This column, featuring recommended epistolary books appeared in the Dec. 7, 2025, edition of the Omaha World-Herald (NE). It is also available at Omaha.com (opens in a new tab).
Omaha Public Library staff members suggest books in honor of National Letter Writing Day
The Omaha Public Library wants to help readers find new books — or at least books new to them.
Our employees recommend reading based on different writing genres, themes or styles. In honor of National Letter Writing Day today, staff members have suggested their favorite epistolary books — stories told through a collection of documents such as letters, emails, newspaper articles and other materials. Find these books and more at your local branch or omahalibrary.org, opens a new window.
"The Appeal" by Janice Hallett. A mystery and modern-day epistolary novel, this book, like Hallett’s others, gives you documents to sort through and a charge. The reader joins law clerks in piecing together a case by sifting through primary documents (emails, texts, interview transcripts, etc.) to decide if there are grounds for an appeal. You don’t know the crime committed or the convicted person up front; the story reveals itself as you read through the documents of the case. I especially love how the medium plays a part in the mystery. The format itself adds intrigue, contrasting public communication (like "reply all" emails) with private side conversations to reveal inconsistencies and lies. — Courtni Kopietz, marketing manager
"The Butcher's Daughter" by Corrine Leigh Clark and David Demchuk. Many know the story of the demon barber of Fleet Street, Sweeney Todd. But what of his mysterious partner in crime? This delicious and diabolical historical fiction debut prepares and offers up the twisted tale of Mrs. Lovette, from her humble beginnings as a butcher’s daughter to her ultimate end as pie shop owner in the most infamous shop on Fleet Street. — Jessica Pierson, library specialist at the Saddlebrook Branch
"Dracula" by Bram Stoker. Everybody has an idea of who Dracula is, but most are more familiar with the character than Bram Stoker's 1897 novel. The book is told through the form of letters, journal entries and newspaper articles penned by the many protagonists of the story. The result is a complex tale that treats the reader like they’ve uncovered evidence of a mystery rather than picked up a novel. — Kassian Lemke-Elznic, assistant branch manager at the Downtown Branch
Evergreen Tidings From the Baumgartners
"Evergreen Tidings From the Baumgartners" by Gretchen Anthony. This novel focuses on the Baumgartner family and its series of annual Christmas letters. When Violet learns at her husband’s retirement party that their daughter Cerise is expecting a baby with her partner Barb, the shock lands her on the floor with a head injury. Told in a series of flashbacks, the reader learns about the Baumgartners’ world since 1978 as well as the events and issues that are changing their world in 2018. The audio version comes complete with Minnesota accents and laugh out loud conversations. — Theresa Jehlik, strategy & business intelligence manager
The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant
"The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant" by Kayte Nunn. When Esther Durrant is sent to an asylum on a remote island after losing a baby in 1951, she is forced to confront her depression. When Rachel Parker is researching a specific clam species, she is assigned to a nearby island in 2018. The two women’s lives intertwine after Rachel discovers a set of old, unsent love letters in a suitcase. Nunn’s writing evokes a distinct sense of place between the 1950s island setting and the 2018 larger, more populated island setting. — Jehlik
"Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley. "Frankenstein” is a beautiful novel. It’s told in the form of letters written by a man who sets out to explore the North Pole in hopes of a breakthrough. Even the portions that switch to Victor Frankenstein and his creation’s voices are told in first person, which lends an intimacy to the words. This format is not apparent in most of “Frankenstein’s” many film adaptations, and is a key element in many English-language novels of the 19th century. — Lemke-Elznic
"The Gardener" by Sarah Stewart, illustrations by David Small. The sweet story of a country girl who is sent to live in the city with her cantankerous uncle and ends up charming him and befriending the workers at his bakery. Her green thumb transforms not only the bakery but also his heart. — Lisa Kammerer, library specialist at the Willa Cather Branch
"Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn. Although not written entirely in traditional epistolary form, "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn narrates a significant portion of the novel as a diary written by the character Amy Dunne. On the day of her fifth wedding anniversary, Amy vanishes from her home under suspicious circumstances. A toxic marriage is revealed through the alternating perspectives of Amy's diary entries and husband Nick's experiences, presenting a list of possible motives and suspects that leaves the reader hooked until the end. For fans of domestic thrillers, this book is considered one of the most influential of the genre, and it does not disappoint! — Sarah Lewald, assistant branch manager at the W. Clarke Swanson Branch
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
"The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer. Set just after World War II, this story unfolds through a series of letters between a young London author searching for her next story and members of a book club from the island of Guernsey whose stories of life during the German occupation appear to be a story just waiting to be published. Full of heart, hope and the indomitable human spirit during times of hardship, “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society” is brimming with lifelike characters that instantly find their way into your heart. — Emily Ernst, library aide at the Millard Branch
Written as a series of letters, Juliet Ashton travels to the British isle of Guernsey to write about the German occupation during WWII and finds herself charmed by the stories and quirky personalities of the members of the Society. — Samuel Ernst, library specialist at the Millard Branch
"Kate & Frida" by Kim Fay. Frida moved to Paris in 1991 with a desire to become a correspondent in war-torn Bosnia. After writing to a Seattle bookstore looking for a certain title, Frida receives more than just the requested book from Kate. As their correspondence continues, a friendship grows and deepens. This novel is an ode to books, booksellers, a person’s idealistic twenties, and the last years before the Internet changed correspondence forever. — Jehlik
"Love & Saffron" by Kim Fay. When Joan Bergstrom sends a fan letter and some saffron to Imogen Fortier, a monthly columnist for Northwest Home and Life, an unlikely friendship blooms between the two women who are 32 years apart in age. Set in the mid-1960s, this novel explores an America that is just starting to recognize and appreciate the hidden cuisines in their midst. This short, fast-paced, epistolary novel can be consumed in a single afternoon. — Jehlik
"The Quiet Place" by Sarah Stewart, illustrations by David Small. The story of a young Mexican girl who moves with her family to the United States, far from the village and people she loves. In letters to her aunt, she recounts how she has created a quiet place for herself with a large, decorated cardboard box. With additional boxes, she expands her magical space and eventually invites others to see it, making new friends. — Kammerer
"Violeta" by Isabel Allende, and translated by Frances Riddle. This is the story of Violeta del Valle as she approaches her death at 100 in 2020. Set in South America, Violeta details the events that shaped her life from the Spanish Flu in 1920 through COVID-19 in 2020. World events are seen through her eyes as she grows up, marries, has children (not by her husband) and discovers her true passion at 50. Family and people who grew to become family challenge, encourage, and support her journey through life. — Jehlik
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