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The Last Letter (The Letter Series Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Kathleen Shoop (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.1 out of 5 stars 2,654
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"Gripping historical fiction—A tale of two women finding meaning behind all that went wrong in their lives. A timeless tale of redemption with the best plot-twist at the end I've seen in a long, long time. Can't wait for book two!" New York
Times and USA Today bestselling author, Melissa Foster

Katherine wouldn't have believed it if she hadn't found the letter...

In the summer of 1905 Katherine Arthur's mother arrives on her doorstep, dying, forcing her to relive a past she wanted to forget. When Katherine was young, the Arthur family had been affluent city dwellers until shame sent them running for the prairie, into the unknown. Taking her family, including young Katherine, to live off the land was the last thing Jeanie Arthur had wanted, but she would do her best to make a go of it. For Jeanie's husband Frank it had been a world of opportunity. Dreaming, lazy Frank. But, it was a society of uncertainty--a domain of natural disasters, temptation, hatred, even death. 



Ten-year-old Katherine had loved her mother fiercely, put her trust in her completely, but when there was no other choice, and Jeanie resorted to extreme measures on the prairie to save her family, she tore Katherine's world apart. Now, seventeen years later, and far from the homestead, Katherine has found the truth – she has discovered the last letter. After years of anger, can Katherine find it in her heart to understand why her mother made the decisions that changed them all? Can she forgive and finally begin to heal before it's too late?

**Independent Publisher Awards**
2011 Gold Medal, Best Regional Fiction-Midwest

**National Indie Excellence Book Awards**
2011 Finalist Award-Historical Fiction
2011 Finalist Award-Regional Fiction

**USA Best Books 2011 Awards**
Winner, Fiction--Western
Finalist, Fiction--Historical
Finalist, Best New Fiction

**International Book Awards**
2011 Finalist Award-Historical Fiction
2011 Finalist Award-Best New Fiction
Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 4
    The Letter Series
  2. Print length
    367 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    April 23, 2011
  6. File size
    1857 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Kathleen Shoop, PhD, is a language arts coach in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Last Letter (2011 IPPY Gold Award Winner--Best Regional Fiction, Midwest) is her debut novel. She is published in four Chicken Soup for the Soul books and regularly places articles and essays in local magazines and newspapers. Kathleen is also married and the mother of two children.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B004XR50K6
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ (April 23, 2011)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 23, 2011
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1857 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 367 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1456347209
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 out of 5 stars 2,654

About the author

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Kathleen Shoop

Kathleen Shoop

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Bestselling author, Kathleen Shoop, holds a PhD in reading education and has more than 20 years of experience in the classroom. She writes historical fiction, women’s fiction and romance. Shoop’s novels have garnered various awards in the Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY), Eric Hoffer Book Awards, Indie Excellence Awards, Next Generation Indie Book Awards, Readers’ Favorite and the San Francisco Book Festival. Kathleen has been featured in USA Today and the Writer’s Guide to 2013. Her work has appeared in The Tribune-Review, four Chicken Soup for the Soul books and Pittsburgh Parent magazine. Kathleen coordinates Mindful Writing Retreats and is a regular presenter at conferences for writers.

I adore writing historical fiction (The Letter series, After the Fog and Donora Stories that are coming soon!) but am having a blast writing romance like Home Again, Return to Love and Tending Her Heart (Endless Love series). Thank you so much for the time you take to read.

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
2,654 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Larissa
5.0 out of 5 stars Very good story.
Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2023
Verified Purchase
I could just imagine myself in the place and time set within the story. All of the hardships this family had endured. The characters were well developed and you could feel compassion for them. I totally reccommend ths book.
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Charles A. Ray
4.0 out of 5 stars The past remembered
Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2018
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For 17 years Katherine Arthur has had conflicting feelings about her mother who, after their father left them on the prairie, seemed distant, uncaring, and remote. Now, after nearly two decades, she comes upon a bunch of letters that tell the true story of those turbulent times, and in particular, a last letter from her missing father that puts them into startlingly clear perspective. She is faced with a dilemma; can she finally forgive her mother after so much time has passed?

