First Phone Call from Heaven by Mitch Albom - 3 stars

[Joy D]

First Phone Call from Heaven by Mitch Albom - 3 stars - My Review

Residents of Coldwater, a town on Lake Michigan, start receiving phone calls from deceased loved ones. Is this proof of the afterlife or an elaborate hoax? It is part spiritual musing, part history of the telephone (Alexander Graham Bell appears regularly), and part mystery.

The setup and the first half of the book are well-structured. Albom highlights the main characters, those who have received calls, and their back stories. He brings his background as a journalist to bear in creating realistic media interviews and reactions. The second half is rather scattered and, to me, not as effective. There are a few surprises toward the end. It is intended, I think, to provide opportunities to contemplate faith, miracles, and life after death.