I really enjoyed this book although the subject matter was harrowing. It kept my interest to the end and I did not expect the ending.

It is heartbreaking that unmarried mothers were sent away to give birth and have their babies adopted in such barbaric inhumane conditions. The author takes this factual basis and weaves it into a modern family story of a single mother from a dysfunctional family who finds a letter from Ivy and decides - as a reporter - to explore the back story. Her investigation then impacts on her own family and brings out some long held secrets.

A riveting read.

Thank you for providing me with a copy of this book. The mystery kept me intrigued. Sensitive subject matter dealt with in a great way.

The context in which this book is written, based on the Magdalene laundries sets a harrowing story. I enjoyed reading the book. I have two views of this book. The first is about the appalling conditions and treatment of the young girls and the second is the plot itself. The way the first is depicted I thought was excellent and the subject of the letters, Ivy, was powerful, well described well developed. She evoked strong feelings in me as the reader. The second, the plot is also interesting with a good story line. However, for me, what I needed was a bit more development of the back story. We are not provided with enough of the why, how or when. The story rushes together at the end and left me feeling 'well how did all this happen'. I thought the authors notes at the end were interesting.

What a great read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and struggled to put it down. I really felt I connected with the character Sam, single mum struggling to work full time and look after her daughter whilst dealing with the separation from her husband. The whole story had me gripped from start to finish. I can usually work out a "who done it" by the time i am half way through a book, yet i didn't work this out and was totally surprised by the turn of events. It really is tragic to think that years ago this type of thing really happened. Well done Emily, what a great read

The Girl in the Letter is an engaging mystery based around a home where young, unmarried, pregnant girls were sent to have their babies in the 60s. Told from the perspectives of two main characters and jumping forwards and backwards in time to tell the story, the book keeps you interested until the end. I found the writing to be a little clunky at times but enjoyed the story and thought it was further improved by the references at the end to the author's research into the true stories of these homes, in Ireland and the UK

This book is certainly heart-wrenching,as described.It gives a very grim and realistic depiction of life for unmarried mothers in the dreadful homes run by the Catholic Church right up until the 70s.It tells the story of Ivy,an unmarried mother,and Sam,a journalist who finds letters from Ivy in her grandmother's possession.
The story continually jumps from the past to the present,which I found confusing at times,but the plot held my attention.I felt at times that it became overly descriptive when I wanted the plot to move on but it certainly highlighted the issue which really mattered to the author,the idea that no-one has really been held to account for the awful way in which these young women were treated by the Church.

A harrowing story of young girls being forced to give up their babies which then uncovers the terrible conditions and cruelty they faced by people who should have been protecting them although not a true story knowing that this treatment of these young girls did happen make's this novel even more poyniant and a story that needed telling a spine chilling read but very well written and thoroughly believable a must read

This tantalising book proves that the past is rarely a foreign country that is seldom visited. On the contrary, it has deep resonance with our lives in the present, even when we barely register it. And sometimes it jumps out to bite us.

One way we keep the past alive is via old letters that provide intriguing clues to events that took place, as we see here. These surviving relics are rich in mystery and unsolved secrets, ones that link generations and provide evidence to help convict the guilty and assist the living.

Ivy Jenkins, the letter writer, was among other young, vulnerable, pregnant or newly delivered girls we encounter. They met with ill treatment, cruelty and scorn from the nuns, who were supposed to take care of them and their infants.

Those without a partner willing to marry them, severed family ties and no financial support, fail to leave after their confinement. They are forced instead to work for their keep and to offer up their babies for adoption. The child's future remains unknown to them.

It's a heartbreaking scenario and one based on true, historical events. The author pulls no punches in revealing just how very painful it is for these girls to part ways with their infants and to be virtual slaves for the nuns, who punish them severely for their perceived sins.

Back in the present, Samantha Harper, an ambitious journalist, who has the letters in her family's possession, gets wind of the imminent demolition of St Margaret's (the Home for unwed mothers, where Ivy was kept) and has a race against time to unearth its secrets before it gets demolished.

I love the way history, mystery and justice combine in this gem of a novel. Each character is finely and sympathetically drawn. It's a pacey read whereby we desperately hope for a good outcome. It's a heartbreaking yet ultimately heartwarming story. Highly recommended. Keep the tissues handy!

This is a well-written, well-crafted novel dealing with a couple of the difficult topics which have emerged in news reports over the past few years. Not wishing to reveal spoilers, all I can say is that it concerns a former mother-and-baby home run by Roman Catholic nuns, with collusion from some prominent members of the local community, including from the medical profession. Inevitably, there are questions of identity and of truth. The
vital back stories are woven expertly into the text, not interrupting the flow of what is happening in the "present", and, if the reader pays attention, the final twist will not come as a surprise.

