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The Finder of Forgotten Things
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.
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.
384 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2021
115 people are currently reading
3767 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Loudin Thomas
15 books755 followersSarah Loudin Thomas grew up on a 100-acre farm in French Creek, WV, the seventh generation to live there. Her historical fiction is often set in West Virginia and celebrates the people, the land, and the heritage of Appalachia.
Sarah is the director of Jan Karon’s Mitford Museum in Hudson, NC. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Coastal Carolina University and is the author of the acclaimed novels The Right Kind of Fool–winner of the 2021 Selah Book of the Year–and Miracle in a Dry Season–winner of the 2015 Inspy Award. Sarah has also been a finalist for the Christy Award, ACFW Carol Award and the Christian Book of the Year Award. She and her husband live in western North Carolina.
Sarah is the director of Jan Karon’s Mitford Museum in Hudson, NC. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Coastal Carolina University and is the author of the acclaimed novels The Right Kind of Fool–winner of the 2021 Selah Book of the Year–and Miracle in a Dry Season–winner of the 2015 Inspy Award. Sarah has also been a finalist for the Christy Award, ACFW Carol Award and the Christian Book of the Year Award. She and her husband live in western North Carolina.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews
June 22, 2025
The Finder of Forgotten Things
by Sarah Loudin Thomas, Narrated by Pilar Witherspoon
The Hawks Nest Tunnel disaster is one of the worst industrial disasters in American history. The construction of the tunnel began is 1927, near Gauley Bridge, West Virginia, as part of a hydroelectric project. While providing employment to about 3000 men until 1935, the work exposed the men to silica dust, which caused a debilitating lung disease, silicosis. The disaster has an official death toll of 476 but an unofficial death toll of well over a thousand men.
The disaster is the backdrop of this historical fiction which focuses on three characters who long for family when family seems to be an impossible goal. The year is 1932 and good looking, sweet talking, twenty eight year old Sully Harris is doing what he does best. Grifting and swindling are his great talents and his ability to smooth talk almost anyone is how he moves through life. Right now he's a dowser, a seeker of water for those who need wells. He's just fled Kline, West Virginia, taking the town's money with him so he doesn't have to face up to the fact that where he told them to dig for water will just turn up a dry hole. I tried to resist Sully's charms, knowing what a scoundrel his is, but by the end of the book, Sully won me over, too.
When Sully arrives at Gainey Floyd's town she has her doubts about him but once he makes good on his claims that he can help others she has to admit he might not be so bad. Gainey is old enough to be Sully's mother and Sully wishes she was his mother. Inside, he's still the wounded boy whose mother abandoned him before he could even remember her. Sully's feeling of abandonment rules his life. Gainey has her own heartbreak she's never told anyone, decades of feeling like a fraud to the people who know her.
Jeremiah Weber, of Kline, comes looking for Sully so he can get his town's money back. Instead he meets Gainey, whose independent no nonsense attitude and mature beauty stirs feelings in Jeremiah that he thought were long dormant. He realizes he's tired of always putting others first, such as his town's expectations that he marry a young widow just because she needs marrying. In Gainey he sees the kind of women who can be a true partner although he knows that could be a hopeless dream.
These three people really caught my heart. There is the personal heartbreak of Sully and Gainey and the heartbreak of the abuse the workers of the Hawks Nest Tunnel endure, working literally to death for wages that are taken away by management through unfair company policies and the heartbreak of families losing one or more family members to lung disease. Sully is drawn to the men who suffer and the men who are dumped anonymously into holes in a secret graveyard. Sully, along with Gainey and Jeremiah, are the center of this touching, bittersweet story that is beautifully narrated by Pilar Witherspoon.
Pub Dec 7th 2021
Thank you to RB Media and NetGalley for this ARC.
by Sarah Loudin Thomas, Narrated by Pilar Witherspoon
The Hawks Nest Tunnel disaster is one of the worst industrial disasters in American history. The construction of the tunnel began is 1927, near Gauley Bridge, West Virginia, as part of a hydroelectric project. While providing employment to about 3000 men until 1935, the work exposed the men to silica dust, which caused a debilitating lung disease, silicosis. The disaster has an official death toll of 476 but an unofficial death toll of well over a thousand men.
The disaster is the backdrop of this historical fiction which focuses on three characters who long for family when family seems to be an impossible goal. The year is 1932 and good looking, sweet talking, twenty eight year old Sully Harris is doing what he does best. Grifting and swindling are his great talents and his ability to smooth talk almost anyone is how he moves through life. Right now he's a dowser, a seeker of water for those who need wells. He's just fled Kline, West Virginia, taking the town's money with him so he doesn't have to face up to the fact that where he told them to dig for water will just turn up a dry hole. I tried to resist Sully's charms, knowing what a scoundrel his is, but by the end of the book, Sully won me over, too.
When Sully arrives at Gainey Floyd's town she has her doubts about him but once he makes good on his claims that he can help others she has to admit he might not be so bad. Gainey is old enough to be Sully's mother and Sully wishes she was his mother. Inside, he's still the wounded boy whose mother abandoned him before he could even remember her. Sully's feeling of abandonment rules his life. Gainey has her own heartbreak she's never told anyone, decades of feeling like a fraud to the people who know her.
