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Dead Letters From Paradise
April 1960.
Gunsmoke is the most popular show on TV. Elvis Presley tops the Billboard charts. A charismatic young senator named John F. Kennedy is running for president. And, in North Carolina, four young Black men sit down at a Woolworth’s lunch counter and demand service. Enter Esther Jane (EJ) Cloud, a forty-something spinster who manages the Dead Letter Office at the Winston-Salem post office. EJ leads a quiet life in her Old Salem ancestral home and spends her free time volunteering in the town’s 18th-century hortus medicus.
One sunny Spring morning, EJ’s simple life is turned upside down when the town’s master gardener unceremoniously hands her a packet of handwritten letters that have all been addressed to a nonexistent person at the garden and expects EJ to “tend to them.” This simple act sets in motion a chain of events that will lead EJ on a life-altering quest to uncover the identity of the mysterious letter writer—and into a surprising head-on confrontation with the harsh realities of the racial injustice that is as deeply rooted in the life of her community as the ancient herbs cultivated in the Moravian garden.
When EJ is forced to read the letters to look for clues about the anonymous sender, what she discovers are lyrical tales of a forbidden passion that threaten to unravel the simple contours of her unexamined life. EJ’s official quest soon morphs into a journey of self-discovery as she becomes more deeply enmeshed in the fate of the mysterious letter writer, “Dorothea.” Her surprising accomplice in solving the mystery of the letters becomes one, Harrie Hart: a savvy, street smart ten-year-old, wielding an eye patch and a limitless supply of aphorisms. Together, Harrie and EJ make seminal pilgrimages to the tiny town of Paradise to try and uncover the identity of the mercurial sender and, ultimately, learn a better way to navigate the changing world around them.
Gunsmoke is the most popular show on TV. Elvis Presley tops the Billboard charts. A charismatic young senator named John F. Kennedy is running for president. And, in North Carolina, four young Black men sit down at a Woolworth’s lunch counter and demand service. Enter Esther Jane (EJ) Cloud, a forty-something spinster who manages the Dead Letter Office at the Winston-Salem post office. EJ leads a quiet life in her Old Salem ancestral home and spends her free time volunteering in the town’s 18th-century hortus medicus.
One sunny Spring morning, EJ’s simple life is turned upside down when the town’s master gardener unceremoniously hands her a packet of handwritten letters that have all been addressed to a nonexistent person at the garden and expects EJ to “tend to them.” This simple act sets in motion a chain of events that will lead EJ on a life-altering quest to uncover the identity of the mysterious letter writer—and into a surprising head-on confrontation with the harsh realities of the racial injustice that is as deeply rooted in the life of her community as the ancient herbs cultivated in the Moravian garden.
When EJ is forced to read the letters to look for clues about the anonymous sender, what she discovers are lyrical tales of a forbidden passion that threaten to unravel the simple contours of her unexamined life. EJ’s official quest soon morphs into a journey of self-discovery as she becomes more deeply enmeshed in the fate of the mysterious letter writer, “Dorothea.” Her surprising accomplice in solving the mystery of the letters becomes one, Harrie Hart: a savvy, street smart ten-year-old, wielding an eye patch and a limitless supply of aphorisms. Together, Harrie and EJ make seminal pilgrimages to the tiny town of Paradise to try and uncover the identity of the mercurial sender and, ultimately, learn a better way to navigate the changing world around them.
Unknown Binding
Published June 1, 2022
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406 people want to read
About the author
Ann McMan
34 books572 followersCollege at an indifferent liberal arts institution taught Ann McMan that understanding subject/verb agreement was not enough to secure her fame and fortune. After graduation, she got a job driving a young adult bookmobile—and spent her days piloting the great rig across the dusty back roads of rural North Carolina. Her duties included making certain that the mobile library always contained at least six copies of "Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret", visiting the county detention unit (it was a great way to catch up with her brothers), and showing public service films about safe sex to pre-teens at 4-H Clubs all across her part of “The New South.”
Soon, the allure of higher education coaxed Ann back to school. For the past three decades, Ann has worked at a succession of premier institutions, designing marketing and advancement materials that promote, promulgate, and extol the benefits of indifferent liberal arts education.
Somebody has to do it.
All this time, she continued to write. And when, at the ripe old age of thirty, she realized that she was not like other girls, the great world of lesbian literature opened its arms, and provided her with a safe haven in which to grow and learn about her new identity. She will forever be indebted to those literary pioneers who had the courage, the talent, and the temerity to gift us all with an art form of our own. Ann’s first and subsequent attempts at writing lesbian fiction have been heartfelt attempts to pay that great gift forward.
Ann McMan is the author of three novels, JERICHO, DUST, and AFTERMATH–and the story collection SIDECAR.
In 2011, Ann, along with her novels JERICHO and DUST and her short story “I Saw Xena Kissing Senticles” were elected to The Royal Academy of Bards Hall of Fame. In 2012, she was awarded the Alice B. Lavender Certificate.
BACKCAST, further adventures of the CLIT-Con 13 (that zany cast of authors from SIDECAR’s “Bottle Rocket”) will be released in 2013.
Soon, the allure of higher education coaxed Ann back to school. For the past three decades, Ann has worked at a succession of premier institutions, designing marketing and advancement materials that promote, promulgate, and extol the benefits of indifferent liberal arts education.
Somebody has to do it.
All this time, she continued to write. And when, at the ripe old age of thirty, she realized that she was not like other girls, the great world of lesbian literature opened its arms, and provided her with a safe haven in which to grow and learn about her new identity. She will forever be indebted to those literary pioneers who had the courage, the talent, and the temerity to gift us all with an art form of our own. Ann’s first and subsequent attempts at writing lesbian fiction have been heartfelt attempts to pay that great gift forward.
Ann McMan is the author of three novels, JERICHO, DUST, and AFTERMATH–and the story collection SIDECAR.
In 2011, Ann, along with her novels JERICHO and DUST and her short story “I Saw Xena Kissing Senticles” were elected to The Royal Academy of Bards Hall of Fame. In 2012, she was awarded the Alice B. Lavender Certificate.
BACKCAST, further adventures of the CLIT-Con 13 (that zany cast of authors from SIDECAR’s “Bottle Rocket”) will be released in 2013.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
April 8, 2024
I have been fortunate to have collected a few books over my years that I regard as ‘friends’. I remember the exact time, place and circumstances in which I first found my ‘friends’. They are treasures of story, insight, characters or just plain great writing that I reach out to reread when looking for solace. Welcome to my new friend, Dead Letters from Paradise!
