Dead Letters

by Caite Dolan-Leach

Ava doesn't believe it when the email arrives to say that her twin sister is dead. It's not grief or denial that causes her scepticism - it just feels too perfect to be anything other than Zelda's usual manipulative scheming. And Ava knows her twin.

Two years after she left, vowing never to speak to Zelda again after the ultimate betrayal, Ava must return home to retrace her errant sister's last steps. She soon finds notes that lead her on a twisted scavenger-hunt of her twin's making.

Letter by letter, Ava unearths clues to her sister's disappearance: and unveils harrowing truths of her own. A is for Ava, and Z is for Zelda, but deciphering the letters in-between is not so simple...

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Book Club, Suspense, Audiobook

352 pages, Paperback

First published February 21, 2017

About the author

Caite Dolan-Leach is a writer and literary translator. She was born in the Finger Lakes region and is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin and the American University in Paris.

Reviews

[Chelsea Humphrey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh boy. I'm definitely in the minority it seems, so it must be me. I was initially put off after I realized this was not indeed the thriller or even intriguing mystery it's being touted as on NetGalley. This isn't the author's fault, which makes me feel terrible about not liking it more. I really was hoping that I could switch gears and still enjoy this after shifting gears and expectations, but I struggled with finding a single character I could connect with and like, even if just slightly. The author's writing style was quality and showed clear talent; if this was marketed as literary fiction or maybe even women's fiction I might have given it a higher rating, but I was expecting something more suspenseful and thrilling. I think the right audience will really enjoy this (and clearly has based on early reviews); if you enjoy slow burning, character driven stories it might be for you. I fear the bickering between multiple unlikable characters just wasn't my taste.

*Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing my copy.

[Meredith (Trying to catch up!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dead Letters is quite an interesting read. The characters are cold, cunning, and detestable, but the mystery is clever and intriguing.

Dead Letters is the story twin sisters, Atrocious Ava and Zigzagging Zelda (sorry for my use of adjectives but you will better understand if you read the book). 25 year old Ava returns home to her family’s winery in the Finger Lakes from Paris upon being informed of her twin’s death. It appears that Zelda has been murdered, but Ava believes that her reckless twin has set up a game to escape the trouble she was in.

Soon after Ava’s return, she begins to receive emails and letters from her supposedly dead twin. Zelda has created a game for Ava to play, slowly feeding her pieces that relate to each letter of the alphabet from A(Ava) to Z (Zelda). As the mystery unfolds, more and more comes to light about self righteous Ava and her extremely dysfunctional family.

I almost gave up on this one in the beginning because I hated the characters. However, the more I read, the more I got sucked into their twisted world. I began to better understand who Ava and Zelda were and what made them into what they had become. While the mystery gets a bit outlandish, it held my attention and even though I suspected the outcome, it was still rather jarring and surprisingly emotional.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Fran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twins Ava and Zelda Antipova were born into a toxic family. By the time they were born, the family vineyard Silenus Wines produced a small yield of mediocre wine and profits were dwindling. Parents Nadine and Marlon fought constantly. Ava and Zelda were subjected to constant and sarcastic verbal abuse. One day, Marlon packed up and left. The twins were saddled with Nadine who was exhibiting genetic markers of alcoholism and starting to suffer from early onset dementia.

Ava was the straight laced twin. Ever the student, she excelled in school. Her room was decorated in white, her clothing was traditional. She had a loving boyfriend, Wyatt, despite being emotionally and physically absent. By contrast, Zelda was wild and reckless. Her room had a bohemian, gypsy atmosphere.

As mother Nadine's health deteriorates, she is plied with more and more alcohol and meds. Nadine refused to eat, misremembered things and was highly critical of her daughters. The fate of Silenus Vineyards fell on their shoulders.

Ava had enough. She runs away to Paris and cuts off all lines of communication with Zelda, leaving Zelda alone to care for Nadine and run the winery. Ava receives word that the barn at home has been bolted from the outside and burned down. Questioned by police, a drugged Nadine says that Zelda was in the barn. Ava leaves Paris and rushes home.

As kids, Zelda set up elaborate puzzles and games for Ava to solve. Ava starts to receive clues and texts from Zelda. Is this a masterful scheme to exact revenge for being abandoned two years earlier, by Ava, after Zelda's betrayal? Zelda always had a talent for deception and a way of wrapping people around her finger. Ava must step out of her comfort zone and confront the family history leading to Zelda's disappearance or demise.

"Dead Letters" by Cait Dolan-Leach did not pique my interest at first. Suddenly, however, I was caught up in a web of unfolding events. Letters and texts kept arriving from Zelda and the cat and mouse game led to a surprising conclusion. A good debut tome from up and coming author Cait Dolan-Leach.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "Dead Letters".

[Elyse Walters · Rating 3 out of 5]

Confession....
I don't drink alcohol. It's just never been my thing.
But I feel a little drunk after reading this book. My gosh- there is so much alcohol drinking - a tasting room and Vineyard make for an easy access to drink until one is unconscious. --- but if readers 'do enjoy wine - you might consider a glass while reading this novel. Could enhance the experience!

Drunk is..... business as usual! Passed out is......business as usual!
Moving on.....
The setting is lovely -
The blurb gives almost too much of this story away!!!!!! I don't have much more to add! The blurb description gives more details than I would have given. I consider the 'blurb' a spoiler.

So.... what's left is MY EXPERIENCE....
I loved the beginning- the history to the 25 year old twin sisters names: Ava and Zelda.

I was also curious of Ava's first reaction when she first learns her sister Zelda is dead.
When she learns she burned in a barn fire - her first words and thoughts were...
"Well, that's just like Zelda". Funny reaction!!!

My mistake was then reading the BLURB. I tell ya - it got in my way. I knew this story was a 'game' of sorts. I'm not a big game player- nor do I drink. I thought the story was fair - good - but it wasn't flying monkeys or fireworks.

