Keeping Watch (2003)

ISBN 978-0-553-38252-5

Allen Carmichael balanced on the precariously slim branch of the vine maple, pawing aside the soft new greenery and cursing the incompatibility of most trees with the human body. Particularly a six-foot-one-inch human body with a stiff leg, working its way through a sixth decade. Too old for this kind of stunt, he grumbled to himself. No doubt about: It really was time to turn this side of things over to some younger maniac.

For a longer sample of Keeping Watch, click here.

For Laurie’s thoughts on writing Keeping Watch, visit her blog, Mutterings.

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What they say

“Keeping Watch seems particularly timely. It gives us insights into the soldier’s world that, hopefully, will help us understand and honor our troops as they come home. More importantly, maybe it will give us a heightened sense of the damage any type of abuse inflicts on people — children especially — and help us stamp it out before it ruins more lives. Of course, while gaining these valuable insights, we’re treated to an excellent read. Just excellent.”-Kate Ayers

Keeping Watch received starred reviews in all–that’s right, all–of the four major pre-publication journals. Here’s what they had to say:

Publishers Weekly, in describing “this novel of harrowing suspense and wrenching resolution,” says, “At its simplest, this is the story of a man who helps rescue women and/or children from dangerously abusive men. King’s lengthy, brilliantly executed backstory of Allen Carmichael’s experiences in Vietnam, his disastrously unhappy return home and his eventual discovery of his ‘calling’ showcase some of her finest writing.”

From Kirkus: “King’s shrewd use of [Vietnam] as the seminal period in the hero’s life gives a devastating and surprising spin to a familiar genre. And there’s more: multidimensional characters at every level and complex plotting earn the true application of that overused tag ‘psychological thriller’.”

Library Journal calls it the “intensely suspenseful” story of “Allen Carmichael, who enlisted in the army and was promptly shipped off to Vietnam, where he discovered a distinct talent for repressing his emotions in order to cope with the harsh reality of war.” “As always, King…delivers a masterpiece of human drama.” “Powerful and exceptionally well written, this is essential.”

And from Booklist: “Some stories scour the soul. This one is full of things that hurt: scary, horrible, humiliating things. It is also an exquisitely wrought exploration of the many different kinds of love.” “The details of Jamie’s father’s psychological abuse of him will make readers dizzy and breathless; how Allen and his cadre of associates reintroduce Jamie to the simple tasks of daily living is heartbreakingly tender. Along the way, King, in her excoriating, gorgeous prose, ignites the jungles of Vietnam, the sly worlds of computer gaming, life in the Pacific Northwest, and the kind of offhand devotion brothers can give each other. King works layers within layers like carved ivory spheres and makes a tale that holds one taut on every page.”