What do you think?
Rate this book
The Letters
THE WORLD IS A CRAZY PLACE WHEN THE LIVING ARE DEAD AND THE DEAD ARE ALIVE.
Rachel Hamar, a Manhattan bank teller, lives nothing close to a Manhattan lifestyle. Residing in Washington Heights, NY, the only thing keeping her in The Big Apple is her mother, a long-time patient in a local psychiatric hospital. It’s December, 2014, and the twentieth anniversary of her high school sweetheart’s tragic death. She’s not sure how much more heartache she can endure, especially after being told earlier in the day she no longer has a job at the bank. A casualty of downsizing.
In the midst of spiraling depression, Rachel receives a mysterious letter in the mail. When she opens it, she becomes cautious and skeptical of its contents and discards it as a mistake, concluding it’s simply addressed incorrectly or a postal worker’s faux pas in the midst of a busy Christmas season. But another letter arrives the next day. And another the day after that. Before long, she is in possession of several letters. Each one more puzzling than the last.
Thinking that someone may be playing a cruel game, she contacts the police, and this propels Rachel and the two detectives into one of the most bizarre cases they’ve ever encountered. Is it a friend’s cruel joke? Is it some stalker’s perverse idea of manipulation? Or is it something more?
Rachel Hamar, a Manhattan bank teller, lives nothing close to a Manhattan lifestyle. Residing in Washington Heights, NY, the only thing keeping her in The Big Apple is her mother, a long-time patient in a local psychiatric hospital. It’s December, 2014, and the twentieth anniversary of her high school sweetheart’s tragic death. She’s not sure how much more heartache she can endure, especially after being told earlier in the day she no longer has a job at the bank. A casualty of downsizing.
In the midst of spiraling depression, Rachel receives a mysterious letter in the mail. When she opens it, she becomes cautious and skeptical of its contents and discards it as a mistake, concluding it’s simply addressed incorrectly or a postal worker’s faux pas in the midst of a busy Christmas season. But another letter arrives the next day. And another the day after that. Before long, she is in possession of several letters. Each one more puzzling than the last.
Thinking that someone may be playing a cruel game, she contacts the police, and this propels Rachel and the two detectives into one of the most bizarre cases they’ve ever encountered. Is it a friend’s cruel joke? Is it some stalker’s perverse idea of manipulation? Or is it something more?
435 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 1, 2020
20 people are currently reading
17 people want to read
About the author
C. Kevin Thompson
16 books30 followersBe sure to follow Kevin on Bookbub for information on sales! https://www.bookbub.com/profile/c-kev...
C. KEVIN THOMPSON is a husband, a father, a grandfather, and a kid at heart. Often referred to as “crazy” by his grandchildren, it’s only because he is. He’s a writer. Need he say more?
The second edition of his award-winning debut novel, The Serpent’s Grasp, is now available! The first four books of his Blake Meyer Thriller series - Book 1- 30 Days Hath Revenge, Book 2- Triple Time, Book 3- The Tide of Times, and Book 4- When the Clock Strikes Fourteen will be republished in 2023 along with the last two, 5- A Pulse of Time, and 6- Devil of a Crime. His newest novel, award winning The Letters, is now available!
Kevin is a huge fan of the TV series 24, The Blacklist, Blue Bloods, NCIS, Criminal Minds, BBC shows Broadchurch, Shetland, Hinterland, and Wallander, loves anything to do with Star Trek, and is a Sherlock Holmes fanatic too. But you will never catch him wearing a deerstalker. Ever.
C. KEVIN THOMPSON is a husband, a father, a grandfather, and a kid at heart. Often referred to as “crazy” by his grandchildren, it’s only because he is. He’s a writer. Need he say more?
The second edition of his award-winning debut novel, The Serpent’s Grasp, is now available! The first four books of his Blake Meyer Thriller series - Book 1- 30 Days Hath Revenge, Book 2- Triple Time, Book 3- The Tide of Times, and Book 4- When the Clock Strikes Fourteen will be republished in 2023 along with the last two, 5- A Pulse of Time, and 6- Devil of a Crime. His newest novel, award winning The Letters, is now available!
Kevin is a huge fan of the TV series 24, The Blacklist, Blue Bloods, NCIS, Criminal Minds, BBC shows Broadchurch, Shetland, Hinterland, and Wallander, loves anything to do with Star Trek, and is a Sherlock Holmes fanatic too. But you will never catch him wearing a deerstalker. Ever.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 29, 2020
What an intriguing story! I did not know that the setting of this book would be in December and that the story would include Christmas. I love to read books around this time of year!
The cover of the book had a lot to do with the story line. I don't want to spoil anything by giving away how important the cover of the book is because it might ruin how events progressed for future readers.
The main character of the book was a 35 year old woman named Rachel Hamar. She worked as a teller in a bank. She was a good employee, but due to unforeseen circumstances, was laid off. Rachel roomed with another dear friend by the name of Joanie. Both of these women needed to work two jobs to pay the rent in NYC. Joanie was even going to get a third job to help out.
Rachel was dealing with a lot - low self esteem, guilt, sorrow, lost love and loneliness. Her Mother was nearby in a home for psychiatric patients. Every time Rachel would visit her Mother, Rachel would get more depressed.
One day Rachel received a letter hand addressed to her with no return address. Inside was a piece of white paper with what looked like a young child's attempt at art. Then each day she would receive another envelope similar to the previous day's mail. Each day the story line progressed. Rachel thought someone was stalking her and she became very paranoid looking around for the evil that may be present. She even thought a neighbor in the apartment building might have been the one sending her these letters. With the advice of Joanie, Rachel decided to go to the police.
