This is a 3.5 review. This book was a better historical novel than a mystery. Lily is married to Daniel, who is sheriff in Kinship Ohio. When he is murdered she accepts the appointment to become sheriff and sets out to solve his murder. Along the way she discovers secrets her husband kept hidden. One of them is the friendship of Marvena, who lives in the mining town of nearby Ross. Together they join forces. From the beginning it was obvious who the killer was so there were no surprises. The author does a good job with describing the time period and the location. Marvena is a far more developed character than Lily. The mystery was very weak and disappointing.

This book rather drug for me. I know it's a love/hate relationship with some books, but I didn't feel as though I connected with any of the characters, or the storyline.

This might be one to try again in a few years.

The Widows by Jess Montgomery is a novel based in the 1920’s coal mine era. Lily Ross learns of her husband’s untimely death while transporting a prisoner. He was a local sheriff who everyone knew. After his funeral, Lilly is visited by a stranger looking to speak with her husband, the sheriff, in hopes that he will help her find her daughter. The stranger, Marvena, is a widow herself and the lives of each woman are about to change forever. This story is part truth and part fiction. Based on the first female sheriff, that is where the truth ends, this story covers Lilly as she vows to find her husbands killer and do so after taking over as sheriff. I loved this story and found it to be written with great care and accuracy. The characters are well written with a great dialogue between them. The writer takes you on a journey and keeps you there until the end.

Thank you to netgalley as well as the author/publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

RATING: 4.5 STARS
2019; Minotaur/St. Martin's Press

I loved The Widows! If you loved Ordinary Grace, this is your next read (if you haven't read it already). The Widows is based on true events of Ohio's first female sheriff. That premise caught my attention, but this novel was so much more. This novel felt like a good western, where being the law does not secure your safety, but in fact, puts you in the crosshairs. After Sheriff Daniel Ross is murdered the town is still in turmoil as the miners want to unionize, and everyone in town has picked a side. Daniel's one time lover comes to see him, but meets his widow, Lily instead. When Lily becomes acting Sheriff, the women decide to get to the bottom or Daniel's murder and how to stop Luther Ross from killing more loved ones among the minors. The writing is gorgeous and the story is engaging. The characters get into your heart and you look forward to finding out what happens next. I was so happy to hear that there is a sequel! I am excited to read that one soon.

***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

I enjoyed reading Jess Montgomery’s debut novel, The Widows. This story takes place in the 1920s in Ohio in a mining town. Two women have both lost their husband. Lily’s husband, the sheriff, was killed while transporting a prisoner, Marvena lost her husband. She is looking for her daughter and goes to see Lily’s husband not knowing that he died. I liked that the story was told by alternating narrators. The author does a good job exploring problems in a 1920’s mining town and keeping the reader’s interest with two strong women. A good weekend read.

This was a wonderfully written story that's filled with intrigue. It's apparent the author conducted extensive research into the novel as it feels like stepping back into a different time. I greatly appreciated the attention to detail without the details being over-elaborate. I recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction and western novels. (If western novels are not your thing, don't let that stop you from buying this book, you will enjoy it.)

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book by Jess Montgomery. The Widows was a good read. It is something I normally don’t read but I’m glad I took the opportunity to do so. No spoilers. Worth the read.

The Widows is the beginning of a new series called "Kinship" set in the 1920's and featuring two fascinating women. Lily Ross, becomes sheriff of her Ohio town after the death of her sheriff husband who was killed while transporting a prisoner, and Marvena Whitcomb a lobbying member of the union and coalminer's wife. The story takes place in an Appalachian mining town who's mine is called The Widowmaker for good reason. Both women are strong, independent women in a time when women were underestimated and not considered to be major players in politics or to have significant opinions. The author's descriptions and characters will keep you enthralled and engaged throughout the book. Well worth the read.

“The Widows” by Jess Montgomery

This novel was a wonderful piece of historical fiction. Told from a woman’s point of view living within a mining community dominated by men, it tears down stereotypes and makes for a powerful debut.
Lily Ross is the distinguished wife and widow of Sheriff Daniel Ross. She has been named acting sheriff until there’s an election, but she’s not the pushover the power elite thought she’d be. Then we have Marvena, a bootlegger and illiterate (but perceptive) woman whose brother, Tom, is the unfortunate patsy the mine owner has tried to frame for murder. The author states that although these two women are her own creation, both are loosely based on historical figures: Lily represents Maude Collins, the first female sheriff in Ohio, and Marvena was inspired by Mother Jones, who campaigned hard for the rights of women, and for workers and unions. What the two young women have in common is determination, and both women care about the community, the miners, their wives, their children, and the widows.
This book is well-researched, and the story is well-written and woven perfectly between the perspectives of both Lily and Marvena. It’s a great book. I read it straight through, as it began strong and held attention until the end. The book draws you in quickly and keeps you reading. As much as I liked the characters, the plot and Montgomery’s writing style are unforgettable.

