Can an old, burnished metal key show a young man the way to courage, and can that same key provide redemption for a strong, but troubled grandfather haunted by misdeeds in pre-Revolutionary Ukraine of 1905?

When 78-year-old Olek Creshenko visits his grandson in the hospital after the teen was brutally beaten by another boy, a spark ignites in Olek, and he vows to teach the boy the meaning of courage. But Olek must go back in time in order to help his grandson move forward. He must come to terms with his cryptic and traumatic past in Ukraine before he emigrated to the US under a shroud of secrecy. This epic journey of a grandfather and his grandson spans generations and continents as the two develop mutual trust, build a friendship, and put their bravery to work in an unbelievable final act.

By helping his grandson, will Olek find redemption for his own misuse of his strength so many years ago in Ukraine? Key Number 17 explores the weight of secrets, the power of family, and the transcendence of courage.

“For many of us, we don’t recognize the generational impact of our ancestors’ journeys. Within the context of a monumental political period in world history, Tymitz weaves together a tale that does just that, giving the reader permission to delve into their own familial connections. This story links two worlds that intersect in one profound way.”

—Jordan Steven Sher, author of And Still We Rise: A Novel about the Genocide in Bosnia