There were 2 detectives that tried to solve the case, but were always running into "dead ends".
Once I began to read this book I could not wait to get to the finish. The time went quickly for me. I was very surprised and glad for the way the author led us to complete this journey.
The cover of the book had a lot to do with the story line. I don't want to spoil anything by giving away how important the cover of the book is because it might ruin how events progressed for future readers.
The main character of the book was a 35 year old woman named Rachel Hamar. She worked as a teller in a bank. She was a good employee, but due to unforeseen circumstances, was laid off. Rachel roomed with another dear friend by the name of Joanie. Both of these women needed to work two jobs to pay the rent in NYC. Joanie was even going to get a third job to help out.
Rachel was dealing with a lot - low self esteem, guilt, sorrow, lost love and loneliness. Her Mother was nearby in a home for psychiatric patients. Every time Rachel would visit her Mother, Rachel would get more depressed.
One day Rachel received a letter hand addressed to her with no return address. Inside was a piece of white paper with what looked like a young child's attempt at art. Then each day she would receive another envelope similar to the previous day's mail. Each day the story line progressed. Rachel thought someone was stalking her and she became very paranoid looking around for the evil that may be present. She even thought a neighbor in the apartment building might have been the one sending her these letters. With the advice of Joanie, Rachel decided to go to the police.
There were 2 detectives that tried to solve the case, but were always running into "dead ends".
Once I began to read this book I could not wait to get to the finish. The time went quickly for me. I was very surprised and glad for the way the author led us to complete this journey.
August 30, 2024
Read e-book via Kindle in 2022. 3.5 stars.
I really enjoyed some aspects of the book and felt a little lost and confused in others. Though I suspected where they letters were coming from, I feel a little conflicted about it.
This book definitely made me think about some things and to challenge myself to embrace life more. God is so much bigger than we can comprehend.
I really enjoyed some aspects of the book and felt a little lost and confused in others. Though I suspected where they letters were coming from, I feel a little conflicted about it.
This book definitely made me think about some things and to challenge myself to embrace life more. God is so much bigger than we can comprehend.
May 31, 2024
This was a amazing book. Situations that touched my heart and I will remember this always as being one of my top books I have read this year.
March 10, 2025
Mysterious letters lead a discouraged woman on a search for the sender. I couldn’t wait to find out the mystery and when I did, I couldn’t stop crying. An intriguing story with a satisfying conclusion.
March 9, 2021
Thompson has written an original stirring book about a woman struggling with her difficult past with her broken family and a merciless battle with feelings of isolation. Thompson’s own words from The Letters say it best:
"That’s what sin does. It beats you down. Stomps on your throat, and vows never to allow you the opportunity to get back up.”
There are so many topics that he has broached but the one that I think is the foremost painful subject is Rachel’s abortion, her enduring pain and God’s desire to heal her and set her free. If anyone is struggling with self-condemnation from having had an abortion, I hope they find this book and embrace complete freedom.
Thompson uses the supernatural’s interaction with our natural world to tell a story of amazing love, forgiveness and redemption.
I’ve given The Letters 5 stars because it has impacted and changed me. The storyline is clearly fiction, but the content is powerful with an abundance of humour and a little bit of romance.
"That’s what sin does. It beats you down. Stomps on your throat, and vows never to allow you the opportunity to get back up.”
There are so many topics that he has broached but the one that I think is the foremost painful subject is Rachel’s abortion, her enduring pain and God’s desire to heal her and set her free. If anyone is struggling with self-condemnation from having had an abortion, I hope they find this book and embrace complete freedom.
Thompson uses the supernatural’s interaction with our natural world to tell a story of amazing love, forgiveness and redemption.
I’ve given The Letters 5 stars because it has impacted and changed me. The storyline is clearly fiction, but the content is powerful with an abundance of humour and a little bit of romance.
February 18, 2020
C. Kevin Thompson gifts readers with a well-written, fast-paced story that includes imperfect but likable characters. With unexpected twists, The Letters is one of those rare novels that keeps us in suspense until the very end. Despite having my own theories concerning mysterious messages, I was still surprised by answers revealed—then touched by the sweet message of forgiveness. A tale that challenges us to consider the spiritual realm, The Letters offers hope and also reminds us that we’re never alone.
March 28, 2021
This story holds a beautiful message that Jesus loves us enough to pursue us. You have to suspend your disbelief in reading it because of the supernatural aspects, but the letters themselves were just about perfect. A few loose ends at the end of the book left me slightly dissatisfied, but overall, the story is lovely.
March 2, 2022
A well written book that tenderly weaves a story of love, loss, hope and God's grace! While it has a small romance story within it, this book is refreshingly not another Christian romance novel! If you, like I, have felt inundated with the flood of Christian romance novels, then this will be a beautiful read for you!!
October 13, 2020
Every book that Kevin releases I have said is his best by far. He did not disappoint. This book has more depth than anything else he has written. Well done. It was another of his books that I just couldn’t put down!
November 10, 2020
Wow. I wasn’t sure what to expect as this doesn’t fall into the genres I tend to read, but I am so glad I read it! The story quickly grabbed & held my attention. It has many twists and turns. And behind it all, an amazing message of love, forgiveness, and redemption.
March 4, 2020
Enjoyed this book. Both entertained and ministered.
January 21, 2021
I really enjoyed this book.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews