The Book of Last Letters

Inspired by an incredible true story, a young nurse captures the final letters of injured soldiers – and must make a heart-breaking choice…

London, 1940

When nurse Elsie offers to send a reassuring letter to the family of a patient, she has an idea. She begins a book of last letters: messages to be sent on to wounded soldiers’ loved ones should the very worst come to pass, so that no one is left without a final goodbye.

But one message will change Elsie’s life forever. When a patient makes a devastating request, can Elsie find the strength to do the unthinkable?

London, present day

Stephanie has a lot of people she’d like to speak to: her estranged brother, to whom her last words were in anger; her nan, whose dementia means she is only occasionally lucid enough to talk.

When she discovers a book of wartime letters, Stephanie realises the importance of our final words – and uncovers the story of a secret love, a desperate choice, and the unimaginable courage of the woman behind it all…

A moving and compelling historical novel from the author of The Girl in the Picture, perfect for fans of The Nightingale and The Keeper of Happy Endings.

Readers LOVE Kerry Barrett! ‘Pulls you in right away from the first few pages… Hard to put down… I really enjoyed this book.’ NetGalley reviewer

‘Beautiful and heart-wrenching and so impossible to put down!’ NetGalley reviewer

‘Sucked me in… I had a hard time putting it down.’ NetGalley reviewer

‘This book honestly has it all… Shocking, heart-warming, funny and superbly researched.’ Readers Enjoy Authors’ Dreams

‘Gripping and unputdownable… A brilliantly told story and one I keep thinking about since I finished reading it.’ NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

‘Ticked all of the boxes for me… One of those books that draws you in straight away… I found it difficult to put down.’ NetGalley reviewer