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The Gatekeeper Trilogy #1
The Finding
Studying abroad at Oxford University for a term should be adventure enough in itself, right? That's what Anna Merritt thinks - and, at first, everything seems to be living up to her safe and reasonable expectations. She has an eccentric tutor, lots of opportunities for soul-searching, and two new friends with whom to enjoy the ride. But then, her tutor tells her that one of her friends is in danger - and disappears. Suddenly, Anna finds herself launched into an international mystery, including a post-term European tour, an enigmatic bowler-hatted stranger, and an adventure far and away beyond her plans...
What makes the Gatekeeper trilogy special?
Who doesn't like a bit of adventure, particularly of the European kind? The Gatekeeper series takes the reader through adventure in every form. In the first book, adventure finds us unexpectedly; in the second, we learn the dangers of trying to manufacture adventure for ourselves; in the third, we realize that the truest and biggest adventures always turn out to be rather different than what we've planned.
What is the main character like?
Anna Miranda Merritt is a girl very much like me - a likeness which is the cause of most of her woes, alas. Her unquenchable thirst for beauty and meaning leads her right into the literary, cultural arms of Oxford University, a place which captures her heart and awakens new dreams in her soul. It is this love of all things British - and, more importantly, the deep and surprising relationships she discovers in England, Ireland, and beyond- that makes her coming of age story uniquely poignant.
Do I have to read the books in order?
I have an abiding devotion to order, particularly of the chronological kind. I wrote these books over a period of thirteen years, so they are a kind of authorial autobiography. Ergo, reading the trilogy in order certainly gives some insight, as you can chart the personal and artistic growth of the author along with the main character. That being said...I also have an abiding commitment to personal freedoms. Do what you will; I believe you will enjoy Anna's story in whatever sequence. :-)
Why should readers give this series a try?
This is a story about beginnings, endings, and all the quietly real drama that occurs in the most ordinary of lives during these "in-between" times. For anyone who's ever found themselves, lost themselves, or is still searching, these characters have something to say. I wish you joy of the journey!
- Young adult series
- Free books
- Literary series
- Mystery series
- Europe
- Culture and geography
- School and education
- Coming of age
- Contemporary British
- Fiction - Art and architecture
What makes the Gatekeeper trilogy special?
Who doesn't like a bit of adventure, particularly of the European kind? The Gatekeeper series takes the reader through adventure in every form. In the first book, adventure finds us unexpectedly; in the second, we learn the dangers of trying to manufacture adventure for ourselves; in the third, we realize that the truest and biggest adventures always turn out to be rather different than what we've planned.
What is the main character like?
Anna Miranda Merritt is a girl very much like me - a likeness which is the cause of most of her woes, alas. Her unquenchable thirst for beauty and meaning leads her right into the literary, cultural arms of Oxford University, a place which captures her heart and awakens new dreams in her soul. It is this love of all things British - and, more importantly, the deep and surprising relationships she discovers in England, Ireland, and beyond- that makes her coming of age story uniquely poignant.
Do I have to read the books in order?
I have an abiding devotion to order, particularly of the chronological kind. I wrote these books over a period of thirteen years, so they are a kind of authorial autobiography. Ergo, reading the trilogy in order certainly gives some insight, as you can chart the personal and artistic growth of the author along with the main character. That being said...I also have an abiding commitment to personal freedoms. Do what you will; I believe you will enjoy Anna's story in whatever sequence. :-)
Why should readers give this series a try?
This is a story about beginnings, endings, and all the quietly real drama that occurs in the most ordinary of lives during these "in-between" times. For anyone who's ever found themselves, lost themselves, or is still searching, these characters have something to say. I wish you joy of the journey!
- Young adult series
- Free books
- Literary series
- Mystery series
- Europe
- Culture and geography
- School and education
- Coming of age
- Contemporary British
- Fiction - Art and architecture
198 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
29 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 11, 2011
There are so many reasons I like this book. I won't even try to list them all, but I'll give a summary.
1. The author loves her characters. She brings them to life with flair and vibrancy. After reading it, I wanted to meet Anna, Eddie, and Nick. Oh, and Dr. Barney too - especially Dr. Barney.