I read this in one sitting. In the five days since I finished it, I have not felt myself ready to pick up and begin another novel, such was the impact of this book. Many thanks to the publishers and to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of "The Girl in the Letter" in exchange for this honest review.

This is a very powerful story of events that were covered up as much as possible for decades. In a way it is more shocking than the Magdalene laundries because it happened in England. The story is gripping and has a bit of a twist at the end. As is common with these sorts of thrillers there are a number of strands set at different times which are weaved together to slowly uncover the full horror of what happens. A real page-turner.

Twistier and much darker than I expected a very good read reminiscent of several books I've read in recent years about the Magdalen laundries in Ireland where unwed girls were sent to give birth to their illegitimate babies and made to love and work in appallingly brutal conditions, then forced to give up their children.

This a dual time aspect book sweeping back and forth between 1956 and now, over the span of this 60 year period there have been many secrets and lies surrounding St Margarets home for unmarried mothers run by harsh uncaring nuns. Samantha is a well known journalist who is trying to uncover the story of a young woman who tells her story of her time in this cruel institution in a letter. But the home is due for demolition so she needs to move quickly. There is Kitty looking for her missing sister and back in the past young Ivy's story will tear your heart out.

There is mystery and confusion as the true story and the womens links to each other are gradually revealed and what actually happened is even more shocking and cruel than having your child taken away after giving birth.

The style of story telling really does remind me of Lesley Pearse and it will undoubtedly appeal to fans of hers who want something a little more gritty than the more usual 1950s saga. The story seems far fetched but is nevertheless believable because documented evidence of this comparatively recent atrocity is readily available and it is all within living memory for so many women and yet so much has now changed for the better that it seems as though it must have happened centuries ago.

Gripping, twisty and heart wrenching.

Thank you for allowing me to review this book.
This is the compelling story of what happened to some pregnant unfortunate girls who were unlucky enough to be sent away by their priests and/or families to a Home run by nuns. in the 60s in England.

The storyline is skilfully interwoven with a present day journalist who decides to investigate after finding some letters at her grandmother's home. The author has unflinchingly written of the cruelties of the nuns and medical associates during that period.

An engrossing first novel if a somewhat uncomfortable read

I simply couldn’t imagine having to give up a child, that would be heartbreaking enough. But to endure the torturous conditions during pregnancy and afterwards without the reward of those baby milestones must have been soul destroying!
Written with so much knowledge on the subject of mother and baby homes, it was truly shocking to know that this was still happening in my lifetime.
With a murderous undercurrent of revenge, you still can’t really lay blame as the characters are so well written you can almost feel what they feel and understand why the murderer acts as they do.

This was a powerful book - page turning, gripping and enlightening. Read it! What was hidden in the 1950s about unmarried pregnant young girls is appalling and this is a topic which must be brought out in to the open now. Nuns, as we have been taught, are usually kind and compassionate, this story is the exact opposite and heart wrenching as to what these terrible women did to these poor young girls before, during and after childbirth and put these babies up for immediate adoption or worse, if they were disabled, dispose of them in an utterly cruel way. I won't say more, but just read the book, talk about it and spread the word.

I enjoyed this book it's hard to believe that nuns could be so cruel. The story centres around a home for unmarried women who were expecting babies.it follows the family's involved and the fallout of the cruel way these women were treated by the people who ran the home.i would recommend this to fans of Lisa Jewell.

I have been an avid reader all my life and I can honestly say that this book is one of the best I have ever read! Thought provoking and gripping it has all the ingredients to make it an absolute best seller. The story is based around a mother and baby home in the UK in the 1950’s. Lots of twists, dark mystery and intrigue ensured that I didn’t guess the ending at all. I always looked forward to Penny Vincenzi’s new releases and I now eagerly await her daughters next publication! Highly recommend. Many thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to read this story that will stay with me for a long time.

This book is mind-blowing, in my opinion. It is heart rending in so many ways. The Roman Catholic church was still all powerful to their parishoners in the 1950s and they used their power to humiliate - and worse - young women who were pregnant without being married. This is the story of a fictional home in Sussex. It is told in the past and the present and is the story of descendents of mothers who gave birth there and of a reporter who is trying to find out just what did happen.

I couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting. Now I need to sit quietly and come to terms with what I've read.

Gripping story that opened my eyes to activities inside Ireland's mother and baby homes
Well worth a read

This book grabbed my attention very quickly and it never really let go. The plotting was good, but this was really about the characters for me. The story was a little predictable at times, but the characters continued to develop until the end and I found this to be the highlight of this well written book.

Girl in the Letter by Emily Gunnis is the sad story of unmarried girls who are sent by their families to mother and baby homes to give birth and the way they are treated while they are there. This book also tells the story of Kitty who is looking for her sister who was left at the home and Samantha the journalist who will stop at nothing for this story to be told. I would like to thank NetGalley and Headline for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.