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A Letter From Sarah
"Dan Proops’ writing has a clarity and immediacy which pulls you into the world of his characters, their conflicts and obsessions and refuses to let you go; quite simply, he makes you want to turn the page and that, to my mind, is the fundamental business of fiction.” - Mike Walker - Radio dramatist and feature and documentary writer
"An intriguing and addictive read. The writing is superb, as is his cast of beautifully drawn characters. I'd recommend this book to anyone." - Rick Sky
“Dan Proops’ novel is a psychological white knuckle ride through the hopes and despairs of a man wrestling with truths, mirages, lies and visions. It is an exciting, heart-breaking, infuriating, teasing and disturbing read.” - John Hind, The Observer
Adam's sister, Sarah, has been missing for seven years, but he hasn't given up hope of finding her. He is a sculptor and lives with his bedridden father who is a bully and a curmudgeon.
One morning, as the anniversary of Sarah's disappearance nears, Adam receives a letter from her and she is apparently alive and well, living in New York. Adam travels to Brooklyn to search for Sarah as he's desperate to see her, but she seems determined to avoid him.
Sarah's letters arrive weekly, but she continues to remain elusive. Adam is perplexed by Sarah's requests for secrecy, as is his father and his girlfriend, Cassandra.
He is determined to find her, whatever the cost to his wellbeing, health and sanity....
"An intriguing and addictive read. The writing is superb, as is his cast of beautifully drawn characters. I'd recommend this book to anyone." - Rick Sky
“Dan Proops’ novel is a psychological white knuckle ride through the hopes and despairs of a man wrestling with truths, mirages, lies and visions. It is an exciting, heart-breaking, infuriating, teasing and disturbing read.” - John Hind, The Observer
Adam's sister, Sarah, has been missing for seven years, but he hasn't given up hope of finding her. He is a sculptor and lives with his bedridden father who is a bully and a curmudgeon.
One morning, as the anniversary of Sarah's disappearance nears, Adam receives a letter from her and she is apparently alive and well, living in New York. Adam travels to Brooklyn to search for Sarah as he's desperate to see her, but she seems determined to avoid him.
Sarah's letters arrive weekly, but she continues to remain elusive. Adam is perplexed by Sarah's requests for secrecy, as is his father and his girlfriend, Cassandra.
He is determined to find her, whatever the cost to his wellbeing, health and sanity....
243 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 7, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 31, 2019
Al my reviews can be found on www.bookread2day.wordpress.com
A Letter from Sarah is a brilliantly written novel by Dan Proops, by one of my favourite publishers Urbane Publications. The story is full of characters that your entirely convinced are real people.
It’s heartbreaking for Adam as his sister has been missing for seven years. Meanwhile Adam is looking after his poorly father. Adam valued his best friend phoning him regularly on the difficult time when Sarah went missing, but now his best friend has no job and no money and he is in need of somewhere to stay for a few days, will Adam let his old friend stay with him and his difficult father? When Adam out of the blue receives a letter from Sarah he automatically thinks that the letter is a fake, but soon something is written within a letter that no would really know, only Adam and Sarah. Adam is fortunate enough to have a girlfriend that he can easily confine in. With unexpected hurt and betrayal, I recommend reading A Letter from Sarah
A Letter from Sarah is a brilliantly written novel by Dan Proops, by one of my favourite publishers Urbane Publications. The story is full of characters that your entirely convinced are real people.
It’s heartbreaking for Adam as his sister has been missing for seven years. Meanwhile Adam is looking after his poorly father. Adam valued his best friend phoning him regularly on the difficult time when Sarah went missing, but now his best friend has no job and no money and he is in need of somewhere to stay for a few days, will Adam let his old friend stay with him and his difficult father? When Adam out of the blue receives a letter from Sarah he automatically thinks that the letter is a fake, but soon something is written within a letter that no would really know, only Adam and Sarah. Adam is fortunate enough to have a girlfriend that he can easily confine in. With unexpected hurt and betrayal, I recommend reading A Letter from Sarah
April 3, 2019
An excellent novel that reads like a psychological thriller, but written firmly within literary style which is unique to Proops. This is a writer to watch, and this is without question a five star read. Just buy it, and be prepared to be up all night finishing it.
