This book was so amazing! It puts you through an emotional Rollercoaster but it was so worth it!! This is one of the top summer reads of the year in my opinion. It sucks you in andbyou get tangled up in two lives and you don't wanna stop reading it! Percect!!
I just reviewed The Lost Letters from Martha's Vineyard by Michael Callahan. #TheLostLettersfromMarthasVineyard #NetGalley
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4.5 stars rounded up! I love books about Old Hollywood and stories with a Martha's Vineyard setting, so I was instantly intrigued by THE LOST LETTERS FROM MARTHA'S VINEYARD. In alternating timelines, the story takes us back to 1959 and 2018. In the former, Mercy Welles has eschewed her Midwestern roots to become an Oscar-nominated actress, engaged to a director who's also a rising star. But then a broken heart leads her to Martha's Vineyard, where she vanishes from the glamorous Old Hollywood scene to spend a life-changing summer on the island. Decades later, Kit O'Neill, a junior television producer in NYC is grieving the death of her grandmother and helping pack up her attic when she stumbles on a box of souvenirs that turns her world upside down—her doting grandma, who practically raised Kit and her sister, was also the mysterious actress Mercy Welles, who disappeared just as her career was on the rise. Kit is determined to solve the mystery of her grandmother's double life—and it just might lead her to Martha's Vineyard.

I really enjoyed this book! Mystery, suspense, romance, drama—the story has it all. I thought the Martha's Vineyard setting was so vivid and fleshed-out, and the dual timelines were similarly well-done. In terms of things I wanted more of, I wished both of the love stories had been expanded on a little more, as they both felt a little bit rushed, but otherwise, I thought this was the perfect summer read! I'm interested in picking up Callahan's other books, too. Definitely add this one to your beach bag this summer! Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner Books for the ARC.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Really well written and thought out. This book had a great atmosphere and the perfect amount of suspense and also romance. Very enjoyable to read and would make a great beach read as well. Great book.

The Lost Letters From Martha’s Vineyard by Michael Callahan is a book of relationships,, romance and suspenseThe story is told in alternate timelines.The 1959 timeline is about young Hollywood sensation Mercy Welles who vanishes after a trip to Martha’s Vineyard.The 2018 timeline is from the point of view of Kit O’Niell who finds some letters in her deceased grandmothers attic.This novel will keep you turning the pages to find out the secrets!Thank you Net Galley and Mariner books for allowing me to read this arc!It was an entertaining read!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy, a great read, rounding up from 4.5. Mercy Wells (nee Enid Stollmeyer) leaves her family’s farm in Nebraska to pursue a career in Hollywood in the 1950’s. She achieves early success, nominated for an Oscar, and she seems to have found happiness, engaged to be married, when things come crashing down. “Mercy Welles was not the first, nor the last, willowy starlet to bolt the unforgiving glare of the Hollywood spotlight for safer ground, but she remains one of its most unique and mysterious.”

At the urging of her best friend, Cass, Mercy heads to Martha’s Vineyard to take a little time to clear her head. The layers of Mercy’s story are peeled back between her timeline and the present day when, after her death, her granddaughters, Claire and Kit, discover information in her stored belongings that raise questions about their Nan’s past, completely unknown to them. As Kit looks into it, a mystery involving Mercy’s time in Martha’s Vineyard emerges. The title does not indicate the intrigue involved in the book which touches on many issues of the day. The characters are compelling, the pacing good, and the story really absorbing.

Really enjoyed this book. It was suspenseful until the very end. I enjoyed the time jumps. Reminded me of Tara Jenkins Reid. Fun summer read.

As someone from the area with family on MV, I was drawn to this. But it seems like I’m not the audience you want.

A fantastic read! I felt as if I stepped into the 1950’s along with Mercy in her cottage rental in Edgartown. People can be so lovely and so creepy. Who would even begin to think after leaving Hollywood for island paradise in Massachusetts darkness could find her once again.
Jumping to near present day, Marcy’s granddaughter travels to Martha’s Vineyard after finding her Nan’s hidden box in the attic of a life she never knew existed. This is such a wonderful book with many twists and I stayed up late into the night to finish it. I loved every page. Thank you for the ARC.