I understand why people love this mystery story -- the unraveling of the game from A to Z is unique. Every family member has their troubles- exhausting type troubles to me -TOXIC...

Mostly -- To be honest - I read it -but other than at times 'feeling' some connection & compassion with Ava - intrigue with the letters- the communication back and forth between the sisters - this story didn't 'wow' me. It's not a style I'm crazy about - yet many people may enjoy the spirit of the scavenger hunt---and the books cleverness.

Thank You Netgalley, Random House, and Caite Dolan- Leach

3.4

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Twins,, Ava and Zelda, the beginning and the end of the alphabet, raised by a pair of constantly fighting parents, they had each other and made the best of it. They grow up, Zelda the wild one. Ava the good girl, their parents divorce and their mother has dementia. An act of betrayal by the two people closest to her will send Ava fleeinh for Paris, leaving Zelda to handle their mother's deteriorating health and a failing vineyard. Ava is brought home by the news that her sister has perished in a fire in the barn on their property.

Can't say I liked any of these characters, major dysfunction here but I found the story intriguing. Is Zelda really dead? She has left a set of clues for Ava to follow, using the letters of the alphabet, so this is somewhat of a puzzle mystery. Quite cleverly done and I eagerly looked forward to the next revelation. Along the way Ava has some insights if her own. The love twins have for each other and how they understand each other also plays a big part. This is not edge of your seat suspense, more a character unraveling as we get to know both girls by this somewhat strange game. Quite good I thought.

ARC from publisher.

[Miriam Smith (A Mother’s Musings) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was just a little disappointed in this book, even though the premise of it sounded really good. Ava's twin sister Zelda is believed to be dead in a barn fire. Through a series of emails Ava receives (from whom she assumes is her dead sister), she starts believing that Zelda may well be alive and playing a game with her, where she needs to follow the clues from A - Z in order to find her. This book is being categorised as a mystery thriller - which to be fair, there is an element of mystery to the story - but it certainly didn't fill the thriller category with the expected twists and turns - it's much more a family saga book.
I totally disliked all of the characters (apart from maybe Wyatt who has a smaller role during the story) - not one of them I had any empathy for and considering they had just lost a daughter/twin sister quite tragically the lack of emotion was very strange.
However, I still enjoyed the actual storyline, whether it was a thriller or not and I liked the use of the emails to convey Zelda's part in the plot.
It's well written and very easy to follow. The only thing I found annoying was the constant reference to alcohol and the overuse of it by all the main characters. I wasn't bothered by the alcohol itself it was more the constant and I mean constant reference to it within the story.
Overall, "Dead Letters" by Caine Dolan-Leach is worth a read but just don't expect it to be the mystery thriller you're led to believe it is.
3 stars.

[JanB · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars

There are a lot of 4 and 5 star reviews on here so I'm obviously the outlier.

Let me just say up front that I don't demand characters in the books I read to be likable. Many of my favorite books have unlikable characters and I joke that dysfunctional should be a genre of its own. But I need to be able to empathize or at least understand them a little. Or there needs to be enough humor to offset the distasteful character(s). Or the plot is so clever I can overlook it.

I've never met such a group of truly detestable people. They are rude, nasty, snarky in a not-funny way, and mistreat everyone around them. There is one exception but I never understood why he was attracted to anyone in this family. Oh, and everyone except the t00-good-to-be-true guy is a raging alcoholic. I grew weary reading about the non-stop drinking. At the halfway point I resorted to skimming/speed reading to the end.

This is a debut, so I'll be interested to see what she writes next. The premise interested me enough to pick up the book and it's well-written. Although I'd advise her to put the thesaurus away. And make her dysfunctional characters clever, funny, or sympathetic. And throw in at least one to root for.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised by how much I liked Dead Letters, a novel filled with dysfunctional, detestable characters with a plot hinging on protagonist Ava Antipova playing an elaborate game set up by (is she? isn't she?) her dead sister Zelda, forcing Ava to confront mysteries, truths, lies about herself and her family. Though on the face of things, I wouldn't have thought this was my kind of book, I was pulled in to the twisted clues Ava was following, and the history of emotional manipulation and damage and destruction between Ava, Zelda, and their parents and closest friends. It helps that Caite Dolan-Leach has a writing style that is just a bit overly wordy, but is entirely accessible and approachable, hitting just the right balance for a literary mystery novel. And while at first I more or less disliked all of the characters, Dolan-Leach does a tremendous job drawing sympathy and empathy for each of them, so by the novel's conclusion I was surprised and emotionally involved at the outcome.

This is an elevated entertaining novel: with the vineyard backdrop and the obscene amounts of alcohol consumed by the characters, part of this is a fantastic escape into the lives of well-to-do, pretty people coming into harder times and revealing the darkness lurking below the surface. But even more than that, it's a psychological study of characters, slowly peeling away at the outer shells surrounding them, and even though Zelda's master plan required some suspension of disbelief, I was completely engrossed by the drama and dysfunction. Overall, Dead Letters is smart writing, a clever conceit, flawed and fascinating characters, and a satisfying mystery with an emotional ending. 4 stars from me: I'd read it again (with a very nice glass of wine in hand), will be interested to see what Caite Dolan-Leach comes out with next, and would recommend it to fans of psychological thrillers and dysfunctional families in the mood for a slightly more moody and literary hybrid of the two categories.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dead Letters by Caite Dolan-Leach is a Random House publication.

This book first cropped up on my radar while reading the book section in the NYT. It seems there has been a little confusion as to which category this book belongs in. The Times seemed to think the book falls into the Gothic genre, while Amazon and GR labeled it a mystery/thriller. None of these really apply here, in my opinion.

What category would it fit into? Well, it could go into the psychological thriller category, only it’s not really a thriller, per se. So, maybe this one defies categories or labels. Contemporary fiction is probably the best place for it.