2. The novel captures the best of the cities in which it takes place. In Oxford, it's the old libraries and the kebab van. In Paris, I love that moment at night where Anna looks around at all the bright lights and realizes that this is the Paris she'd imagined. It feels so real.
3. The story reminds me in a strange way of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. It is not the plot or setting that does this, but Anna's sense of longing and her grief at having to leave Oxford reminded me of how Lucy felt as she left Narnia, wondering when she'd ever return.
4. The story also reminds me in a strange way of Northanger Abbey. Again, it isn't because of the plot or setting. It's more the author's subtle self-consciousness as a new author combined with her intense love of story, character, and imagination (all expressed, of course, through the character of Anna).
5. The writing is wonderful - there is not a boring sentence to be found.
I can't wait to see what else is coming from Ruth Crews!
1. The author loves her characters. She brings them to life with flair and vibrancy. After reading it, I wanted to meet Anna, Eddie, and Nick. Oh, and Dr. Barney too - especially Dr. Barney.
2. The novel captures the best of the cities in which it takes place. In Oxford, it's the old libraries and the kebab van. In Paris, I love that moment at night where Anna looks around at all the bright lights and realizes that this is the Paris she'd imagined. It feels so real.
3. The story reminds me in a strange way of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. It is not the plot or setting that does this, but Anna's sense of longing and her grief at having to leave Oxford reminded me of how Lucy felt as she left Narnia, wondering when she'd ever return.
4. The story also reminds me in a strange way of Northanger Abbey. Again, it isn't because of the plot or setting. It's more the author's subtle self-consciousness as a new author combined with her intense love of story, character, and imagination (all expressed, of course, through the character of Anna).
5. The writing is wonderful - there is not a boring sentence to be found.
I can't wait to see what else is coming from Ruth Crews!
January 8, 2018
Very good coming of age story
The friendship among characters is well defined and not overly saturated with details and drama. The entire story progressed very well, having never been oversees, it was interesting to see cities through the eyes of 3 different perspectives. Really good book to get lost in.
The friendship among characters is well defined and not overly saturated with details and drama. The entire story progressed very well, having never been oversees, it was interesting to see cities through the eyes of 3 different perspectives. Really good book to get lost in.
April 17, 2018
Intriguing and different
I found this book so interesting and historically informative. THe characters were well developed And I loved the platonic relationship. True friends. Also I enjoyed experiencing how Anna grew personally through each part of her short time in England. Can't wait to read the next part of her journey!
I found this book so interesting and historically informative. THe characters were well developed And I loved the platonic relationship. True friends. Also I enjoyed experiencing how Anna grew personally through each part of her short time in England. Can't wait to read the next part of her journey!
September 28, 2020
Wonderful
It is a pleasant, easy read, I enjoyed it immensely. The characters are vibrant and the plot is delightful. Would highly recommend!
It is a pleasant, easy read, I enjoyed it immensely. The characters are vibrant and the plot is delightful. Would highly recommend!
March 2, 2011
In the middle of page 28 of "Gatekeeper", the author plants this deceivingly benign snippet of advice:
“Most of your life will not allow you to use sources for proof or inspiration.”
Although Ms. Crews didn’t feature it as a tagline on the front cover, she could have. And our heroine is about to find out why.
Anna Merritt, a vivacious coed from the southern United States, finds herself on exchange in the archetypal upper-British academic environs of Oxford. Unshackled by even the remotest degree of formality and tradition, Anna plows a ‘primitively colonial’ furrow into the neatly manicured grounds of the ancient and renown university, and especially into the lives of two fellow students: the spontaneous Eddie Mitchell and the reservedly detached Nicholas Diggs. Inseparable almost from the first day, the trio brave the academic stresses and social pressures of Oxford’s Saints College. But that’s just the beginning.
Everything proceeds as both Anna and the reader might expect, until one fateful day a ‘routine’ tutoring session unexpectedly thrusts her into a position to test the above-suggested tagline. You see, Nicholas Diggs is poised for destruction on his 21st birthday, a mere three weeks away, at the hands of the people from whom he would least expect it. Anna’s tutor, the enigmatic Dr. Barney, lays Nicholas’ future in her lap—then promptly disappears.