I loved The Lost Letters from Martha’s Vineyard! This is a sweet romance in a glorious island setting blended with passion, protection, and promise. There is also murder, deception, and lots of love. The combination is captivating, resulting in a story I didn’t want to end.

Thanks to NetGalley and Mariner Books for the opportunity to read this ARC.

A nice read! Enjoyed it but didn't love it. I would like to explore more of the author's work. thanks netgalley & the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The prologue starts off quite intense and it definitely grabbed my attention. However, the rest of the book fell flat in comparison. I enjoyed the two timelines between Kit and her Grandmother, but would have preferred a first person POV instead of third.

It took me a while to get through this one simply because there was never a point where I had to know what happened. The plot became predictable, but I still enjoyed the read.

Martha's Vineyard - 2018 and 1959

2018

Kit O'Neill, a young television producer living in Manhattan, is at her Nan's house with her older sister, going through her grandmother's belongings after her death. They are selling the house, and selling or donating most of its contents. Kit and her sister Claire were brought up by their grandparents after their own parents died in an accident. While going through items in the attic, Kit comes upon a small box tied with a black felt ribbon. Inside is an announcement of a play on Martha's Vineyard for August of 1959, starring Mercy Welles. Kit has no idea who that is or why Nan would have anything from the island, as she had never mentioned it before. There was also a photograph of a woman who looked like her grandmother with a handsome young man. A note card was also found - to someone named Nancy and signed by R. Researching Mercy Welles online, Kit is stunned to see a photograph of none other than Nan! The story of the sudden disappearance of Mercy intrigues Kit, and she is determined to discover just why Nan never spoke of her past.

1959

Mercy Welles, a promising young actress, has retreated to the island of Martha's Vineyard after a break-up with her fiance. Encouraged by her close friend, Cass, to get away from Hollywood, Mercy is just looking for some peace and quiet. Settling into a small cottage, she just wants to soothe her hurting heart, and eventually get on with her professional life. She meets some of the locals who don't seem to recognize her, and since she's using her real name, Edie, they're not likely to. But her introduction to Ren, an oysterman changes some of her plans.

Fitting in with the locals, Mercy is also aware that the family up on the hill in the big house seem to have some secrets. As she gets to know more of the citizens, she figures out that the Sewards in that house have a bit of control over what non-islanders need to know about the tight-knit community. When Mercy agrees to star in a play written by a Black musician who lives on the island, things become even more interesting. But Mercy is not prepared for what happens.

Kit and Mercy's stories are alternated in this intriguing novel. THE LOST LETTERS FROM MARTHA'S VINEYARD is a page-turner with well drawn-out characters. Kit adored her grandmother, but was confused that she and her sister knew so little about her life. When Kit goes to Martha's Vineyard to try and find more information, she is drawn into its intimate lifestyle. Will she find out why Mercy disappeared from Hollywood? Will people even remember Mercy?

Don't miss this terrific novel! It was a Perfect 10 for me. Readers will be surprised at the ending.

I loved this historical novel about a grandmother and her granddaughter ...2 strong characters. and a secret that has been kept for 60 years. Kit, searches for the truth about why her grandmother lived incognito for 60 years after suddenly fleeing Hollywood 60 years ago and changing her name. You will find yourself not wanting to put this book down. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book

This book was such a ride!! So many twists near the end, and the whole story comes together so well. Thank you NetGalley and Mariner Books for the ARC in exchange for a review.

I absolutely loved this book. I thought the pacing & character developments were great. I could not put it down after about 40%. It had some twists & turns I didn't fully expect & even though you know what is going to happen it still completely wrecks you. Definitely a 5 star read for me. Thank you so much for the chance to read this!

In dual timelines over 60 years apart, we get this truly moving story of strong women, the power of love (and secrets), and the bonds of family.

