The Secret Lives of Church Ladies

Wallace “Stet” Brown dies of a massive stroke, which is what prompts the writing of a letter from one sister, Nichelle, to another. The story introduces four women who are all Stet’s daughters—all but 2 of them are from different mothers. This makes them all half-sisters. They were raised together, often seeing each other at their grandmother’s house and having sleepovers together. Nichelle decides to reach out to a fifth sister that none of them have met to let her know that their father has died. Her name is Jackie. Nichelle has no idea what Jackie’s relationship with Stet has been throughout her life, but she feels that she has a right to know of his death.

It becomes clear throughout the interactions between the four sisters that even though their father was neglectful and not present in their lives, they have formed a strong bond with each other for the most part. Nichelle introduces each sister in the letter and describes what they’re like.

Kimba is the oldest sister, a quiet peacemaker and a Harvard graduate. Renee is the youngest (Nichelle’s full-blood sister) and “delusional” when it comes to Stet, according to Nichelle. She is very pious and always doted on her father even when he didn’t deserve it.