The Lost Letters from Martha’s Vinyard by Michael Callahan

The Lost Letters from Martha’s Vinyard is an incredible mystery attached to a beautiful riveting love story. Between the secrets and intrigue and the heartbreakingly superb romance you will cling to this story and not want it to ever end!

When Kit finds a box while going through her late grandmother Edith’s belongings, she discovers pamphlets and programs from the 1950’s for a woman named Mercy Welles. She also finds a picture and other information about some play which was done on Martha’s Vinyard. But to her shock, a picture holds the most stunning surprise. It is of her Nan as a young woman with the same name…Mercy Welles. How is this possible since her Nan’s maiden name was Edith Stoppelmoor?

She and her sister were raised by her Nan and Pop after her parents were tragically killed. Never did she mention this part of her life or even ever going to Martha’s Vinyard! Kit, a television producer decides she must try and find out who Mercy Welles and Edith Stopplemoor are.

In 1959 Mercy Welles was a young actress who had been nominated for an Oscar in her first movie. She was an up-and-coming movie star, and everybody wanted her. All except it seems her fiancé who she discovered was cheating on her. It was then Mercy decided she needed to get away for a while and be alone to think about her life and what she really wanted to do. She decides to go to Martha’s Vinyard, a secluded island where she figures no one will know who she really is.

There, she meets wonderful people, and especially a very handsome oyster fisherman. As the summer progresses, she discovers the island is small but holds many secrets. By the end of the summer, Mercy’s life will be changed forever as will many others on the island. She will discover that finding out answers to secrets can be quite dangerous.

As Kit investigates, she tries to find people who knew her Nan back then. Some have died and others are hiding things. When she is finally able to track down her Nan’s best friend at the time Cass whom she knew she corresponded with, she is heartbroken to learn Cass had destroyed the letters years ago.

With the story told by both Kit in the present and Mercy in the past, the reader begins to learn what Mercy was doing during that mysterious summer on the island, and how her relationship with her oyster fisherman progresses. But there was also lying, jealousy and hatred going on at the time and secrets buried with dead bodies.

Kit decides she herself must go to the island for herself and see if she can put the pieces of the puzzle together. What Kit will discover is something she already knew. Her Nan was a strong woman who had to make the most difficult decision of her life which changed the trajectory her path would take. And just like her Nan, Kit’s life will be changed as well when she steps foot on Martha’s Vinyard the place she will finally find the answers she has been searching for.

The Lost Letters from Martha’s Vinyard is heartwarming, heartbreaking and more importantly brave!

Thank you #NetGalley #MarinerBooks #MichaelCallahan #TheLostLettersfromMartha’sVinaryard for the advanced copy.