The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant: A Novel

by Kayte Nunn

Overview

A cache of unsent love letters from the 1950s is found in a suitcase on a remote island in this mysterious love story in the tradition of the novels by Kate Morton and Elizabeth Gilbert.

1951. Esther Durrant, a young mother, is committed to an isolated mental asylum by her husband. Run by a pioneering psychiatrist, the hospital is at first Esther’s prison but soon surprisingly becomes her refuge. 

2018. Free-spirited marine scientist Rachel Parker embarks on a research posting in the Isles of Scilly, off the Cornish coast. When a violent storm forces her to take shelter on a far-flung island, she discovers a collection of hidden love letters. Captivated by their passion and tenderness, Rachel determines to track down the intended recipient. But she has no idea of the far-reaching consequences her decision will bring.

Meanwhile, in London, Eve is helping her grandmother, a renowned mountaineer, write her memoirs. When she is contacted by Rachel, it sets in motion a chain of events that threatens to reveal secrets kept buried for more than sixty years.

With an arresting dual narrative that immediately captivates the reader, The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant is an inspirational story of the sacrifices made for love.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062970589
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	03/03/2020
Pages:	400
Sales rank:	485,294
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.90(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Kayte Nunn is a former magazine and book editor, and the international bestselling author of four novels, among them The Botanist's Daughter and The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant. Originally from Britain, she has also lived in the USA, and now resides in Australia, in Northern New South Wales, with her family.

Editorial Reviews

12/16/2019

In Nunn’s beautifully written but uneven latest (after The Botanist’s Daughter), a nosy marine scientist leads an old woman to connect with her past via a cache of love letters. In 1951, Esther Durrant’s husband, John, sends her to the remote English island of Little Embers, entrusting his old school friend, psychiatrist Richard Creswell, to treat her postpartum depression. Richard is immediately transfixed by Esther’s “startling violet-grey eyes,” while she feels a new sense of being “thrillingly alive” in his presence. Richard’s passionate declarations to Esther are uncovered decades later by a researcher named Rachel Parker who is studying clams on the islands surrounding Little Embers. After Rachel nearly drowns in a storm and is rescued by reclusive painter Leah, she rummages through an old suitcase left in Leah’s attic by previous tenants, in which she finds love letters written from “R” to “E. Durrant.” Meanwhile, in London, Esther now works on her memoirs with help from her granddaughter Eve, whose own curiosity is piqued when Esther reveals she has something important to share. Rachel locates Esther and gives her the chance to reveal her long-held secret. While Nunn’s descriptions of Esther and Richard’s emotional bond are heavy-handed and a late plot twist is predictable, the bond between Esther and Eve is natural and affecting. This drawn-out love story misses the mark. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

"Nunn’s U.S. debut is an engaging, dual-period narrative that unravels slowly, tracing Esther’s journey toward healing and wholeness as well as Rachel’s attempts to move beyond her wanderlust and unwillingness to commit to a home, job, or relationship. The romance is unexpected yet authentic, and the ending highlights the enduring power of love and forgiveness. Ideal for readers of Lucinda Riley and Sarah Jio." — Booklist

From the Publisher

"Nunn’s U.S. debut is an engaging, dual-period narrative that unravels slowly, tracing Esther’s journey toward healing and wholeness as well as Rachel’s attempts to move beyond her wanderlust and unwillingness to commit to a home, job, or relationship. The romance is unexpected yet authentic, and the ending highlights the enduring power of love and forgiveness. Ideal for readers of Lucinda Riley and Sarah Jio."

Booklist

03/01/2020

Rachel Parker, whose work as a marine researcher allows her to change jobs and locations frequently, embarks on a new assignment that takes her to the Isles of Scilly off the coast of England. On her first venture out on the water, she becomes engrossed in her research and gets caught in a storm. In her attempt to reach shore, she lodges her wrist in a rock formation and is rescued by a recluse who lives in a mansion on an otherwise uninhabited island. While recuperating there, Rachel finds clues about the previous inhabitants of the mansion as well as its secretive current resident. Among her findings are beautiful love letters written more than 50 years prior. Rachel is soon engrossed in solving the mystery of the love letters even though she is skeptical about true love. If she can reunite these two lost lovers, she may be able to change her own views on love. VERDICT Vivid descriptions highlight intertwining plot lines that seamlessly build to a satisfying climax. For fans of the author's other works (The Botanist's Daughter) and fiction by authors such as Lauren Willig and Kate Morton.—Karen Core, Detroit P.L.

Library Journal

"Nunn’s U.S. debut is an engaging, dual-period narrative that unravels slowly, tracing Esther’s journey toward healing and wholeness as well as Rachel’s attempts to move beyond her wanderlust and unwillingness to commit to a home, job, or relationship. The romance is unexpected yet authentic, and the ending highlights the enduring power of love and forgiveness. Ideal for readers of Lucinda Riley and Sarah Jio."

Booklist