June 5, 2019
5 Plus Stars! A simple yet complicated story, exquisitely told with a gracious style. Such an impeccable handle on the language needed to transport me in this ethereal tale. I was totally immersed in Adam's head and barely came up for air.
March 11, 2019
I don't recall ever having read a book like this before - the writing style is very unique almost like you are not reading something happening in the real world. It's hauntingly beautiful in many ways but equally disturbing in places too.
Adam's sister disappeared seven years ago and yet he has now begun to receive letters from her in New York, with no return address. Despite this Adam decides to visit New York to find her.
At several points in the book I began to question whether what I was reading was actually happening, or was it all in the imagination of Adam? I began to get a little ansty with the events as they happened and I got an uneasy feeling. This of course was all down to the brilliant writing - as I said it is not like anything you've read before so just go with it.
One character whom I despised throughout the book and has not been redeemed on post analysis is Nigel. He really took the biscuit as a character and I found myself tutting when his latest antic landed on the page. I'm still wondering now whether I got the true measure of him could he be that awful?
When you near the end of the book I think you will realise why the book has the tone it does. I am now revisiting parts of the book in my mind - realising why they were maybe written that way. Especially the poundshop gifts from Mr and Mrs Smith!
I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Love Books Group Tours for an advance review copy of the book.
You can buy the book by following this link https://amzn.to/2CG4DZu
Adam's sister disappeared seven years ago and yet he has now begun to receive letters from her in New York, with no return address. Despite this Adam decides to visit New York to find her.
At several points in the book I began to question whether what I was reading was actually happening, or was it all in the imagination of Adam? I began to get a little ansty with the events as they happened and I got an uneasy feeling. This of course was all down to the brilliant writing - as I said it is not like anything you've read before so just go with it.
One character whom I despised throughout the book and has not been redeemed on post analysis is Nigel. He really took the biscuit as a character and I found myself tutting when his latest antic landed on the page. I'm still wondering now whether I got the true measure of him could he be that awful?
When you near the end of the book I think you will realise why the book has the tone it does. I am now revisiting parts of the book in my mind - realising why they were maybe written that way. Especially the poundshop gifts from Mr and Mrs Smith!
I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Love Books Group Tours for an advance review copy of the book.
You can buy the book by following this link https://amzn.to/2CG4DZu
January 29, 2021
Ok the only reason I finished this book was spite. And so I could slate it in this rant.
The characters in this book are unbelievable and hard to relate to. The plot, although having a few good ideas, was executed terribly and the dialogue/pose sounds like it was written by an A-level student with a trigger-happy view of theasuruses.
The actions of all of Adam's family make little sense. If just one of them had been sensible the plot would never have taken this shape. There are also a few parts of the plot that seem half baked, like the sections where we meet Edmund, a chain smoking priest and it seems for a few chapters like the story is going to take some kind of evangelical turn only for this to be abandoned for a cringeworthy adam and eve sex scene. Also several times Adam's lack of funds is alluded to, but he somehow manages to keep on drinking lots of whiskey and coffee, booking trips to New York and buying lime marmalade (I assume you can only get this in waitrose), without worrying. Either don't include this as a plot point or have it have some weight, otherwise it just seems to make struggling for money seem trivial.
Why do all the characters get into arguments and then just respond by proffessing love for opponents.
Maybe I've completely missed the point of this book but I found reading it like pulling teeth!
And finally, how on earth dose a failed novelist and an uninspired sculptor afford to like in a 4-bedroom house in Earl's Court.
The characters in this book are unbelievable and hard to relate to. The plot, although having a few good ideas, was executed terribly and the dialogue/pose sounds like it was written by an A-level student with a trigger-happy view of theasuruses.
The actions of all of Adam's family make little sense. If just one of them had been sensible the plot would never have taken this shape. There are also a few parts of the plot that seem half baked, like the sections where we meet Edmund, a chain smoking priest and it seems for a few chapters like the story is going to take some kind of evangelical turn only for this to be abandoned for a cringeworthy adam and eve sex scene. Also several times Adam's lack of funds is alluded to, but he somehow manages to keep on drinking lots of whiskey and coffee, booking trips to New York and buying lime marmalade (I assume you can only get this in waitrose), without worrying. Either don't include this as a plot point or have it have some weight, otherwise it just seems to make struggling for money seem trivial.