Reviewed by Lauren Brabrook (LaurenReads1) for Suspense Magazine

Described as a historical mystery, The Widows is the beginning of a new series called "Kinship" set in the 1920's and featuring two captivating women - Lily Ross, who becomes sheriff of her Ohio town after the death of her husband; and Marvena Whitcomb, a miner's widow who is an active member in the union movement. Lily is bent on bringing vengenacnce down on her husband's killer. Marvena is determined that the sheriff's brother in law be stopped from re-opening the dangerous part of the coal mine known as the "Widowmaker" and finding out what happened to her teenage daughter. Together the two women find themselves working together and standing up for justice.

The Widows is an engrossing tale that is impossible to put down. I felt that our two main leads- Lily and Marvena( who both take turns with the narration) really displayed the strong character of women in that time period to continue holding up their families after the deaths of their husbands. Equally interesting is the author's note and the inspiration behind the tale. A book that I would defintely recommend putting on your TBR.

Gripping!

"The hawk is a sign to be alert, to consider carefully one’s situation."
Widows Lily Ross and Marvena Whitcom will need to be hawk like for all that they will endure. 1924 Kinship, Ohio. Two widows joined by their relationship to the town's sheriff Daniel Ross. One is Daniel's widow Lily Ross, the other is Marvena Whitcom, a coal miner's widow and long a friend of Daniel.
Shockingly for the small community, Daniel is killed whilst transporting a prisoner.
Lily is asked to take on the role of sheriff. All expect her to toe the line, be a figurehead, but Lily is determined to find Daniel's killer.
And that search leads her to Maverna, to a troubled coal mining town, to secrets Daniel has hidden from her, to organized crime interests during prohibition and into dangerous territories including the not so heroic side of the Pinkerton Detective employees.
Beyond a powerful story of loss, of rage, and a growing unlikely friendship is a fascinating treatise into coal industry communities of the times, mining conditions, mining company practices and the miners fight for unionization.
The women of the town, their economies and support of each other is vivid, often poignant and show the sting the of such communities in the simple acts of providing for each other and working together. The number of widows becomes apparent as the story unfolds.
Lily and Morvena are strong women whose lives are bound together by the past and their future. I think the moments of them coming to trust each other are beautifully drawn as their relationship builds towards the climax.
A truly unique read.

A St. Martin's Press Minotaur ARC via NetGalley

A story of two courageous, hard-working, and thoroughly admirable women, this story is set in an Appalachian mining community where a mine called "The Widowmaker" has proven its name on three separate occasions...

"The sisterhood of widows. Such a sorrowful sisterhood Lily has joined."

Lily Ross - Wife of the Sheriff, Daniel Ross, pregnant and with two young children, she is widowed at the tender age of twenty-six. Approached by the deputy and offered the position of temporary sheriff, Lily accepts. She aims to find out how and why her beloved husband was killed. They have underestimated Lily's strength and obstinacy.

Marvena Whitcomb - Widow of a miner, mother to two girls, and former lover and lifelong friend of Daniel Ross. The thirty-five year-old Marvena, having suffered many losses due to the dire conditions in the mining industry, is a union organizer. She is also a moonshiner during the lean years of prohibition.

"So many believe women are too sensitive for life's brutal truths. That's only, Lily thinks, because they've not experienced the brutal truths life gives particularly and uniquely to women."

The women overcome mistrust to merge together to combat desperate conditions and corrupt men of power. And, most importantly, to find out the hows and whys of Daniel Ross's murder.

MY THOUGHTS

It is obvious that Jess Montgomery didn't stint on her meticulous research. She crafted two fictional woman who became flesh and blood to the reader. Vividly described places and situations expound on the extreme poverty and resilience of the coal mining families in the 1920s. A time when the 'company' owned the houses the miners lived in, owned the schools the children attended, employed the only doctor for miles, and owned the store the miners shopped at. It was a time when young boys worked in the mines as early as the age of eleven. Also, it was a time when the Pinkerton Agency was just a band of 'thugs for hire'.

The women overcome the odds in a time when women had little, if any, socioeconomic power. In addition to the dangerous and downright criminal practices of the mining company, they expose kickbacks, organized criminals, and murder. All the while tending to their children, cooking, cleaning, and more. These women will remain in my memory for a very long time.

This fiction debut by author Jess Montgomery proves that she has a writing talent to be reckoned with - and should be a firm favorite of all lovers of historical fiction. Highly recommended.

4.5 stars rounded up

It is 1925 in mining country in the Appalachian foothills of Ohio. The Ross Mining Company owns and operates the mines in the area. There have been many accidents and cave-ins and the work is always dangerous for the miners. And as history tells us, the miners and their families are owned by the mining companies while having little or nothing for themselves. The workers for Ross are no exception and so there is unrest among them making this the climate of the area during the book's timeline.

This story centers on the mining town of Rossville and the neighboring village of Kinship. The focus of the story is on two widows who live here. The first is Lily whose husband, Daniel, is the sheriff of Bronwyn County. As the book begins he is murdered by an unknown assailant. And Lily is asked to fulfill his duties and become the interim sheriff even though it is unheard of for a woman to take such a position. She decides to take the job making her first priority as sheriff to be that of finding the person who killed her husband.

The other widow featured in the book is Marvena. She was at one time Daniel’s lover before Daniel met Lily. After Daniel’s marriage, their relationship continued in the form of a very close friendship. Marvena has lost her common law husband, John, in a mining accident and she is now secretly spearheading unionization of the miners.

Lily and Marvena’s first meeting is under stressful circumstances following Daniel’s murder. But they soon find that they share a common bond and they join forces to uncover the circumstance of Daniel’s death while at the same time they are intent on trying to improve the working and living conditions for the miners and their families.

The book is packed with history. The character of Lily is inspired by the life of Maude Collins who served as the first woman sheriff in Vinton County in Ohio in 1925. She was also the first female sheriff to serve in the state of Ohio. Marvena ‘s character is modeled after Mary Harris Jones (Mother Jones) who was a union activist. The characters complement the setting that realistically portrays the 1920’s and it immediately and fully immerses the reader into the timeline and plot.

The widows and the other women in the community completely destroy the current stereotype that they should rely on men and should be content in their job of taking care of their homes and their children. The theme of the book contends that a woman can be strong yet passionate and understanding while standing up to men who do not wish her to succeed. Montgomery also touches in her writing on coping with loss and hardship, friendships, and family. Additionally, she addresses the topic of corruption in both the law and business.

Montgomery has written a well researched historical novel with a mystery that holds the reader captive. Then she augments the story with a concluding twist that is totally unexpected. Additionally, her author’s notes that are included at the end of the book give perspective and authenticity to the book. The Widows is both thought provoking and emotionally powerful while at the same time it is an undemanding and fulfilling read.

This review is written following a reading of the EBook courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher.

This historical novel is set in rural Ohio in the early days of the twentieth century, and focuses on two women in a coal mining community. The women come from different sides of the labor disputes, but they have more in common than they think. Lily Ross is the wife of the town sheriiff, a man who is related to the family who controls the mining interests in the town. The book essentially opens with her learning of her husband' Daniel's murder. Shortly thereafter, she is visited by Marvena Whitcomb, the widow of a miner who dies in a recent mine collapse. She tells Lily that Daniel had agreed to help Marvena find out what had happened to her daughter, who is missing, but Lily suspects there is a lot more to the story. When Lily is appointed sheriff to fill out her husband's term, she starts to investigate her husband's murder and his secrets. She has to deal with labor unrest, gangsters, a scummy brother-in-law, and all sorts of problems.

The book alternates between the perspectives of Lily and Marvena. This was a bit of a problem for me, as it really felt disjointed. Also, I definitely preferred the character of Lily, so much so that when the book shifted to Marvena I actually groaned a few times. That being said, it was still an enjoyable an interesting book and I am going to recommend it to patrons who like historical fiction with a women's perspective.

Favorite Quote:

Mama’s round face is so puckered with outrage that her mouth looks like the top of a drawstring purse.

My Review:

I am in awe of this author, this is her first novel and it was simply stellar! The storytelling was commanding, cunningly crafted, enthralling, emotive, highly descriptive, and smartly nuanced. I was instantly sucked into her vortex and heard a multitude of sounds, accents, and dialects in my head. I was right there with them, riding in their cars, feeling the dynamite blasts as well as their deep sorrows, and smelling their sweat and fear. The mystery was hopelessly intriguing and appeared an impossibly tangled knot that I feared was without hope for a solution. I was so deeply engrossed in their tale I experienced the conflict of simultaneous relief and grief upon completion. Jess Montgomery’s word voodoo packs a powerful punch and is dangerously hypnotic.