Kit finds something interesting when going through boxes of her recently deceased grandmother Mercy’s things. This brings her to wonder about the woman who raised her. Heading to Martha’s Vineyard to uncover the hidden depths of Mercy, Kit finds a lot more than she ever expected, bringing her closer than ever to the memory of her grandmother.

In the late 50s, running from the pain of a broken heart, Mercy, an up and coming actress ventures to Martha’s Vineyard for some rest and relaxation. A man she meets there pulls her immediately into his orbit and she becomes wrapped up in even more turmoil than before.

This book was so beautifully written. I loved the alternating timelines. Mercy’s story was incredibly compelling, and Kit’s was so pure in nature. I longed for both of these women to get all of the answers they were looking for and enjoyed all of the good and bad moments along the way.

I was drawn to this book because of the Martha’s Vineyard setting and the glimpse into old Hollywood. In that way, I found the older storyline featuring Mercy to be more interesting than the modern storyline with her granddaughter trying to get to the bottom of the secrets she learns about Mercy after she dies. I am always up for a good story about wealthy-family-dysfunction, and Mercy’s Martha’s Vineyard love interest, Ren, is a juicier character because of his family history and dynamics. Mercy’s life takes a distinct change in direction after this Martha’s Vineyard summer, and as the mystery of what happens to her ramps up and reaches its climax, I found that this is where the story started losing me as a reader. The fire, the boat, the Chappaquiddick confrontation (I am being deliberately vague so as not to spoil too much) were more sensational than I enjoyed considering how well-told and believable Mercy’s story had been to that point. The hidden secrets and the modern-day revelations of them weren’t as compelling for me as I found Kit’s character weak and less interesting. The ending and the couple standing at the end of the story made me feel all the more that Mercy and Ren were the ones that deserved happiness and forever together. I suppose that wasn’t the point of the book, which is why I think I didn’t end up liking it as much as so many of the other reviewers. It is a well-written story with an interesting premise, but the book just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner books for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a good, solid mystery. It wasn't so mindblowing that it unnerved me, but it definitely wasn't something that I could see a mile away. I liked the parallel POV narrative. It was paced almost perfectly; just as pieces were revealed to Kit, you heard the story from Mercy's POV.

I felt that both of the romances were incredibly rushed, but it passed by so quickly that it didn't throw me out of the story that much. There was just no character building to give those relationships any weight.

If a good historical, female-led mystery is your thing, this one would make a great beach read for the summer.

"A tantalizing novel of two women bound by blood but divided by a long-buried secret, and the island that holds the key to the fateful summer that changed everything forever."

Having spent much of my childhood on island, I loved revisiting many of my haunts through the pages of Michael Callahan's book. This was a delightful mystery that takes place in modern day, but flashes back to the late 50s in untangling the disappearance Kit O'Neill's grandmother. You'll find love, betrayal, and murder in these pages.

This was a quick read. The characters were believable, the story line held my attention, and I would recommend it as a great vacation read.

My only regret is not being there myself on the beach, under an umbrella, with my toes in the sand. Thanks, Michael, for taking me back!

Thank you to Netgalley and Mariner Books for my advance e-galley.

The Lost Letters from Martha’s Vineyard was a captivating book about a beloved grandma, and her early life that was revealed in pieces to her granddaughter after her death. I loved the deep connections you could feel between the generations, even when they were not physically present.

The story moved along quickly, telling it from two different perspectives, and there were many surprising twists and turns, keeping me fully engaged and helping me to finish the book in a single day. One particular letter had me in tears, the author so authentically capturing the emotion of a specific situation. It was beautiful.

I was initially drawn to the book due to the setting, having spent many summers on Martha’s Vineyard. It does a lovely job highlighting the many historical and modern places on the island and catches that special feeling of driving up island or along beach road. It made me yearn to be on the island soon, though I may never return to Chappy at night. Overall it was a lovely book that I found myself thinking would make an amazing movie.

Thank you NetGalley and Mariner books for the ARC of The Lost Letters from Martha’s Vineyard, in exchange for my honest review.