Why do all the characters get into arguments and then just respond by proffessing love for opponents.
Maybe I've completely missed the point of this book but I found reading it like pulling teeth!
And finally, how on earth dose a failed novelist and an uninspired sculptor afford to like in a 4-bedroom house in Earl's Court.
April 3, 2019
WOW! Just WOW!
This has to be a must read for 2019!!
Dan Proops has done an amazing job with A Letter From Sarah. I don’t know how Adam hasn’t already snapped from the pressure, a Father who he has a love/hate relationship with, a Sister who has been missing for 7 years with no clues as to why, a girlfriend (Cassandra) who I took an instant dislike to….. and don’t even get me started on Nigal!
I loved every page of this book, a book that’s written, in a way, that I felt like I was right there with Adam. Feeling what he felt and hanging onto those letters that I wished and hoped sooo much that they were from Sarah, it all seemed so real.
I was totally invested in this story, from the first page to the very last. It toyed with my emotions, I felt sadness, loss and heart break but also felt infuriated at the same time…. who knew a book could do that?!
Loved the inside of the book too, it looks liked ripped paper pages with a lovely NYC skyline, great tie in to the story.
A great read, highly recommended and an easy 5 golden apple rating from me! Hats off Dan, hats off!
This has to be a must read for 2019!!
Dan Proops has done an amazing job with A Letter From Sarah. I don’t know how Adam hasn’t already snapped from the pressure, a Father who he has a love/hate relationship with, a Sister who has been missing for 7 years with no clues as to why, a girlfriend (Cassandra) who I took an instant dislike to….. and don’t even get me started on Nigal!
I loved every page of this book, a book that’s written, in a way, that I felt like I was right there with Adam. Feeling what he felt and hanging onto those letters that I wished and hoped sooo much that they were from Sarah, it all seemed so real.
I was totally invested in this story, from the first page to the very last. It toyed with my emotions, I felt sadness, loss and heart break but also felt infuriated at the same time…. who knew a book could do that?!
Loved the inside of the book too, it looks liked ripped paper pages with a lovely NYC skyline, great tie in to the story.
A great read, highly recommended and an easy 5 golden apple rating from me! Hats off Dan, hats off!
April 6, 2019
Outstanding debut novel
I was intrigued by the premise of this novel, not normally a genre I read. I was also forewarned that there was a smart twist in the plot. Usually I find these twists predictable but not in this case. The plot took an altogether different course to what I expected and it was satisfying. In fact there's more than one twist. I actually think this book would work well as a two episode TV drama or a full film. The writing is easy to visualise and draws you into the characters.
I was intrigued by the premise of this novel, not normally a genre I read. I was also forewarned that there was a smart twist in the plot. Usually I find these twists predictable but not in this case. The plot took an altogether different course to what I expected and it was satisfying. In fact there's more than one twist. I actually think this book would work well as a two episode TV drama or a full film. The writing is easy to visualise and draws you into the characters.
October 26, 2020
This has to be a must read for 2019!!
Dan Proops has done an amazing job with A Letter From Sarah. I don’t know how Adam hasn’t already snapped from the pressure, a Father who he has a love/hate relationship with, a Sister who has been missing for 7 years with no clues as to why, a girlfriend (Cassandra) who I took an instant dislike to….. and don’t even get me started on Nigel!
I loved every page of this book, a book that’s written, in a way, that I felt like I was right there with Adam. Feeling what he felt and hanging onto those letters that I wished and hoped sooo much that they were from Sarah, it all seemed so real.
I was totally invested in this story, from the first page to the very last. It toyed with my emotions, I felt sadness, loss and heart break but also felt infuriated at the same time…. who knew a book could do that?!
Loved the inside of the book too, it looks liked ripped paper pages with a lovely NYC skyline, great tie in to the story.
A great read, highly recommended and an easy 5 star rating from me! Hats off Dan, hats off!