EJ Cloud likens her life to living in a snow globe. Everything is picture perfect and familiar to her. She lives a solitary life working in the Dead Letter Office of the US Postal Service while donating her free time to an historical herb garden. One day changes everything for EJ as she is handed letters mailed to a nonexistent person at the address of the herb garden. Her pursuit to return the letters to the mysterious sender opens her door to new friendships and the opportunity to see the world as it really is through the eyes of a ten year old.
Ann McMan has created a masterpiece of storytelling in the tradition of great southern writers. Unforgettable characters grace the story bringing a unique vibrancy to the telling. Laugh out loud dialogue is used sparingly yet effectively to lighten the tone. The taking of a moment in time from an ordinary life and imagining it into a story which touches our hearts and minds proves the mastery of McMan’s writing.
This is a novel not to be missed.
I received an advance review copy from Bywater Books and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
EJ Cloud likens her life to living in a snow globe. Everything is picture perfect and familiar to her. She lives a solitary life working in the Dead Letter Office of the US Postal Service while donating her free time to an historical herb garden. One day changes everything for EJ as she is handed letters mailed to a nonexistent person at the address of the herb garden. Her pursuit to return the letters to the mysterious sender opens her door to new friendships and the opportunity to see the world as it really is through the eyes of a ten year old.
Ann McMan has created a masterpiece of storytelling in the tradition of great southern writers. Unforgettable characters grace the story bringing a unique vibrancy to the telling. Laugh out loud dialogue is used sparingly yet effectively to lighten the tone. The taking of a moment in time from an ordinary life and imagining it into a story which touches our hearts and minds proves the mastery of McMan’s writing.
This is a novel not to be missed.
I received an advance review copy from Bywater Books and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 12, 2024
This story takes place in 1960, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
So, let us first understand what dead letters at a post office mean at that time and place.
Back in the day, there was such a thing as a dead letter office (DLO) within the postal system where undeliverable mail was processed. Mail would be considered undeliverable when the address was considered invalid because it couldn’t be delivered to the addressee, or there was no return address. But the people who worked in the DLO would do everything within their powers to attempt to find the individuals before declaring the letters completely undeliverable. Thus, declaring the postal workers, “skilled dead letter detectives.” Sometimes being tasked with opening the letters to find potential clues.
And thus, this becomes our protagonist, Esther “EJ” Cloud’s story when Evelyn dumps some letters addressed to a Miss Mary Ann Evans on her desk.
Soon it becomes clear that these aren’t ordinary letters. And EJ becomes quite fascinated in her intent to find who the mysterious Dorothea, the sender could be.
In the meantime, she has a new neighbor who is determined to involve EJ in rehabilitating her garden. EJ who has enjoyed her quiet spinsterhood, is finding her life being disrupted in more ways than one with this added task at work, and now her quiet life at home being filled with people.
Will all these disruptions and change add something new or special to her life?
And what mysteries will be unraveled behind those dead letters that might spark something for EJ to discover about herself?
Although it doesn’t take center stage, readers are aware that because the book setting is in the south, in 1960, racism is felt through the author’s depiction of the civil rights movement.
The minimal scenes the author exposes readers to involve the rebellions against race, class, segregation, social injustice and sex discrimination of that time. But she also depicts characters being guided towards an allyship journey.
The story is character-driven with a great cast of characters.
Overall, the dialogue and humor keep the story moving at a quick pace, and the historical details help the narrative feel believable. And certainly, the mystery of the dead letters, keep readers curious about EJ’s personal evolution and self-discovery.
The added beauty of this novel is that there is a blend of literary, historical and mystery – with no dead bodies! When has that ever happened in a mystery (no dead bodies)?
And that book cover? So artful. There is something to be said about that flaming red hair (which will be important) and those flowers (gardens also are important here).
Truly a must read.
So, let us first understand what dead letters at a post office mean at that time and place.
Back in the day, there was such a thing as a dead letter office (DLO) within the postal system where undeliverable mail was processed. Mail would be considered undeliverable when the address was considered invalid because it couldn’t be delivered to the addressee, or there was no return address. But the people who worked in the DLO would do everything within their powers to attempt to find the individuals before declaring the letters completely undeliverable. Thus, declaring the postal workers, “skilled dead letter detectives.” Sometimes being tasked with opening the letters to find potential clues.
And thus, this becomes our protagonist, Esther “EJ” Cloud’s story when Evelyn dumps some letters addressed to a Miss Mary Ann Evans on her desk.
Soon it becomes clear that these aren’t ordinary letters. And EJ becomes quite fascinated in her intent to find who the mysterious Dorothea, the sender could be.
In the meantime, she has a new neighbor who is determined to involve EJ in rehabilitating her garden. EJ who has enjoyed her quiet spinsterhood, is finding her life being disrupted in more ways than one with this added task at work, and now her quiet life at home being filled with people.
Will all these disruptions and change add something new or special to her life?
And what mysteries will be unraveled behind those dead letters that might spark something for EJ to discover about herself?
Although it doesn’t take center stage, readers are aware that because the book setting is in the south, in 1960, racism is felt through the author’s depiction of the civil rights movement.
The minimal scenes the author exposes readers to involve the rebellions against race, class, segregation, social injustice and sex discrimination of that time. But she also depicts characters being guided towards an allyship journey.
The story is character-driven with a great cast of characters.
Overall, the dialogue and humor keep the story moving at a quick pace, and the historical details help the narrative feel believable. And certainly, the mystery of the dead letters, keep readers curious about EJ’s personal evolution and self-discovery.
The added beauty of this novel is that there is a blend of literary, historical and mystery – with no dead bodies! When has that ever happened in a mystery (no dead bodies)?
And that book cover? So artful. There is something to be said about that flaming red hair (which will be important) and those flowers (gardens also are important here).
Truly a must read.
July 14, 2022
Ann McMan is one of my favorite authors. When I read her books, it’s like I’m stepping into a world I know well. This is partly because many of her novels are set in an area close to where I grew up and lived for many years. The characters she creates to fill these worlds are so realistic, I often feel I know them from real life. I’ve always considered Ms. McMan a great author, but after reading her newest novel, Dead Letters from Paradise, I now know she is a brilliant writer.
This book tells us about Esther Jane (EJ) Cloud, a forty-something spinster who lives in Old Salem, North Carolina. The year is 1960, a time of much social turmoil and the beginning of great changes in our world. EJ works at the Dead Letter Office in Old Salem, so it is only natural for the head gardener at the Moravian Herb Gardens to give EJ a stack of letters mailed to the garden but addressed to someone that has never worked there. The mystery of these letters and where they come from will change EJ’s life forever.
