Book Title: Dead Letters by P.J. Murphy
Category: Adult Fiction (18+), 349 pages
Genre: Mystery, Literary Fiction
Publisher: P.J. Murphy
Release date: May 2023
Content Rating: PG-13 +M. The book is not violent, and swearing is infrequent. There are a number of references to ghosts, but the atmosphere is more gothic than scary (with one exception). However, it is a book aimed squarely at adults, with references to depression and mental illness.
“If you want to find me, search within these pages.”
Bestselling author Richard Debden is missing. The only clue: a copy of his unpublished final novel delivered to his ex-girlfriend, Amy. When those closest to Richard reunite for his memorial, Amy turns to Chris, his former best friend, to help unravel the mystery. Could Richard still be alive and in need of their help?
Richard’s manuscript tells of two abandoned children in wartime Britain, instructed by a shadowy Postmaster to deliver letters to ghosts and release them from their torment. As Chris and Amy delve into the text, they identify parallels between fiction and reality; clues to a trail that leads across the country and – they hope – to Richard.
But they are not the only interested party. A mysterious society is following them, their motives unclear. Can Chris and Amy unlock the secrets of Dead Letters, or will more sinister forces get there first?
Dead Letters is the captivating second novel by P.J. Murphy, author of Troubleshot.
P.J. Murphy writes novels that introduce unusual and humorous twists to classic genres. If you pick up one of his books, you’re in for an interesting read that never loses its sense of fun. As a writer, P.J. tries to stick to the adage ‘write what you know’, although with the addition, ‘just make sure you exaggerate and distort it beyond all recognition’. He is planning to write a novel about taking a road trip with a parrot. He has never owned a parrot.
connect with author: website ~ facebook ~ goodreads
How much of yourself should you put into your books?
Whether we like it or not, novels are infused with personal perspectives – those of the reader and the writer. My second novel, Dead Letters, follows characters trying to unravel the truths behind the fiction. The idea came after readers of my previous work told me that they recognised people and places, and believed they knew what had inspired them. I thought, ‘There’s a mystery novel in that!’
Interestingly, even though Dead Letters plays with the blur between fiction and reality, I’ve still had readers read passages in the novel as though they come straight from me. Maybe this is inevitable, given that the novel is written from a first-person perspective, but the narrator is clear: it’s Chris, the book’s protagonist, not me! It’s his view of the world we’re seeing, not mine. Actually, it’s my view of what I think his view of the world might be.
I’ll stop there before we get sucked deeper into the rabbit hole.
Let’s get back to the basics. Writing is about creating believable worlds populated by believable characters. To do this, it must be based on truth, and truth is based on experience. So, it’s inevitable that bits and pieces of real life end up in novels. When I read disclaimers at the front of novels, indicating that they are entirely a work of fiction, I don’t see how that can be true. Not if you take that statement at absolute face value. All fictions are based on reality of some sort.
Still, it’s easy to take things too far. I think it’s important to avoid using a novel purely as a vehicle to espouse one’s own opinion. This happens inevitably to some extent, and clever writers will conceive a novel to take readers on a journey that brings them to the same viewpoint as them. That’s not what I’m talking about: I’m talking about explicit preachiness and overt judgements I sometimes come across. These subvert the story, taking us away from the characters and the action. If we want to read an opinion piece, we don’t pick up a novel.
My next novel, Yesterday’s Shadow, is a coming-of-age story about homelessness and the dark side of faith. It’s also written in the first person. How much of myself is there in the main character? Quite a lot, actually. I’m bracing myself for the judgement…
This looks like a great read.
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