Dan Proops has done an amazing job with A Letter From Sarah. I don’t know how Adam hasn’t already snapped from the pressure, a Father who he has a love/hate relationship with, a Sister who has been missing for 7 years with no clues as to why, a girlfriend (Cassandra) who I took an instant dislike to….. and don’t even get me started on Nigel!
I loved every page of this book, a book that’s written, in a way, that I felt like I was right there with Adam. Feeling what he felt and hanging onto those letters that I wished and hoped sooo much that they were from Sarah, it all seemed so real.
I was totally invested in this story, from the first page to the very last. It toyed with my emotions, I felt sadness, loss and heart break but also felt infuriated at the same time…. who knew a book could do that?!
Loved the inside of the book too, it looks liked ripped paper pages with a lovely NYC skyline, great tie in to the story.
A great read, highly recommended and an easy 5 star rating from me! Hats off Dan, hats off!
August 15, 2022
Literally one of the worst books I've read. Finished it just so I could find out what happened at the end and I feel like I just waited a few hours of my life. I had to double check that this was written by a proper author because reading it seems like it was written by a 10 year old. There are so many holes in the plot. There are characters that do not add anything to the story. The main character is so annoying. Juust ugh.
March 15, 2023
Intrigued initially as it appeared to be possibly Adam who had harmed his sister and seemed an interesting plot line. However the massive holes in the plot got larger and larger . The characters were unrelatable
And randomly appeared in his life when the plot lurched in another direction. Speed read to end to get rid of it and it ended just as uneventful and unrealistically.
And randomly appeared in his life when the plot lurched in another direction. Speed read to end to get rid of it and it ended just as uneventful and unrealistically.
March 3, 2019
A novel that not only intrigues you with its plot, but also delves deep into issues surrounding grief, loss and mental health
Seven years ago, Adam’s sister, Sarah, went missing, but he hasn’t given up hope of finding her. He is a sculptor and lives with his bedridden father who is bad-tempered and a bully. One morning, as the anniversary of Sarah’s disappearance approaches, Adam receives a letter from her; she is apparently alive and well, living in New York. Desperate for answers and the truth, Adam travels to Brooklyn in the hope of seeing her, but she seems determined to avoid him. Sarah’s letters arrive weekly, yet she continues to remain elusive. Adam is perplexed by Sarah’s requests for secrecy, as is his father and girlfriend, Cassandra. Adam is determined to find her, whatever the cost to his wellbeing, health and sanity.
The plot of this novel was very intriguing; I was constantly wondering if Sarah was really alive and if so, when Adam would be able to see her. What I liked about this novel so much was that it went beyond a novel designed to thrill you as it explores the issues of grief and loss, which many people can identify with for different reasons. Whether you’ve experienced grief and loss or not, you cannot help but put yourself in Adam’s situation; you imagine how impossibly difficult every day is as you ask the question to which there is no certain answer: what happened to Sarah? The revelation in the closing chapters of the novel shocked me as I did not see it coming at all.
The first letter from Sarah offers a hopeful scenario of receiving communication from a person who has been missing. Even when a desperate situation such as this occurs, you would not want to believe that the worst had happened and you would always try to be positive and optimistic that the missing individual had not come to any harm.
I liked the examination of sanity in connection to grief and loss as Adam begins to question his visions and dreams. As you imagine yourself as Adam, you begin to play out different eventualities of what happened to Sarah in your mind, and it must be extremely worrying and exhausting having your mind constantly working and playing tricks on you. It becomes increasingly hard for Adam to differentiate between reality and fiction, and that is perhaps what is most frightening of all in the depths of despair and grief.
Proops does a magnificent job in manipulating his reader’s feelings towards Nigel. After Adam’s act of kindness towards him, the way Nigel displays his gratitude is truly awful. I quickly found myself detesting him and I think that shows Proops’ skill as a writer: to make a reader respond so strongly to a character. Darius is interesting in how I responded to him, because whilst he is sometimes nasty and cantankerous towards Adam, you understand his own grief over his missing daughter, and therefore feel sympathetic towards him.
My sympathy for Adam was overwhelming as I witnessed all his sorrow and grief over the ‘not knowing’ what happened to Sarah. As someone who has a sibling, and a strong bond with that sibling, I found it very moving to watch Adam as he struggled with everyday life. Furthermore, I think that the novel accurately mimics life in terms of how good and bad events happen to ordinary people. Just when something positive happens in Adam’s life, some bad news comes his way, making his character universal for anyone to connect and identify with.
