The Sealed Letter
Report an issue
Tell us what's wrong and we'll take a look.
Thanks – we got it. We'll review and follow up if needed.
Donoghue weaves an engrossing and... quite funny melodrama about a bad, bad girl who bursts the seams of this corseted world... part "Forever Amber" and part clockwork courtroom drama, with bawdy undercurrents of forbidden love thrown in for good measure. All in all, a deliciously wicked little romp, complete with a clever twist at the end." — The Seattle Times
Miss Emily "Fido" Faithfull is a "woman of business" and a spinster pioneer in the British women’s movement, independent of mind but naively trusting of heart. Distracted from her cause by the sudden return of a once-dear friend, the unhappily wed Helen Codrington, Fido is swept up in the intimate details of Helen’s failing marriage and obsessive affair with a young army officer. What begins as a loyal effort to help a friend explodes into an intriguing courtroom drama complete with accusations of adultery, counterclaims of rape, and a mysterious letter that could destroy more than one life.
Based on a scandalous divorce case that gripped England in 1864, The Sealed Letter is a riveting, provocative drama of friends, lovers, and divorce, Victorian-style.
Emma Donoghue
Born in Dublin and now living in Canada, EMMA DONOGHUE writes fiction as well as drama for stage and screen. Her novel Room was shortlisted for the Booker, Commonwealth and Orange Prizes and sold nearly three million copies in forty languages. Donoghue was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for Room the film, starring Brie Larson. She also co-wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation of her novel The Wonder, starring Florence Pugh, and adapted Room and The Pull of the Stars for the stage. Donoghue’s most recent novel, The Paris Express, was a finalist for the 2025 Giller Prize. Her other novels include Learned by Heart, Haven, Akin and Frog Music.
More by Emma Donoghue
Why Readwise Books?
Readwise Books is an ebook & audiobook platform that automatically logs how much you and your friends read, making it fun and easy to read more. Learn more →