Publication Date: May 27, 2025
From the creator of the 2017 film All I Wish comes the heartbreaking story of two strangers searching for the truth about their families—and discovering a secret that will change their lives forever.
Jane’s father is far from perfect. But his sudden death brings crushing grief. As Jane grapples with her pain, life delivers another blow: a stack of letters pointing to a secret life. A life her father shared with another woman…who may have had his child.
Across the country, sixteen-year-old Adam is self-destructing. His adoptive parents never intended to show him the unsigned letters from his birth mother, but he is desperate for answers, even if they hurt.
Jane and Adam are on a collision course, but not for the reasons we might suspect. Because the letters do not tell the whole story. What is true is that Adam and Jane are both looking for a woman who does not want to be found.
A family saga spanning two decades, this emotional story explores how good things can grow from the ashes of old scars.
Discovering a packet of letters among her father’s possessions after his death shatters Jane’s perception of the man she thought she knew. Instead, the letters reveal a secret lover and the possibility of another child. Meanwhile, a teen boy opens a set of letters from his birth mom, leaving him with more questions than answers.
Author Susan Walter delivers an emotional exploration into discovering unexpected secrets in Letters from Strangers. Part love story, part mystery, the events unfold based on three perspectives—the teenager, Jane, and the other woman. Spanning both the past and the present, the book switches perspectives while showcasing a letter.
Both Jane and Adam are looking for answers, especially in light of other things happening in their lives. However, the answers they seek depend on someone else’s willingness to respond. And that someone else doesn’t want to be found. What ensues is a showcase of messy emotions that will tug at your heartstrings. Each character struggles with something—whether it’s Jane’s infertility or Adam’s battle to lose weight.
At the core, it’s a study of relationships. Whether it’s Jane’s relationship with her family and husband or Adam’s relationship with his parents, each set of letters serves as a potential stick of dynamite. Inspired by real events, the story will capture your heart as you move through what you think is an expected outcome. Surprise! It’s not often that I pull out a highlighter, but this story packs some meaningful thoughts. In pondering what crises are for, Jane notes, “to remind us that life hurts, and you’re damn lucky if you don’t have to go through it alone.”
Letters from Strangers illustrates the destruction secrets cause while providing hope for healing to occur.
Susan Walter is the author of four novels of suspense: Lie by the Pool, Good as Dead, Over Her Dead Body, and Running Cold. She was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. After being given every opportunity—and failing—to become a concert violinist, Walter attended Harvard University. She had hoped to be a newscaster, but the local TV station hired her to write and produce promos instead. Seeking sunshine and a change of scenery, she moved to Los Angeles to work in film and television production. Upon realizing writers were having all the fun, Walter transitioned to screenwriting, then directing. She wrote and made her directorial debut with the 2017 film All I Wish, starring Sharon Stone.
