A Piece of the Moon – Chris Fabry

A Piece of the Moon Chris Fabry
A Piece of the Moon by Chris Fabry
Also by this author: Overcomer, Saving Grayson
Published by Tyndale on April 6, 2021
Genres: Fiction, General, Christian
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five-stars

An inspiring southern fiction story from the bestselling author of War RoomWhen eccentric millionaire Gideon Quidley receives a divine revelation to hide his earthly treasure somewhere in the hills, he sets out to find a fitting hiding spot, choosing only a few Bible verses as clues leading to untold riches of gold, silver, cash . . . and one very unexpected--and very costly--item.
Treasure hunters descend upon the hills of West Virginia, including those surrounding the small town of Emmaus, where TD Lovett and Waite Evers provide the latest updates and the beating heart of the community on radio station Country 16. Neither man is much interested in a wild-goose chase for Quidley's treasure, though. Waite is busy keeping the station afloat and caring for the bruised souls who have landed there. Meanwhile, TD's more intent on winning over local junkyard owner Pidge Bledsoe, who has taken in a shy, wounded boy to raise.
But after an estranged friend goes missing searching for the treasure, TD is unexpectedly drawn into the hunt. As TD joins the race to find Quidley's wealth, he discovers where his own real treasure lies, and he begins to suspect there's a hidden piece to Gideon Quidley's treasure that no one could've expected.

A Piece of the Moon is a love letter to old-time small-town radio wrapped within a character-driven story of brokenness and redemption that takes place amid an enthralling treasure hunt. The hunt itself is almost an afterthought, which is odd because it’s definitely at the forefront of everyone’s mind in Emmaus. The Gideon Quidley treasure is unique because Gideon Quidley is still alive and giving out clues. Nobody knows what the treasure is. A few people don’t believe the treasure’s real. But some folks are willing to risk a lot to find it.

But National Treasure this is not. Rather than focus on the hunt, Chris Fabry instead takes into the lives of those at Country16, the local country radio station. The year is 1981 and radio—particularly in rural areas—is a major part of small-town life. News, gossip, and the old classics all have their focal point out at Country16. And at the heart of all this is the story of TD, Pidge, and The Kid.

A Piece of the Moon is a novel that’s so multi-faceted that it almost defies summary. It’s the story of TD and Pidge, two broken people who form a fast friendship. It’s about Clay, The Kid, and his coming-of-age journey as he learns the ins and outs of doing radio—and coming to grips with his stutter. It’s about Milton Quidley and his relationship, or lack thereof, with his father. Gideon Quidley and his unique relationship with God. It’s about a town enraptured by a search for treasure. It’s about love and life and forgiveness and struggle and overcoming and loss and failure and perseverance and faith and hope and love.

It seems a little bit silly to say the real treasure was the friends we made along the way, but Fabry’s version of it is anything but saccharine sweet. This is a relational drama, not an action-thriller. But don’t worry, the mystery is real and if you read the clues closely enough you might even be able to guess the hiding place—or at least some elements of it. But is the treasure what everyone thinks? I won’t disclose that here. Some treasures—like the answer to that question—are made more valuable by the journey it takes to get there.

A Piece of the Moon is a sometimes-meandering, sometimes-intense journey through small town Americana with a treasure-hunting twist. It’s nostalgic. It’s nuanced. It’s comedic. It’s dramatic. It’s over-the-top. It’s rooted in reality. In other words, it’s exactly like life. Fabry’s multi-layered, poignant tale is sure to enthrall.

five-stars