MASON'S KEEPER

In Stone’s compelling follow-up to Mason’s Daughter (2012), a brave young man flees home and embarks on a journey to adulthood.

Nate Wallace has had to grow up too fast. Forced to watch his father, Roy, drink away their savings and stumble home drunk and violent, he’s the protector of not only his younger sisters but his mother, too. Nate’s anger at Roy escalates one night and comes to a fatal conclusion moments after Roy blurts out that Nate is not actually his son. After attacking Roy, Nate runs back home and learns that Roy has died; Nate must escape to South Carolina before the law catches up with him. While Nate’s temper lands him in trouble soon after fleeing home, his quick thinking and sharp reflexes land him a job that seems too good to be true. Told to merely survey the loading and unloading of goods at a warehouse, Nate is shocked when this mindless task leads to yet another violent encounter—another death by his own hand. On the run once more, Nate finds himself among shady characters as he learns to gamble and deceive to get by. But his luck changes when he finds shelter and kindness with the Cobb family, who not only take care of Nate but also teach him to read and write. As Nate tries to track down his family, his journey away and finally back to them helps him become a more civilized and savvy man who will not only save his family but meet the woman with whom he can start his own family. In the grand tradition of bildungsromans, this coming-of-age tale is captivating. Nate is a classic underdog whose naïveté and determination make him an endearing and relatable hero. His story is not only one of endurance and triumph but growth and development. Told in clear, accessible language, this is a story both adults and teenagers will appreciate for its enjoyable characters and exciting plot.

An inspiring tale of a young man’s efforts to save his family, and himself.