The Correspondent - Hardcover

by Virginia Evans (Author)

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans tells the story of Sybil Van Antwerp, a retired lawyer whose letters and emails reveal a life shaped by friendship, family, grief, and unresolved memories. Through her correspondence with loved ones, strangers, authors, and people from her past, Sybil gradually confronts truths she has avoided for years.

Told entirely through letters and messages, this warm, thoughtful novel examines how written words can preserve relationships, repair old wounds, and bring people closer. It is an engaging choice for readers who enjoy character-led stories filled with quiet humor, emotional depth, and hope.

Product Highlights

• Written by Virginia Evans
• A #1 New York Times bestselling novel
• Winner of the 2026 PEN/Hemingway Award for Best First Novel
• Told through letters, emails, and written exchanges
• Explores friendship, grief, forgiveness, and human connection
• Features a memorable older female protagonist
• Ideal for readers of literary and women’s fiction
• Suitable for book clubs and thoughtful gifting
• Format: Hardcover
• Publisher: Crown
• Publication date: April 29, 2025
• Number of pages: 304
• ISBN-13: 9780593798430

Author Biography

Virginia Evans is from the east coast of the United States. She attended James Madison University for her bachelor's in English literature, as well as Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, for her master's of philosophy in creative writing. Now she lives in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, with her husband, two children, and her Red Labrador, Brigid.