There is so much I could say about this book, it’s hard to know where to begin. There is the eloquence of the language and dialogue, the realistic characters and their stories, the gentle way the author incorporates the fictional tale into the real life drama of this time period. All of this and more makes this an exceptional historical fiction novel. I truly felt I was stepping back in time as I read this tale. Yes, I lived through this time though I was a child a few years younger than Harrie, the ten year old character in this book. I remember many of the events that are mentioned in this novel. It was a volatile time in our history, and the author does an extraordinary job placing the plot in this time period.
This is one book that I’m sure I will want to read over and over. With each reading I know I’ll find something new in the many hidden layers the author has placed in this wonderful story. Dead Letters From Paradise has my absolute highest recommendation. You do not want to miss this one.
I received an ARC from Bywater Books for an honest review.
This book tells us about Esther Jane (EJ) Cloud, a forty-something spinster who lives in Old Salem, North Carolina. The year is 1960, a time of much social turmoil and the beginning of great changes in our world. EJ works at the Dead Letter Office in Old Salem, so it is only natural for the head gardener at the Moravian Herb Gardens to give EJ a stack of letters mailed to the garden but addressed to someone that has never worked there. The mystery of these letters and where they come from will change EJ’s life forever.
There is so much I could say about this book, it’s hard to know where to begin. There is the eloquence of the language and dialogue, the realistic characters and their stories, the gentle way the author incorporates the fictional tale into the real life drama of this time period. All of this and more makes this an exceptional historical fiction novel. I truly felt I was stepping back in time as I read this tale. Yes, I lived through this time though I was a child a few years younger than Harrie, the ten year old character in this book. I remember many of the events that are mentioned in this novel. It was a volatile time in our history, and the author does an extraordinary job placing the plot in this time period.
This is one book that I’m sure I will want to read over and over. With each reading I know I’ll find something new in the many hidden layers the author has placed in this wonderful story. Dead Letters From Paradise has my absolute highest recommendation. You do not want to miss this one.
I received an ARC from Bywater Books for an honest review.
November 28, 2022
Beauty in its simplicity and power in the deeper themes throughout this cosy mystery. Loved it.
June 4, 2022
Dead Letters from Paradise is a remarkable piece of fiction! McMan better clear off some shelf space for this one because it’s definitely going to earn her a few literary awards!
McMan’s new book has been described as a “historical queer southern cozy” novel, and the description couldn’t be more apt. The writing is just so comfortable and well-executed, one simply falls into the pages of this absorbing story and becomes consumed by it. It’s a thing of beauty when an author can achieve a well-balanced application of tone, pace and style in their storytelling, and McMan certainly has done that here. Her writing easily allows readers the ability to slip into the story world and become immersed in its characters’ lives. EJ, Lottie, Inez, Fay Marian, and Harrie immediately capture the readers’ imaginations and hearts. They represent a time and place that readers need to remember; their narratives are poignant and significant.
The story itself is a bit unconventional, yet that’s the brilliance of it. It uses the dead letters as a vehicle to tell a story about a town and its people during a time when color, sex and love were judged heavily and with severe consequence. However, at the center of it all remains the letters. They are shrouded in mystery and speak of a love that never had a chance. Together with the social conventions and constructs of the South, these letters work to drive the tension and emotion, something that plays masterfully across the page and gives the storytelling rich layers. In the end, the pieces fit together seamlessly, giving this story real meaning and significance. Mostly though, it works to leave the readers a little awed. This is one book that won’t soon slip from the mind.
Even though Dead Letters from Paradise is well-mapped and beautifully drawn out, it still remains character driven at its heart. The characters are exceptionally well-developed. Each one has weight and purpose, moving the story along in critical and meaningful ways. Furthermore, it’s evident that McMan took care in creating the people that would inhabit this story world. Her obvious affection for them bleeds into the readers’ appreciation and acceptance of them. It heightens the storytelling tenfold, making the reading experience even more special.
This story is told in first person from EJ’s point of point, and McMan does a wonderful job with her, but it’s Harriet “Harrie” Hart that really charms the readers. She captures the heart and endears herself in ways that few characters do. Her youthful wisdom and unstoppable energy make the story more. She’s charismatic, unflappable and optimistic, even when the world has been unkind to her. She softens the edges of the rough and ugly truths of life with her sunshine. Literarily, she’s a perfect character in so many ways, a guidepost almost for the storytelling. The following exchange between EJ and Fay Marian gets at the heart of who Harrie is and why she’s special.
“I am exceptionally fond of Harrie, as you know. But I don’t think she sees me [as a mother figure] at all. Our relationship is more . . .” I searched for the right words to describe it. “Equal. Harrie and I are [bonded] to one another as friends, I think. I have to force myself sometimes to think of her as a child.”
“She is pretty precocious,” Fay Marian agreed.
“It’s more than that. Harrie is advanced for her age, certainly. But what makes her unique is not so much what she knows—it’s what she understands.”
Harrie sees the world through eyes filled with compassion and understanding. She accepts the differences in people and makes an honest attempt to understand them. It seems to me that the world could sure stand a whole lot more Harriet Harts right now, that’s for darn sure.
Final remarks…
Ann McMan never ceases to amaze me. Her talent seems to know no bounds. She writes from a place that always seems to capture her readers interest and imagination. Her literary genius is matched by few in the LGBTQ writing community. She is a storyteller that I hope is never without a story to tell.
Strengths…
Unforgettable characters
Impressionable story
Well-researched
Well-constructed
Meaningful and important
Makes you laugh
Makes you think
A must read
McMan’s new book has been described as a “historical queer southern cozy” novel, and the description couldn’t be more apt. The writing is just so comfortable and well-executed, one simply falls into the pages of this absorbing story and becomes consumed by it. It’s a thing of beauty when an author can achieve a well-balanced application of tone, pace and style in their storytelling, and McMan certainly has done that here. Her writing easily allows readers the ability to slip into the story world and become immersed in its characters’ lives. EJ, Lottie, Inez, Fay Marian, and Harrie immediately capture the readers’ imaginations and hearts. They represent a time and place that readers need to remember; their narratives are poignant and significant.
