The Lemoncholy Life of Annie Aster

Scott Wilbanks

Aug 2015 · Sourcebooks, Inc.

About this ebook

Annabelle Aster doesn't bow to convention—not even that of space and time—which makes the 1890s Kansas wheat field that has appeared in her modern-day San Francisco garden easy to accept. Even more peculiar is Elsbeth, the truculent schoolmarm who sends Annie letters through the mysterious brass mailbox perched on the picket fence that now divides their two worlds.

Annie and Elsbeth's search for an explanation to the hiccup in the universe linking their homes leads to an unsettling discovery—and potential disaster for both of them. Together they must solve the mystery of what connects them before one of them is convicted of a murder that has yet to happen...and yet somehow already did.

Ratings and reviews

I just finished a delightful book called The Lemoncholy Life of Annie Aster by Scott Wilbanks. Annie Aster lives in the home she grew up in in San Francisco, California. It is May of 1995. Annie is a unique individual (she loves wearing vintage clothing). She just had a new red door installed in the kitchen (that looks outside). It has unusual carvings around it (like runes). The next morning Annie has a wheat field and a log cabin in her backyard. When she tries to go visit, she ends up back in her own yard. There is also a little mailbox sitting between the two properties. Annie is delighted especially when she finds a letter in the mailbox from the lady in the cabin. Elsbeth Grundy is sixty-five years old and living in Sage, Kansas in May of 1895. She is a loner, a widow, and not happy to find the colorful (aubergine and gold) Victorian in her wheat field. Elsbeth tries to get to the door of the Victorian house, but finds herself right back where she started. Elsbeth decides to write a letter to the home owner telling her how she feels. This is the beginning of correspondence between Elsbeth and Annie (entertaining letters). This gets Annie started on looking into the origins of the door. She purchased it an antique store that was originally in Kansas City, Kansas (what a coincidence). The door was owned by magician and illusionist, David Abbott. How does the door work though? Are Annie and Elsbeth connected in some way? A definite mystery that Annie cannot resist. Annie, Elsbeth, and some other wonderful characters are in for an adventure with the red door. I found The Lemoncholy Life of Annie Aster to be an enjoyable book to read. I give The Lemoncholy Life of Annie Aster 5 out of 5 stars. It is an engaging and well written novel that will have you hooked from the first page. I loved the characters. They were fun, quirky, and relatable (I definitely relate to quirky). I loved how the author tied everything together in the end. This is a unique novel that is just a delight to read. I was sorry to see the book end. I am sorry that I did not read this book sooner, and I look forward to reading the next book by Scott Wilbanks. I received a complimentary copy of The Lemoncholy Life of Annie Aster from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The review and opinions expressed are my own.

About the author

Scott Wilbanks graduated summa cum laude from The University of Oklahoma and went on to garner several national titles in the sport of gymnastics. Scott's husband, Mike, is a New Zealander by birth, and the two split their time between the two countries while Scott is at work on his next standalone novel.