Montgomery’s writing takes center stage with her lyrical storytelling as she introduces readers to Lily Ross, who becomes a sheriff in 1920’s Ohio after her husband, Bronwyn County Sheriff Daniel Ross, is murdered in the line of duty.

Though Lily exudes a fragile beauty, she is resilient and intelligent, and is determined to find out who is responsible for her husband’s murder. She works tirelessly to prove that she is capable of assuming the duties of sheriff and mother to her young children while coping with the nausea of her pregnancy.

Lily is told that Daniel was killed by a prisoner whom he was transporting back to the jailhouse. But the clues she discovers tell a different story, and Tom, the prisoner, just happens to be missing.

Lily meets Tom’s sister Marvena, a woman who unbeknownst to Lily, had known Daniel for years, and had asked for Daniel’s help in finding her missing teenaged daughter Eula.

Daniel’s murder is complicated by factions of the community that are opposing one another as the miners are trying to unionize, and mine owners reinforced by Pinkerton agents are threatening the unionization.

The complexities of the characters especially Lily and Marvena bring this novel to life with seamless plotting, page-turning mystery, and the promise of future installments.

After reading this book, I was surprised to find out it is the debut book for Jess Montgomery. The story is set in 1920's Ohio where the mine owners run the town and the people in it. One family sets everything from where you live to the cost of bread and milk in the store.
The main characters in the story are Lily Ross and Marveena Whitcomb. They are loosely based on Ohio's history's first female sheriff and a famous union organizer. Yet they are unique in their thoughts and actions.
Lily and Marveena are first brought together after Lily's husband, Sheriff Daniel Ross, is killed on duty. Lily is appointed acting sheriff by the mine owners, who think she can be "managed". Maveena comes looking for Daniel to help her find her missing daughter. Lily agrees to help her. As the women work together to solve this and other crimes, they discover a side of Daniel Ross that neither of them knew and must fight the mine owners to get justice for the miners.
Not only is this her debut book, it is also the lead book in a new series. Most lead books are slower, written to build background for the books that follow. This is not true of The Widows. It was a great read that kept you turning pages to see what comes next. I've already recommended it to my reading buddies.

I enjoyed immensely this story of two incredibly strong women, who dared to step outside the conventional roles usually open to women of their time. Lily is the sheriff of her county, and Marvena is a union leader, and spokesperson for the coal miners in their Appalachian area. The setting is southeastern Ohio in the 1920’s, and there would seem to be more that would cause conflict between these two than would draw them together. For one, they loved the same man, and for another they might be considered to be on opposite sides of the law, as the coal miners become increasingly agitated over safety issues, poor pay, and high prices at the company store. But there is more that unites Lily and Marvena: one, yes, they had loved the same man. And Lily is adamant in her beliefs about a woman’s right to vote, and is a strong supporter of unionization. They recognize in each other the pain of great loss, held close to the heart. Together they try to negotiate between the miners and owners, and to prevent an outright uprising, and violence on both sides.
The author states that although these two women are her own creation, both are loosely based on historical figures: Lily is representative of Maude Collins, the first female sheriff in Ohio, taking office in 1925 (there was not a second woman sheriff in the state until 1976). And Marvena was inspired by Mother Jones, who campaigned hard for the rights of women, and for workers and unions.

My thanks to Netgalley, to Jess Montgomery, and to Minotaur Books, for the copy of this book I was provided, to read and review.

Outstanding historical fiction based on the true story of Ohio's first female sheriff. Lily and Marvena have never met though they live just miles apart, but are connected by Daniel - Lily's husband and Marvena's first love. When Daniel, the sheriff, is killed and Lily is named sheriff in his stead (the powers that be think she will be easily manipulated), the two women gradually learn to trust one another - and themselves - to investigate what looks like Daniel's murder and for the whereabouts of Marvena's daughter while learning who can be trusted and how far in a corrupt community and during the major upheaval for coal miners' rights.
This was excellent on so many levels. The two women are extremely well-written and very different people - in background and personality. The secondary characters are equally well drawn. The widows of the title can refer to even more than Lily and Marvena (her husband was killed in the mines), because in coal mining country there are very many widows, and they are the ones to pick up the pieces and try to make a life again for themselves and their children. The plotting is intricate and the characters complex enough that it is as hard for the reader to know who to trust as Lily and Marvena. The heartbreak is palpable, the hard times are immediate, and the countryside itself brought to life. Completely absorbing from first to last. Highly recommended.

Based on real people, the book shows you how family life was in the 1920's. Fascinating read about two families and the man who bridged both in his death. I liked the way Lily went about solving the crime of her husband. While she was confronted with prejudice, she took the reader step by step in solving the death. It was amazing what she found a long the way.