Roger Sheffer had me convinced The Loon Counters was not sixteen fictional stories but a real place with a community of year-round lake dwellers as well as visitors. Every page was filled with enviable scenery that called for hours of gazing at the lakes in all seasons while watching the loons and looking forward to sitting by a fire at night. Centered around an Adirondack general store with no cell service, the stories include an Olympic torchbearer, hikers, artists, a pianist, a violinist, and more, all connected to the beauty of the region. There is danger and heartbreak and love and threats alongside the incredible silent scenery of the lakes. The stories and characters are jig-saw-puzzled together through the years with Bruce, Martha, Russ, Linda, Albert, Luke, Max, Emma, Joan, Steve, Elise, Cheryl, James, Tristan, and Jayne to name a few. Readers will not want to leave the beauty of the world created in The Loon Counters.
The Loon Counters by Roger Sheffer, (List Price: $24.95, Syracuse University Press, 9780815612001, March 2026)
Reviewed by Nancy, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia