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Gladstone: A Novel
Hazel knows her time at Gladstone, a ranch on the high plains of New Mexico, is coming to an end. Her life’s work has been to offer a place of safety for her uncle, Travis, plus three others who had nowhere else to turn. These five people have made a family together, and Hazel can only hope one of them replaces her. Claire, who arrived as a baby with her mother, knows that she is the “one,” but will the other four allow a six-year-old to be in charge?
Shelly, who arrived as a pregnant teen, has upended the peace of Gladstone by asking Travis and Hazel to tell the truth about the deaths that happened there so long ago— the deaths that left them, teenagers themselves, in charge of Gladstone.
Hazel and Travis are granted redemption upon their confession, Shelly feels the pull to go find her parents, and Opal and Claire assume the mantle of caregivers at Gladstone.
Shelly, who arrived as a pregnant teen, has upended the peace of Gladstone by asking Travis and Hazel to tell the truth about the deaths that happened there so long ago— the deaths that left them, teenagers themselves, in charge of Gladstone.
Hazel and Travis are granted redemption upon their confession, Shelly feels the pull to go find her parents, and Opal and Claire assume the mantle of caregivers at Gladstone.
234 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 16, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 25, 2025
This is an amazing first novel. It will stick with you as you traverse the ups and downs of the high desert Southwest.
Gladstone is a house, a farm, a project. It is the anchor of this story. The people who come to Gladstone need help and love and support. This is the place to find it.
I loved the quirky characters and as their secrets are revealed I wanted to know more. Those that needed it didn't just find sanctuary, they found a home. They became a part of the fabric that is Gladstone. They all worked and shared, like families should do - the families you choose are sometimes more important than the family you are born to.
This is a quiet novel that will stay with you for some length of time. I highly recommend it. I'm looking forward to Ken's next book which will be out soon. Thank you, Ken.
Gladstone is a house, a farm, a project. It is the anchor of this story. The people who come to Gladstone need help and love and support. This is the place to find it.
I loved the quirky characters and as their secrets are revealed I wanted to know more. Those that needed it didn't just find sanctuary, they found a home. They became a part of the fabric that is Gladstone. They all worked and shared, like families should do - the families you choose are sometimes more important than the family you are born to.
This is a quiet novel that will stay with you for some length of time. I highly recommend it. I'm looking forward to Ken's next book which will be out soon. Thank you, Ken.
December 30, 2025
I really enjoyed this book! What stayed with me most about Gladstone wasn’t just the found family or the secrets finally brought into the light, it was the grace running through every page. Grace in forgiveness, in truth-telling, in the messy ways people love each other. It’s a beautiful, generous novel.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews