The Time Keepers

An unforgettable novel that captures the power of longing, loss, and love, The Time Keepers transports us from 1979 suburban New York to war-torn Vietnam, revealing that sometimes the most unexpected friendships can save us.

Two women from different worlds, Grace and Anh, are indelibly changed when a runaway boy is found on a street in their small Long Island town. Brought together by the love of this child displaced by war, the women find friendship and healing from their own painful pasts when their lives intersect with a mysterious wounded Vietnam vet. The vet, Jack, works at the Golden Hours, a watch store that mends timepieces and might even mend damaged souls.

Richman interweaves the journeys of these wonderfully diverse characters who will grip, fill, and break your heart, only to bring them together with the care and precision of an expert watchmaker, one piece at a time. Inspired by the true story of a Vietnamese refugee who entrusted the dramatic account of her escape from Vietnam to the author, and also that of a wounded veteran, Richman sheds light on those whose lives were forever impacted by the devastation of that war.

Once again, Alyson Richman entrances the reader with her signature lyrical prose and captivating storyline. Powerfully humanising various perspectives of the Vietnam War, The Time Keepers interweaves the journeys of a wonderfully diverse cast. A poignant, memorable tale that I loved to the very last page. — Kristina McMorris, New York Times bestselling author of Sold on a Monday