The Widow's War

by Mary Mackey

Book Overview

The "superb" New York Times bestselling author delivers a sweeping epic set during the early days of the Civil War.

In 1853, Carolyn Vinton is left alone and pregnant after her fianc?, abolitionist doctor William Saylor, disappears. After his stepbrother convinces her that William is dead, Carolyn accepts his offer of marriage, not realizing that she is being drawn into an elaborate ruse by her new husband and his father, a pro-slavery...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 042522791X
• ISBN13: 9780425227916
• Release Date: September 2009
• Publisher: Berkley / Nal
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.3" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

5 Hearts from TRS!

"Mary Mackey has penned a gem of a book for history fans. Even though the events surrounding the Civil War are a blot on the history of the USA, the author takes us into the meat of the issues in a way that is emotion-evoking. The characters whose courage and ingenuity help keep their fellow human beings, no matter what their color, safe are well developed and admirable. The villains fill us with despair at times as they wreak the worst havoc they can in people's lives." "Whether she's taking us into the jungles of Brazil, the wheat fields of Kansas or the early swamp-ridden Washington DC Ms. Mackey builds her scenarios in a way that makes them easily pictured in our mind. But it's the people and their courage that really drive the story. Whether using real historical figures or figments of her imagination we see the story through their eyes in a new way. It makes this book fast moving in a way that makes it hard to put down. This is highly recommended for fans of great romance with a historical flavor." - Dee Dailey

great 1850s historical thriller

In 1853 in Rio de Janeiro, Carolyn "Carrie" Vinton knows she cannot grieve the loss of her fiancé, abolitionist Dr. William Saylor, as she carries his child although she is not sure what to do. That is until William's stepbrother, Deacon Presgrove, arrives in Brazil from the United States and proposes marriage; insisting it is a family matter of honor. Feeling she has no choice with her being pregnant, she accepts. They return to Kansas as husband and wife only for her to find out that she has fallen for a ruse; as William is alive and Deacon's family are slavery sympathizers. Bleeding Kansas continues unabated and deadly. Carrie disregards her safety to find William. As the battle on the Plains remains heated and deadly, Carrie finds her beloved, but he and their and their child are kidnapped by pro-slavers. Carrie recruits the help of an African-American cavalry unit to free her beloved and their son This is a great 1850s historical thriller that showcases how in the territory on the Great Plains the prime issue was whether a new state entered on the Free or Slavery Side of the debate. The story line is loaded with action while providing a powerful look through fully developed protagonists of Bleeding Kansas where many believe the Civil War first began rather than at Fort Sumter. Mary Mackey provides a strong Americana saga as the decade leading to the war is bloody. Harriet Klausner

War, Romance, Intrigue, and Adventure

The first sentence uttered by Carrie Vinton is, "Nine days ago, I shot my husband." Before I finish the first page I see a wanted poster for a twenty-five year-old white female. In 1853, shooting her husband might not be enough to justify a wanted poster for a white woman. That is unless she crosses someone very powerful. What did Carrie do, or more precisely, to whom? Her opposition to slavery is a crime. However, she is still just a woman. Someone with a lot of money and power wants to find her. Who? Why? What will happen when he finds her? Carrie is a strong woman with ideals and a desire to act upon them in a time when women are not supposed to think, much less act upon their beliefs. Part of her strength comes from growing up in Brazil with more freedom and fewer conventions than girls raised in the States. Carrie is steadfast in her devotion to William, the man she has loved since they met as children. Like most strong women throughout history, Carrie makes choices that are not always socially acceptable. When her fiancé's stepbrother, Deacon, convinces Carrie that William is dead, she decides to have their baby alone rather than marry for a name. Deacon pleads with her to let him take care of her and his beloved brother's baby. Carrie wavers and eventually succumbs to the wily Deacon. He is overjoyed with his victory and settles in to enjoy the spoils. However, when he takes her money and child, his deception triggers a chain of events the fortune hunter never anticipated. His country is fighting the Civil War, but he is headed for his own private war with a woman who does not intend to lose. The characters are well developed, as is the entire plot and story line. There is steady action. There is also war, intrigue, romance, and adventure. War is never pretty, and Mackey does not sugarcoat the realities of life, death, and war in the 1800's. Her descriptions are picturesque and detailed. The historical research and story flow are impeccable too. The interaction is so realistic that readers may forget this is a fictional novel. Because the story wraps around the romance and the trials endured by William and Carrie, there may be a stronger appeal to the female audience. However, many men will enjoy it for the historical framework. This story sped along and kept me reading way past bedtime for days. I know I will read this book more than once. The Historical Note and Chronology sections that precede the The Widow's War are a help to readers who are not history buffs. They also provide a point of reference for the reader. by Penny Leisch for Story Circle Book Reviews reviewing books by, for, and about women

Wonderful adventure, romance in pre Civil War Kansas

This is a wonderful novel. Part love story, part adventure, part intriguing exploration of a lesser known piece of Civil War history, it's both beautifully written and an exciting read. I had no idea of the pivotal role that Kansas played in the days leading up the Civil War, and Mary Mackey brings the era to vibrant life. Her heroine, Carrie Vinton, is fierce, engaging, and unapologetically bold as she battles for the Abolitionist cause. I was immediately drawn into Carrie's world, and loved following her from Brazil to the cutthroat politics of Washington, to the abolitionist town of Lawrence, Kansas. All of the characters in the book are beautifully depicted and as soon as I started reading I felt like I was part of Carrie's world. Can't wait to delve into the rest of Mary Mackey's work.

terrific read!

Mary Mackey is the reigning master of the historical novel in which a strong, sensitive woman confronts and overcomes the challenges of social ferment. The Widow's War takes the reader to Bleeding Kansas and the conflict between slave owners and emancipators that presages the War Between the States. Carrie Vinton rides and shoots like a man, but is every bit a sensual woman and caring mother. The righteous triumph and the scoundrels are smitten in this, beautifully written, meticulously researched, lively, fast paced novel.