"In the wake of her father's death, Jane is left to clean out a drawer of letters from her father's mistress.... a mistress everyone in her immediate family knew about except her. Dealing with this information paints the father she's always adored in a totally different light. In addition to shocking her, the letters also force Jane to confront some less than perfect details of her own personal history.

I absolutely loved this book. I thought that getting the story from two different perspectives and also from letters going back and forth might be confusing, but I've read this author before I should have known she would handle it beautifully in a way that weaves a story you can't put down. It's hard to explain the things I loved about this story specifically without sharing spoilers, but I can say that this is a totally different genre than I'm used to with Walter and I hope it introduces her to new readers; for example, fans of Jodi Picoult would absolutely love this story and the way it's told. Absolutely loved it, highly recommended across the board!"

"A propulsive and poignant story about family, secret lives, and sacrifice. Walter knows the complexities of the human heart, and in Letters From Strangers, her emotionally rich characters ring true.

I love Susan Walter's thrillers. Her writing sings with cinematic detail and character-driven suspense. Even though Letters From Strangers is Walter's first foray into women's fiction, it's no less compelling--and I would even say more so--because the stakes are personal here. So real. Earnest and emotional. It's convenient to "kill someone off" or insert external conflict when you write crime fiction or suspense. I do it all the time in my own work! But when you're going deep into family trauma and secrets meant to transcend lifetimes, it takes a profoundly gifted--and honest--author to keep readers turning pages. Walter is just such an author.

When Jane discovers a hidden cache of letters in her deceased father's personal effects--letters from an unknown woman that hint at a secret double life--it sends her on a journey to find the truth, with plenty of lies, deceit, and surprising revelations about her father's life, and the mysterious other woman in it, along the way.

On the other side of the country, sixteen-year-old Adam is on his own difficult journey. Struggling with depression and self-acceptance, Adam doesn't feel like he fits in, and has always wondered about his birth mother, and the secret, unsigned letters she sent him. Letters he was never allowed to read, due to his closed adoption. But Adam wants to learn the truth. Even if it hurts.

As the questions multiply and Adam and Jane both search for a woman who doesn't want to be found, the intrigue grows stronger with each turning page, culminating in a gasp-inducing twist I never saw coming. Get your tissues, because this is Susan Walter at her most thoughtful, emotional, and empathetic. Letters From Strangers is replete with deep meaning...and plenty of beauty for ashes"

"This is the first book I've read by this author. It definitely will not be the last. This book blew me away. It's SO good. So full of feeling and history.

Two women in different eras. They are related but had no idea. At least one didn't. Not until she lost her biological mother.

Mallory Dunne tells her story in New England in 2022. Her story goes back in time to when she worked for a rich family as a nanny to twins. To a time when her best friend Monk Adams got her the job. When they fell in love and promised to always be there for each other. Something happened and that promise could not be kept. But years later Mallory's son Sam ate a poisoned mushroom while at sleep away camp and now needs a kidney.

Then we go back to 1951 Cairo and meet Hannah. Hannah has had terrible hardships in her life. Lost so much because of the war. She met and married a man way older but one who would give her security. Give her financial freedom. Give her a life when she had given up on everything. Hannah meets and falls in love with another man. All she wanted from him in the beginning was a child.

Many secrets come out of this story. Each timeframe has them. Many tears were shed by these two woman. They both had hardships though different. What happened to make Mallory leave Monk was the most devastating thing I can think of at that time. So was what happened to Hannah but in such a different way. These two women are strong. They are determined.

The only thing I wish was that in the end more of my questions would have been answered. Like where did Hannah go after what happened. I know what happened to Mallory and wept when I read that. But who was the woman who rescued Hannah? What happened next? Maybe there will be another book? Not sure if that would be good or not but I would read it.

I enjoyed this book from the first to the last pages. It held me captive. Kept me wanting more. Most of the characters were likable but of course there was a few to hate. I was very pleasantly surprised with how good this book was. I will be reading more by this author.

Thank you #NetGalley, #BeatrizWilliams, #RandomHousePublishing, for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

Five big stars and I highly recommend it. It's excellent!"