So, what is the book about?


Ava Antipova returns home after receiving word her twin sister, Zelda, has died. She is greeted by her father who abandoned the family some years ago, her alcoholic mother who is battling Alzheimer’s, and an old friend who has been in love with her for many years… and Zelda! Well, not Zelda in the flesh, but she does hear from her clever twin in a series or messages and letters, that give Ava clues about her disappearance or ‘death’.

While following Zelda’s bread crumbs, Ava confronts her own past, her fears, and the reality of her life and Zelda’s.

This is one of those books that tests my critical thinking abilities, and challenges me to dig deep to try an understand the meaning of it, but still leaves me shaking my head wondering if I ‘got’ the big picture.

More or less, this is a family drama, where the outward veneer and polish has long been sanded away, leaving the participants raw and exposed. This is a dysfunctional family dealing with the effects of alcoholism and disease, financial difficulties and with an uncertain future, each deciding on which is the best way to cope with it.

The characters are all damaged and flawed, and are not exactly redeemable, or easy to relate to. But, that is not a deal breaker for me, like it might be for some readers. But, what is hard for me to wrap my head around is how everything was wrapped up. It was a really big stretch of the imagination and frankly, implausible.

However, I give the author kudos for keeping me interested in the mystery of Zelda, and for mostly pulling off a trippy mind game with the reader. I didn’t care for the end game which left me feeling a little cheated, but I did appreciate the irony.

I'm still on the fence about this one, feeling a little mislead about the type of book it was, then being led around on a wild goose chase, only to get sucker punched at the end. But, after some thought, I decided the craftiness and deviousness of characters created an interesting diversion from the same old, same old.

I’m not sure if I would say the book was a character assassination, analysis, or study, but, is definitely character driven, and like them or hate them, their thoughts and deeds will make you think and keep you on your toes.

Overall, this one is a little strange, but is well constructed, and I suppose it accomplishes its purpose. It’s up to you to decide what that purpose was.

3 stars

[Monnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my, my. What a wild ride - all the way from Astounding to Zero cool!

My choice of descriptor words is on purpose - a nod to the main characters in this book, twins Ava and Zelda, so named by their father for the order of their entrance in the world at birth (never mind that he got it wrong). It's also a nod to the plot itself, as a grown-up and gone-missing Zelda leaves a trail of alphabetical clues for sister Ava to follow in a quirky and potentially deadly "game."

Two years ago, Ava left the Antipova family vineyard, which isn't doing well, mostly because of a betrayal involving her twin; they haven't spoken since. She also was eager to get away from their mother, who's not so gradually being overtaken by dementia and alcoholism. The twins' father barreled out years ago and has remarried, an act not since forgiven by either girl.

So Ava heads to Paris, where she finds a new life, a new French boyfriend and happiness at the tender age of 25. But then, her world comes to a crashing halt: She learns that Zelda has died - apparently the victim of a fire that destroyed the barn on the family's property in New York's Finger Lakes region (more on that later).

Not long after Ava returns home, though, she begins to suspect that Zelda isn't dead after all. Soon, she begins to get text messages from her sister, which appear to be clues related to her disappearance - beginning with the first letter of the alphabet. Aha, Ava concludes - Zelda's up to her old devious tricks. As she tries to deal with her totally dysfunctional family (her father returned on a temporary basis when he learned that Zelda had died) that includes her father's obsessive mother and Wyatt, the boyfriend she left behind.

It takes a while, but forensic evidence determines that the human remains inside the burned-out barn are, in fact, Zelda's. The situation is intensified when local police conclude that Zelda's death wasn't an accident - the barn doors were locked from the outside - and a prime suspect is identified. But the messages Ava is getting from Zelda suggest something else is afoot; should she let the police in on her secret or follow her twin to the ends of the alphabet in the hopes of getting to the truth?

Once that decision is made, the book revvs up into high gear - capturing and holding my attention for the rest of the drive even during crucial college football playoff games (although dividing my time between the book and TV did get a little easier, I'm sorry to say, once "my" Ohio State University Buckeyes got thoroughly trounced by Clemson in the 2016 Fiesta Bowl).

Now that I've finished the book (most of the time keeping half an eye on the Rose Bowl), I see the whole picture. Truthfully, I had a bit of trouble believing the whole thing could have been accomplished as efficiently (for want of a better word) as it was, but in the end it really doesn't matter. The whole thing is far more a study in character development and interaction than murder mystery - and what intriguing characters they all are.

My enjoyment of the book was enhanced, I admit, by the setting. One of my favorite places to visit is Seneca Lake; my husband and I have spent many wonderful days relaxing and doing our photography thing at Seneca Harbor Station, hiking the awesome Gorge Trail in Watkins Glen State Park, "touring" the NASCAR track (in between races, visitors are allowed inside) and, not insignificantly, sampling as many wines as we can from the dozens of vineyards in and around Seneca, Cayuga and Keuka lakes. When I head out for morning walks here in my northeast Ohio neighborhood, I often wear the T-shirt I bought at Keuka College mostly because I figured it would be a conversation starter (I was right).

But I digress. In summary, this is a great debut novel - one I hope (and expect) will do very well. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Liz Barnsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dead Letters was TOTALLY unexpected. In a great way for me but I should caution, the context in the marketing seems to be gearing it towards thriller or a typical psychological thriller audience (which I am too so I would probably have loved that also) but Dead Letters is far more on the side of literary mystery and family saga than it is sudden thrills or huge plot twists. So going into it with an open viewpoint will make a difference I feel.

This was beautiful writing, beautiful plotting and a slow burner, a true character drama centering on twins - Ava and Zelda - the potential death of one and the coming to terms of the other. When Zelda seemingly dies in a fire, Ava finally returns to her home after a self imposed exile - Zelda it turns out has left her a series of clues, an A-Z that she must follow to discover exactly what happened.

