The Moonlight Healers - by Elizabeth Becker (Hardcover)

About the Book

Louise Winston discovers her family's secret healing abilities, allowing her to bring the dead back to life, but when seeking answers in her grandmother's Appalachian orchard, she uncovers their hidden history and must confront the mysterious costs of her newfound powers.

Book Synopsis

An emotionally powerful debut with a magical twist, set between WWII France and present-day Appalachia, about generations of women in a family, their secret healing abilities, and the mysterious consequences they must contend with when they use their skills on someone they love

"A profound tale of love, family legacy, secrets, and the extraordinary power within us all.... A deeply felt debut."
--PATTI CALLAHAN HENRY, New York Times bestselling author of The Secret Book of Flora Lea

For generations, the Winston women have possessed an unspoken magical gift: they can heal with the touch of a hand. It's a tradition they've always had to practice in secret, in the moonlight hours, when the fireflies dance and the whippoorwill birds sing.

But not every healer has rightfully passed on this knowledge to her descendants, and for young Louise Winston, the discovery of her abilities comes in less-than-ideal circumstances--she brings her best friend back from death following an accident, the day after he professed his long-held feelings for her, five days before she's supposed to move away.

Desperate for answers, and to avoid this new reality between them, Louise escapes to her grandmother's lush Appalachian orchard. There, she uncovers her family's hidden history in a tattered journal, stemming back to her brave great-grandmother who illicitly healed Allied soldiers in war-torn France. But just as Louise begins to embrace her unique legacy, she learns that it can also come with a mysterious cost. And with a life hanging in the balance, she'll be forced to make the most impossible of choices...

Spanning eighty years, The Moonlight Healers is a deeply empathetic, heartfelt novel about mothers and daughters, life and death, and the beautiful resilience of love.

Review Quotes

"The Moonlight Healers is a profound tale of love, family legacy, secrets, and the extraordinary power within us all.... A deeply felt debut, brimming with impossible choices and powerful love."
--Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author of The Secret Book of Flora Lea

"The Moonlight Healers is a bravura turn. Elizabeth Becker's novel is a lustrous and nuanced exploration over generations of women that shows the magic we are capable of bestowing on others, and ourselves."
--Jeffrey Dale Lofton, award-winning author of Red Clay Suzie

"Enchanting.... Becker skillfully braids the timelines to create a powerful ode to the strength of those who have dedicated their lives to healing and caregiving work.... Fans of Heather Webb and Alice Hoffman ought to take a look."
--Publishers Weekly

"Gorgeously written with impeccably drawn characters, The Moonlight Healers is a dazzling debut. I absolutely loved this richly-imagined, magical, healing story spanning generations of mothers and daughters with a beautiful and impossible gift."
--Jillian Cantor, USA Today bestselling author of Beautiful Little Fools

"Tender, wise, and moving. I loved the way Becker wove together the story of generations and the incredible power of one heart to touch another. I wish I could live inside the Winston's family peach orchard, and I know that readers will love visiting it too!"
--Polly Stewart, author of The Good Ones

"The Moonlight Healers is a page-turning family drama with elements of historical fiction and magical realism plus a generous dash of romance. Weaving two storylines that span one family, Becker masterfully transports the reader to war-torn France and modern-day Crozet, an idyllic small town nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains. I savored every word."
--A.H. Kim, author of Relative Strangers

"The Moonlight Healers weaves a lyrical, magical love story about mothers, daughters, and the ties that bind us across generations. Elizabeth Becker is a dazzling writer, and her unforgettable characters will always have a place on my bookshelf."
--Katharine Schellman, author of Last Call at the Nightingale

"The Moonlight Healers is an emotionally heartfelt debut that explores the moral dilemmas of life and death through the hands of a folk healer. Becker beautifully connects the characters in a magical, deeply moving story that will stick with you long after the book is closed."
--Dana Elmendorf, author of In the Hour of Crows

"A lovely, moving novel." --Booklist

"[A]n amazing story. The dual narratives complement each other, the characters are authentic, and the plot moves forward with excellent pacing. A great read with an ending I did not see coming. Highly recommended."
--Historical Novel Society