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Letters From Dead People Subscription Review – November 2017

Désirée Eien
ByDésirée EienNov 25, 2017 | 4 comments

November Letters from Dead People

Letters From Dead People
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Letters From Dead People is an ongoing ephemera-based story delivered monthly by New Orleans artist L. Delaney. 

Step into a world where past and present merge. Where meanings are hidden between lines, and heroes and villains disguise their secrets in code. When you open a box, the scent of age-stained pages greets your nose....

November Letters from Dead People

My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)

The Subscription Box: Letters From Dead People

The Cost: $12.99 per month; shipping is free. A 3-month subscription is $34.99 ($11.66 per box). 

The Products: 'A monthly letter delivered from New Orleans – 100 years ago.'

Ships to: Worldwide

Check out the Subscription Box Directory for more mystery and crime-themed boxes!

Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!

Note: I will show all the items that I received – there are spoilers ahead!

November Letters from Dead People

The first item is a vintage copy of a print by George F. Fuller, showing a steamboat race that took place in New Orleans in 1858. I was on a steamboat once and it did move faster than I expected, but I can't imagine a steamboat race. Look at all that smoke! I like the moody drama of the print. 

But how does this tie in with the ongoing story of Mina Bird, the psychic who mysteriously disappeared without a trace in 1927?

November Letters from Dead People

November Letters from Dead People

The next item is a torn piece of the Times-Picayune. Most articles deal with Henry Moity's confession that he killed his wife and sister-in-law, but another article mentions draft dodger Grover Cleveland Bergdoll. I'd never heard of either of them before reading this, but the historical tidbits do help bring the era to life. 

November Letters from Dead People

The other items were bundled and tied with twine. 

November Letters from Dead People

Every mailing includes an update on the investigation into Mina's disappearance. It turns out that Mina has been sighted in a New Orleans cemetery! Is she in hiding there? Or was she just paying respects to someone in particular?

November Letters from Dead People

This old diary page was folded around something interesting.

November Letters from Dead People

The diary pertains to Mina's early days living with 'the Countess', proprietress of a New Orleans boarding house. 

November Letters from Dead People

What are these little items tied with ribbon?

November Letters from Dead People

Hmm, another steamboat image – this time, a photo. Is it a clue?

November Letters from Dead People

Here's the back of the vintage playing card. The letter mentions that the card and photo were discovered in a secret compartment in Mina Bird's desk, and that the card 'is of a make beloved by riverboat gamblers from the previous century.' I'm sure it's no accident that it depicts a creature that's half woman, half bird. (I can't help but wonder how the curator of this box finds vintage items that fit the narrative of the story so well!) 

Verdict: This was another beautiful, mysterious installment in the mystery of Mina Bird. This one raised more questions than it answered. I enjoyed the items, but I'm not quite sure how they fit in with the story arc. However, I'm confident that it will become more clear as time goes on. I really liked the steamboat print that was included this month and the mix of vintage and custom-made ephemera is great as always. 

What do you think of November's Letters from Dead People?

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"Letters From Dead People is a subscription service for people who love their history delivered in peculiar packages. Sign up to receive---or send---an artfully handcrafted reproduction of real historical documents!"
Désirée Eien
Désirée Eien
Désirée has survived the subscription box rollercoaster since 2013. Her other hobbies include meticulously over-researching minor purchases, crafting things she hopes to pass off as gifts, and dressing her cat up in silly costumes.

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4 comments

Siren

I love this idea!

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de

yes, how long will you have to commit to in order to get the whole story/experience

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Casey

So…how long does a mystery go on for? Like, if you just get one month is it even worth it? Do you get the story in 3 months?

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sher_w

Cool concept!

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