Jeremiah Weber, of Kline, comes looking for Sully so he can get his town's money back. Instead he meets Gainey, whose independent no nonsense attitude and mature beauty stirs feelings in Jeremiah that he thought were long dormant. He realizes he's tired of always putting others first, such as his town's expectations that he marry a young widow just because she needs marrying. In Gainey he sees the kind of women who can be a true partner although he knows that could be a hopeless dream.
These three people really caught my heart. There is the personal heartbreak of Sully and Gainey and the heartbreak of the abuse the workers of the Hawks Nest Tunnel endure, working literally to death for wages that are taken away by management through unfair company policies and the heartbreak of families losing one or more family members to lung disease. Sully is drawn to the men who suffer and the men who are dumped anonymously into holes in a secret graveyard. Sully, along with Gainey and Jeremiah, are the center of this touching, bittersweet story that is beautifully narrated by Pilar Witherspoon.
Pub Dec 7th 2021
Thank you to RB Media and NetGalley for this ARC.
December 7, 2021
How have I not heard of this industrial tragedy before? A well-written historical fiction with wonderful characters, the author has woven the digging of the Hawks Nest Tunnel disaster during the 1930s into her story.
Times were tough and when there are jobs to dig and drill through a mountain near Gauley Bridge, West Virginia, men black and white signed up. Unbeknownst to them about silica in the dust, these men were working without any breathing protection and as a result over 400 died from Silicosis. This part made me so upset. If you read "The Radium Girls", it's THAT same upset I'm having.
I enjoyed the pace and memorable and complex characters. There's a touch of romance, but one character grew on me the most, Sulley. From a guy who tricks others into finding water for money, he later gives. Beautiful story.
Thank you Recorded Books and Netgalley for an audio ARC for review.
Available December 7, 2021.
Times were tough and when there are jobs to dig and drill through a mountain near Gauley Bridge, West Virginia, men black and white signed up. Unbeknownst to them about silica in the dust, these men were working without any breathing protection and as a result over 400 died from Silicosis. This part made me so upset. If you read "The Radium Girls", it's THAT same upset I'm having.
I enjoyed the pace and memorable and complex characters. There's a touch of romance, but one character grew on me the most, Sulley. From a guy who tricks others into finding water for money, he later gives. Beautiful story.
Thank you Recorded Books and Netgalley for an audio ARC for review.
Available December 7, 2021.
December 18, 2021
In a Nutshell: A historical fiction that charms you and haunts you at the same time. It throws light on the 1930s Hawks Nest tunnel disaster, though this isn’t the main focus of the story.
Story:
I was somehow under the impression that the Hawks Nest Tunnel disaster was the prime focus of the novel. (I don’t know from where I got this idea in my head!) So when I found that the tunnel incident was one of the secondary plots unfolding in the background as against the personal lives of the main trio, I was a bit disappointed. Once I realigned my expectations, I found myself relishing the book a lot more. If you want information about the disaster, you will certainly get it. But if you want an in-depth look much beyond how traumatic the working conditions were, the book touches upon this aspect only to a certain extent. Must say, even this limited content is enough to make you feel suffocated; it’s so horrifying. There was a lot of manipulation of the workers -- both black and white -- and yet within this manipulation too, there was preferential discrimination, both in the treatment meted out during their employment and in the meagre compensation later provided.
(One fact that at least my fellow Indians would be interested in knowing is that the company behind the Hawks tunnel construction was none other than Union Carbide. Yup, the very one responsible for the Bhopal Gas Tragedy of 1984. How sad that this corporation has been responsible for two such major industrial disasters and has still escaped almost scot-free!)
The three main characters are quite interestingly carved. All of them seem to have hidden layers. Gainey seems to be a strong and independent woman who doesn’t fit into the mould of a typical historical fiction leading lady. Jeremiah is practical and resourceful, not afraid of hard labour, and seems to have spent his life working to make others happy. Sulley seems to be using his charm to get out of troublesome situations in the easiest way possible but soon, it is easy to see that this is just a façade to hide deeper wounds. I just wish the ages of the characters had been made clear right at the start. This detail helps so much in picturing them better. To a certain extent, I understand why the author didn’t reveal Gainey’s age outright because this would have resolved one of the key mysteries of the book. But the lack of detail did impact my reading because at the start, I presumed all three of them to be in the same age-decade and then found myself constantly revising the ages of Gainey and Jeremiah based on the vague textual clues such as “woman of her age”.
There are plenty of beautiful themes in the book, not surprising as the genre is Christian fiction. So the story touches upon love, unbiasedness, sacrifice, understanding, forgiveness, cooperation and justice in equal measures. It also subtly incorporated racial injustice within the narrative. I didn’t expect romance to be a part of the storyline but it doesn’t go (much) over the top, and it is middle-aged romance, quite uncommon for a historical fiction novel. The author’s note at the end is touching and explains a lot of her writing choices, including the reason for integrating romance in the otherwise hard-hitting storyline. I increased my rating after reading her note because I understood better why she approached this novel the way she did and appreciated her decision.
Overall, this is a beautifully written story that hurts and heals in equal measures. I loved how it balanced the industrial tragedy with the personal struggles of the characters. The book uses the time period, the location and the historical details perfectly. You might be overwhelmed by the number of characters at the start, but things soon fall into place, so just go with the flow. The book is 350 pages long but it is a decently quick read, not rushed and yet not dragged.
