Kelly Rimmer, a New York Times bestselling author, will promote her new novel “The Story Keeper” with a stop in Greenville.
Rimmer was initially inspired to write her book after a conversation with a friend.
Set in Forbes, Australia, the story follows Fiona Winslow, who finds solace in the decaying grandeur of Wurimbirra, the rambling family estate she once called home. Intent on restoring it, she discovers the keys to more than just the dilapidated mansion — beneath the crumbling plaster and dust are secrets that have been buried for a generation.
When a curious book, “The Midnight Estate,” catches her attention in her late uncle’s library, Fiona is plunged into a tale that mirrors her own — one of love, loss, and betrayal.
“I wanted to write about an old house for a really long time,” said Rimmer. “(In) 2023, a friend of mine had been overseas and came home. She grew up in a house that was hundreds of years old with floorboards that aren’t level anymore and things that go bump in the night. When I was talking with her, this idea with Fiona and her family kind of came to life in my mind.”
Rimmer’s new novel and her previous works have also been inspired by her time at a heritage consultancy, where she worked with architects who restored old homes.
“It sparked my interest in history,” Rimmer said. “I think that interest in the past came from seeing these people work with such skill to uncover the history of places and build something new from the past that isn’t attached to a structure.”
Rimmer will participate in M.Judson Booksellers’ Book Over Drinks series July 23 from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Admission is $35 per person and includes a cocktail or mocktail and a signed copy of “The Story Keeper.” For more information, visit mjudsonbooks.com.