What follows is a journey through the lives of these sisters, their family ties and influences, their own relationships both with each other and those around them. Ava deals with her unwell mother, starts getting sucked back into her old routines, all the while looking for that truth, the thing that will let her move forward. It is beautifully done, cleverly intricate, a gorgeous unravelling of a tangled and poignant family dynamic.

Brimming with atmosphere, filled with an eclectic cast of often divisive characters, Dead Letters is a wonderfully layered mystery, an emotive family drama with a melancholy, noir tone to the writing that just sucks you right in. I loved it.

Highly Recommended

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Before I get into the story, I’d like to talk about helping a book find its audience. When I read the publicity blurb & saw it listed under Mystery/Thriller I thought oh goody, this is for me. Sadly it was not but through no fault of the author. Instead, I think it’s the victim of a poor choice in marketing which may lead to it being passed over by readers who enjoy family sagas & disappointment for those looking for a good thriller.
 
The story centres around 25 year old twins Ava & Zelda. They grew up on a vineyard near Ithaca in one of the most dysfunctional families you’ll come across, fictional or otherwise. Ava escaped to Paris for grad school but now finds herself flying home to attend her sister’s funeral. She’s told Zelda died in a barn fire but from the time she receives the news, Ava has her doubts.
 
And with reason. She is soon on an alphabetical treasure hunt fed by clues Zelda left for her. It’s a clever device & ultimately, what saved the book for me. Without it, you’re left in the company of 4 alcoholics who never tire of sniping & wounding each other through booze soaked dialogue. Rest assured, none of them would be candidates for “Up with People”.
 
Each is fuelled by a bitter disappointment in how life has treated them, a situation not helped by having a wine store in their backyard. Only Ava has managed to secure a glimmer of something better but struggles to overcome the lingering affects of her childhood.
 
When a book has a large cast, having one or two unpleasant characters adds some spice & conflict to the story. If it’s set on a small stage & all are unlikable, you risk readers not caring enough about the characters to become invested in their outcome. This is not a thriller & there’s little mystery so I confess I grew tired of the constant back-biting & just found them sad.
 
Again, not the author’s fault. She possesses a formidable vocabulary & knows how to use it. There’s a definite Southern Gothic feel to the story & Ava’s hunt for clues is an original feature that adds interest to the plot. It’s more a case of “it’s not you, it’s me”. We’ve all come across books whose only issue is they don’t appeal to that ethereal thing called your personal preference.
 
So don’t take my word for it. There are many glowing reviews for this book & I think if they dropped the Mystery/Thriller label & marketed it under just General Fiction or Women’s Fiction, it would find the target audience it richly deserves.

[Heidi Wiechert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dead Letters is a mystery and psychological thriller about a dysfunctional family and two unhealthily entwined twins. It is also about how relationships with those closest to us can be an unending source of unhappiness, if that is what we choose.

Ava has felt stifled by her family. Her mother has dementia, her father left them to start another family and conflict with her twin sister, Zelda, has dominated her existence. She now lives in Paris, when she receives an unexpected email from her mother... Zelda is dead.

The whole thing was so very Zelda. Too Zelda. When I finally reached my mother on the phone, she slurrily told me that the barn had caught fire with Zelda trapped inside. pg 8

From the very beginning, Ava has her doubts about Zelda's "accidental" death. Then, when the police reveal evidence that points towards a murder, things begin to spiral out of control.

Adding to the confusion, Ava and Zelda are/were identical. The whole community confuses one sister for the other. Even their own mother, whose mind is slipping away, calls Ava by her dead sister's name.

Alcohol contributes its own fog to this story as Ava deals with her childhood demons while tangling with some new ones.

Not wanting to acknowledge consciousness in that desperate, dry-mouthed morning-after horror, I'm eventually forced to crack open my eyes. Jolted awake in suddenly sober distress, I blink owlishly and struggle to open my exhausted, quivering eyes, which are agonizingly dry, filched of liquid. ... I should quit drinking, I reflect. It's not the first time I've had this thought. pg 170

And, of course, there's the highschool sweetheart hanging around and the relationship that ended very badly, as if Ava doesn't have enough going on.

The mystery of this story isn't all that mysterious, but the characters and the slow unwinding of the past are superb. I read this book almost in one sitting the day before Thanksgiving and it made me appreciate my own fairly-functional family much more.

Our mother had started her mimosas somewhat earlier, and I knew from her glassy eyes and gingery steps that Nadine was approaching the danger zone, the state between mildly and mindlessly drunk wherein she could marshal enough sobriety to do real damage but was uninhibited enough to not care how much damage was inflicted. pg 116

We can't control what's happened to us in the past, but moving forward, our lives are what we make of them. Look at the stories you tell yourself and examine why you do the things you do. You wouldn't want, like the characters in this tale, to be controlled by incessant competition, booze or your weight on a scale, would you?

Caite Dolan-Leach doesn't turn over every stone, leaving some of the characters' pasts foggy. But she leaves hints everywhere and allows readers to fill in the blanks.

A criticism: some of the twists in the story are too perfectly orchestrated, and I doubted that such things would be possible, even with intricate planning and if you knew someone as well as you know yourself.

I'll certainly have plenty to talk about at book club tonight. It was a good pick and I'd recommend it for other groups who read psychological thrillers. There's a lot to unpack: the family dynamic, mystery, thrills, romance, layered characters and alcohol, so much alcohol.

[ReadAlongWithSue ★⋆. ࿐࿔catching up · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is marketed in the thriller genre, so I was expecting more excitement thank what I got.

It kicked off well enough with the twin girls and how they were named.
Then an email arriving to one of the twins informing the other twin that her sister was dead, so that got me interested.

But I have to be honest in saying that the book was a roller coaster ride for me in between loving it, then it dipping to where I lost a bit of interest
The book is written very well .

There was an element of 'thriller and intrigue' to it, but I did struggle in places but I kept with it, and I am so glad I did as the 'thriller' elements did released itself within the letters left behind by the dead twin sister.