You may pick up this book for various reasons because it has a lot going for it. But one of the foremost reasons has to be to know more about an industrial disaster and the labour discrimination at the worksite that has almost been forgotten. Sarah Loudin Thomas is an author whose name was new to me prior to this book. I shall certainly keep an eye on her works now onwards.
A strong 4.25 stars from me.
My thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for the ARC of “The Finder of Forgotten Things”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
Story:
1932, West Virginia, Sullivan (Sulley) Harris is a dowser who is on the run, because he promised the people of Kline that he will find them water in exchange for a high sum but his indicated location turned out to be dry. Jeremiah Weber, a citizen of Kline, is appointed by the townspeople to locate Sulley and retrieve their money.
More than a hundred miles away, Gainey Floyd is a postmistress in Mount Lookout. She is highly suspicious of the newcomer to town, Sulley. But when even his claims turn out to be correct, she is not able to get rid of her instinctive feeling of distrust.
Near to Mt. Lookout is the construction of the Hawks Nest tunnel, where thousands of unemployed labourers (white and coloured) dealing with the post-depression economy have assembled to dig a tunnel for a hydroelectric project.
How the lives of Sulley, Gainey, and Jeremiah intertwine against the background of the Hawks Nest incident forms the crux of the story.
I was somehow under the impression that the Hawks Nest Tunnel disaster was the prime focus of the novel. (I don’t know from where I got this idea in my head!) So when I found that the tunnel incident was one of the secondary plots unfolding in the background as against the personal lives of the main trio, I was a bit disappointed. Once I realigned my expectations, I found myself relishing the book a lot more. If you want information about the disaster, you will certainly get it. But if you want an in-depth look much beyond how traumatic the working conditions were, the book touches upon this aspect only to a certain extent. Must say, even this limited content is enough to make you feel suffocated; it’s so horrifying. There was a lot of manipulation of the workers -- both black and white -- and yet within this manipulation too, there was preferential discrimination, both in the treatment meted out during their employment and in the meagre compensation later provided.
(One fact that at least my fellow Indians would be interested in knowing is that the company behind the Hawks tunnel construction was none other than Union Carbide. Yup, the very one responsible for the Bhopal Gas Tragedy of 1984. How sad that this corporation has been responsible for two such major industrial disasters and has still escaped almost scot-free!)
The three main characters are quite interestingly carved. All of them seem to have hidden layers. Gainey seems to be a strong and independent woman who doesn’t fit into the mould of a typical historical fiction leading lady. Jeremiah is practical and resourceful, not afraid of hard labour, and seems to have spent his life working to make others happy. Sulley seems to be using his charm to get out of troublesome situations in the easiest way possible but soon, it is easy to see that this is just a façade to hide deeper wounds. I just wish the ages of the characters had been made clear right at the start. This detail helps so much in picturing them better. To a certain extent, I understand why the author didn’t reveal Gainey’s age outright because this would have resolved one of the key mysteries of the book. But the lack of detail did impact my reading because at the start, I presumed all three of them to be in the same age-decade and then found myself constantly revising the ages of Gainey and Jeremiah based on the vague textual clues such as “woman of her age”.
There are plenty of beautiful themes in the book, not surprising as the genre is Christian fiction. So the story touches upon love, unbiasedness, sacrifice, understanding, forgiveness, cooperation and justice in equal measures. It also subtly incorporated racial injustice within the narrative. I didn’t expect romance to be a part of the storyline but it doesn’t go (much) over the top, and it is middle-aged romance, quite uncommon for a historical fiction novel. The author’s note at the end is touching and explains a lot of her writing choices, including the reason for integrating romance in the otherwise hard-hitting storyline. I increased my rating after reading her note because I understood better why she approached this novel the way she did and appreciated her decision.
Overall, this is a beautifully written story that hurts and heals in equal measures. I loved how it balanced the industrial tragedy with the personal struggles of the characters. The book uses the time period, the location and the historical details perfectly. You might be overwhelmed by the number of characters at the start, but things soon fall into place, so just go with the flow. The book is 350 pages long but it is a decently quick read, not rushed and yet not dragged.
You may pick up this book for various reasons because it has a lot going for it. But one of the foremost reasons has to be to know more about an industrial disaster and the labour discrimination at the worksite that has almost been forgotten. Sarah Loudin Thomas is an author whose name was new to me prior to this book. I shall certainly keep an eye on her works now onwards.
A strong 4.25 stars from me.
My thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for the ARC of “The Finder of Forgotten Things”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
December 24, 2021
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.
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.
January 15, 2022
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 history 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.
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 history 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.
December 6, 2021
5 stars! This was really good and I loved it!
It was wonderfully written and told during a time when people shared and cared about each other. The time was 1932 and these were hard times and community meant something. I loved this story because of the well developed characters and how everything came together.
It showed me what hope, forgiveness and reconciliation look like. I didn’t want to put it down and I highly recommend it.
I chose to listen to this book on audio and really loved Pilar Witherspoon narrating this. She brought something really special to this story. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Thanks Recorded Books via NetGalley.
It was wonderfully written and told during a time when people shared and cared about each other. The time was 1932 and these were hard times and community meant something. I loved this story because of the well developed characters and how everything came together.
It showed me what hope, forgiveness and reconciliation look like. I didn’t want to put it down and I highly recommend it.
I chose to listen to this book on audio and really loved Pilar Witherspoon narrating this. She brought something really special to this story. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Thanks Recorded Books via NetGalley.
