A Letter in the Wall

A Novel

By: Eileen Brill

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Paperback | 9 June 2022

At a Glance

Paperback
256 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
21.59 x 13.97 x 2.54

Paperback

$37.99

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It’s 1971, and Joan Dumann fears her former business partner wants her dead—but her anxiety is less about dying than it is about feeling disrespected and invalidated. As she constructs a letter about her predicament, she revisits her past.

Born into a prominent Philadelphia Quaker family in 1915 and raised with privilege and opportunity, Joan wrestles with her turbulent thoughts and unfulfilled desires—an internal battle that often results in self-destructive tendencies. When she attempts to push against the norms for women of her time in order to forge her own identity, she is met with resistance. Yet she might also be her own worst enemy, often alienating those who care deeply for her. Both manipulative and vulnerable, naive and conniving, Joan is, like many people, complex and misunderstood.

Inspired by a letter written by the real Joan, found hidden in the wall of a Pennsylvania home more than half a century later, this story is a fictionalized imagining of who she was and what motivated her. Moving through several decades and events—from the 1918 influenza pandemic to Prohibition to the Great Depression to Vietnam—A Letter in the Wall examines the internal and external factors that influence one woman’s journey toward independence and empowerment.

Great for fans of Benilde Little’s Who Does She Think She Is?, Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko, and Leslye Walton’s The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender.

Industry Reviews

"Brill . . . wrote a compelling story giving us an inside look through six decades into the life of a woman who wanted to own what was truly hers . . . An ideal read for historical fiction fans."
-San Francisco Book Review

"Brill sparkles in this sweeping, multi-generational family saga . . . An in-depth examination of a woman facing the societal expectations of the early- to mid-20th century, rich with intricate relationships. . .Fans of generational tales, mysteries, and strong heroines won't be able to turn the pages fast enough."
-Booklife

"Told with a tender nod to the days of the past, A Letter in the Wall is a story of a young woman's journey toward independence and empowerment. Fans of historical fiction will enjoy this poignant debut by Eileen Brill."
-Nicole Meier, author of The Second Chance Supper Club

"This well crafted story captures the life of an emotionally wounded, often calculating woman in her search for self-worth, respect, and fulfillment. It is a page turner not to be missed."
-Judith Teitelman, award-winning author of Guesthouse for Ganesha

"A profound and captivating portrait of a woman who, after having suffered a devastating loss in her early childhood, struggles to find her identity and independence, while juggling the demands of family life in a world that dictates the role of a woman. With A Letter in the Wall, Eileen Brill poignantly explores how the decisions we make, or don't make, can change the course of our lives forever."
-Lene Fogelberg, Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Beautiful Affliction

"A fascinating story about a relatable character that reminds us of the ways in which women's choices are shaped either by the expectations placed upon them or their rebellion against those expectations."
-Jessica Levine, author of The Geometry of Love, a Top 10 Women's Fiction Title in Booklist Nothing Forgotten, Winner of Next Generation Indie Book Award

"An impressively well written and inherently fascinating novel by an author with a genuine flair for originality, character development, and plot manipulation, A Letter in the Wall by author Eileen Brill is all the more exceptional when considering that it is her debut as a novelist."

-Midwest Book Review

"The feelings that linger after the final page will stick around and burn a hole in your pillow late at night"

-Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

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