical perspective. Her relentless pursuit of the truth adds urgency and tension to the narrative, while her empathy and dedication make her a deeply relatable character.

The unexpected addition of Lena, a seventy-six-year-old birdwatcher turned amateur detective, is a delightful surprise. Her sharp observations and unorthodox sleuthing bring a fresh and contemplative angle to the mystery, illustrating the interconnectedness of seemingly disparate lives.

With its intricate plot, vivid prose, and compelling characters, this is a must-read for fans of literary thrillers and survival stories. It lingers long after the final page, a testament to the power of hope and the enduring mystery of the human experience.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was not what I expected and honestly it was all the better for it. It’s described as a thriller but it felt more literary fiction to me. The focus was on interpersonal relationships and reflecting on past trauma more than the suspenseful plot. I actually found this much more engaging and paired with the really lovely prose it made for a wonderful study of character and story.

ARC provided by NetGalley

3.75⭐️

I’ll be honest, I wanted to like this book so much more than I did. Overall, it was an interesting read that I am glad I read. I think my issue is that it’s listed as suspense but that’s not the experience I had at all.

However, I did like the characters and how they were interwoven together. I love the Appalachian Trail and the connections to it and Maine so I enjoyed the look into that world. I would put this in the Literary Fiction category as mostly what stood out was the mother daughter relationship and how it unfolded in the “victims” journal.

I do know many of my personal friends will enjoy this read. It is unique as it’s told through phone calls, journal entries, reports and more. So it was a nice change from the typical prose.

It comes out April 1,2025

I want to thank Simon & Schuster for reaching out and asking if I wanted to read this ARC for free as overall I enjoyed the experience.

I was intrigued by the premise of this book, and love the way Maine and the natural world were rendered throughout this novel. The multiple POVs didn't all come together for me, but I was engaged enough to need to read for the discovery of how the book would end.

A nurse hiking the Appalachian trail to recover from post-covid burnout; a glass ceiling-breaking female game warden, an angry 72 year old retiree estranged from her daughter; these and other well-wrought characters intersect as a search for the nurse, gone missing from the trail, extends beyond hope of finding her alive. A real page turner.

I finished this book in one day. I was riveted and the narration moved so smoothly that it went by quickly. I think I wanted more from it in terms of a mystery. There was no real "gotcha," which I was expecting. I wasn't surprised by the outcome as soon as the "young kid/man" was introduced. That said, the characterization was SO GOOD. THIS is what was the crux of the novel, for me...despite me going in thinking it would be more of a survival and adventure story. I would definitely read all her books going forward.

I enjoyed this book very much. A heartfelt story that I related to so much. I feel like buying this and gifting it to all my female friends.

The core of this novel concerns two women -- one who is lost hiking the Appalachian Trail in the Maine woods and the state warden who leads the search over a period of weeks. Along the way we are introduced to a variety of supporting characters, including friends and family that have their own issues and oddities. This could become trite but covers new ground as we see things unfold from both perspectives. The hiker has some experience -- start the trail in the DC area and nearing its end in Maine -- but is trapped under mysterious circumstances. The warden has her own issues, working in a predominately male world -- and again this could veer into a trope but stays interesting, fresh and authentic. I liked the descriptions of the characters and the conditions they find themselves in, having done my share of day hikes and a few overnights. But even if your experience of a forest is from a paved park path you will find the novel engaging and you will be rooting for the rescue a few chapters into the book.

Heartwood had my heart pounding. At some point, around a third of the way in, there is no option but to finish this creative, unusual and gripping novel in one big gulp. Ostensibly, the book is about a woman who goes missing on the Appalachian Trail, the lieutenant game warden tasked with the search, and an older woman living in an assisted living facility who becomes an on line sleuth. But the book is about so much more, and mostly about the bonds between mothers and daughters - how they break, why they break, and whether they can be repaired. It is also about how to live a meaningful live in our chaotic, fractured post-pandemic world. Highly recommend this superbly written and unique novel. Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC.

I was especially intrigued when I was asked to read this new book by Amity Gaige as I have through-hiked the Appalachian Trail. And I want to emphasize that it all rang very true.

A hiker who went missing in 2013 and survived for 26 days is the inspiration for this novel. But other than a few similarities (both were nurses, for example) this is a purely fictional novel and is nothing like the story of Geraldine Largay.

It is told from the viewpoints of the lost hiker (Sparrow), the woman leading the search (Bev) and a woman in a senior living facility who is following the case through the media.

There are a few twists and turns along the way, but the book is mostly about relationships. I will not deny that I cried a few times. Heartwood is definitely worth the read because it is very real, and very true to what it’s like to hike the Appalachian Trail and the very real terror of getting lost in the dense Maine woods.