December 7, 2021
'Other people's expectations can make you do all sorts of things against your better judgment.'
Sometimes you just settle down deep into a book and forget the present time. This happened to me here. Sarah Loudin Thomas has such a wonderful way with the written word and her stories are so rich and full. Set in 1932 for the most part, The Finder of Forgotten Things brings three unlikely people together on a journey that none will ever forget.
Sully, Jeremiah and Gainey are three people who seem as if they would never form a relationship with each other. And yet they do and all three are made better by knowing the others.
Thomas brings in actual history here, the Hawks Nest Tunnel and the horrific dangers it caused. I was not familiar with this event in history and her research compelled me to learn more. Thomas manages to craft the best characters and not just the main protagonists, either. All her characters are wonderful, even the secondary ones and make reading about them a great pleasure.
Things forgotten are sometimes found and are treasured all the more greatly for having been found after a long while. I love this writer's work for she makes you richer for having read her books. Highly recommended.
My thanks to Bethany House Publishers for a copy of this book via the Net Galley platform. The opinion in this review is entirely my own.
Sometimes you just settle down deep into a book and forget the present time. This happened to me here. Sarah Loudin Thomas has such a wonderful way with the written word and her stories are so rich and full. Set in 1932 for the most part, The Finder of Forgotten Things brings three unlikely people together on a journey that none will ever forget.
Sully, Jeremiah and Gainey are three people who seem as if they would never form a relationship with each other. And yet they do and all three are made better by knowing the others.
Thomas brings in actual history here, the Hawks Nest Tunnel and the horrific dangers it caused. I was not familiar with this event in history and her research compelled me to learn more. Thomas manages to craft the best characters and not just the main protagonists, either. All her characters are wonderful, even the secondary ones and make reading about them a great pleasure.
Things forgotten are sometimes found and are treasured all the more greatly for having been found after a long while. I love this writer's work for she makes you richer for having read her books. Highly recommended.
My thanks to Bethany House Publishers for a copy of this book via the Net Galley platform. The opinion in this review is entirely my own.
January 6, 2022
Taking a superstition concerning dowsing and building a story during the Depression in America, Ms. Thomas gives us a lesson to ponder: Are the things we are looking for selfish or should they benefit others?
Sully is looking for self-worth, the lazy way. He is a con man and a rascally charmer. “I don’t think he is a bad man so much as he’s a lost one who doesn’t quite know how to get along with people for more than a day or two.”
Gainey Floyd has a secret in her past and although it is not forgotten, she knows God loves her. She has hidden the Word in her heart and brings out verses to fit the occasion.” I’ve memorized a great many verses over the years, and sometimes it’s as if the world calls them out of me.”
Jeremiah is steadfast and wants to do the right thing.
The three become friends in an unusual way and out of necessity.
This is a heartwarming, homey story with much sadness but blooming with the truth that God works in spite of us. The author gives us beauty in the midst of sorrow: “It was a perfect day-the sky that derp, rich blue that only happens in autumn when God needs just the right backdrop for the glory of red, gold and orange leaves.”
A memorable story from a favorite storyteller.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House on behalf of the author. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*
Sully is looking for self-worth, the lazy way. He is a con man and a rascally charmer. “I don’t think he is a bad man so much as he’s a lost one who doesn’t quite know how to get along with people for more than a day or two.”
Gainey Floyd has a secret in her past and although it is not forgotten, she knows God loves her. She has hidden the Word in her heart and brings out verses to fit the occasion.” I’ve memorized a great many verses over the years, and sometimes it’s as if the world calls them out of me.”
Jeremiah is steadfast and wants to do the right thing.
The three become friends in an unusual way and out of necessity.
This is a heartwarming, homey story with much sadness but blooming with the truth that God works in spite of us. The author gives us beauty in the midst of sorrow: “It was a perfect day-the sky that derp, rich blue that only happens in autumn when God needs just the right backdrop for the glory of red, gold and orange leaves.”
A memorable story from a favorite storyteller.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House on behalf of the author. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*
May 29, 2022
1932 West Virginia
Engaging tale with well written characters centered around the tragedy of the building of Hawks Nest Tunnel. Loved the explanation of why the author created the story line the way she did. Several historical details included in the pages.
Multiple gems of wisdom including this one:
"Sometimes, when people didn't make sense, you had to up and make sense for them."
Engaging tale with well written characters centered around the tragedy of the building of Hawks Nest Tunnel. Loved the explanation of why the author created the story line the way she did. Several historical details included in the pages.
Multiple gems of wisdom including this one:
"Sometimes, when people didn't make sense, you had to up and make sense for them."
January 8, 2022
***NOVEL THOUGHTS***
The backdrop of this story is a little known industrial incident that happened during the Depression in West Virginia, when any paying job, was a good job. The only trouble was this job, digging a tunnel through a mountain filled with silica known as Hawk's Nest near the Gauley River, was a death sentence or at the very least, a lifetime of illness and the bosses on the job, didn't care at all. Little care to protect the workers was taken and in fact were bullied with guns and whips to keep the men on the job. These men, many African-Americans coming up from the south when learning of the need for workers, were subject to horrendous working conditions. The explosions made into the mountain caused plumes of deadly dust filled with silica that when breathed in would clog the lungs with what could only be called "cement" leading to severe coughing fits and eventually would kill the victim by suffocation. The workers were paid but the company deducted room and board, purchases at the company story and any other expenses they deemed fit, leaving the worker with barely anything for their labor. Death was a daily occurrence and many bodies were just packed up and dumped in unnamed graves far from the work site. Families were never told their loved one died or where they were buried. Today, there is a monument to these men in remembrance.
