Through Water and Stone

Barnett follows up Beyond the Ashes with a gripping tale of twisted family bonds set in Utah’s Zion National Park. In 1948, park ranger Henry Eriksson is reeling from the death of his infant son when he discovers a baby boy on the banks of the Virgin River, which runs through the park. Initially determined not to get attached to the “Zion foundling,” Henry embarks on a fruitless search for the baby’s mother. Eventually, he allows himself to hope the child might be his and his wife’s second chance at parenthood. Three years later, the Erikssons are settling in as “Billy’s” parents when a reporter draws a link between the child’s appearance in the park and a newborn’s kidnapping from a Salt Lake City hospital. As the missing child’s parents take an interest in Billy and Henry’s wife Alma uncovers a damning piece of evidence, the Erikssons must contemplate what it would mean to lose a second child—and what they’re willing to do to keep him. A second story line unfolds in the present as the Erikssons’ great-granddaughter Talia takes a DNA test on a lark and ends up unseating everything the family knows about their heritage. The historical narrative unspools slowly on the way to a rewarding climax that touches on faith, the ties that bind families, and the profound, far-reaching effects of the secrets they keep. Readers will be swept up. (Sept.)