Overall, A Letter From Sarah is a novel that not only intrigues and thrills you with its plot, but also delves deep into issues surrounding grief, loss and mental health. With a sympathetic protagonist, this is a book that you will race through but it will remain with you after you have finished it.
Seven years ago, Adam’s sister, Sarah, went missing, but he hasn’t given up hope of finding her. He is a sculptor and lives with his bedridden father who is bad-tempered and a bully. One morning, as the anniversary of Sarah’s disappearance approaches, Adam receives a letter from her; she is apparently alive and well, living in New York. Desperate for answers and the truth, Adam travels to Brooklyn in the hope of seeing her, but she seems determined to avoid him. Sarah’s letters arrive weekly, yet she continues to remain elusive. Adam is perplexed by Sarah’s requests for secrecy, as is his father and girlfriend, Cassandra. Adam is determined to find her, whatever the cost to his wellbeing, health and sanity.
The plot of this novel was very intriguing; I was constantly wondering if Sarah was really alive and if so, when Adam would be able to see her. What I liked about this novel so much was that it went beyond a novel designed to thrill you as it explores the issues of grief and loss, which many people can identify with for different reasons. Whether you’ve experienced grief and loss or not, you cannot help but put yourself in Adam’s situation; you imagine how impossibly difficult every day is as you ask the question to which there is no certain answer: what happened to Sarah? The revelation in the closing chapters of the novel shocked me as I did not see it coming at all.
The first letter from Sarah offers a hopeful scenario of receiving communication from a person who has been missing. Even when a desperate situation such as this occurs, you would not want to believe that the worst had happened and you would always try to be positive and optimistic that the missing individual had not come to any harm.
I liked the examination of sanity in connection to grief and loss as Adam begins to question his visions and dreams. As you imagine yourself as Adam, you begin to play out different eventualities of what happened to Sarah in your mind, and it must be extremely worrying and exhausting having your mind constantly working and playing tricks on you. It becomes increasingly hard for Adam to differentiate between reality and fiction, and that is perhaps what is most frightening of all in the depths of despair and grief.
Proops does a magnificent job in manipulating his reader’s feelings towards Nigel. After Adam’s act of kindness towards him, the way Nigel displays his gratitude is truly awful. I quickly found myself detesting him and I think that shows Proops’ skill as a writer: to make a reader respond so strongly to a character. Darius is interesting in how I responded to him, because whilst he is sometimes nasty and cantankerous towards Adam, you understand his own grief over his missing daughter, and therefore feel sympathetic towards him.
My sympathy for Adam was overwhelming as I witnessed all his sorrow and grief over the ‘not knowing’ what happened to Sarah. As someone who has a sibling, and a strong bond with that sibling, I found it very moving to watch Adam as he struggled with everyday life. Furthermore, I think that the novel accurately mimics life in terms of how good and bad events happen to ordinary people. Just when something positive happens in Adam’s life, some bad news comes his way, making his character universal for anyone to connect and identify with.
Overall, A Letter From Sarah is a novel that not only intrigues and thrills you with its plot, but also delves deep into issues surrounding grief, loss and mental health. With a sympathetic protagonist, this is a book that you will race through but it will remain with you after you have finished it.
September 20, 2019
Great read. The main protagonist is as complex as they come. Never sure what he will do next.
or where the plot will take us. Interesting twist at the end. I would like to read other works by Dan Proops.
or where the plot will take us. Interesting twist at the end. I would like to read other works by Dan Proops.
March 18, 2019
In A Letter from Sarah we meet Adam, his sister Sarah went missing seven years ago and Adam is still very much grieving for his missing sister. Living at home with his bedridden and bad tempered dad, Adam receives a letter from Sarah which gives Adam hope but Sarah doesn't want to meet so what really is going on?
You can't help feeling sorry for Adam, the loss of his sister has had a devastating affect on Adam as it would anyone but Adams life has been consumed with grief and the not knowing what happened to Sarah has been torture. When he receives the first letter there's so much hope but as the story progresses I couldn't help feeling uneasy, something seemed off and I couldn't figure out what it was.
