The Lost Letter

A heartbreaking, heartwarming historical novel of love and survival, inspired by real resistance workers during World War II in Austria, and the mysterious love letter that connects generations of families.

Austria, 1938. Kristoff is a young apprentice to a master Jewish engraver. When his teacher disappears during Kristallnacht, Kristoff is forced to engrave stamps for the Germans. Simultaneously, he works alongside Elena, his beloved teacher’s fiery daughter, and with the Austrian resistance to send underground messages and forge papers. As he falls for Elena amid the brutal chaos of war, Kristoff must find a way to save her, and himself.

Los Angeles, 1989. Katie Nelson is going through a divorce and while cleaning out her house and life in the aftermath, she comes across the stamp collection of her father’s, who recently went into a nursing home and is losing his memory. When an appraiser, Benjamin, discovers an unusual World War II-era Austrian stamp placed on an old love letter as he goes through her dad’s collection, Katie and Benjamin are sent on a journey together that will uncover a story of passion and tragedy spanning decades and continents, behind the just fallen Berlin Wall.

A beautiful, poignant, and haunting novel, The Lost Letter shows the lasting power of love and the ties that echo throughout history.

Praise for The Lost Letter:

‘A gorgeous and thrilling novel … Perfect for book clubs and fans of The Nightingale’ - Popsugar

‘I devoured The Lost Letter… An intriguing and very personal story of resistance’ – Georgia Hunter, New York Times bestselling author of We Were the Lucky Ones

Jillian Cantor is the author of award-winning novels, including the critically acclaimed The Hours Count and Margot. Born and raised outside Philadelphia, Cantor currently lives in Arizona with her husband and two sons.

Genre: Historical

"A vivid and original book which spans World War II Austria to modern day Los Angeles. In this unforgettable tale of memories, love and reconciliation, Cantor writes with an absorbing voice and keen eye for detail that caught me up in the sweep of history." - Pam Jenoff

"Past and present collide in Jillian Cantor's latest propulsive and eloquent gem of a novel. Cantor captures the gravity of wartime Europe and combines it with powerful stories of love, loss and self-discovery." - Mary Kubica