The Keepers of Metsan Valo A Novel

Wendy Webb — 2021

The spirits of Nordic folklore come calling in this entrancing tale of family secrets and ancient mysteries by the #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author of The Haunting of Brynn Wilder. In Metsan Valo, her family home on Lake Superior, Anni Halla's beloved grandmother has died. Among her fond memories, what Anni remembers most vividly is her grandmother's eerie yet enchanting storytelling. By firelight she spun tall tales of spirits in the nearby forest and waters who could heal--or harm--on a whim. But of course those were only stories... The reading of the will now occasions a family reunion. Anni and her twin brother, their almost otherworldly mother, and relatives Anni hasn't seen in forever--some with good reason--are all brought back together under one roof that strains to hold all their tension. But it's not just Annie's family who is unsettled. Whispers wind through the woods. Laughter bursts from bubbling streams. Raps from unseen hands rupture on the walls. Fireflies swarm and nightmares stir. With each odd occurrence, Anni fears that her return has invited less a welcoming and more a warning. When another tragedy strikes near home, Anni must dive headfirst into the mysterious happenings to discover the truth about her home, her family, and the wooded island's ancient lore. Plunging into the past may be the only way to save her family from whatever bedevils Metsan Valo.

Reviews

Sara Bean Duncan@modesthiccup

Mar 17, 2022

Wendy Webb serves up another wonderful tale set among her lush Lake Superior universe. Picking up The Keepers of Metsan Valo was just what I needed to pop over a book slump and enjoy a well-designed yet effortless story about things that go bump in the night. Webb revisits a familiar storyline that has been quilted and embellished with Finnish folklore. We meet Anni as she prepares to gather her slightly-eccentric family to hear the reading of their matriarch, Mummo’s, will. Anni, still reeling from the death of her beloved grandmother, is faced with the challenge of being the new owner of the family’s Metsan Valo estate. She soon discovers that there is more to the stories and urban legends she’s grown up with than she expected and must unravel what’s real and what is…simply magical. This is a lightning-quick read, full of accessible prose and a sharply progressing plot. It might not be my absolute favorite of Webb’s books, but, I picked this up to be treated to some family drama, supernatural moments, and the tenderness that Webb brings to all her characters. In this, this book did not disappoint and would pair perfectly with a mug of tea and a ready-to-be-vanquished reading slump.

Elle@novellearts

Aug 15, 2022