Beneath the Singing Stars

Zeta Colerider has survived a life of constant struggle. Now, at sixty-five, she's determined to prove her life is defined by more than her troubled past. She sets out in 1955 to solo hike the two thousand-mile Appalachian Trail--a feat that would make her the first woman to do so. But as word of Zeta's ambitious goal spreads, so do the personal stakes when a reporter starts uncovering parts of her history Zeta would rather keep to herself. 


Four decades later, in 1994, her great-granddaughter Holly, haunted by recent tragedy, decides to walk in Zeta's footsteps on the Appalachian Trail. Carrying her great-grandmother's diary, Holly hopes that thru-hiking the same miles that tested Zeta will help to carry her through her grief.


Across generations, the route that winds from Georgia to Maine brings each woman into contact with other hikers who offer company, friendship, and a few hard-won lessons. As the rigors of the journey push both Zeta and Holly to their limits, they'll have to overcome more than a long trail to find the healing and purpose they seek.


Sarah Loudin Thomas draws on real Appalachian Trail history for a moving multigenerational dual-timeline story of endurance, self-discovery, and grace.