The COVID-19 pandemic meant many things to many people. Thankfully, I avoided its worst impacts, but the isolation of social distancing was very real. I retreated into books more than ever, and as an unexpected silver lining, I discovered authors and stories I might never have picked up otherwise. Amity Gaige was one of those discoveries. Her novel Sea Wife became one of my favorites of 2020, and I promised myself I’d read whatever she wrote next.
That promise led me to Heartwood, her latest novel—a story that uses the pandemic as a starting point for its direction. While this isn’t a “pandemic novel” in the traditional sense, it thoughtfully draws on our shared experience of that time to deepen our understanding of its characters.
Valerie Gillis became a nurse because she wanted to help people. But when COVID laid siege to her hospital, making it nearly impossible to do just that, she found herself at a breaking point. In the aftermath, Valerie takes a months-long leave from work and sets out to hike the Appalachian Trail in search of clarity and escape. She encounters a hiking partner along the way, only for that partner to be called away from the hike. And then, just like that, she’s alone in the wilderness.
So when Valerie disappears, it feels almost inevitable. But that’s only the beginning of the story.
We're introduced to a cast of characters whose lives intersect with Valerie’s in unexpected ways. There’s Beverly, the game warden tasked with finding her; Lena, an elderly woman in an assisted living facility who turns to online sleuthing and begins to suspect the missing hiker might be her estranged daughter; and Santo, the man who briefly walked alongside Valerie before sending her to continue on alone. Through these shifting perspectives, the mystery deepens, each thread pulling us closer to the truth of what really happened on the trail.
Amity Gaige once again proves her strength in crafting compelling, well-rounded characters in Heartwood. Her mosaic approach gives readers an intimate look into each character’s psyche, revealing what drives them and how their lives intersect with the larger narrative. It’s a thoughtful, layered structure that highlights Gaige’s skill as a writer.
That said, not every thread resonated equally. While some perspectives added meaningful depth, others occasionally pulled focus from the central mystery. There were moments when I found myself less invested in the individual character arcs and wishing for a stronger narrative momentum behind the missing-person storyline.
Ultimately, much of the novel’s impact will depend on how much you connect with its character-driven approach. Amity Gaige is undeniably a gifted writer, and while I admired the craft on display, I found myself wishing for a bit more narrative drive to match the depth of its characters. In the end, Heartwood leans more toward a thoughtful study of people than a traditional mystery, but for readers willing to settle into its rhythms, there’s plenty of rewarding payoff to be found.
For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
(2026, 24)