At the end of the term the three students embark on a whirlwind trip through Prague, Berlin, Paris, then back to Oxford. The trip provides the perfect scenario to help Anna forestall Nicholas’ day of reckoning. Or so she thinks. Anna is aided in her task by the mysterious Mr. Truman, who always seems to be at the right place just at the right time, and only divvies out information to Anna in just the right amounts at just the right times. The question is, does Anna have what it takes to rescue Nicholas, whose dilemma is diametrically opposed to her own inner struggles?
You’ll discover the answer to that question in the pages of a very cleverly written story by a promising new author, Ms. Ruth Crews. Her fresh, perky writing voice pairs wonderfully with her personal experience at the venues in which the story takes place to deliver a fascinating, humorous and poignant coming-of-age tale. You’ll find the repartee between the three friends to be absolutely priceless—especially for those who have visited the UK. Not only do Anna’s Americanisms wage battle with the boys’ British-isms throughout the story, but her right-brained English-major subjectivity clashes with the stodgy, ultra-functional outlook on life to which Nicholas clings so tenaciously. And Eddie? Well, Eddie is Eddie, and he takes shots at everybody.
Ms. Crews sets the bar at a very respectable height with her debut novel. Highly recommended for the genre. Looking forward to reading "The Leaving," the second installment in Ms. Crews' “Gatekeeper” series.
“Most of your life will not allow you to use sources for proof or inspiration.”
Although Ms. Crews didn’t feature it as a tagline on the front cover, she could have. And our heroine is about to find out why.
Anna Merritt, a vivacious coed from the southern United States, finds herself on exchange in the archetypal upper-British academic environs of Oxford. Unshackled by even the remotest degree of formality and tradition, Anna plows a ‘primitively colonial’ furrow into the neatly manicured grounds of the ancient and renown university, and especially into the lives of two fellow students: the spontaneous Eddie Mitchell and the reservedly detached Nicholas Diggs. Inseparable almost from the first day, the trio brave the academic stresses and social pressures of Oxford’s Saints College. But that’s just the beginning.
Everything proceeds as both Anna and the reader might expect, until one fateful day a ‘routine’ tutoring session unexpectedly thrusts her into a position to test the above-suggested tagline. You see, Nicholas Diggs is poised for destruction on his 21st birthday, a mere three weeks away, at the hands of the people from whom he would least expect it. Anna’s tutor, the enigmatic Dr. Barney, lays Nicholas’ future in her lap—then promptly disappears.
At the end of the term the three students embark on a whirlwind trip through Prague, Berlin, Paris, then back to Oxford. The trip provides the perfect scenario to help Anna forestall Nicholas’ day of reckoning. Or so she thinks. Anna is aided in her task by the mysterious Mr. Truman, who always seems to be at the right place just at the right time, and only divvies out information to Anna in just the right amounts at just the right times. The question is, does Anna have what it takes to rescue Nicholas, whose dilemma is diametrically opposed to her own inner struggles?
You’ll discover the answer to that question in the pages of a very cleverly written story by a promising new author, Ms. Ruth Crews. Her fresh, perky writing voice pairs wonderfully with her personal experience at the venues in which the story takes place to deliver a fascinating, humorous and poignant coming-of-age tale. You’ll find the repartee between the three friends to be absolutely priceless—especially for those who have visited the UK. Not only do Anna’s Americanisms wage battle with the boys’ British-isms throughout the story, but her right-brained English-major subjectivity clashes with the stodgy, ultra-functional outlook on life to which Nicholas clings so tenaciously. And Eddie? Well, Eddie is Eddie, and he takes shots at everybody.
Ms. Crews sets the bar at a very respectable height with her debut novel. Highly recommended for the genre. Looking forward to reading "The Leaving," the second installment in Ms. Crews' “Gatekeeper” series.
August 28, 2012
I have lots of mixed feelings for this book, but overall, hope that the author will continue to grow as a writer and put out great stories for us to enjoy.
While I found the story interesting and full of great facts and insights into four major European cities, I wasn't completely enthralled. The twist at the end was wonderful, but not quite the climatic ending that I was expecting from the beginning when I was first told that Nicholas was in danger.
Occasionally the wording was a bit awkward, sometimes through alliteration when I don't think it was intended, but this seemed to smooth out by mid-story. Ms. Crews seems to be a great fan of long sentences. One which stands out in my mind was more than a full-page long on my Kindle. But this also improves as the story progresses. Perhaps the thing that most bothered me was the great use of interrupters in the midst of her sentences which sometimes sent me back to the beginning of the sentence so the end of it made sense. I know this is a style choice, but it added work to my reading which I don't always appreciate in fiction.
