The Lost Letter

A Novel

By: Jillian Cantor

Narrated by: Allyson Ryan, George Newbern, Betsy Struxness, Jennifer Rubins

Length: 9 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's summary

“A gorgeous and thrilling novel.... Perfect for book clubs and fans of The Nightingale.” (PopSugar)

A historical novel of love and survival inspired by real resistance workers during World War II Austria and the mysterious love letter that connects generations of Jewish families. A heartbreaking, heartwarming story for fans of The Women in the Castle, Lilac Girls, and Sarah's Key.

Author of the forthcoming In Another Time.

Austria, 1938. Kristoff is a young apprentice to a master Jewish stamp engraver. When his teacher disappears during Kristallnacht, Kristoff is forced to engrave stamps for the Germans and simultaneously works alongside Elena, his beloved teacher's fiery daughter, and with the Austrian resistance to send underground messages and forge papers. As he falls for Elena amidst the brutal chaos of war, Kristoff must find a way to save her, and himself.

Los Angeles, 1989. Katie Nelson is going through a divorce, and while cleaning out her house and life in the aftermath, she comes across the stamp collection of her father, who recently went into a nursing home. When an appraiser, Benjamin, discovers an unusual World War II-era Austrian stamp placed on an old love letter as he goes through her dad's collection, Katie and Benjamin are sent on a journey together that will uncover a story of passion and tragedy spanning decades and continents, behind the just fallen Berlin Wall.

A romantic, poignant, and addictive novel, The Lost Letter reveals the lasting power of love.

©2017 Jillian Cantor (P)2017 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"I devoured The Lost Letter...an intriguing and very personal story of resistance." (Georgia Hunter, author of We Were the Lucky Ones)

"A total page-turner." (New York Magazine)

“[A]t the center of the novel are two beautiful love stories involving two seemingly star-crossed couples, whose love overcomes all obstacles.... Getting it right is an art, and Cantor is an artist. She got me from that first page, and I stayed hooked throughout. It’s not just that Cantor kept me interested - she got me involved emotionally with the story.” (Jerusalem Post)

A good read

I enjoyed this historical fiction and found the mystery & history of the importance of the stamps and the artistry involved in creating them. I do not think this was as good as the Nightingale, Lilac Girls, or All the Light We Cannot See. However, I believe it is so important in light of our current political climate to recall the past. We will never evolve as humans unless we eliminate intolerance, hatred, racism, and the desire to kill other humans for illusionary power.

The Love Letter

Very exciting book, kept you thinking all the way through until the end. The drama of what has happened to others in the time of the Holocaust.

A Favorite!

One of my favorite books to date. I gasped out loud a couple of times throughout the book. It was of great interest to me how things played out!

The Lost Letter

Loved everything about this book! Both story lines, the way the author intertwined them. I especially liked the 2 separate voices distinguishing the 2 separate eras. Fabulous listen, went too fast.

Loved This Piece of WWII Historical Fiction

I enjoyed listening to this audio book. The narrator's tone for Katie is a bit annoying but supposedly should be so given her life circumstances? Overall, one of the lighter WWII Historical fiction novels that I have read. Simple and enjoyable.

Slow Start but Worth It

If you can hang in there for a bit, you'll love it. The female narrator takes some getting used to and even then you won't care for her but the story gets really good ...

Excellent isn’t the right word.

I just finished listening to this most beautiful book. The story was so
good. The characters were alive and real. The writing was perfect. I enjoyed everything about The Lost Letter and recommend it highly.

Wonderful story....

I thoroughly enjoyed this story set in two time frames. The tragedies of the Holocaust and those who escaped, with intertwined stories and lives.

Finally! A Great One!

Lately, I'm not having much luck with finding good, solid audiobooks, but this one was fantastic for sure! It kept me wanting to hear every single word! It's a story that leaves you asking, can we actually become different people, based on where we are and the circumstances surrounding us at the time. Make sure to have the tissues at hand near the end of the book. Interesting to learn that the making of stamps was yet another creative way of sending messages during WW II. As for the narration, it too was pretty good! Don't hesitate purchasing this audiobook! It's worth the T credit!!!

Narrator ruined it

The story has a great premise but the narrator for Katie was awful. She spoke with a cadence that got old very quickly. She took a lead character that was searching and made her a clueless idiot. Her reading of conversational passages was horrible. Totally unnatural.I got through the end of a good story despite the narrator but it was hard work.