Published February 27, 2014 by Hodder and Stoughton
ABOUT THE BOOK: Part historical novel, part
modern cautionary tale, MRS. SINCLAIR’S SUITCASE weaves
the stories of stoic Dorothea, an unhappy World War II-era British housewife
circa 1940, and her present day granddaughter Roberta, a lonely bookstore clerk
whose life in 2010 is seemingly stalled. When Roberta stumbles upon an
old letter inside her centenarian grandmother’s battered suitcasefrom
Jan Pietrykowski, her grandfather, to her grandmother, Dorothy, she’s baffled
by its contents. Dated the year after her grandfather
supposedly died, it calls into question everything Roberta ever knew about her
family history. As she digs into the mystery, Roberta uncovers a secret
so momentous it sends shockwaves for generations to come. Who
was Mrs. D. Sinclair, the name found labeled inside the old
valise? What was her connection to Dorothea Pietrykowski? And why
did Dorothea lie about the details of Jan Pietrykowski’s death? War looms
large in Louise Walters’s story, delivering an utterly original account of
love, betrayal, and family secrets, that lingers in memory long after the final
page is turned.
My Thoughts…
Mrs. Sinclair’s Suitcase is the story of two incredible
women. Dorthea’s story is set during
WWII. Roberta’s is more current. The two stories weave around each other
almost coming together but taking their own sweet time intertwining. I guessed at how these two amazing ladies
would come together, but it was not until later in the book that I finally
figured it out.
The timeframe of Dorthea’s life is my favorite. I love the 40’s and everything WWII
related. I find it interesting to see
how the world went on living with such a huge war going on. It is also intriguing to me to see how
those who are not “in the war” are coping and living. Of course, Dorthea’s story is my favorite. I loved how she mothered the girls, I ached
for the lost babies, and I wished for a happy ending for her.
Roberta’s story was more of a mystery. I felt like she had unfinished history to
discover and was uncovering it piece by piece. With each letter, picture, or card she
found in a book at the book store where she works more is revealed about her
father, mother, and grandmother. I
was intrigued. I made guesses as to
what she would find out when the entire story was shared. As she went about her life I ached for her
loneliness. I wanted her to find out
her history, but I also felt she needed to be able to move forward. She needed to accept her life and come to
terms with her family. She also needed
to open herself up to find friends and make relationships.
The first part of the book is a little slow. Not painfully slow, it is perfectly
slow. The speed gives the reader the
chance to really get to know and understand the characters. Once you hit half-way the book takes off
and the clues come flying as to what will happen with the rest of the
story.
I definitely recommend checking out Mrs. Sinclair’s
Suitcase.
Book Links
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Louise Walters lives in
Northamptonshire with her husband Ian and their five children. She has written
poetry as well as fiction, in between raising five children and earning an
Honors degree in Literature over a twelve-year stretch. Louise also worked in a
second-hand bookshop where, among the well-worn pages, she found a host of
forgotten treasures, an experience which inspired Mrs. Sinclair’s Suitcase.
Fantastic praise for MRS. SINCLAIR’S SUITCASE:
“Musty books, unrequited love, and old family secrets
combine to create a crackling multigenerational saga infused with passion,
pathos, and evocative WWII-era historical detail. Plenty of
book-club and cinematic potential in this irresistible page-turner.” —Booklist
"A breathtaking, beautifully crafted tale of loves that
survive secrets." —Kirkus Reviews
"A solid debut . . . [that] may appeal to those who
have also liked bookishly romantic stories such as Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie
Barrows's The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society or Gabrielle
Zevin's The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry." —Library Journal
“A moving reminder that history is not just a pageant of
world-shaking events, but a weave of individual lives that are often as
inspiring as they are tragic.” —David R. Gillham, author of the New
York Times–bestseller City of Women
“A riveting debut with an impeccably researched past and
charismatic present-day voices. Mrs. Sinclair’s Suitcase is
like opening a literary treasure chest, full of sharp-edged gems glittering
with all the beauty and heartache of humanity. You’re sure to carry this story
with you wherever you go. I know I will.” —Sarah McCoy, author of
the New York Times and international bestseller The Baker’s Daughter and The
Mapmaker’s Children
“Vivid and seductive, the tale begins in a blazing crash in
World War II and twists through a tangle of mysterious circumstances,
misunderstandings, and repressed desires. Irresistible . . .” —Karen
Mack and Jennifer Kaufman, authors of the national bestseller Freud’s Mistress
“Louise Walters has crafted a heartbreaking story of love
and all its faces.” —Jessica Brockmole, author of Letters from
Sky
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