Not only does Adam have to deal with the mystery of Sarah he has to put up with his cantankerous dad, a best friends betrayal and things aren't going easy with girlfriend Cassandra. He's also having dreams and visions about Sarah, these are dark and a bit worrying. Adams life is a bit of a shambles and I really kept hoping there was a light at the end of the tunnel for Adam.
Dan Proops has written a story that is quite addictive, it took me a few nights to read due to life being hectic but I was desperate to find out what happened to Sarah, would Adam get the outcome he was so desperate for? It's not a fast paced story but it draws you in and you feel the hurt and grief that Adam is feeling.
This story isn't quite what I was expecting at all and I was very surprised how emotional I felt for Adam, the mystery of Sarahs disappearance had me perplexed and the ending, well I don't know what to say about that, you'll just have to read the book to see for yourself.
Overall this was an intriguing story, it was enjoyable even though it feels wrong to use that word when there's so much grief and suffering for Adam. A Letter from Sarah is a story I'll remember and I'm looking forward to reading more from Dan Proops, hopefully soon.
March 17, 2019
All reviews can be found at sarahsvignettes.wordpress.com
I want to begin by mentioning how well packaged A Letter from Sarah is. The cover is simple yet effective and I love the font choice and colour. It ties in nicely with the idea of the letters coming from New York. At the top of the page for each new chapter, there is ripped paper and a piece across the bottom follows through the entire book. It's almost as though the story has been written on paper. At the end of each chapter, there is a silhouette of the Manhatten skyline.
The story itself is far from simple though . Dan Proops has crafted an intimate observation of how the loss and resulting grief from a situation can take over your life and impact on those around you. Essentially, it shows how the not knowing what happened could literally drive you mad. We meet Adam, the protagonist, seven years after his sister, Sarah goes missing. With no word from her in this time, suddenly, letters from Sarah start to arrive. This leads Adam to try to find track her down, no matter what.
My thoughts about A Letter from Sarah have taken a while to settle in my mind. This isn't because I didn't enjoy the story. I just wasn't sure what to make of it. Dan Proops has a style of writing that I've not read before. Some of the time, I was trying to decide whether I was reading thoughts and feelings from Adam's imagination or whether it was his reality. As I write this, I think what I was reading was Adam verging on the edge of madness.
This book was not what I expected. Even so, something kept me reading, wanting more. The twist at the end was not something I saw coming and reflecting on this, Dan Proops has created a haunting and disturbing story. You'll have to read the book to find out more about this.
*I read a copy of the book sent to me by the publisher in return for an honest review.
I want to begin by mentioning how well packaged A Letter from Sarah is. The cover is simple yet effective and I love the font choice and colour. It ties in nicely with the idea of the letters coming from New York. At the top of the page for each new chapter, there is ripped paper and a piece across the bottom follows through the entire book. It's almost as though the story has been written on paper. At the end of each chapter, there is a silhouette of the Manhatten skyline.
The story itself is far from simple though . Dan Proops has crafted an intimate observation of how the loss and resulting grief from a situation can take over your life and impact on those around you. Essentially, it shows how the not knowing what happened could literally drive you mad. We meet Adam, the protagonist, seven years after his sister, Sarah goes missing. With no word from her in this time, suddenly, letters from Sarah start to arrive. This leads Adam to try to find track her down, no matter what.
My thoughts about A Letter from Sarah have taken a while to settle in my mind. This isn't because I didn't enjoy the story. I just wasn't sure what to make of it. Dan Proops has a style of writing that I've not read before. Some of the time, I was trying to decide whether I was reading thoughts and feelings from Adam's imagination or whether it was his reality. As I write this, I think what I was reading was Adam verging on the edge of madness.
This book was not what I expected. Even so, something kept me reading, wanting more. The twist at the end was not something I saw coming and reflecting on this, Dan Proops has created a haunting and disturbing story. You'll have to read the book to find out more about this.
*I read a copy of the book sent to me by the publisher in return for an honest review.
March 18, 2019
Excellent portrayal of mental health, manipulation, and how those closest to you can be the cruelest.
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