You Sent Me A Letter by Lucy Dawson (Audiobook)

 

Sophie wakes in the middle of the night to find a stranger in her bedroom. He doesn't harm her but makes it explicit that if she doesn't follow his instructions, to read aloud the letter he leaves to all the guests at her birthday party that evening, danger will befall her and members of her family.

The very opening of You Sent Me A Letter by Lucy Dawson filled me with dread. The simple thought of waking to find a stranger in your room is terrifying. The menacing stranger informs Sophie that his client has left very strict instructions. That evening, at her 40th birthday party, she needs to open and read aloud the letter he is leaving. He also makes it clear that if she doesn't follow his instructions precisely, he'll return. 

Sophie is filled with horror; not only is she concerned for the safety of those she loves, but she's also worried that a terrible secret is about to be uncovered. The brilliant narration of Julie Maisey keeps you on the edge of your seat as Sophie tries to work out who is responsible and what she can do to stop her secret being revealed.

Sophie is convinced that her partner Mark's wife, Claudine, is responsible. She has been difficult throughout their relationship, dragging her heels over divorce proceedings and hostile regarding custody of the children. The narrative does an excellent job of making Claudine the villain and Sophie and Mark a loving couple, prepared to do whatever they are asked to keep everyone happy. 

As the hours tick down towards the birthday party, Sophie tries everything in her power to foil the stranger's plans; however, it becomes obvious that he is watching everything she does. The situation becomes even more frantic when Sophie discovers that Mark has also been hiding a huge secret. The race against time is frenzied. I found myself completely gripped, wondering where the storyline was going, but more importantly, desperate to know how Sophie was going to resolve the situation and who was responsible.

There are twists galore before the conclusion. I was shocked and surprised after each reveal, the type of reveal that has you nodding and thinking "it all makes sense now", only for the author to throw in yet another twist. 

Author Details

Lucy Dawson was a children's magazine editor before she had her first bestselling book, His Other Lover, in 2008. Since then she has published eleven other novels. She lives in Exeter with her husband and children.