The Last Letter by Kathleen Shoop, though fiction, is based in part on the history of the author’s own family. Told from two perspectives; the present (1922) from Katherine’s point of view, and the events of 1905 from her mother’s viewpoint, it gives a frightening, and fresh new perspective on frontier life and its impact on the families that had to endure incredible hardships and conflict.

The first book in a series, it chronicles our past in a refreshing—though disturbing—new way. An enlightening read that I highly recommend.
5 people found this helpful
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MarW
3.0 out of 5 stars Poor decsions (author and main character) mar an otherwise interesting book
Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2011
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I had a bit of trouble getting into this novel, but after the first couple of chapters, it became very compelling. I originally would have given it four stars, but the more I thought about it, there were aspects of the plot that were ultimately unsatisfying. To the author's credit, she has done a good job of researching the historical period she is writing about, and conveys a vivid picture of the difficulties of pioneer life. That being said, like other reviewers have stated, she seems to have created an amalgam of prairie catastrophes (fire, grasshoppers, multiple blizzards) and rolled them into a single year. There are also some editing issues - word usage ("tending sheep would be fool-hearty", "her parent's crippled past", "You're womanizing and opium eating.") and use of terms that do not fit with the period ("Maven of Domesticity"). Only Jeanie is developed as a character, and she does not come off well. It is obvious that poor decisions have ruined her life (and, by extension, those of her children), but instead of learning from her impulsive elopement experience and early marriage, she only seems to make more poor decisions.

There are issues in the plot that don't make sense, including one crucial one - if Jeanie is attempting to go to her barn in a blinding blizzard, how does she end up at Ruthie's house, which, based on the distances described in the book, would be almost impossible to reach under those conditions? Why does she make any of the several poor decisions she makes after the blizzard? Some of them truly defy rational explanation. Why does her son who became a minister refuse to forgive her when she is dying? The author states in the Acknowledgments section that the novel is loosly based on the lives of her grandparents, although "The book is pure fiction". That being the case, the author could have made some different choices in her plot and characterizations, which would have made the book more believable. She left a lot of unanswered questions about Katherine's life after she left the prairie and the reasons for her negative feelings. The experiences of her other children also are not discussed. All of this consipires to lead the reader to a very unsatisfying ending. Unlike other books which flip back and forth between two time periods, the technique is used very well and is not confusing, but the omission of so many years between the two leaves too much of a gap in the story.
One person found this helpful
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Megan E. Farrell
5.0 out of 5 stars Riveting Read
Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2012
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The Last Letter
I read this book a few months ago, but feel compelled to write a review because I cannot get the characters out of my mind. The main character, Jeanie Arthur, is strong but not in the anachronistic way that is so prevalent (unfortunately) in historial fiction. Instead, her strength derives from being a traditional woman and mother. She is not perfect and the author plainly does not want us to think that she is; for example, she portrays Jeanie as somewhat of a hypocrite based on her former life as a privileged woman who did minimal housework but wrote a newspaper column about it. Jeanie also makes a choice toward the end of the book that was not uncommon at the time, but is very distasteful to our modern sensibilities. But we still root for Jeanie because of her strong character. The family undergoes a number of hardships and disasters that, again, were not uncommon or unrealistic. But through it all Jeanie keeps herself and her family together as best she can.

