Dead Letters from Paradise

by Ann McMan

Overview

Two-time Lambda Literary Award-winning author Ann McMan introduces readers to a spinster postal investigator for the Winston-Salem Dead Letter Office who finds herself enmeshed in the mystery of solving who is sending undeliverable love letters to the town’s 18th-century hortus medicus.

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.

Short-listed for the 2023 Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ+ Mystery.

Included in Shelf Unbound's 100 Top Notable Indie Titles of 2022.

Included in Autostraddle's list of 92 of the Best Queer Books of 2022.

Included in Out in Print's Favorite Books of 2022.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781612942353
Publisher:	Bywater Books MI
Publication date:	06/28/2022
Pages:	316
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

About the Author

Ann McMan is the author of twelve novels and two short story collections. She is a two-time Lambda Literary Award recipient, a five-time Independent Publisher (IPPY) medalist, a Foreword Reviews INDIES medalist, and a laureate of the Alice B. Foundation for her outstanding body of work. She lives in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“From one of our best—a blend of literary mystery and history in a pitch-perfect evocation of a pivotal year of growth in our nation. Featuring a solitary woman and the new, sassy, ten-year-old neighbor who opens the world to her, this tender, humane story illuminates the nature of discovery and courage.” —Katherine V. Forrest, author of Curious Wine and the Kate Delafield Mystery Series

“Dead Letters from Paradise is a brilliantly wrought, multi-layered work made sweet and tender by an emerging community of loving and lovable characters. The richness of Ann McMan’s achievement has seldom been equaled in contemporary lesbian literature.” —Lee Lynch, trailblazing author of The Swashbuckler

“If you’re looking for hardcore bullets, booze, bodies, blonds, and blood—this isn’t the book for you. But if you’re after a beautifully crafted story, one that blends elements of mystery, history, and romance, I guarantee this clever, intelligent and surprisingly gentle novel will not disappoint.” —Ellen Hart, Mystery Writers of America Grand Master

“Within the construct of a fascinating mystery, Ann McMan asks important questions and unflinchingly implores us to explore our own ideas about who we are, where we come from, and the assumptions we make. Rich language, characters to root for, and a precocious ten-year-old from whom we could all learn a great deal. Brava!” —Lynn Ames, author of Secrets Well Kept

 

Editorial Reviews

If you only have time for one book for the rest of the summer, Dead Letters from Paradise by Ann McMan is the one to choose—you can't go wrong with this novel.” —Queer Writers of Crime

“McMan drives her vibrant characters through a plot that runs as smooth as well-oiled clockwork.” —Out in Print

“This mystery excels in all areas: tightly plotted; endearing and authentic characters; a rich and original setting.” —Autostraddle

“McMan’s style is reminiscent of Erle Stanley Gardner’s writing: sparingly descriptive, liberal with dialogue, and sprinkled with dry humor.” —Southern Review of Books

“Dead Letters from Paradise blends literary mystery, historical fiction, and romance with entirely delightful results. There are no dead bodies in this mystery and no overt sex in the romance. Yet here are two reasons—among many—to love this novel. First, the crisp, yet lyrical prose style, coupled with perfect plotting make it a breeze to read, one of those hard-to-put-down stories that keep you turning the pages. Second, the novel is filled with lovely truisms as forty-five-year-old EJ Cloud reexamines her life and her town, Winston-Salem, in April 1960.” —Southern Literary Review

 

From the Publisher