Its a cat and mouse tale which does have a very good edge to it.

I would definitely read more by this author.

My thanks to Corvus for my copy

[CL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ava and Zelda Antipova are twins and Ava left home 2 years ago to escape her twin and the life she was not prepared to live. Now her sister Zelda has died and she has to return home. Zelda was always the wild one and Ava was the one who always followed the rules. Ava suspects Zelda is playing a trick and now more than ever she is convinced when the letters and clues from Zelda start to arrive. As Zelda's clues lead her from one place to the next she begins to find out things about her sister that her last two years of living in Paris she was not aware of. She is convinced Zelda will show up shortly and say she was just playing a joke or is Zelda really gone. Good mystery read. I would like to thank the Publisher and Net Galley for the chance to read this ARC.

[Amanda - Mrs B's Book Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

* https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
Dead Letters, by first time novelist Caite Dolan-Leach, is the story of Ava and Zelda Antipova, who are identical twins. The twins are estranged at the time of one of the twin’s tragic death in a fire. The remaining twin, Ava, isn’t at all convinced that her sister, who loved nothing more than drama and attention, is really dead. Soon after her death, Ava receives messages from the grave from her sister, sending her on a twisted scavenger hunt.

Dead Letters is the debut novel from writer Caite Dolan-Leach. It is best described as a psychological mystery novel. When Paris based student Ava Antipova receives word through email that her identical twin sister has died in a fire that took place on her family’s vineyard property in Finger Lakes, in upstate New York, she immediately returns home. For Ava, home is not a sanctuary. Ava left home over two years ago, after a terrible betrayal on behalf of her sister and high school boyfriend, Wyatt. There are also her parents to contend with. Ava’s mother Nadine is one messed up lady. Suffering from a degenerative illness, Nadine’s days are filled with alcohol and not much else. Her relationship with her daughter Ava, her less favourable twin daughter, is tense. It is no wonder Ava dreads her return home. The twin’s father Nolan also returns home in the wake of his daughter’s death. Nolan traded his family for another many years ago. He is an emotionally distant man, who fills the gap in his life with alcohol. Abuse of alcohol forms a significant part of Dead Letters, as the Antipovas own a disintegrating vineyard. The focus of Dead Letters becomes zoned in on Ava’s hunt for her sister Zelda, who she firmly believes staged her own death. Through the use of letters, emails, text messages and facebook posts, a scavenger hunt following the letters in between A for Ava and Z for Zelda form the basis of this search for Zelda. Is this an elaborate plan to get her sisters attention or is Zelda really dead?

Dead Letters is a novel I have seen around a fair bit on social media and on the Goodreads community. It definitely caught my eye and I was keen to give it a try, despite seeing some mixed responses on Goodreads and other blogs I follow. It took me awhile to get into this novel and my mind seemed to wander a fair bit during my reading of this book. This is perhaps an indication of my response to the book, which was pretty average.

The main narrator of the book, Ava, is a strange as well as unlikeable young woman. She is hard to get close to, which is in part of a reflection of her difficult upbringing. We learn through the flashbacks written by Dolan-Leach that Ava was the less favourable twin. She lives in the shadow of her wilder and more enigmatic twin. Her mother Nadine’s obvious preference for Zelda is clear and it has clearly impacted on who Ava is as an adult. Nadine’s constant alcohol binges and spiralling depression based on her degenerative illness means she has been an absent mother. Her ex husband and the twin’s father Nolan isn’t much better. He escaped the toxic clutches on his ex wife many years ago and has remained detached from his daughters ever since. There really are some complicated and messed up relations that emerge from this dysfunctional family. I thought the characterisation on the whole of these protagonists was solid, despite all of them being unlikeable.

The narrative follows Ava’s search in the present to find her sister via the clues provided to her which links to the letters between A to Z. There are also flashbacks to the twin’s childhood, formative years and the time just prior to their estrangement. The narrative builds a strong picture of the twins. The pace was set at a steady pace but for reasons I am still not sure about, I did find my mind wandering. I wasn’t completely invested in this storyline and I really didn’t like any of the characters. Having said that, I did feel the need to continue reading to the end of the novel to find out the final fate of Zelda. When I reached the end of the novel I felt a bit underwhelmed. There had been so much built up to this point and when I got there it didn’t have quite the level of impact that I seemed to be expecting.

Dead Letters takes a clever concept, infusing letters of the alphabet with a final set of puzzling messages from the grave, sending a sister on a frenzied hunt to find her estranged twin. I liked the concept but had difficulties connecting with this dysfunctional family unit. Dead Letters is a dark and twisted tale of secrets, lies, betrayals and the intricate bond between twin sisters. Make up your own mind on this one.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dead Letters probably has the weirdest vibe of anything I've ever read. If I had to explain this book to someone, I don't think it would be particularly helpful to summarize the plot, which makes it sound like a tense mystery instead of the literary character study that it is. I'm not really sure how I would explain it. There's something about it that reminds me vaguely of a film noir, told with a linguistic prowess and dramatic flair that calls to mind the poetry of Arthur Rimbaud. Somehow. Despite not really having anything in common with either of those things. Are you sufficiently confused? Yeah, me too. Let's proceed.

Dead Letters commences when Ava Antipova receives a distressed email from her mother, informing her that her twin sister Zelda has died in a barn fire. Ava, who's been living in Paris, flies home to her family's vineyard outside Ithaca New York, suspecting that Zelda's death may not be exactly what it seems. Soon she begins to receive a series of clues, hoping it will lead her to the truth of what happened that night in the fire.

In this era of fast-paced thrillers, let me stress: this does not belong in the mystery genre. This is a (at times slow-moving) character-driven novel. I didn't like it any less for this fact, but I'm glad I'd heard that it wasn't exactly a thriller before picking it up. Sometimes it's difficult to adjust your expectations partway through a book.