The author clearly has a good background in travel and/or did some incredible research. She conveys many feelings well on the page but was occasionally repetitive or telling me things I was quite able to figure out on my own.
The novel contained a cleaned-up version of college, including scenes with drinking, and a girl traveling and sharing rooms with two men she barely knows. On the upside, although one of the men is a flirt, none of the scenes dwell on romance and all the main characters seem studious while school is in session. Even though many scenes take place in otherwise intimate settings, the friendship between the three characters is solid and never crosses the line.
Although I don't know if I will pick up the next book in this series, I like Ms. Crews's writing enough that I want to see her continue writing and honing her craft. She is definitely an author that I will look for in the future.
While I found the story interesting and full of great facts and insights into four major European cities, I wasn't completely enthralled. The twist at the end was wonderful, but not quite the climatic ending that I was expecting from the beginning when I was first told that Nicholas was in danger.
Occasionally the wording was a bit awkward, sometimes through alliteration when I don't think it was intended, but this seemed to smooth out by mid-story. Ms. Crews seems to be a great fan of long sentences. One which stands out in my mind was more than a full-page long on my Kindle. But this also improves as the story progresses. Perhaps the thing that most bothered me was the great use of interrupters in the midst of her sentences which sometimes sent me back to the beginning of the sentence so the end of it made sense. I know this is a style choice, but it added work to my reading which I don't always appreciate in fiction.
The author clearly has a good background in travel and/or did some incredible research. She conveys many feelings well on the page but was occasionally repetitive or telling me things I was quite able to figure out on my own.
The novel contained a cleaned-up version of college, including scenes with drinking, and a girl traveling and sharing rooms with two men she barely knows. On the upside, although one of the men is a flirt, none of the scenes dwell on romance and all the main characters seem studious while school is in session. Even though many scenes take place in otherwise intimate settings, the friendship between the three characters is solid and never crosses the line.
Although I don't know if I will pick up the next book in this series, I like Ms. Crews's writing enough that I want to see her continue writing and honing her craft. She is definitely an author that I will look for in the future.
Read
March 23, 2011Interesting story lines and eclectic characters bring this book to life. The setting of the story adds to the books ability to maintain the readers interest. I look forward to reading more from Ruth Crews!
Read
April 26, 2018This is the first book in my Gatekeeper Trilogy. I revised and republished the trilogy in 2017 under my new pen name, R. A. Nelson.
My desire for readers to have the chance to give this series a try with tremendous ease is so great that I'm offering this book for FREE on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, iTunes, and others!
Get the book for FREE on Kindle here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077NWWY25
Get the book for FREE in other ebook formats here: https://books2read.com/gatekeeper-1/
One American student. One semester in England. One unexpected mystery...
Studying abroad at Oxford University for a term should be adventure enough in itself, right? That's what Anna Merritt thinks - and, at first, everything seems to be living up to her safe and reasonable expectations. She has an eccentric tutor, lots of opportunities for soul-searching, and two new friends with whom to enjoy the ride. But then, her tutor tells her that one of her friends is in danger - and disappears. Suddenly, Anna finds herself launched into an international mystery, including a post-term European tour, an enigmatic bowler-hatted stranger, and an adventure far and away beyond her plans...
My desire for readers to have the chance to give this series a try with tremendous ease is so great that I'm offering this book for FREE on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, iTunes, and others!
Get the book for FREE on Kindle here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077NWWY25
Get the book for FREE in other ebook formats here: https://books2read.com/gatekeeper-1/
One American student. One semester in England. One unexpected mystery...
Studying abroad at Oxford University for a term should be adventure enough in itself, right? That's what Anna Merritt thinks - and, at first, everything seems to be living up to her safe and reasonable expectations. She has an eccentric tutor, lots of opportunities for soul-searching, and two new friends with whom to enjoy the ride. But then, her tutor tells her that one of her friends is in danger - and disappears. Suddenly, Anna finds herself launched into an international mystery, including a post-term European tour, an enigmatic bowler-hatted stranger, and an adventure far and away beyond her plans...
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews