“In Search of Sam” by Kristin Butcher (release date: June 16, 2015) is more than just a story–it’s a journey. Dani Lancaster finds out that her birth father Sam has passed away and left her with his estate. Having only known her real father for a year before he passed, Dani isn’t content with just having his material possessions. She begins looking into her father’s family and ends up with some unexpected surprises. Having lost my father, I can say that the feelings Dani describes about her loss are extremely authentic. If the reader has lost anyone close to them, they will easily relate to Dani, and want to follow her journey.

Author Kristin Butcher

Dani Lancaster is a great main character. She’s very observant and aware of what’s going on around her. Though she’s only eighteen, she displays a lot of maturity and bravery by going alone to find out answers about her birth father Sam, especially when she goes to meet people she doesn’t know just to find out more. Intriguingly, Dani’s mother is an important character because as Dani confides in her throughout the book, her mother asks all the questions the reader is thinking! I often found myself cheering for her mother because I had just asked the same question in my head. As you find out more about Sam, you find out more about Dani, too. I found myself cheering Dani on as the book developed because I don’t think I would have been as courageous to meet with strangers to find out information. Then again, a love for a parent is a powerful thing, and Butcher uses it to carry Dani on despite any setbacks.

Kristin Butcher has a keen eye for detail, and she gives a lot in this story, which really helps the reader join in the journey with Dani. At the same time, she doesn’t give away so much that it takes away from the story. There’s something very authentic about Dani’s grief–it makes me wonder if Butcher has written from experience. It’s spot on with the emotions that a person goes through when trying to deal with loss.

The best part about Butcher’s writing style is that she doesn’t give anything away for free. The reader gets to discover new things about Sam just as Dani does. Using first person was not only a great choice but really makes what Butcher is trying to convey possible.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good detective story but doesn’t mind a lack of action. It’s really about the emotions and discoveries of the human soul. In order for this story not to become too slow or drop the reader’s attention, Butcher develops great characters that hold the story together. At the end of the book, you wonder if Dani wasn’t the only one who learned something about herself–you may have just ended up learning something about yourself as well. This book may not be for all readers, but for the right reader, it can be a book of healing.