description: The Barnes &amp; Noble ReviewBestselling author Carolyn Hart steps away from her two popular mystery series to craft this elegantly written period suspense novel about a talented young journalist whose life is changed as she investigates a deadly local scandal. It's the summer of 1944 in a small town in northeastern Oklahoma. Gretchen Grace Gilman is almost 14 and thrilled to be doing her part for the war effort by writing for the sorely understaffed local newspaper. She's on the spot when the story breaks about her neighbor, talented artist Faye Tatum. It all starts with a noisy domestic dispute -- the sort Gretchen's paper wouldn't stoop to calling news. Even so, word gets around that Faye's husband, who's home on furlough, was furious to hear that his wife's been dancing most every night at a local hotspot. Late that night, Gretchen's friend, Barb Tatum, comes to her window, begging for help, claiming she heard her mother scream. The two girls hurry to the Tatum house, where they find Faye's lifeless body -- with the marks of a man's hands around her throat. Murder is big news, especially when it becomes clear that Barb's father, Clyde, has disappeared. The scandal that follows rocks the town. Some folks think that proves Clyde's guilt -- and Faye's faithlessness as well. That might make a great story, but it doesn't jibe with what Gretchen knows of Faye loving wife and mother, supportive teacher, and good neighbor. So Gretchen sets out to discover the truth about Faye's life and death, determined to tell it as she sees it, in unambiguous newsprint. And uncovering that poignant and powerful story, from its sordid beginnings to the surprising final chapter that's finally revealed decades later, changes Gretchen's life forever. Sue Stone
language: English
title: Letter from Home
titlecomplete: Letter from Home
genres: Mystery, Fiction, Contemporary, Mystery Thriller, Crime, Historical, Chick Lit, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Audiobook
ratings_count: 869
places: Oklahoma
awards: awardedAt: 1041408000000
name: Agatha Award
category: Best Novel
publisher: Books On Tape