LETTER FROM HOME by Carolyn Hart November 12, 2006

*I bought this book because I have always enjoyed Hart's "Death on Demand" mystery series. They are easy to read, light, humorous mysteries involving Death on Demand store owner, Annie Darling and her gorgeous husband, Max. But this book is completely different. The tone is much darker; the mystery is complicated and tragic.
*G. G. Gilman is a world-famous journalist who receives a letter that takes her back many years to the summer when she was fourteen and working her first newspaper job during WWII. That is the summer when Gretchen Grace Gilman, while helping her friend, Barb, finds the strangled body of Barb's mother, Faye. The rest of the book deals with how her small Okalhoma town gives in to gossip, panic, and rigid judgment. Gretchen strives to report the facts which include the good character of the murdered woman even if few in the town will not accept that "she asked for it." As Gretchen tries to help her friend, take care of her aging grandmother, and accept her widowed mother's new friend; she must also learn the integrity of a reporter who reports the truth and stands by her words. It isn't until the end of the book that you learn the truth of the murder in a twist that took me by surprise.
*Hart wrote this book beautifully and won the Agatha Award. If you want to read a thoughtful and interesting mystery, I highly recommend this one.
Rating: 4.5

5 Comments:
Joy said...
I like the blurb under your title. It's so true. I only read one Amy Tan and didn't care for it and never ventured to try another.LETTER FROM HOME sounds like one I'd like to look into. Glad to see you are having good reads!
iliana said...
I'm always on the lookout for new mysteries so I will add this one to my list. Great review.
booklogged said...
Sounds like one I'd like, too. I've already added Hart's Death on Demand series to my list at your recom. What's one more?! Is it going to make the whole thing topple? JK The list grows exponentially on a daily basis. I've decided this is my new hobby - collecting titles of books. You should try it!
Orange Blossom Goddess (aka Heather) said...
You are really zipping along on the Challenge!! Great review!!
Kucki said...
I have read this as I like the Dead on Demand mysteries and you recommended it and I did like it quite a bit. The back and forth is one of the devices of writting that I tend to enjoy. Time travel in it's early stages... Thanks for the review.