Though you'll have a hard time loving these characters, each makes a hell of an impression. Each member of the Antipova family is a volatile, selfish alcoholic. This is a book about horrible people being horrible to one another, and if you can't bear to read about that, you won't enjoy this book. But if you're fascinated by dysfunctional interpersonal dynamics, as I am, there's a good chance you'll find this rewarding.

Our narrator, Ava, is one of the most well-crafted and three-dimensional characters I've read in anything recently, which is especially a feat considering the first-person narration (which I find at times complicates the reader's ability to give the narrator an objective assessment?) But I thought that Ava was frustratingly, unnervingly real, for all her faults and virtues. Though at the beginning I was sure I wasn't going to be able to see any of myself in her, there were certain details, like her fear of intimacy, that I found I related to so intensely it was a bit unnerving - the kind of thing where you're reading and suddenly your breath catches and you feel deeply unsettled like you're seeing yourself on the page. That's just how present this story felt.

Caite Dolan-Leach's writing is superb. Though it's wordy to the point of pretension, you can always tell, with a book like this, which authors are anxiously flipping through thesauruses and which authors have had these words in their arsenal all along, and it's pretty clear that Dolan-Leach belongs in the latter category. The (at times annoyingly overwrought) prose suits the story and the characters so seamlessly that it's hard to imagine it being written any differently.

As for the ending - I won't spoil anything, but I loved it. It was exactly the emotional payoff I was looking for after this long-winded adventure.

Though it takes a while to get going and relies a bit too heavily on elaborately baseless guesswork from the characters in order to connect certain plot points, Dead Letters was a clever and addicting read, and I thoroughly enjoyed this ride.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Netgalley, Random House, and Caite Dolan-Leach.

[Elaine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Look, I don't mind books with unlikable characters.

Heck, life is full of not nice people, some of them I even call family but I do expect to either sympathize, empathize or like one redeeming quality, even if the character may be an irredeemable sociopath bent on destroying the universe or some such nonsense.

Unfortunately, I can find very little good to say for Dead Letters where the dysfunctional Antipova family, a bunch of raging alcoholics with no charisma, talent or intelligence have gathered together to mourn one of their own.

Ava has returned to the homestead after her more flamboyant and wild twin, Zelda, has perished in a fire. Foul play or an accident?

Through a series of well timed texts, clues and emails, Zelda leads Ava on a merry chase through town, playing with her emotions and her naivete, right before the inevitable conclusion, of which the readers could guess pretty easily. I did.

First, the mystery was not very intriguing or mysterious. Turning the letters of the alphabet into a game as a means of goading Ava to play was not clever; it was to be expected given the siblings' tumultuous relationship.

Frankly, I found it hard to believe that Zelda, no matter how seductive or winsome a character she is purported to be, could cajole, seduce or encourage some of the morons in her circle of friends to carry on the charade in her absence (or maybe that's why she slept with a third of the town, male and female, so they would carry out her whims.)

Secondly, Wyatt getting it on with both sisters is beyond Freudian. Its just icky. When Ava returns home, its not just obvious what will happen between her and Wyatt, her first love, it is expected, despite her having fled to Paris after discovering Zelda and Wyatt in flagrante delicto two years ago.

The Antipova family are addicts and do not take ownership of their failings, but they do pretty much blame the fact that they are alcoholics due to their faulty genes.

Ava brings up this point more than once to justify her self awareness that she is an alcoholic but will not take further action because of her family lineage. If that's not a cop out, I don't know what is.

Also, they own a failing vineyard. Isn't that like a drug addict who sells their own wares?

The cast of characters are not sly or clever. They are just losers mired in their sadness, illness and moral failings who will not or ever change. That's fine. Most people don't, not in books and definitely not in real life.

But I wanted to care about Ava and Zelda, or one of them, at least, but that's hard to do when the characters are cold, cruel, selfishly miserable at their personal circumstances but lack the ability to evolve and grow, and do something about it.

If they don't care, I don't either.

[fleurette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading this book is quite a strange experience. It's a bit like looking at the remains of some very serious accident. As if you were looking at the wreckage of the car and the bloodied victims with unhealthy fascination. It is an outlandish and disturbing feeling. And at the same time you want to know how it all ends and what is true. You also participate in a game designed by Zelda.

To a large extent, it is a portrait of a dysfunctional family. Even more, a family that is utterly aware of their disfunction. They are just not doing anything to change, to change themselves. Ava and Zelda are already the third generation of alcoholics and both are completely reconciled to it, they are not trying to change for the better. Then we also have unhealthy family relations, between the girls and their parents, and between the sisters themselves. This is family and characters that you are unlikely to like. And yet you watch them wade through this difficult situation, hurting each other even more.

How Ava at times took over Zelda's personality and her life was really ghastly. At one point, I even wondered if the main character was really Ava, because maybe it's just Zelda pretending to be Ava. Yes, this is how the author managed to sow doubts in me. It's a book that makes you doubt everything you know and read. In this respect, the author did a great job.

From the beginning, I suspected what the ending of this story would be and I was right. Nevertheless, the author managed to make me feel very uncertain about my predictions. There were times when I wasn't so sure about my theory and I absolutely love it. Even if the mystery of Zelda's death is only an excuse to show the picture of this family.

I still hesitate how to rate this book. It was not exactly the story in my taste and that's probably why it was not easy to read at times. That, and because reading this book is such a strange experience. But still, I was fascinated. I'd give it 3.5, I'm not just sure whether to round up or down.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unpopular opinion time. I seem to be in the minority but I didn't like this book. Most of it was a 3 star read as it did keep me turning pages but I really didn't like the ending!

[Jennifer Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dead Letters

This book was one that I’ve had around for awhile...I had heard mixed reviews, so ultimately I pushed it back some on my to-read list. I totally understand why some readers were disappointed. Dead Letters was marketed as a mystery and thriller. It was definitely more mystery and minimal, if any, thriller. Now, I'll be the first to admit I love a great thriller, but I also love a book that can keep it simple and still hold your attention. This was for sure the latter.

