Beginning with the intent to help Rebecca get on her feet, John works to undo the harm that was done to her by her ex-husband, Rick Downley—a man with political aspirations who had Rebecca incarcerated in a mental institution—and eventually marries her. When it appears Rebecca is backsliding into her mental illness, both she and John must find a way to keep her on mentally-stable ground and solve the mystery behind the systematic terror designed to extract revenge.
Even though John Sanders is the protagonist of UNAUTHORED LETTERS and serves as the lens through which much of the story is seen, the tale that unfolds is just as much Rebecca’s; her descent into mental illness, her return to sanity, and her struggle to stay there when confronted with the unthinkable are just as much in the forefront. It is Rebecca who serves as the rallying point for all the other characters, regardless of whether they’re friend or foe. It is well-written and author Tara C. Allred does a fantastic job of maintaining a balanced viewpoint, never turning the story into a politicized soapbox agenda. She simply lets the story unfold and leaves it to the reader to decide what they think about what happens. The mystery is simple, albeit a bit predictable and some readers will probably solve it well before its conclusion, but finding out the hows and whys are enough to maintain an interest in discovering how it all ends. There are also a few minor slow spots, but it picks up pace again quickly.
UNAUTHORED LETTERS is a captivating and thoughtful read without being pretentious.
Reviewed by K.J. Pierce for IndieReader