But this historical fiction novel is also a love story. Gainey Floyd, postmistress of Mount Lookout, is a woman with a secret from her past. In her youth, her fiancée died at the same time she found she was pregnant and had to give her baby boy up for adoption, a decision that haunted her whole life. When Sully, a dowser is run out of Kline, WV because of some shady claims he could find water, shows up in Mount Lookout, Gainey is skeptical. She puts Sully to task to find water for friends and surprises her when he does. Jeremiah Weber, a confirmed bachelor, shows up in Mt Lookout to bring Sully back to be dealt with by those in Kline he swindled but despite Sully's success finding the water he said he would, Jeremiah's mind is unchanged. Overtime, Jeremiah and Gainey find they are attracted to each other and it is sweet to watch as their affection develops. Through coincidences, divine intervention or just good detective skills, Sully seems to be able follow the trails of "lost people" and reconnects them with family all the while his own orphaned past plagues him and his desire for people "who won't forget him when he is gone." He will eventually find that all of the folks in Mount Lookout will become that family he has always been missing.
Despite the difficult subject of Hawk's Nest, the story of finding love and family at any age is quite refreshing. Also, Gainey's conscience leads her to want to help the men by bringing food, nursing care and companionship during their suffering away from family. Usually selfish, Sully is also motivated to help others.
The characters are likeable and well written with perfectly honed personalities. The author offers a trail to Gailey's mystery but by about threequarters through the story, there's a great twist which keeps everything interesting. Exposing the greed of the Hawk's Nest project will easily get the reader angry as it is meant to. To treat the workers as expendable was deplorable and even though a lawsuit was eventually filed, the compensation was a joke, except to the lawyers.
The difficulties of survival during the Depression is only mildly touched on in this novel, rather, the way the characters give what they can to help each other, is a positive theme throughout the novel and a good lesson for us all. It is a book about hope, love, faith and friendship.
The backdrop of this story is a little known industrial incident that happened during the Depression in West Virginia, when any paying job, was a good job. The only trouble was this job, digging a tunnel through a mountain filled with silica known as Hawk's Nest near the Gauley River, was a death sentence or at the very least, a lifetime of illness and the bosses on the job, didn't care at all. Little care to protect the workers was taken and in fact were bullied with guns and whips to keep the men on the job. These men, many African-Americans coming up from the south when learning of the need for workers, were subject to horrendous working conditions. The explosions made into the mountain caused plumes of deadly dust filled with silica that when breathed in would clog the lungs with what could only be called "cement" leading to severe coughing fits and eventually would kill the victim by suffocation. The workers were paid but the company deducted room and board, purchases at the company story and any other expenses they deemed fit, leaving the worker with barely anything for their labor. Death was a daily occurrence and many bodies were just packed up and dumped in unnamed graves far from the work site. Families were never told their loved one died or where they were buried. Today, there is a monument to these men in remembrance.
But this historical fiction novel is also a love story. Gainey Floyd, postmistress of Mount Lookout, is a woman with a secret from her past. In her youth, her fiancée died at the same time she found she was pregnant and had to give her baby boy up for adoption, a decision that haunted her whole life. When Sully, a dowser is run out of Kline, WV because of some shady claims he could find water, shows up in Mount Lookout, Gainey is skeptical. She puts Sully to task to find water for friends and surprises her when he does. Jeremiah Weber, a confirmed bachelor, shows up in Mt Lookout to bring Sully back to be dealt with by those in Kline he swindled but despite Sully's success finding the water he said he would, Jeremiah's mind is unchanged. Overtime, Jeremiah and Gainey find they are attracted to each other and it is sweet to watch as their affection develops. Through coincidences, divine intervention or just good detective skills, Sully seems to be able follow the trails of "lost people" and reconnects them with family all the while his own orphaned past plagues him and his desire for people "who won't forget him when he is gone." He will eventually find that all of the folks in Mount Lookout will become that family he has always been missing.
Despite the difficult subject of Hawk's Nest, the story of finding love and family at any age is quite refreshing. Also, Gainey's conscience leads her to want to help the men by bringing food, nursing care and companionship during their suffering away from family. Usually selfish, Sully is also motivated to help others.
The characters are likeable and well written with perfectly honed personalities. The author offers a trail to Gailey's mystery but by about threequarters through the story, there's a great twist which keeps everything interesting. Exposing the greed of the Hawk's Nest project will easily get the reader angry as it is meant to. To treat the workers as expendable was deplorable and even though a lawsuit was eventually filed, the compensation was a joke, except to the lawyers.
The difficulties of survival during the Depression is only mildly touched on in this novel, rather, the way the characters give what they can to help each other, is a positive theme throughout the novel and a good lesson for us all. It is a book about hope, love, faith and friendship.
August 13, 2022
Format: audiobook
Author: Sarah Loudin Thomas ~ Title: The Finder of Forgotten Things ~ Narrator: Pilar Witherspoon
Content: 3 stars ~ Narration: 4 stars
Complete audiobook review
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.