Ava Antipova had run away from her family, her life, and her relationship and moved to Paris. At the beginning of this book, she learned that her twin sister Zelda had died in a fire at their family vineyard. Burned in the barn next to the house they had grown up in. Immediately, Ava wondered what her sister Zelda was up to? She hadn’t sensed her death, it couldn’t be true. Ava headed back to her home to handle the situation. As soon as she returned, she started to receive messages from her supposedly dead sister, in a puzzle format. A to Z, each letter corresponded to a piece of the puzzle, the puzzle of where was Zelda now? Ava learned that a lot has transpired over the two years, while she was gone. As Ava sifted through the clues Zelda left, she had to live in the house she so desperately wanted to escape and she had to face the demons she had run from. In the end, Ava was changed...now what about Zelda?

Dead Letters was for me one of those books that I spent time frustrated with most of the characters, most of the time. Growing up with plenty of alcohol in my household, I got the alcoholism references. Maybe a little too close to home. I know many people who elect to escape their lives via the alcohol bottle. Don't get me wrong, I love a good drink, but one or two is enough for me! I have been there and done that too many times to mention, in my younger years...I choose to do my life differently now.

The characters - Ava was so self-absorbed and repressed! Zelda was so manipulative and strange! Their mother, holy moly, their poor mother - I guess she was clueless right? Marlon (aka Dad) what a joke, but maybe the life drove him away? At lastly, I didn't and couldn't forget Wyatt...yummy, but what a fool for these two! Poor guy, what's the rest of his life going to be like? Even though I couldn't really find a character to like, besides Wyatt, I still cared - I wanted to know what happened. I wanted to see how the story ended. I felt enough to stick with it, and I'm glad I did.

Here’s the thought that keeps creeping into my mind a few days after finishing the book - what if the ending was a scam? What if Ava got another email shortly after the birth of her child? And it starts again...A to Z…Hmm...I would definitely be willing to go for another ride with these characters. It would also be interesting to see a Hollywood spin on this story. Just saying, it could happen!

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing, and Caite Dolan-Leach for allowing me to experience this twisted world in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Book of the Month]

THE WICKED GAMES YOU PLAY
By Judge Sarah Weinman

“A born creator of myths, my sister always liked to tell the story of how we were misnamed.” I knew from this first sentence that this debut thriller would be something special. For the narrator, Ava, was born minutes after her twin sister Zelda. The alphabet's reversal foreshadowed the sibling pecking order. Zelda is the wild, vibrant, larger-than-life twin. Ava is the buttoned-up, reserved, by-the-book twin. To put it in terms of stress responses, Ava, having spirited herself away from the failing family vineyard to Paris, is flight. Zelda, who stayed behind, is pure fight.

Or at least, that's how it seems on the surface. When Ava gets word of Zelda's sudden and surprising death, she returns home to the family vineyard in upstate New York. Eerie messages from her twin, apparently from beyond the grave, signal the beginning of an alphabet-themed scavenger hunt that might (or might not) prove that Zelda is, in fact, alive. Dolan-Leach plots her twists fairly and with care, and her sense of fun is infectious. There's a winning “let me entertain you” vibe that takes hold.

But I loved Dead Letters most for imbuing its froth-laden surface with real emotional heft. The stakes are high. Ava, following the sequential traps laid by Zelda, comes to devastating terms with what remained in her home even after she fled: family dysfunction, her tendency to hide from troublesome feelings about alcohol and ex-boyfriends and abandonment, and how her sister's love — and multiple betrayals — matter to Ava above all. The playful clues that Zelda leaves for Ava are so much more than standard mystery misdirection. They are a window into the myths a family creates around one another to protect from and draw closer to those we love most — the mysteries that haunt us well after we solve them.

Read more at https://www.bookofthemonth.com/dead-l...

[Becca Reads Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid 4.5 stars! Loved this mystery from beginning to end, a total page turner. I agree with most of the reviewers that did not like the characters, but I find that not liking any of them really helped this book with the plot..if that makes sense.

This is my second BOM club book, and very happy with this choice...will definitely recommend to friends!!

Hope you enjoy as much as I did!!

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ava and Zelda are twins. Their parents thought it would be cool to name them using A and Z which would incorporate all the alphabet. Two years ago, Ava couldn't take living on their family's failing vineyard, their mother's ever slipping into dementia, a romantic betrayal and an absent family. She decides to leave and take up studies in Paris.

Then she receives the news that her twin sister, Zelda, is dead and she must return to upstate New York. Her sister has burned to death in the family barn. Or did she. Ava starts getting e-mails from her sister which starts her on a scavenger hunt forcing her to relive their twisted history. She knows Zelda is just capable of doing this.

This story of an alcoholic family and all their faults provides a great backdrop for the twistedness of these two sisters. It is impeccably written and one that I found I could not put down. It had me going back and forth. Was Zelda dead or wasn't she? The fact that the chains were locked on the door when the barn burned down were proof she was in there, or was it her? The e-mails and the letters left by her were proof she was alive. And, why was she doing this to her sister? Why did she go to Paris? There were so many questions going through my head while I was reading this. A wonderfully entertaining and enjoyable read.

Thanks to Random House for approving my request and to Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

[Vikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book threw me through a loop. I thought I knew where it was going and I was totally wrong. Ava and Zelda are twins who seem to feed off each other in an unhealthy way and also support each other in while growing up a broken home with alcoholic, psychological abusive parents. They have a falling out over a boyfriend and Ava escapes to France to go to graduate school and build her own life. The sudden death of her sister Zelda in a suspicious fire brings her home to her families' failing winery/farm and back into Zelda's manipulative games. As Ava unravels the clues her sister left her, she learns her sister's secrets and hidden life and is left wondering, is her sister still manipulating her beyond the grave or is she still alive?

