The Music of Bees, debut novel by Eileen Garvin, is a thoughtful, life-affirming story that invites the reader to consider the healing power of community.  It is present day rural Oregon; a region dotted with fruit farms as well as other agricultural endeavors. The local town of Hood River, sitting at the confluence of the Hood and Columbia Rivers, is home to the Hood County Planning Department which handles environmentally sensitive issues for the area. We meet Alice Holtzman, a recently widowed introverted beekeeper who works as assistant to the planning Department’s director. Her chance acquaintance with Jake Stevenson, a recently graduated eighteen-year-old wrestling with new physical limitations, and Harry Stokes, a twenty something socially awkward newcomer to the town, brings together three people struggling to redefine a meaningful life. Their growing friendship allows them to speak into each other’s life, inviting personal growth and future possibilities.

Alice loves the little family farm she inherited, a place full of possibilities with her beekeeping. Here, in this quiet valley tucked away from the busyness of town life, is where Alice, Jake and Harry’s lives become entwined as they each work through grief, face the realities of loss, and take hesitant steps toward growth and renewal. The bees are ever present, faithful with their tasks, benefiting the health and success of their different bee colonies. The fragility of life…for the bees, the fruit trees, the different main characters, the townspeople…becomes apparent when SupraGro, a large agribusiness, brings its products to Hood River through a local distributor. Decisions are made that have a significant impact on everyone’ s future.

The author does a marvelous job at educating the reader about bees, the incredible world of a hive colony, and the fascinating way these essential insects function as a community. This knowledge also serves to parallel the growth journeys of our protagonists. I really enjoyed seeing how Garvin’s knowledge of bees worked into the development of our main characters.  I also deeply appreciated the vivid reminder that we really do need one another.  A safe community that encourages honesty, vulnerability, love, and belief in one another to thrive can make all the difference in our life journey forward.

Mary, August 2026

Recent Posts