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....
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!
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?
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.
The other items were bundled and tied with twine.
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?
This old diary page was folded around something interesting.
The diary pertains to Mina's early days living with 'the Countess', proprietress of a New Orleans boarding house.
What are these little items tied with ribbon?
Hmm, another steamboat image – this time, a photo. Is it a clue?
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?
Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.