Reading Between The Lines

Letters From The Inside by John Marsden is a gripping novel that reminds readers to look behind casual appearances for deeper, and more painful truths that are often rendered impossible to express. Mandy and Tracey are two sixteen year-olds who meet through a pen-pal ad and exchange letters that, at first, offer casual details about their daily lives. The teens seem to have many common interests: boys, music, friends, and family. Gradually, there are hints that something ominous is lurking between the lines of the letters. Tracey reveals that she is incarcerated in a maximum-security prison for a terrible crime, and Mandy slowly describes her brother's violent temper and secret stash of weapons, and her growing fear of him. As the girls begin to lean on each other for comfort and support, Mandy's letters suddenly stop, and Tracey is left to speculate on what has happened to her friend, and face her own demons, and an uncertain future, alone. This is a short, yet hard-hitting novel that delivers an unforgettable last act.