Guardians of the Keys

by Megan J. Wheless

After losing her two beloved great-aunts in a car accident, small-town librarian Elaine Colemar discovers a skeleton key in their antiques store. When she reads the foreign phrase engraved on it, the key's imprint burns into her hand. Clearly Elaine's stress is getting to her-her aunts are dead, she's drowning in debt, each contact with the key leaves her disoriented-and now she's seeing things ... right? After meeting with Edmund Wallace, an esteemed professor and the director of a local history museum, Elaine seizes an opportunity to rid herself of the key-and alleviate her financial woes-by selling it to him for a generous sum. It is only when the key and Professor Wallace go missing that Elaine learns about her aunts' connection to an ancient Apothecary's Guild and the story of the five keys, which are portals to mystical places.Knowing she must finish the task her aunts started, Elaine sets off to locate the missing source key before dark purposes prevail.

304 pages, Hardcover

Published June 21, 2022

About the author

Megan J. Wheless is an author known for her rich descriptions and keen observations of emotional nuances and connections. Raised in Central Illinois, she infuses in her writing the landscapes of the prairie and woodlands to give the reader a strong sense of place.
Megan spent nearly 20 years as a high school English teacher in southwestern Illinois and credits her experiences with her students and their shared discussions and insights into literature and writing as her main influences as a writer.
In 2016, Megan took a sabbatical and moved to the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina where she had many adventures, the best one meeting her now husband, an inventive formulations chemist with boy-next-door charm. They now live on the Grand Prairie in Northern Illinois.
You can learn more about her work and latest novel on her website:
https://meganjwhelesswriter.com/

Or purchase a copy of her novel on Amazon.com

Reviews

[Brigitte · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was definitely an interesting read and a very unique concept. I liked the idea of these magical keys that opened portals to new places and that special guardians needed to protect the magic and use it for good. I felt there was so much more to explore, though, so my only complaint is that I wanted more. I wonder if the author plans to do a sequel? She set the book up like more adventures would continue, which I liked. I love the idea that the story and everyone’s lives will continue to go on after you close the book. They still exist and the world still exists but what happens next is sort of up to the reader’s imagination. The characters were very interesting and quirky and I just wanted to learn more about them. And I’m a nerd because the thought of living in a small town and owning an antique shop and working in a library sounds completely amazing to me! I love when everyone knows each other and all the people are nosy but also supportive. Just like a family. So, I found this to be an enjoyable read, but I definitely wish it were longer. I need more details! And more adventures, too, please. Elaine has a lot to learn and more ways to grow, so I don’t want it to end here.

[Julie Long · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book for its premise alone. What could be more exciting than finding a key that opens portals as well as secret lives of your family you did not know existed. Enjoyed the descriptions of each of the characters, and felt myself missing those who left the storyline for one reason or another. This would be an excellent book for a series to continue on as there seems to be quite a bit more that could unfold through these keys and portals.

It was a fun book to read, and I did enjoy it very much.

[Stephanie Colson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, I enjoyed the plot of this book. The ending was jam packed with excitement and I wish the entire book was that way. However, I found the first half of the book to be a little slower than the end. I want to know more about the keys and the guild. There’s a lot more that could be explored so maybe there will be a sequel? Overall, the book was well written and I enjoyed it!

[Desi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Megan is an excellent writer! Very glad I finally bought & read this book. Keep up the great work!