Wish You Well

By: David Baldacci

Narrated by: Norma Lana

Following a family tragedy, siblings Lou and Oz must leave New York and adjust to life in the Virginia mountains--but just as the farm begins to feel like home, they'll have to defend it from a dark threat in this New York Times bestselling coming-of-age story.

Precocious twelve-year-old Louisa Mae Cardinal lives in the hectic New York City of 1940 with her family. Then tragedy strikes--and Lou and her younger brother, Oz, must go with their invalid mother to live on their great-grandmother's farm in the Virginia mountains.

Suddenly Lou finds herself growing up in a new landscape, making her first true friend, and experiencing adventures tragic, comic, and audacious. When a dark, destructive force encroaches on her new home, her struggle will play out in a crowded Virginia courtroom...and determine the future of two children, an entire town, and the mountains they love.
©2000 Columbus Rose, Ltd; (P)2000 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"What the novel offers above all is bone-deep emotional truth...Its myriad characters--each as real as readers' own kin--grapple not just with issues of life and death but with the sufferings and joys of daily existence in a setting detailed with finely attuned attention and a warm sense of wonder. This novel has a huge heart."
—Publisher's Weekly (starred review)

"Baldacci intertwines heartbreak and wry humor to take readers on a roller-coaster ride that's nearly impossible to abandon for even a moment."
—Oaklend Press

"A moving story...the focus is on young people, and the message about love is heartening."
—Booklist

"There is wisdom aplenty in this homespun tale with its gritty action and authentic slices of rustic life."
—Virginian-Pilot

"A beautifully written tale."
—Wichita Falls Times Record News (TX)

one of my top ten stories of all time...out of a

This was an absolutely wonderful novel. It's a novel that I read out loud to my two girls when they were young. That said, let me say that I really like David Baldaccis novels when he writes outside of his genre .I like his other novels too! Wish You Well was special though.The premise of the book was unique in that it takes place through a young girls experiences with loss,adapting,love , friendship and.... the mystery of life around her.There are no patent plots here, suprises abound with twists and turns. Know that it was an emotionally challenging book for all of us. My husband was also hanging around a lot to listen in and the deeper in the book we got the longer he hung out! This book is in our top ten of all time( there are more than ten now ,but we are in the thousands). When my youngest was asked by Reading Rainbow (she was 5 ish)...."what's your favorite book young lady?" ...she responded "Wish You Well, by David Baldacci.' That stopped everyone. When asked about the book she told them about the plot ...now they became speechless. This isn't written for children. Believe me it's an adult novel. And absolutely lovely.

Hallmark...here's a potential movie

Would make a great Hallmark movie . Has all the makings...predictable but still a well told story.

A Dramatic Change for Baldacci

In this novel, he returns to the place where he grew up. He leaves to become an award winning writer and never returns. After a tragic accident, his family goes to live with their great grandmother in the same house where their father lived. Life is rough. People are poor. But there are many lessons to learn.

I just came by this author by accident!

I found The Christmas Train book at work. I just wanted to read more by David Baldacci.

Excellent on all counts.

This is a well told story placed in southwest Virginia that is time well spent particularly for those that enjoy historical fiction. Thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.