These Blue Mountains

By Sarah Loudin Thomas

German pianist Hedda Schlagel's world collapses when her fianc , Fritz, vanishes after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1933, Hedda is stunned to see Fritz's name in a photograph of an American monument to German POWs in Asheville, North Carolina. Determined to reclaim his body and bring closure to his ailing mother, Hedda embarks on a journey from Germany to the US. However, her quest takes a dark turn when Fritz's casket contains the remains of a woman who died under mysterious circumstances.

Local deputy Garland Jones, who helped bury Fritz Meyer's coffin, thought he'd left that dark chapter behind. The unexpected arrival of Hedda, a long-suffering and captivating woman, forces him to confront how much of the truth he really knows. Hedda and Garland grow closer as they work together to uncover the identity of the woman in the casket and to unravel Fritz's fate. But with Hedda in the US on borrowed time as unrest in Germany looms, she fears she'll be forced to return home without answers or an end to the ghosts of her past.

Sarah Loudin Thomas pens a gripping tale of love, betrayal, and the enduring power of hope in the face of darkness.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0764242024
• ISBN13: 9780764242021
• Release Date: July 2025
• Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.6" x 7.7"

Customer Reviews

Reading Experience

This is superb in my opinion as it checks all the boxes for me. I love to learn new things about history and when it is flawlessly interwoven with fictional characters to make it realistic you have captured my attention. I absolutely loved this story and the characters- oh these characters are so realistic they feel like family when you are finished. I could hear Hedda playing the beautiful notes on the piano of lost love, hurt, longing, and of hope for more. As we travel from Germany to America and walk with Hedda through truths that are revealed and navigate a new way of life your heart will never forget. Hedda is a woman that is strong and follows through on obligations and doing the right thing for others. An example of being the hands and feet of Jesus. I loved the way Garland was there for Hedda but also how even though he didn’t want to he was there for Lucy and watching her shell crack was wonderful. Doing the right thing even when we don’t want to is what God wants in our lives. I loved the twists and turns of this story and the growth of these characters. An all around exquisite reading experience that I highly recommend. I received a complimentary copy from the author/publisher. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.