The story itself is a bit unconventional, yet that’s the brilliance of it. It uses the dead letters as a vehicle to tell a story about a town and its people during a time when color, sex and love were judged heavily and with severe consequence. However, at the center of it all remains the letters. They are shrouded in mystery and speak of a love that never had a chance. Together with the social conventions and constructs of the South, these letters work to drive the tension and emotion, something that plays masterfully across the page and gives the storytelling rich layers. In the end, the pieces fit together seamlessly, giving this story real meaning and significance. Mostly though, it works to leave the readers a little awed. This is one book that won’t soon slip from the mind.
Even though Dead Letters from Paradise is well-mapped and beautifully drawn out, it still remains character driven at its heart. The characters are exceptionally well-developed. Each one has weight and purpose, moving the story along in critical and meaningful ways. Furthermore, it’s evident that McMan took care in creating the people that would inhabit this story world. Her obvious affection for them bleeds into the readers’ appreciation and acceptance of them. It heightens the storytelling tenfold, making the reading experience even more special.
This story is told in first person from EJ’s point of point, and McMan does a wonderful job with her, but it’s Harriet “Harrie” Hart that really charms the readers. She captures the heart and endears herself in ways that few characters do. Her youthful wisdom and unstoppable energy make the story more. She’s charismatic, unflappable and optimistic, even when the world has been unkind to her. She softens the edges of the rough and ugly truths of life with her sunshine. Literarily, she’s a perfect character in so many ways, a guidepost almost for the storytelling. The following exchange between EJ and Fay Marian gets at the heart of who Harrie is and why she’s special.
“I am exceptionally fond of Harrie, as you know. But I don’t think she sees me [as a mother figure] at all. Our relationship is more . . .” I searched for the right words to describe it. “Equal. Harrie and I are [bonded] to one another as friends, I think. I have to force myself sometimes to think of her as a child.”
“She is pretty precocious,” Fay Marian agreed.
“It’s more than that. Harrie is advanced for her age, certainly. But what makes her unique is not so much what she knows—it’s what she understands.”
Harrie sees the world through eyes filled with compassion and understanding. She accepts the differences in people and makes an honest attempt to understand them. It seems to me that the world could sure stand a whole lot more Harriet Harts right now, that’s for darn sure.
Final remarks…
Ann McMan never ceases to amaze me. Her talent seems to know no bounds. She writes from a place that always seems to capture her readers interest and imagination. Her literary genius is matched by few in the LGBTQ writing community. She is a storyteller that I hope is never without a story to tell.
Strengths…
Unforgettable characters
Impressionable story
Well-researched
Well-constructed
Meaningful and important
Makes you laugh
Makes you think
A must read
November 1, 2022
Real Rating: 4.75* of five, rounded up because it deserves the boost not the dock
The Publisher Says: April 1960.
Gunsmoke is the most popular show on TV. Elvis Presley tops the Billboard charts. A charismatic young senator named John F. Kennedy is running for president. And, in North Carolina, four young Black men sit down at a Woolworth’s lunch counter and demand service. Enter Esther Jane (EJ) Cloud, a forty-something spinster who manages the Dead Letter Office at the Winston-Salem post office. EJ leads a quiet life in her Old Salem ancestral home and spends her free time volunteering in the town’s 18th-century hortus medicus.
One sunny Spring morning, EJ’s simple life is turned upside down when the town’s master gardener unceremoniously hands her a packet of handwritten letters that have all been addressed to a nonexistent person at the garden and expects EJ to “tend to them.” This simple act sets in motion a chain of events that will lead EJ on a life-altering quest to uncover the identity of the mysterious letter writer—and into a surprising head-on confrontation with the harsh realities of the racial injustice that is as deeply rooted in the life of her community as the ancient herbs cultivated in the Moravian garden.
When EJ is forced to read the letters to look for clues about the anonymous sender, what she discovers are lyrical tales of a forbidden passion that threaten to unravel the simple contours of her unexamined life. EJ’s official quest soon morphs into a journey of self-discovery as she becomes more deeply enmeshed in the fate of the mysterious letter writer, “Dorothea.” Her surprising accomplice in solving the mystery of the letters becomes one, Harrie Hart: a savvy, street smart ten-year-old, wielding an eye patch and a limitless supply of aphorisms. Together, Harrie and EJ make seminal pilgrimages to the tiny town of Paradise to try and uncover the identity of the mercurial sender and, ultimately, learn a better way to navigate the changing world around them.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.
My Review: I love Ann McMan's way of approaching a story. I understood I was reading about a closeted-even-from-herself lesbian instantly, from the moment EJ was introduced to me. I had a lesbian couple as "grandmothers" of a sort, best friends of my mother's for decades. They were Southern ladies, they were clearly a couple, and it...just didn't matter. They came to our house for Thanksgiving. They were constantly in our conversations about family, and had one name between them: "Sara-Lucy" since their names were Sara and Lucy; we just didn't need to say "and" because they were always a unit to all of us.
EJ and her friends were the kind of people, then, that I grew up knowing and loving. I strongly suspect Author McMan had someone(s) similar to my belovèd Sara-Lucy in her young queer life. She loves EJ as much as the child Harrie, EJ's shadow-cum-sidekick, does. Fay Marian is my nominee for that treasured role...the Moravian Herb Garden is such a perfectly chosen project for a group of lesbians to choose as a social hub.
What made the story itself, the dead letters that EJ receives to unite with their intended recipient or reunite with their sender (both unknown at the start), so beautifully chosen was the way Author McMan used these artifacts of thwarted love and strangled passion to bring EJ into a fuller understanding of Life as she *could* live it. She is living, no really she's just spending her one life unsatisfyingly, incompletely, almost entirely in the Dead Letter Office. As great a contrast as you can imagine is the child Harrie, so curious and open, so wise and still so innocent. She is a character I simply wanted to hug every time she came on the page.
I'd've rated the book a full five stars had I not felt that the period-appropriate race relations issues been less integral to the story than it was used as a grace note within the story. The issue isn't meant to be foregrounded...so the smart money says don't use it. In the present moment, the in-between handling of it comes across more as a detraction from than a point in favor of the read.
Still leads me straight (!) to Ann McMan's extensive backlist. I want more and I mean to have it. Thanks to my dear old reading buddy whose nudge pointed me in this direction. You're the best, Sister Woman.
The Publisher Says: April 1960.
Gunsmoke is the most popular show on TV. Elvis Presley tops the Billboard charts. A charismatic young senator named John F. Kennedy is running for president. And, in North Carolina, four young Black men sit down at a Woolworth’s lunch counter and demand service. Enter Esther Jane (EJ) Cloud, a forty-something spinster who manages the Dead Letter Office at the Winston-Salem post office. EJ leads a quiet life in her Old Salem ancestral home and spends her free time volunteering in the town’s 18th-century hortus medicus.
