***"***Not sinceTo Kill a Mockingbirdhas a story impacted me like this." COLLEEN COBLE, USA Todaybestselling author of Seagrass Pier
"Wingate is, quite simply, a master storyteller. Her story-within-a-story, penned with a fine, expressive style, will captivate writers and nonwriters alike." Booklist
Successful New York editor, Jen Gibbs, is at the top of her game with her new position at Vida House Publishing until a mysterious manuscript from an old slush pile appears on her desk. Turning the pages, Jen finds herself drawn into the life of Sarra, a mixed-race Melungeon girl trapped by dangerous men in the turn of the century Appalachia. A risky hunch may lead to The Story Keeper's hidden origins and its unknown author, but when the trail turns toward the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a place Jen thought she'd left behind forever, the price of a blockbuster next book deal may be higher than she's willing to pay.
A beautifully written contemporary novel with hints of romance
Themes of forgiveness, family, returning home, and navigating brokenness