Fan Mail: One Letter you Won’t Want to Receive

Fan Mail is a fun book to read. The story is one that could easily be taking place in the real world today. The entire book is not written in chapters, however.  Instead, the story is told through faxes, phone calls, emails, and letters. The characters fill us, the audience, in on the story as they are recalling events for each other.

For example, we find out Joan Carpenter is moving to St. Louis from Dallas to take the co-anchor spot on Nightbeat, a local news show that runs every week in St. Louis. We learn this through faxes that Joan and her agent Dan are sending to each other. We learn about her background through a letter that the TV station ordered for her background check.  We find out about her deceased husband and why she landed herself in jail in Dallas when she was only trying to tell the news.

And through letters to Joan herself, we learn that she has one devoted fan that goes by “the Watcher.” The Watcher is dedicated to keeping Joan in St. Louis. When one reviewer tears apart both Joan and the already struggling Nightbeat, the Watcher decided to increase ratings and deal with the negative reviewer at the same time. The Watcher sends a package to Joan with instructions to open it live on air.  When the box is opened during the live broadcast, no one could have guessed what was inside. 

The way that the story is told in short, quick notes to different characters really helps keep the flow going.  Also, with each character reacting to the same event, you really get to see the action from all points of view. The action is never stopping and keeps you guessing right until the end.  With all the characters suspicious of one another and opportunities to be in several places at once, you’ll never know when you’re watching the Watcher yourself.

Available at both Chicago Heights and Flossmoor Public Libraries in regular, book form.  It can also be ordered through Interlibrary Loan from any of the participating SWAN libraries and sent to your library of choice, including Homewood, Park Forest, and Steger-South Chicago Heights Public Libraries.