One sunny Spring morning, EJ’s simple life is turned upside down when the town’s master gardener unceremoniously hands her a packet of handwritten letters that have all been addressed to a nonexistent person at the garden and expects EJ to “tend to them.” This simple act sets in motion a chain of events that will lead EJ on a life-altering quest to uncover the identity of the mysterious letter writer—and into a surprising head-on confrontation with the harsh realities of the racial injustice that is as deeply rooted in the life of her community as the ancient herbs cultivated in the Moravian garden.
When EJ is forced to read the letters to look for clues about the anonymous sender, what she discovers are lyrical tales of a forbidden passion that threaten to unravel the simple contours of her unexamined life. EJ’s official quest soon morphs into a journey of self-discovery as she becomes more deeply enmeshed in the fate of the mysterious letter writer, “Dorothea.” Her surprising accomplice in solving the mystery of the letters becomes one, Harrie Hart: a savvy, street smart ten-year-old, wielding an eye patch and a limitless supply of aphorisms. Together, Harrie and EJ make seminal pilgrimages to the tiny town of Paradise to try and uncover the identity of the mercurial sender and, ultimately, learn a better way to navigate the changing world around them.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.
My Review: I love Ann McMan's way of approaching a story. I understood I was reading about a closeted-even-from-herself lesbian instantly, from the moment EJ was introduced to me. I had a lesbian couple as "grandmothers" of a sort, best friends of my mother's for decades. They were Southern ladies, they were clearly a couple, and it...just didn't matter. They came to our house for Thanksgiving. They were constantly in our conversations about family, and had one name between them: "Sara-Lucy" since their names were Sara and Lucy; we just didn't need to say "and" because they were always a unit to all of us.
EJ and her friends were the kind of people, then, that I grew up knowing and loving. I strongly suspect Author McMan had someone(s) similar to my belovèd Sara-Lucy in her young queer life. She loves EJ as much as the child Harrie, EJ's shadow-cum-sidekick, does. Fay Marian is my nominee for that treasured role...the Moravian Herb Garden is such a perfectly chosen project for a group of lesbians to choose as a social hub.
What made the story itself, the dead letters that EJ receives to unite with their intended recipient or reunite with their sender (both unknown at the start), so beautifully chosen was the way Author McMan used these artifacts of thwarted love and strangled passion to bring EJ into a fuller understanding of Life as she *could* live it. She is living, no really she's just spending her one life unsatisfyingly, incompletely, almost entirely in the Dead Letter Office. As great a contrast as you can imagine is the child Harrie, so curious and open, so wise and still so innocent. She is a character I simply wanted to hug every time she came on the page.
I'd've rated the book a full five stars had I not felt that the period-appropriate race relations issues been less integral to the story than it was used as a grace note within the story. The issue isn't meant to be foregrounded...so the smart money says don't use it. In the present moment, the in-between handling of it comes across more as a detraction from than a point in favor of the read.
Still leads me straight (!) to Ann McMan's extensive backlist. I want more and I mean to have it. Thanks to my dear old reading buddy whose nudge pointed me in this direction. You're the best, Sister Woman.
September 10, 2022
I truly enjoyed reading this mystery, although I'm not usually a fan of the genre. It took me a while to adjust to the leisurely pace, but it suited the Southern setting. I would have been about the same age as Harrie, the precocious and mischievous girl in the story, so it was fun to see all the references to things familiar from my youth. The repressive attitude toward lesbian women in that era is gently but accurately described. The thread of segregation and racism seems appended to the plot rather than organic, but it fits with the overall story of the protagonist's awakening to social injustice and her own proclivities. Highly recommended.
July 22, 2023
5 out of 5 stars "Dead Letters from Paradise" by Ann McMan is a powerfully worded historical fiction masterpiece. I did not want it to end! Why did it have to end?! 😭
The author's evident adeptness at crafting well-rounded characters and a riveting mystery kept me hooked from the very beginning until the last pages. But beyond its literary brilliance, this novel holds a greater significance. It beckons readers, particularly those within their social and racial privileges, to self-reflect and confront their biases—whether they are subconscious or not.
"Dead Letters from Paradise" is a solid 5-star gem that demands attention from anyone who appreciates exceptional storytelling and impactful narratives. With every page holding its own magic, this novel is an enriching journey that resonates long after the final page. Strongly recommended for its profound impact and literary brilliance.
The author's evident adeptness at crafting well-rounded characters and a riveting mystery kept me hooked from the very beginning until the last pages. But beyond its literary brilliance, this novel holds a greater significance. It beckons readers, particularly those within their social and racial privileges, to self-reflect and confront their biases—whether they are subconscious or not.
"Dead Letters from Paradise" is a solid 5-star gem that demands attention from anyone who appreciates exceptional storytelling and impactful narratives. With every page holding its own magic, this novel is an enriching journey that resonates long after the final page. Strongly recommended for its profound impact and literary brilliance.
June 30, 2022
Best work yet!
A great read.
Some writers write the same book over and over. The thing I like about Ann's books is the diversity. A lot of truth for us older lesbians I this work loved it.
A great read.
Some writers write the same book over and over. The thing I like about Ann's books is the diversity. A lot of truth for us older lesbians I this work loved it.
March 3, 2023
Mystery, History, Religion and Horticulture
A small tale of major changes made one step at a time, this story is so rich in meaningful detail that I am certain I will read it again. Set in 1960 Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the story details the awakening of Esther (EJ) Cloud during her quest to find the mysterious writer of letters that wind up in the Dead Letter Office that she manages. The letters, addressed to one fictitious person from another, detail the despair and pain of one women’s life after the loss of a passionate and forbidden love with another. The supporting characters, especially precocious 10-year old Harriet, keep the tale from becoming morose, while also bringing to the surface small but significant rebellions against race, class and sex discrimination of that time. Despite the heavy subject matter, Ann McMan manages to keep the story relevant, riveting and deeply human. If there is an award for richness in a book, this work should win it hands down.
A small tale of major changes made one step at a time, this story is so rich in meaningful detail that I am certain I will read it again. Set in 1960 Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the story details the awakening of Esther (EJ) Cloud during her quest to find the mysterious writer of letters that wind up in the Dead Letter Office that she manages. The letters, addressed to one fictitious person from another, detail the despair and pain of one women’s life after the loss of a passionate and forbidden love with another. The supporting characters, especially precocious 10-year old Harriet, keep the tale from becoming morose, while also bringing to the surface small but significant rebellions against race, class and sex discrimination of that time. Despite the heavy subject matter, Ann McMan manages to keep the story relevant, riveting and deeply human. If there is an award for richness in a book, this work should win it hands down.