Author: Sarah Loudin Thomas ~ Title: The Finder of Forgotten Things ~ Narrator: Pilar Witherspoon
Content: 3 stars ~ Narration: 4 stars
Complete audiobook review
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.
April 13, 2022
A beautiful story of how God can bring beauty and hope out of tragedy and loss. The characters felt very real, especially for the time period, and I found myself loving them and their personal journeys. I really enjoyed how this book shed light on an often-forgotten tragedy and the lives of the people involved on a smaller scale.
I'd recommend this book to historical fiction readers looking for a clean read salted with hope and a dash of clean romance.
DISCLAIMER: I received a free copy in exchange for an HONEST review.
I'd recommend this book to historical fiction readers looking for a clean read salted with hope and a dash of clean romance.
DISCLAIMER: I received a free copy in exchange for an HONEST review.
December 10, 2021
"The record presents a story of a condition that is hardly conceivable in a democratic government in the present century. It would be more representative of the Middle Ages. It is the story of a tragedy . . . the story of men in the darkest days of the Depression . . . "
Three lives intersect against the backdrop of historically tragic circumstances surrounding the construction of the Hawks Nest Tunnel in Gauley Bridge, West Virginia. But we need to back up a bit. Who were they? How did they meet? Did they become friends. Did they find what they were looking for?
Meet Sullivan Harrison. Too good-looking and silver tongued for his own good; a drifter, a douser, and an all round scalawag . . .or so thought Jeremiah Weber, who volunteered to hunt the scoundrel down for hoodwinking his town of Kline, West Virginia out of their money. Following Sully toward Mount Lookout, West Virginia Jeremiah uses the connections provided by local postmistress Gainey Floyd, who has overcome her first impressions of Mr. Harrison, due to the fact that he has lived up to his claims of "finding things". But we're nowhere near the end of this story, and you'll just have to read it for yourself!
What an Appalachian jewel; nestled amongst unknown, perhaps conveniently forgotten history, and cast with characters who just need a gentle nudge (or a swift kick) towards hope, readers will happily herald the merits of the "finder of forgotten things" .
I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher. I also purchased a copy. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.
Three lives intersect against the backdrop of historically tragic circumstances surrounding the construction of the Hawks Nest Tunnel in Gauley Bridge, West Virginia. But we need to back up a bit. Who were they? How did they meet? Did they become friends. Did they find what they were looking for?
Meet Sullivan Harrison. Too good-looking and silver tongued for his own good; a drifter, a douser, and an all round scalawag . . .or so thought Jeremiah Weber, who volunteered to hunt the scoundrel down for hoodwinking his town of Kline, West Virginia out of their money. Following Sully toward Mount Lookout, West Virginia Jeremiah uses the connections provided by local postmistress Gainey Floyd, who has overcome her first impressions of Mr. Harrison, due to the fact that he has lived up to his claims of "finding things". But we're nowhere near the end of this story, and you'll just have to read it for yourself!
What an Appalachian jewel; nestled amongst unknown, perhaps conveniently forgotten history, and cast with characters who just need a gentle nudge (or a swift kick) towards hope, readers will happily herald the merits of the "finder of forgotten things" .
I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher. I also purchased a copy. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.
March 2, 2022
I happened to pick this up on the shelves at our local library, intrigued by the title and the cover. I love a well-written book that includes a historical event. This one fits the bill! Each of the people in the story is understandable and real. The plot is not just about the historical event, but how it affects those in the story. Highly recommend this if you enjoy a great read!
November 20, 2021
This was a sweet, quiet story. Sometimes it moved a bit slowly, but I was in the mood for some comfort reading so I didn't mind at all. There is a delightful middle age romance that was a lot fun, and also a happy-go-lucky swindler with a heart of gold that has a lot to learn about life and people. There's a lot of sadness and sickness in this book, but there is also a lot of hope and healing. I definitely recommend it to readers who enjoy more thought provoking reads.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley for the purpose of review.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley for the purpose of review.
January 18, 2022
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.
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.
December 8, 2021
I simply could not put this book down until I devoured it. It is a stellar storyline that takes a sad historical time and weaves a fictional story in that gives you hope in the midst of pain. Ms Thomas paints a portrait that draws you into the scene and you don’t want to leave. The characters are well developed although an unlikely bunch to meet and befriend each other it works well. I loved all three main characters and was taken with the hearts that laid behind the hurts. It was a hard time in history but a more simple time where neighbors cared about each other. The Finder of Forgotten Things resonated with me and I will chew on the lessons we can learn from it for a long while. I wish I could give this more stars as a few books deserve an outstanding award and this is one for me. Definitely a must read as this author delivers another winner. When you read a book by this author you feel like you have unwrapped a wonderful present on Christmas morning.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher/author. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher/author. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.
September 13, 2022
This was my first experience reading this author, and it certainly won't be my last! Each one of these characters - Sulley, Jeremiah, Gainey - felt like living, breathing people. Sulley was not a very likable character at first, having stolen all the money from the hardworking people of a small town, but he grew on me. He started feeling guilty for his past sins, and sought a way to make up for them as he ambled from place to place. I especially loved the scene where he found the button that's pictured on the front cover.
Jeremiah was determined to find Sulley, but stumbled upon Gainey and things changed in more ways that one. Lots of sub-characters found their way into the story, too, which made it that much more delightful to read.
Readers who enjoy Chris Fabry will love this book set in the hills of Appalachia. I also recommend listening to the audiobook if you have the opportunity as the narrator did a marvelous job conveying all the emotion in the story.
Jeremiah was determined to find Sulley, but stumbled upon Gainey and things changed in more ways that one. Lots of sub-characters found their way into the story, too, which made it that much more delightful to read.
Readers who enjoy Chris Fabry will love this book set in the hills of Appalachia. I also recommend listening to the audiobook if you have the opportunity as the narrator did a marvelous job conveying all the emotion in the story.
January 10, 2022
I adored this book. I've said it before and it still rings true--Ms. Thomas's books are like going home again to family you didn't even know you had. Wonderful setting, great characters--imperfect but lovable--and a plot that gently twists and turns along the way. I look forward to her next book.
December 21, 2021
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.
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.
January 10, 2022
What an excellent book! For once, this book sucked me in from very early on, which is quite unusual for me. Not a lighthearted read; the historical side was quite heavy, but I loved the grace and skill Thomas showed as she pulled the whole story together. This wasn’t an easy story to tell, but I’m grateful she chose to tell these men’s stories. They deserve to be remembered. Where it could have ended up quite discouraging, it had a sweet ending, and I think I’m the better for it. A great story, and highly recommended (aside from the water witching element, which I didn’t appreciate so much).
I was given a review copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion of it.
I was given a review copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion of it.
September 7, 2021
This review by librarian Christine Barth was first published in the September 2021 issue of Library Journal.
Times are desperate in Mount Lookout, WV, in 1932. Desperate enough that jobs digging the Hawks Nest Tunnel through the mountains seem like a blessing from God. The well-paying jobs come at a cost, though. The earnings can be spent only at the overpriced company store, and the dust is so thick than the only way to discern black workers from white is the segregated camps in which they sleep.
When postmistress Eugenia Floyd, who is white, checks on her neighbor's son, she discovers that once strapping young men have been reduced to wraiths by long hours digging in air full of silica dust with no protective equipment. She brings food and medicine but soon learns that many things are "not right this side of heaven," especially when it comes to the abuse of the black workers.
VERDICT: In a hardscrabble 1930s setting, complex characters wrestle with justice, mercy, inequality, honesty, and the fact that they are all prodigals searching for the way home. Loudin Thomas (The Right Kind of Fool) delivers a stunning tale of one of the worst industrial disasters in U.S. history, underlined with a moral imperative to love one's neighbor that still hits home today.
Times are desperate in Mount Lookout, WV, in 1932. Desperate enough that jobs digging the Hawks Nest Tunnel through the mountains seem like a blessing from God. The well-paying jobs come at a cost, though. The earnings can be spent only at the overpriced company store, and the dust is so thick than the only way to discern black workers from white is the segregated camps in which they sleep.
When postmistress Eugenia Floyd, who is white, checks on her neighbor's son, she discovers that once strapping young men have been reduced to wraiths by long hours digging in air full of silica dust with no protective equipment. She brings food and medicine but soon learns that many things are "not right this side of heaven," especially when it comes to the abuse of the black workers.
VERDICT: In a hardscrabble 1930s setting, complex characters wrestle with justice, mercy, inequality, honesty, and the fact that they are all prodigals searching for the way home. Loudin Thomas (The Right Kind of Fool) delivers a stunning tale of one of the worst industrial disasters in U.S. history, underlined with a moral imperative to love one's neighbor that still hits home today.
September 7, 2021
This review by librarian Christine Barth was first published in the September 2021 issue of Library Journal.
Times are desperate in Mount Lookout, WV, in 1932. Desperate enough that jobs digging the Hawks Nest Tunnel through the mountains seem like a blessing from God. The well-paying jobs come at a cost, though. The earnings can be spent only at the overpriced company store, and the dust is so thick than the only way to discern black workers from white is the segregated camps in which they sleep.
When postmistress Eugenia Floyd, who is white, checks on her neighbor's son, she discovers that once strapping young men have been reduced to wraiths by long hours digging in air full of silica dust with no protective equipment. She brings food and medicine but soon learns that many things are "not right this side of heaven," especially when it comes to the abuse of the black workers.
VERDICT: In a hardscrabble 1930s setting, complex characters wrestle with justice, mercy, inequality, honesty, and the fact that they are all prodigals searching for the way home. Loudin Thomas (The Right Kind of Fool) delivers a stunning tale of one of the worst industrial disasters in U.S. history, underlined with a moral imperative to love one's neighbor that still hits home today.
Times are desperate in Mount Lookout, WV, in 1932. Desperate enough that jobs digging the Hawks Nest Tunnel through the mountains seem like a blessing from God. The well-paying jobs come at a cost, though. The earnings can be spent only at the overpriced company store, and the dust is so thick than the only way to discern black workers from white is the segregated camps in which they sleep.
When postmistress Eugenia Floyd, who is white, checks on her neighbor's son, she discovers that once strapping young men have been reduced to wraiths by long hours digging in air full of silica dust with no protective equipment. She brings food and medicine but soon learns that many things are "not right this side of heaven," especially when it comes to the abuse of the black workers.
VERDICT: In a hardscrabble 1930s setting, complex characters wrestle with justice, mercy, inequality, honesty, and the fact that they are all prodigals searching for the way home. Loudin Thomas (The Right Kind of Fool) delivers a stunning tale of one of the worst industrial disasters in U.S. history, underlined with a moral imperative to love one's neighbor that still hits home today.