I found that I disliked most of the characters in this book since they seemed selfish and destructive to others and themselves a lot of the time but the mystery of Zelda's death pushed me through the story. There were so many moments where I wanted Ava just to run back to France and stop being manipulated by her sister but it also built the tension that got me through the book. It may not be for everyone but I enjoyed reading it and would recommend mystery and psychological thriller fans to give it a try.

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.

I received a advanced readers copy of this book from NetGalley for review consideration.

[Kate · Rating 1 out of 5]

What do you get when you take a raging alcoholic, a raging alcoholic with dementia, a raging alcoholic doing heroin and an alcoholic commitmentphobe? Do you get a book? No, you get a series of disasters because alcoholics like to manufacture drama for their own entertainment. This book was billed as a mystery/thriller. There were definitely no thrills. And the only mystery was a weird and bizarre scavenger hunt that led to (spoiler here) NOTHING. The joke is on you if you read this. I am so so disappointed.

[Sarah Joint · Rating 5 out of 5]

Smart, absorbing, and well-written. Reading this was a treat. Heed my advice, though: if you are a wine drinker like myself, make sure you have some in the house before you start this one. The long descriptions of flavor notes and wineries will surely leave you wanting otherwise. This is an author I must remember to watch! I'm really impressed with this debut.

Ava hasn't spoken to her twin Zelda in two years. She left the county, wanting to escape from her family, betrayal, and their failing vineyard. Now Ava lives in Paris... studying, spending time with her French boyfriend, and of course, drinking plenty of wine. She has been ignoring letters from her twin the whole time, but she can't ignore the latest from her mother: Zelda is gone. The barn she made her own burned down, and she's assumed to have been in it. Ava returns to America, but isn't entirely convinced. It's all so dramatic, so shocking... so very Zelda. She couldn't have been in the barn. Ava is convinced her sister has faked her own death to bring her back home... and not long after she arrives, she gets another email. From her dead sister. She tries to find Zelda as she learns just what she's been up to in the past two years... making new friends and lovers, trying to save the family business, and caring for their mother. Her mother even sometimes refers to Ava as Zelda, confusing the sisters in her failing mind and seemingly forgetting that Zelda is supposed to have perished in the fire. Ava increasingly realizes that she has missed her sister immensely... her other half. Even while cursing her games, her desperation to find her intensifies.

There are elements of suspense, but I wouldn't refer to this one as a thriller or suspense novel. I think it's closer to literary fiction. Very clever and addictive.

I received an ARC of this novel from Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is terrific! The book is set in the beautiful finger lakes region of upstate New York. One sister of a set of twins returns home to her spectacularly dysfunctional family: alcoholic, dismissive and
vicious. A marvelously twisted scavenger hunt ensues. I kept turning the pages and guessing incorrectly about everything at almost every turn. In short, this books works.

[Naberius · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ava Antipova returns home to the family vineyard in upstate New York after receiving news that her twin sister has died in a fire. After leaving home two years ago, and not speaking to her sister Zelda for that entire time, Ava's return is a bitter homecoming. Even in a family of alcoholics and eccentrics, Zelda was the wild one, notorious for her wild behavior and mind games. Knowing her sister, Ava finds the explanation of Zelda's death to be a little too neat. Her instincts become sharply obvious when Ava receives a cryptic note from Zelda and as Ava has suspected, Zelda isn't finished playing games. Working her way from A to Z, following Zelda's clues, Ava finds herself uncovering Zelda's secrets, becoming immersed in a life she ran away from two years ago. The question is, just where is Zelda, and why is she playing this game with Ava? Is it a twisted strategy of revenge or something deeper?

Filled with outrageous, frustrating (and yet fascinating and compelling) characters, this story has twists and turns that continue right to the very end. The reader discovers and uncovers secrets along with Ava, putting story in the hands of the main narrator. In the beauty of wine country, it is clear that dark things can lurk underneath the seemingly pretty surface of family and relationships. Zelda's tendrils of influence go further than Ava ever thought, and as she goes from clue to clue, it's unclear if Ava is getting closer to Zelda, or actually closer to facing her real self. This is a mesmerizing suspense story, threaded with the deep connection of two sisters whose lives are inextricably intertwined, for better and for worse. The author's vivid writing style, combined with her attention to lush detail, bring this story to life. Combined with the twists that keep you guessing, this story will linger in your mind after the final page.

[Sarah at Sarah's Bookshelves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Headline:
This debut novel has absolutely everything and is one I’ll be recommending to just about everyone I know for a long time.

What I Loved:
- It’s rare that I find a book I can comfortably categorize as “literary” AND “brain candy.” These are my favorite kinds of books to discover and are the ones I feel like I can recommend to anyone at any time. Dead Letters is the first book I’ve read in awhile that fits this description.
- I knew within the first two paragraphs that I would love this book. Ava’s voice spoke to me immediately and I would later discover the crackling dialogue and snarky, occasionally morbid humor that’s right up my alley.
- It’s a mystery and a dysfunctional family novel (two of my favorite things) all wrapped up into one ball of alcohol-soaked perfection. There is a crime, but it’s not the center of the story. Rather, it’s a device that helps unravel the twisted dynamics of Zelda and Ava’s relationship (and their relationship with their parents), which is what this book is truly about. And I can add it to my list of winning novels that have a “crime that is not the center of the story” (My Sunshine Away, Every Last One, and Only Love Can Break Your Heart).


What I Didn’t Like:
- I HATE the cover and am not a huge fan of the title. Both make Dead Letters look like it will be type of book that’s compared to Gone Girl or The Girl on the Train, then inevitably doesn’t live up to either. Though Dead Letters does have some similarities, it’s it’s own kind of wonderful.

Visit my blog to read the full review:
https://www.sarahsbookshelves.com/dea...