March 3, 2023
Well deserving of all awards. Story is well told, with multiple threads and fully developed characters. Best historical novel I've read in a while. Moves at a smooth pace, full of character and charm. Narration was very well done too.
Highly recommend.
Highly recommend.
July 6, 2022
Excellent!
Ref's to Edie Gorme and Hermione Gingold did it for me! Not to mention little Miss Harrie and the wisdom of Hotbed.
Ref's to Edie Gorme and Hermione Gingold did it for me! Not to mention little Miss Harrie and the wisdom of Hotbed.
May 20, 2023
Nothing beats reading a good book. After Dead Letters from Paradise(DLFP), I hold McMan in awe once again. The first work I read by McMan is Jericho, an impressively simple storyline laced with rich characters, dialogues and humour.
Other than the common factor of MCs in both books drinking a lot…Dead Letters from Paradise is totally on the other side of the spectrum, but is an equally well crafted story with memorable characters and underlying social themes. It is backdropped in the 1950s to 60s, where racial prejudices is rampant and homosexuality widely frowned upon. This book reminds me of Miserere by Caren J. Werlinger. DLFP has enriched me, in ways of new vocabulary and new perspective. I have grown alongside with EJ, Esther Jane Cloud.
Other than the common factor of MCs in both books drinking a lot…Dead Letters from Paradise is totally on the other side of the spectrum, but is an equally well crafted story with memorable characters and underlying social themes. It is backdropped in the 1950s to 60s, where racial prejudices is rampant and homosexuality widely frowned upon. This book reminds me of Miserere by Caren J. Werlinger. DLFP has enriched me, in ways of new vocabulary and new perspective. I have grown alongside with EJ, Esther Jane Cloud.
August 26, 2022
A beautiful, poignant, sometimes quirky and hilarious story, full of growth, hope and change for the future. This one makes me smile for its loveliness- and sad because I have reached the end of a story that will linger long....
July 5, 2022
Excellent.
I loved Dead Letters from Paradise. Smart, inquisitive women and a precocious child. Great mix for a mystery. Loved it.
I loved Dead Letters from Paradise. Smart, inquisitive women and a precocious child. Great mix for a mystery. Loved it.
August 4, 2022
Do yourself a favor and give this book a read. It is excellent.
Thank you, Ann.
Thank you, Ann.
July 31, 2023
Because searching for something often leads to finding the unexpected gifts- always search that unkn
The journey one takes in this story is full of twists that can do nothing but gasp your heart. The subtle change in how we see a time in life when injustice is common and accepted practice. The very real obtuse view that does not see all of life thankfully can be broken by the the very simple eyes of a child. Harrie makes this story so rich. Her life is simple, not privileged with even the smallest of life's pleasure, but she is wise, compassionate, and open to a life beyond her youth. The way EJ (Eej) and Harrie work at solving the mystery, the very close connection they share, the openess that shared helps brings EJ more fully into herself. A wonderful cast of characters make this story so easy to read. My only wish would be to have a Beatrice and EJ story with Harrie but I loved this unexpected journey in time.
The journey one takes in this story is full of twists that can do nothing but gasp your heart. The subtle change in how we see a time in life when injustice is common and accepted practice. The very real obtuse view that does not see all of life thankfully can be broken by the the very simple eyes of a child. Harrie makes this story so rich. Her life is simple, not privileged with even the smallest of life's pleasure, but she is wise, compassionate, and open to a life beyond her youth. The way EJ (Eej) and Harrie work at solving the mystery, the very close connection they share, the openess that shared helps brings EJ more fully into herself. A wonderful cast of characters make this story so easy to read. My only wish would be to have a Beatrice and EJ story with Harrie but I loved this unexpected journey in time.
January 7, 2023
A Perfect Boulevardier is made with 1.25 ounces of rye whiskey, 1 ounce of sweet vermouth, and 1 ounce of Campari, garnished with an orange peel. Ann McMan’s beautiful novel seems to be 1.25 parts cozy mystery, 1 part examination of white privilege, and 1 part queer adult coming of age, garnished with the author’s unique sense of humor. It’s a LOT, but in McMan’s sure hands, it goes down as easily as a whiskey cocktail on a warm spring evening.
January 10, 2024
Wow!
I am not a great fan of historical stories in the wlw world because typically life has been SO HARD for women and minorities. I am old enough to remember some but not all of struggles endured by the LGBTQIA+ and minority communities, and I simply have no desire to relive the hate. I will not even discuss the current resurgence of intolerance in our world.
That said, I will read anything the Ann McMan writes. But those are the reasons that I had to walk away from this book several times. Today I had to finish it. This is an amazing story set in a difficult era. As always with AM's works, the characters are so easy to understand and relate to. Dorothea's journey is heart rending. EJ's heart comes alive through her own journey. Fay Marian, Inez, Lottie, and Harrie are all delightful, and crucial to EJ's story.
I am so glad that I finished this story. It is touching and beautiful. And thank goodness for the comic relief provided by Harrie, Fay Marian, and Lottie. I may not be a fan of historical fiction, but I LOVE THIS story. Thank you Ann McMan.
I am not a great fan of historical stories in the wlw world because typically life has been SO HARD for women and minorities. I am old enough to remember some but not all of struggles endured by the LGBTQIA+ and minority communities, and I simply have no desire to relive the hate. I will not even discuss the current resurgence of intolerance in our world.
That said, I will read anything the Ann McMan writes. But those are the reasons that I had to walk away from this book several times. Today I had to finish it. This is an amazing story set in a difficult era. As always with AM's works, the characters are so easy to understand and relate to. Dorothea's journey is heart rending. EJ's heart comes alive through her own journey. Fay Marian, Inez, Lottie, and Harrie are all delightful, and crucial to EJ's story.
I am so glad that I finished this story. It is touching and beautiful. And thank goodness for the comic relief provided by Harrie, Fay Marian, and Lottie. I may not be a fan of historical fiction, but I LOVE THIS story. Thank you Ann McMan.
