Those who carry the truth sometimes bear a terrible burden... Filled with stunning parallels to today's world, The Postmistress is a sweeping novel about the loss of innocence of two extraordinary women-and of two countries torn apart by war. On the eve of the United States's entrance into World War II in 1940, Iris James, the postmistress of Franklin, a small town on Cape Cod, does the unthinkable: She doesn't deliver a letter. In London, American radio gal Frankie Bard is working with Edward R. Murrow, reporting on the Blitz. One night in a bomb shelter, she meets a doctor from Cape Cod with a letter in his pocket, a letter Frankie vows to deliver when she returns from Germany and France, where she is to record the stories of war refugees desperately trying to escape. The residents of Franklin think the war can't touch them- but as Frankie's radio broadcasts air, some know that the war is indeed coming. And when Frankie arrives at their doorstep, the two stories collide in a way no one could have foreseen. The Postmistress is an unforgettable tale of the secrets we must bear, or bury. It is about what happens to love during wartime, when those we cherish leave. And how every story-of love or war-is about looking left when we should have been looking right. Watch a Video
Download and start listening now!
"Story of people on both sides of the Atlantic during WW2. Very moving vignettes of the Jews in Europe as they try to escape danger and equally moving stories of everyday life in the US affected by a war so far away. I really enjoyed it."
— Windy (4 out of 5 stars)
" Interesting, a good flow between 3 women at once. Definite shortfall in that she changed historical facts and an even bigger one in that the basic question was "what is the meaning of life" and none of the characters ever found out. "
— Dana, 2/19/2014" The Postmistress: WWII is such a powerful backdrop. The story survives because of the life given it by history. Otherwise it is limp. I cared for the three female charaters at the middle of the story, but nothing good happened with them. They, to borrow a era appropriate phrase that has become recently rediscovered, simply "Stay calm and Carry On." "
— Ingrid, 2/10/2014" This book is probably what I would describe as beach reading. It had a decent plot, but I found it hard to become truly involved with any of the characters. "
— Geourska, 1/25/2014" Didn't finish, didn't care for it. "
— Mindysue, 1/24/2014" I sat very still for some time after finishing it, reluctant to allow it to release it's grip. Superbly written, haunting. "
— Caroline, 1/21/2014" This book could have been really good. I loved the writing, but the characters were not very engaging and the plot just seemed to drag on and on. "
— Shannon, 1/13/2014" Wow, this one took me a long time to get into. But I like the era (WWII) and the writing got better as the book progressed. One of those stories that really takes you into history, perhaps from a different perspective than you previously considered. Not a must-read, but not a bad one either. "
— Amy, 1/12/2014" I started out giving this one a 3 star rating but as you can see by the end it was a five. "
— Donna, 1/10/2014" This was an enjoyable enough story, but not great writing, and certain elements were downright annoying. "
— Betsy, 9/20/2013" My friend Janet gave me this book a year ago and when I started reading it, I could not put it down. Really good book! "
— Amy, 9/1/2013" One of those great books set in WWII England that I love. "
— Marie, 6/10/2013" This book was interesting and had a good idea behind it...but she was DEFINITELY trying too hard with the writing. Was ridiculous in parts. "
— Jennifer, 5/6/2013" A story of three women whose lives are brought together in the years before USA entered into WWII. Sad, but wonderfully evocative in describing Germany in the early years of the war "
— JoDee, 3/11/2013" An interesting take on WW2 with a journalist and a postmaster leading the story lines. It was an easy read, predictable at times, and she uses too much description at times. "
— Regina, 2/24/2013" Expected so much more. The characters were not particularly engaging or fully fleshed out nor were their backstories. They were nearly uni-dimensional. The most interesting part of the book dealt with the Blitz and Frankie Ward's trip through Occupied France and Germany. "
— Lynn, 1/28/2013" People can't imagine what they don't understand. "
— SaraJane, 10/26/2012" I thought this was a good book though unbelievable. It a World War II story before the US gets involved told from the perspective of a small town New England postmistress, a young doctor's new bride and a female American radio journalist in London. "
— Champaign, 8/15/2012" I chose the book because I thought the storyline was a good one. Unfortunately, I found the writing disjointed and confusing. The story seemed to drag, except in the chapters where Frankie goes to Germany and occupied France. It took me forever to finish it; I just wasn't that into it. "
— Janelle, 7/20/2012" This book was enjoyable enough mostly for the disjoint between the terrible inhumanity going on in Europe while Americans were oblivious. "
— Natalie, 2/3/2012" Meanders through the lives of characters not fleshed out enough to make you feel any connection. The end made me feel like it was kind of a quick wrap-up because the author was no longer interested in the story. "
— Lori, 9/26/2011" Kind of slow. I didn't care about any of the characters. Meh. "
— Heather, 5/24/2011" I wanted to love this story but I felt a little cheated at the end. I'm glad I read her novel because Blake is a talented writer and I appreciated her development of thought-provoking questions. Maybe she wanted me - the reader - to fill in the holes she created. "
— Sandy, 5/24/2011" a favorite novel of 2011 thus far "
— RF, 5/23/2011" Cute premise, but did not feel like it had much depth. <br/> "
— Bethgentner, 5/23/2011" WW II, consequences of decisions made to protect another person from grief. Right or wrong? Such a good book, well-written, carries the reader along with compassion, involvement. "
— Doris, 5/22/2011" How this was on the best seller list, I will never know! The concept of the plot itself was good. However, the writing did not live up to the story line. Hard to track characters' motivations. Dialogue was underdeveloped. Not sure why characters did what they did. Skip this one. "
— Sandy, 5/22/2011" A simple tale with more than meets the eye of the reader. "
— Karen, 5/21/2011" It took me awhile to care about the characters, but exactly half-way through the book it all "clicked" and I enjoyed the rest of the story. "
— Jane, 5/21/2011" The book started slow and got better. Character development was good. It was spotty in terms of historical accuracy: some parts seemed spot-on, some were wildly "creative". "
— Ss, 5/20/2011" A very interesting, gut-wrenching, different view of early WWII and the people caught in it. Perhaps a little heavy on the introspection, but it's worth reading and thinking on. "
— Kathy, 5/19/2011" I listened to the audio version of this book. Some of the characters seemed a bit modern in their thoughts and actions. I had a hard time understanding Dr. Will Fitch, but I liked Frankie Bard. "
— Georgene, 5/17/2011" Beautiful prose, but the plot left something to be desired. I just didn't buy into the main premise. "
— Ross, 5/17/2011Sarah Blake lives in Washington, DC, with her husband, the poet Josh Weiner, and their two sons.
Orlagh Cassidy, an American actress of stage, television, and film, is an audiobook narrator who has twice won the prestigious Audie Award for best narration, as well as many AudioFile Earphones Awards. She is a graduate of SUNY at Purchase and a recipient of the Princess Grace Foundation Scholarship. She has been seen on and off Broadway and in films, including Definitely Maybe and Calling It Quits. Her television credits include roles in Law & Order and Sex and the City and as Doris Wolfe on Guiding Light.