The book is beautifully written, particularly the most tragic parts in which emotion is conveyed in simple yet effective phrases and gestures. The flashbacks are also very well done. The story is clearly in the past; as such, the author made a good choice to create tension by showing the present but not dwelling in it. There are surprise plot developments towards the end that genuinely shocked me; but the groundwork was laid for them so they were not unfair or far-fetched. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it highly.
10 people found this helpful
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Pww
4.0 out of 5 stars Life on the prairie
Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2022
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Well written about the life of a family through difficult times. Characters described well. So much sadness.. Ending pulls story all together.
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Top reviews from other countries

ginsbin
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Surprise
Reviewed in Canada on February 26, 2018
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This book was well written and a wonderful surprise. I didnt expect this little gem from a free book. I highly recommend it to anyone who would appreciate a fiction novel with historocally accurate references. The characters were beautifully developed and i camr away with i believe a greater understanding of the pioneers hardships and increased empathy for my fellow man. If a book can do that i consider it to be a good read. This was a great read and i will definitely look for further titles from this author.
One person found this helpful
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beckvalleybooks
5.0 out of 5 stars A very moving and emotional read and I loved every minute of this wonderful and powerful story
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 10, 2014
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What a book and what an absolute impact it had on me. A very moving and emotional read and I loved every minute of this wonderful and powerful story. This is the very first book I have read by Kathleen Shoop, I have read so many positive reviews on her writing skills that I really wanted to read one of her books and after reading the description I knew this was the one. This story had me hooked, took hold of me and transported me into the story and into the prairie life. I felt all the emotions within it, sadness, joy, loss, grief, anger, frustration, my heart felt as if it was actually about to break as I became completely overwhelmed.

There is so much of this story that I want to share with you to give you a taste of it yet to spoil the story for you is not what I am going to do.

The story follows Jeanie, a caring mother and a duty bound wife. Jeanie had everything, a family to be proud of, social standing and all the money and comforts one would need until the scandal hit and she finds she has to leave everything behind to save her family through no fault of her own. She loyally goes with her husband, Frank, and children to start their new unknown life, to live in a dug out on the wild, harsh and unforgiving prairie. Despite everything Jeanie wants the best for her children and continues to believe in keeping up appearances even when faced with the lack of love and the growing resentment towards Frank. She is determined that they will survive each cruel blow that life and the hard prairie life brings their way. Jeanie will do what needs to be done for her family to survive.

Katherine, eldest daughter of Jeanie is now grown up, married with children of her own and the date is 1905. She has lived almost all of her adult life feeling nothing but anger resentment for her mother Jeanie, because of unanswered questions. Her husband persuades Katherine to now take in her dying mother along with her younger sister, Yale. Along with them comes letters from the past, will these help Katherine finally piece together those tormented events.

Katherine Shoop's writing is superb, your scooped up into the story and the reason I think I felt so emotional was the pure connection the author makes happen between the reader and characters. I have to admit one of my favourite television programmes while growing up was, well actually still is, Little House on the Prairie with Joe and Caroline Ingalis, that was the romantic side of living on the prairie what you will find in this book is the tough reality and the way the author describes the events makes it so vivid and totally believable.

I have found another book from reviewing that I will cherish forever, I will read this again without a doubt and am desperately awaiting the next book in the series from this amazing author.
One person found this helpful
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Sue Perkins
4.0 out of 5 stars Life on the Prairie
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 4, 2022
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A good book and very entertaining, but I wouldn't buy another in the series as I feel everything regarding the theme has already been said. Life on the prairie was obviously hard and many suffered enormously and the author showed this extremely well.
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Kindle Customer avid elderly reader
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting read
Reviewed in Canada on January 26, 2018
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Enjoyed the book.
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Syl Han
3.0 out of 5 stars Too many disasters
Reviewed in Canada on July 9, 2013
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The story moved along quickly and held my interest. The characters were well-developed and the theme of a wife and mother trying to hold her family together, with no help from a useless husband, will strike a cord with many readers.
However the sheer number of disasters occurring in one year is not believable.
I also found the philosophical conversations between the mother and her 10 year-old daughter and 13 year-old son
rather odd. These children had a vocabulary worthy of doctoral students in philosophy. The 10 year old son who "found religion" also spoke in a manner way beyond his age. Were children in the late eighteen hundreds really that intelligent?
I hope this author will continue to tell us stories that are a bit more realistic.
4 people found this helpful
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