July 17, 2022
Wow. This is one of the best books I've read in a while. I immediately fell in love with the premise. A solitary, good-hearted postal worker working the "dead letters" department in the basement of the small local post office comes across some very intriguing letters. Following the scant clues, she gets swept up in the mystery. Along the way, she befriends some neighbors--a lesbian couple and also a young girl. The dialogue is pitch perfect. Each character (oh, let's not forget her Black postal co-worker) is a well-realized delight. Although the story revolves a series of bittersweet love letters perfectly capturing regret and unfilled yearning, the story is one of hope for the main character. You root for her throughout and with the close of the book, I believed her life was about to open up to marvelous change. More than anything, this book is gorgeously written and crafted with obvious care and skill. I'll end where I began: Wow.
September 8, 2022
Dead Letters From Paradise, by Ann McMann, is an absolute gem. I rarely give out five stars, reserving that fifth star for those rare works that are so well written and deeply moving that they shake me to my core, those rare works that you can’t stop thinking about weeks, months, and years later. Dead Letters From Paradise is one of those rare works.
FYI: I listened to the audible version and the narration is award winning quality.
FYI: I listened to the audible version and the narration is award winning quality.
November 24, 2022
Very well written. Might not have chosen to buy this book myself because I prefer contemporary fiction, but I received it as a generous gift after a minor error in online ordering some other books by this author. Very happy I read it.
Interesting characters, real good sketch of the era, a little mystery. The plot/mystery was as I expected, so maybe a bit predictable, but the journey was the destination. Not a romance, but it ends with a promise.
Interesting characters, real good sketch of the era, a little mystery. The plot/mystery was as I expected, so maybe a bit predictable, but the journey was the destination. Not a romance, but it ends with a promise.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2023
A great read!
August 7, 2022
Wonderful
I have read many of Ms. McMan books but this one opened my mind. The history of the segregated South and forbidden love have come come full circle. During these trying times reading about hope and change does ease the soul.
I have read many of Ms. McMan books but this one opened my mind. The history of the segregated South and forbidden love have come come full circle. During these trying times reading about hope and change does ease the soul.
October 30, 2022
Dead Letters From Paradise by Ann McMan, narrated by Christine Williams
This book is going to stay in my memory for a while
From the enigmatic title to the gorgeous prose this novel captured my attention from the start and I couldn't put it down until I finished. The breathtaking narration by Christine Williams brings the story to life and does justice to the written text.
Winston-Salem, 1960. Esther Jane (EJ) Cloud is a forty-something spinster who manages the Dead Letter Office and spends her free time volunteering in the town’s garden. When the town’s master gardener hands her a packet of handwritten letters that have all been addressed to a nonexistent person at the garden, EJ's life will change forever. In her quest to discover the anonymous sender, she'll have to examine her life choices, confront the realities of racism, and befriend a savvy, street-smart ten-year-old.
To say that Dead Letters From Paradise is a historical fiction mystery with a small side of romance doesn't even begin to describe it. It's a journey of self-exploration for a solitary white woman confronted with unknown and scary feelings through passionate anonymous letters. It's a tale of courage and strength to confront racism and resistance to change. It's an homage to friendship as one of the most selfless and meaningful human connections. It's heartbreaking and hopeful at the same time.
If you've read Ann McMan's books you are already acquainted with her unique style. Her witty dialogues, her clever sense of humour, and the depth of her stories leave the reader thinking and feeling at the same time. Some of her books - like The Big Tow - are funny and light, others - like Beowulf for Cretins - are clever and witty. Dead Letters From Paradise is harder to categorise so it's better to give it a try, you won't be disappointed.
Christine Williams has narrated all of Ann McMan's books and is a perfect fit for her stories. Her different voices, accents, and emotional range make it easy for the story to unfold in the listener's mind. An absolute joy to listen to. 5 stars.
Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins
This book is going to stay in my memory for a while
From the enigmatic title to the gorgeous prose this novel captured my attention from the start and I couldn't put it down until I finished. The breathtaking narration by Christine Williams brings the story to life and does justice to the written text.
Winston-Salem, 1960. Esther Jane (EJ) Cloud is a forty-something spinster who manages the Dead Letter Office and spends her free time volunteering in the town’s garden. When the town’s master gardener hands her a packet of handwritten letters that have all been addressed to a nonexistent person at the garden, EJ's life will change forever. In her quest to discover the anonymous sender, she'll have to examine her life choices, confront the realities of racism, and befriend a savvy, street-smart ten-year-old.
To say that Dead Letters From Paradise is a historical fiction mystery with a small side of romance doesn't even begin to describe it. It's a journey of self-exploration for a solitary white woman confronted with unknown and scary feelings through passionate anonymous letters. It's a tale of courage and strength to confront racism and resistance to change. It's an homage to friendship as one of the most selfless and meaningful human connections. It's heartbreaking and hopeful at the same time.
If you've read Ann McMan's books you are already acquainted with her unique style. Her witty dialogues, her clever sense of humour, and the depth of her stories leave the reader thinking and feeling at the same time. Some of her books - like The Big Tow - are funny and light, others - like Beowulf for Cretins - are clever and witty. Dead Letters From Paradise is harder to categorise so it's better to give it a try, you won't be disappointed.
Christine Williams has narrated all of Ann McMan's books and is a perfect fit for her stories. Her different voices, accents, and emotional range make it easy for the story to unfold in the listener's mind. An absolute joy to listen to. 5 stars.
Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins
September 15, 2025
i really enjoyed this book and i was kinda surprised i did. loved all the characters. even though the mystery was a bit predictable i really liked reading this! 4.5 🌟
November 29, 2023
I love this book. It was so different than any other mystery I’ve read. The quiet, sheltered lead character, the simple life, the hometown where nothing ever seems to change until everything changes, the repetition of the post office, life. The discovery of the love letters that seems so arbitrary and yet become extremely personal for EJ. The arrival of Harrie, and Inez and Fay Marian instantly enrich her life, help her create a family she never realized she needed and the ending so simple and full of such promise.
June 28, 2022
Mystery, romance, and history blended to perfection!
North Carolina author Ann McMan to date has penned thirteen books, novels and anthologies of short stories – JERICHO, DUST, AFTERMATH, HOOSIER DADDY, BOTTLE ROCKET, THREE, SIDECAR STORIES, BACKCAST, JUNE MAGEE, RN FESTIVAL NURSE, GOLDENROD, BEOWULF FOR CRETINS: A LOVE STORY, GALILEO, THE BIG TOW, COVENANT and now DEAD LETTERS FROM PARADISE
Ann’s signature lyrical prose opens this historically enhanced novel that reflects the may changes of the 1960s with the following – ‘I was knee-deep in bitter herbs when the first batch of letters came my way. It was a Saturday in the mid-April of 1960, and I’d just spent two hours weeding rows of tiny new Angelica plants – the first to emerge after the cold nights had retreated and the days began to grow warmer. Evelyn Haas, the master gardener of our hortus medicus in Old Salem, thrust a flat cardboard box at me, and brusquely suggested that its contents were something I “needed to tend to.”...I had no idea why Evelyn was handling the off to me, but I suspected it had something to do with my job. I processed dead letters for the Winston-Salem Post Office.’ Mystery suggested!
