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The Unforgettable Mailman
April Howells
Publication Date: April 21st, 2026
Alcove Press
336 Pages
Amazon | Goodreads | Bookshop.org
Genre: General Fiction | Historical Fiction
Oh my gosh, this book! It was so heartwarming, and even more so because it is based on true events. It’s set in Chicago in 1966 and is about an 81-year-old man named Henry. When the post office closes because of millions of undelivered letters, Henry decides to take action because he truly believes that letters keep us connected. Henry steals hundreds of envelopes from the backlog to deliver them himself. Amongst these letters is one with the seal of the President addressed to MLK.
Henry travels across the city (one I have visited myself) and northward; he meets an assorted selection of people and finds hatred, joy, celebration, and tragedy. While Henry thinks he’s helping out, the postal service sees him as a PR nightmare. In their attempt to hide the crisis at the post office, they portray Henry as a criminal and plaster his face on WANTED posters all over the place.
This book was so heartfelt and heartwarming. I loved the themes of ageing, the importance of personal relationships and the feeling of belonging. In this day and age, it was also a joy to read about how important the written word is (and was). I loved that we had an elderly protagonist who takes no guff from anyone. This one stole my heart from the first page. I loved the setting of snowy Chicago in the sixties, but it is so much more than historical fiction.
I loved the lengths Henry went to to get these letters delivered and his wanting to be seen and heard. His struggles are handled well without being flippant; it’s witty and respectful. He isn’t shown as a victim—he is a hero in my books!
The writing is wonderful, with a mixture of a “man on the move/run” plot while also being very emotional and character-driven. Reading about Henry meeting the various people receiving his delivery of their letters was a joy. Each time Henry met his goal, it was like a little short story within the story. Don’t let the cutesy plot and cover fool you, though; sometimes these letters are of high importance, and that added an extra layer of tension that had me flipping the pages. I love books that show you’re never too old to have a purpose in life, and there’s something so special about an elderly rebel protagonist, especially one who reminds us that human connection isn’t just for the young. Henry Walton is exactly the kind of book hero I want more of. I can’t believe this is a debut. I’ll be thinking about Henry Walton for a very long time. All. The. Stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
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