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Lilly is a young woman living on her own in a small mountain town. Though well-known and liked by her community, she spends much of her time alone in her studio, creating art out of found objects. One day while on a walk, Lilly finds a shining piece of glass or crystal that she brings home to incorporate into her work. She soon discovers that this shining object has mysterious powers that allow her to connect with her loving, deceased grandfather. Knowing that Lilly is alone in the world, her grandfather bequeaths her the enchanted crystal to help protect and guide her. The crystal emits a small chime, a ting, that can encourage or warn Lilly as she navigates her day-to-day life. Though she must keep it a secret from everyone around her, Lilly wears the crystal on her at all times.
When Lilly meets Joanne, an older woman who has just moved to the town, the two become fast friends. Joanne loves her new house but is unaware that it was previously the residence of a violent criminal named Gary Johnson. Unbeknownst to both women and their entire community, Gary is newly out of prison and seeking to attend to some unfinished business at his former property and in the town. Lilly and Joanne find themselves and their community in danger.
Difficult to categorize, this novel balances themes of suspense, crime, and some supernatural elements. As Gary rampages through the town trying to recover his hidden stolen goods and terrorize his ex-wife, Sheriff Don tracks and anticipates his movements with the detail and accuracy of a police procedural. Don uncovers Gary’s intentions and motives when it comes to his former property with satisfying displays of logic and speed. Don’s intuition and fast thinking help in his pursuit of the criminal, as does aid from Joanne, Lilly, and Lilly’s enchanted crystal.
Among the most enjoyable parts of this story are the townspeople and the ways they interact. Gary’s actions make him almost a caricature of evil, and Lilly’s kindness could make her an exemplar of good. However, most of the characters are a believable mixture of positive and negative attributes. Living in a small rural town, everyone knows everyone else’s business. When Gary’s ex-wife ends up in the hospital, most of the town ends up visiting her and working together to get her and her family back on their feet. When Joanne provides food to volunteers, the community embraces her almost immediately. Scenes like this come across as delightful slices of Americana that are simultaneously nostalgic and hopeful. The deft hand of the author prevents these moments from becoming cloying by weaving thrilling action and realistic dialogue into the plot alongside them.
Ultimately, Lilly’s enchanted crystal helps guide her along the way, but the novel ends up covering much more than her story alone. There are multiple subplots within the novel, such as Gary’s ex-wife and her current husband starting a family together, Joanne’s decision to create a new life for herself, and Gary’s brother attempting to redeem his family name. These seemingly disparate elements weave together nicely to create a suspense-filled tale that rightfully puts its characters and their development first.