The provided synopsis of the proffers the content – ‘The year is 1960, and Gunsmoke is the most popular show on TV. Elvis Presley tops the Billboard charts, and a charismatic young senator named John F. Kennedy is running for president. And, in North Carolina, four young Black men sit down at a Woolworth’s lunch counter and demand service. Enter Esther Jane (EJ) Cloud, a forty-something spinster who manages the Dead Letter Office at the Winston-Salem post office. EJ leads a quiet life in her Old Salem ancestral home and spends her free time volunteering in the town’s 18th-century medicinal garden. One sunny spring morning, EJ’s world is turned upside down when she is handed a stack of handwritten letters that have all been addressed to a nonexistent person at the garden. This simple act sets in motion a chain of events that will lead EJ on a life-altering quest to uncover the identity of the mysterious letter writer—and into a surprising, head-on confrontation with the harsh realities of the racial injustice that is as deeply rooted in the life of her community as the ancient herbs cultivated in the Moravian garden. When EJ is forced to read the letters to look for clues about the anonymous sender, what she discovers are lyrical tales of a forbidden passion that threaten to unravel the simple contours of her unexamined life. EJ’s official quest soon morphs into a journey of self-discovery. Her surprising accomplice on this quest becomes a savvy, street smart ten-year-old wielding an eye patch and a limitless supply of aphorisms. Together, the unlikely duo makes pilgrimages to a tiny town called Paradise to try and crack the case—while ultimately learning better ways to navigate the changing world around them.’
Stylish, smart, informed, and full of suspense and romance, this is a superb novel of multiple levels of interpretation; Ann shows once again that she is not only a fine tale spinner, but also an excellent craftswoman as well!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book
North Carolina author Ann McMan to date has penned thirteen books, novels and anthologies of short stories – JERICHO, DUST, AFTERMATH, HOOSIER DADDY, BOTTLE ROCKET, THREE, SIDECAR STORIES, BACKCAST, JUNE MAGEE, RN FESTIVAL NURSE, GOLDENROD, BEOWULF FOR CRETINS: A LOVE STORY, GALILEO, THE BIG TOW, COVENANT and now DEAD LETTERS FROM PARADISE
Ann’s signature lyrical prose opens this historically enhanced novel that reflects the may changes of the 1960s with the following – ‘I was knee-deep in bitter herbs when the first batch of letters came my way. It was a Saturday in the mid-April of 1960, and I’d just spent two hours weeding rows of tiny new Angelica plants – the first to emerge after the cold nights had retreated and the days began to grow warmer. Evelyn Haas, the master gardener of our hortus medicus in Old Salem, thrust a flat cardboard box at me, and brusquely suggested that its contents were something I “needed to tend to.”...I had no idea why Evelyn was handling the off to me, but I suspected it had something to do with my job. I processed dead letters for the Winston-Salem Post Office.’ Mystery suggested!
The provided synopsis of the proffers the content – ‘The year is 1960, and Gunsmoke is the most popular show on TV. Elvis Presley tops the Billboard charts, and a charismatic young senator named John F. Kennedy is running for president. And, in North Carolina, four young Black men sit down at a Woolworth’s lunch counter and demand service. Enter Esther Jane (EJ) Cloud, a forty-something spinster who manages the Dead Letter Office at the Winston-Salem post office. EJ leads a quiet life in her Old Salem ancestral home and spends her free time volunteering in the town’s 18th-century medicinal garden. One sunny spring morning, EJ’s world is turned upside down when she is handed a stack of handwritten letters that have all been addressed to a nonexistent person at the garden. This simple act sets in motion a chain of events that will lead EJ on a life-altering quest to uncover the identity of the mysterious letter writer—and into a surprising, head-on confrontation with the harsh realities of the racial injustice that is as deeply rooted in the life of her community as the ancient herbs cultivated in the Moravian garden. When EJ is forced to read the letters to look for clues about the anonymous sender, what she discovers are lyrical tales of a forbidden passion that threaten to unravel the simple contours of her unexamined life. EJ’s official quest soon morphs into a journey of self-discovery. Her surprising accomplice on this quest becomes a savvy, street smart ten-year-old wielding an eye patch and a limitless supply of aphorisms. Together, the unlikely duo makes pilgrimages to a tiny town called Paradise to try and crack the case—while ultimately learning better ways to navigate the changing world around them.’
Stylish, smart, informed, and full of suspense and romance, this is a superb novel of multiple levels of interpretation; Ann shows once again that she is not only a fine tale spinner, but also an excellent craftswoman as well!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book
August 21, 2022
This is a very sweet mystery, a story of personal revelation and change set against the backdrop of societal change at the end of the segregationist South. And while with a plot like that you might expect the protagonist to be an adolescent, she is in fact in her mid 40s.
I found it very enjoyable and well done, and would have given it 5 stars except the level of religiosity is very off-putting for me. McMan was obviously raised religious, and it's deeply ingrained in her, albeit something she struggles with because of things like associated child abuse (Galileo) or racism and slavery (this book). I can transport myself to the perspective of a woman, to a year decades before I was born, to a region of the country I don't know at all, but I can't settle into a mind this infected by religion.
McMan remains an auto-buy author for me, and one I greatly respect, but not a perfect one.
I found it very enjoyable and well done, and would have given it 5 stars except the level of religiosity is very off-putting for me. McMan was obviously raised religious, and it's deeply ingrained in her, albeit something she struggles with because of things like associated child abuse (Galileo) or racism and slavery (this book). I can transport myself to the perspective of a woman, to a year decades before I was born, to a region of the country I don't know at all, but I can't settle into a mind this infected by religion.
McMan remains an auto-buy author for me, and one I greatly respect, but not a perfect one.
May 27, 2023
The synopsis of this book sounded better than the book ended up being. The mystery of the dead letters was to easy to solve and I felt the characters were just ignoring the obvious. The only endearing character was the precocious 10 year old Harry. Her character was the only reason I finished listening to the book. Do not waste any time on this one.
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