March 3, 2022
The Finder of Forgotten Things was an enjoyable story of finding things that the characters had forgotten or at least tried to forget.
I know Sullivan Harris (Sulley) wasn't looked upon as a nice guy because he stole people's money but I developed a real liking for him, and I was rooting for him even though he didn't start out so nice, I think by the end he had learned a couple of things, and even had himself a "family" that he didn't have in the beginning.
I know Sullivan Harris (Sulley) wasn't looked upon as a nice guy because he stole people's money but I developed a real liking for him, and I was rooting for him even though he didn't start out so nice, I think by the end he had learned a couple of things, and even had himself a "family" that he didn't have in the beginning.
February 13, 2021
Shocker--I'm giving my latest story five stars. I mean, if I didn't think it was pretty doggone good, I wouldn't have turned it in to my editors! With this story, I'm excited to share details about the worst industrial disaster in the US that no one really knows about. And it happened in WV in the 1930s. May we never forget!
January 9, 2022
This story has heart. I really cared about the characters, and I thought it was very well written. And I stayed up way too late to finish reading it.
May 22, 2022
The Finder of Forgotten Things by Sarah Loudin Thomas thoroughly entertained me with its characters. Sulley Harris, a charming scoundrel who dowses for water, fascinated me with his occupation and mindset. Gainey Floyd inspired me with her intelligence, love of poetry, and unselfishness. Jeremiah Weber served as the handsome, strong hero, but became far more than that. I loved the way these characters’ relationships tied together. Sulley inexplicably wants to earn Gainey’s good opinion and slowly steps toward integrity. Jeremiah and Sulley provide comic relief through their unlikely friendship. Gainey and Jeremiah find themselves romantically drawn to each other after spending most of their lives single. Unexpectedly, the entwining of their lives opens new opportunities for each of them.
Beyond the character dynamics, The Finder of Forgotten Things by Sarah Loudin Thomas examines the long-lasting effects of societal judgment, the creation of family outside of blood relationships, the racial tensions of the Great Depression Era, and the tragedy of the Hawks Nest Tunnel construction. This novel had the potential to be a heavy read, but focuses on the main characters rather than the horrific happenings at the Hawks Nest Tunnel. The story possesses depth and authenticity without being depressing.
The Finder of Forgotten Things lands as the third book by Sarah Loudin Thomas that I’ve read. In each novel, I’ve enjoyed her writing, characters, and unique settings. I recommend this story for Christian fiction readers who enjoy a satisfying historical tale. 4.5 Stars!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.
Beyond the character dynamics, The Finder of Forgotten Things by Sarah Loudin Thomas examines the long-lasting effects of societal judgment, the creation of family outside of blood relationships, the racial tensions of the Great Depression Era, and the tragedy of the Hawks Nest Tunnel construction. This novel had the potential to be a heavy read, but focuses on the main characters rather than the horrific happenings at the Hawks Nest Tunnel. The story possesses depth and authenticity without being depressing.
The Finder of Forgotten Things lands as the third book by Sarah Loudin Thomas that I’ve read. In each novel, I’ve enjoyed her writing, characters, and unique settings. I recommend this story for Christian fiction readers who enjoy a satisfying historical tale. 4.5 Stars!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.
December 12, 2021
This book is one I enjoyed mostly because it wasn’t entirely predictable and the plot was so different.Many books after the first chapter, the reader pretty much knows how it will end -just not exactly how the story will get there. This story is refreshingly different yet melancholy.
The main characters are all over middle aged, thus their view on life is different. The love story is sweet and tender, the relationships are deeper, and the characters themselves are more complex. With the backdrop of the story being a sad historical event of which I knew nothing, the author does a good job of keeping the readers interest and keeping hope in the story.
I did not feel the faith theme was as well presented as it could have been, but there was faith, hope and forgiveness in the story. There is also an adoption story…though minor, adoption has my heart!
I enjoyed the story because it was original, different, and the author did a great job of keeping the book full of hope despite the devastation in which they are surrounded.
I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
The main characters are all over middle aged, thus their view on life is different. The love story is sweet and tender, the relationships are deeper, and the characters themselves are more complex. With the backdrop of the story being a sad historical event of which I knew nothing, the author does a good job of keeping the readers interest and keeping hope in the story.
I did not feel the faith theme was as well presented as it could have been, but there was faith, hope and forgiveness in the story. There is also an adoption story…though minor, adoption has my heart!
I enjoyed the story because it was original, different, and the author did a great job of keeping the book full of hope despite the devastation in which they are surrounded.
I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
April 10, 2022
I listened to the audio book. It took a bit to get into it, but before I knew it, I had to hear "what happened next?" It is an enjoyable story of relationships, but also shines a light on the hardships of desperate people put to inhuman working conditions during the depression years. A few plot twists kept my interest.
February 10, 2022
I really loved this book. Sarah Loudin incorporates the history of the West Virginia culture into the depression era in a way that brings the reader into the lifestyles of the population. The hardships of that time period touch your emotions as well as the way people came together to help each other. I love learning about the history of different regions and this story depicted an event I had never heard of before. The suffering of people at the expense of infrastructure advancements reminds us how greed can supersede human value. I definitely recommend this book especially if you like historical fiction.
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