Julie Lessman

I dearly love to read and write Irish family sagas, but I have to say that I have never read a more authentic and heart-wrenching tale of the naked truth regarding Irish immigrants in America than Mary Kay Tuberty’s excellent historical depiction, Keeper of Coin.

Set in 1859 St. Louis, Missouri, Keeper of the Coin tells the story of sixteen-year-old Anne Carty’s lone journey from the abject poverty of Ireland during the potato famine to the shining hope of America after the Civil War. It is here that Anne hopes to find employment that will enable her to eventually bring each of her many siblings and her parents to a better life. Her journey is arduous and the task at hand near impossible, and yet the faith, character, and strength of this young girl shines through like a beacon in the night, drawing the reader deeper and deeper into a truly beautiful love story.

Without question, Mary Kay Tuberty is an author with her finger on the pulse of a truly historic era for the Irish in America, and Keeper of the Coin is a rich tapestry of this time that I highly recommend.