I have read and enjoyed all the books in this author’s Jefferson Tayte genealogical mystery series, so was intrigued to see this stand-alone historical thriller, set in Victorian Birmingham, come up on NetGalley. The summary gives an idea of what it’s about but I think it’s better not to know too much about the plot going in, as the shocking truth of what has been going on is gradually revealed.

A beautiful young woman throws herself into the Thames, with her five year old son in her arms, in order to evade her dark past and begin again. Moving to the well-to-do suburb of Edgbaston, she befriends another young mother and manages to secure a position as a governess, but her relentless ambition for her son drives her every calculated move. When the past threatens her security, she will do whatever it takes to keep her secrets from emerging.

Told in both the third person past, and by an unknown first person narrator sixteen years later, this follows Angelica’s rise from desperate refugee to wife of a prosperous penmaker (this is not a spoiler - it’s the title!) using only her wits, charm and beauty, but not everyone is seduced and our sympathy for her soon wanes. How much you enjoy this will come down to whether you need to like your Main Character or not. Angelica is no Becky Sharp!

I liked the descriptions of late nineteenth century London and Birmingham, and learned a little about the penmaking industry, not something I’ve ever given much thought to. Most of the secondary characters are somewhat two-dimensional and parts of the plot difficult to believe. The romance is unexpected but not overdone, and I thought the ending was quite clever. 3.5 rounded up for good writing and the author coming up with something quite different, but I hope he returns to the lovable JT for his next book.
My thanks to NetGalley and Amazon UK for the ARC which allowed me to give an honest review. The Penmaker’s Wife is published today.

This book is set in the time of Queen Victoria and starts with Angelica taking drastic measures, feigning the death of herself and her son, to escape her past life. But as the story develops it takes on the feeling of a slow developing train wreck that you can see unfurling.
I am a fan of this author and his Jefferson Tayte genealogical fiction series, but this book did not sit well with me. I am not sure if it is because the main character, Angelica, is so distasteful that it tainted the book, but it fell short of my expectations.
Thank you Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the opportunity to read this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Brilliant story! I was instantly taken back to the 1880's with the story of Angelica and her son. With each page I was more and more intrigued by the story in which Angelica is trying her hardest to provide for her son while trying to avoid her past. The character development is fantastic and this is certainly one of those books that I just couldn't put down until it was over, and then I was left thinking about it. The story, the characters, what a mother would do for her child, it's all so relatable. Plus, A historical fiction allowed me to get a glimpse of a past life, one that could have happened to any one of us if we were born during that era! Captivating story and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of this genre.

Billed as Alias Grace meets Peaky Blinders, The Penmaker's Wife by Steve Robinson seemed like a book that would be right up my alley. The stylised cover was attractive, with its simple yet striking image of a fountain pen and a pool of blood, and the description of Angelica, a woman in Victorian England on the run from her past sounded intriguing but unfortunately the book failed to live up to my hopes. The plot is straightforward enough, a woman takes her son, fakes her death and runs away. She then creates another life for herself, first as Governess to a respectable family, and eventually as the second wife of the titular pen , maker, all with the intention of providing a better future for her son. Along the way she commits some terrible crimes, and when it seem like they are about to come back to haunt her, like a cornered wolf defending her cub, she proves that nothing and no one is more important in her eyes.
I struggled with the way this book was written, it seemed terribly flat and one tone, a bad thing happens to Angelica, she manipulates her way out of it. rinse and repeat in increasingly unlikely ways until the conclusion. I never felt any real connection to Angelica, and the character never seemed to grow in any way. There are two point of view characters, and both voices felt very similar, meaning that at times I had to go back to see which character was speaking. I was also disappointed by the lack of detail about the time and place the book was set in, it was minimal, and the fact that the character was married to a pen maker had no bearing on the story which seems a little strange. I also felt that the pacing was off, at times the narrative jumped from one event to another without any explanation, and while this may have been a deliberate tactic by the author to provide a shocking reveal at a later point, it really did not work in my opinion.
Overall the book left me feeling deflated and disappointed , it was not memorable.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

This book was received as an ARC from Amazon Publishing UK in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book was like what if the Sound of Music was a murder mystery tale? Having that question in mind really made me enjoy this book even more. The history and the back story behind Angelica and the secrets of her husband was very interesting to read having her husband dead and fleeing with her son far away so they can have a better life for one another in an escape from her husbands death. She lands a job as a governess and begins to encounter with some people in her "husbands circle" and once admired is now questioned by her motives and having them see her as the sole killer of her husband. Tensions arise conflicts among us just invaded this Angelica's life and her world has turned upside down. I was thrilled with excitement while reading this book and was shocked all at the end almost at the point where I stopped breathing.

We will consider adding this title to our Mystery collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars!

I have not read a lot of historical fiction, but I really enjoyed this book and could not put it down. It is very well written and I enjoyed the characters.
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A book of Victorian poverty, aspirations and devious methods. One woman's attempt to make a better life for her only son leads to unseen twists and turns in the plot. An excellent read from start to finish. With well developed characters it draws you in to the end.

After a traumatic opening and first meeting of Angelica Chastain and her young son William, the story jumps 16 years to 1896 in Birmingham and swearing of events that lead from 1880 to present-day. The beginning of this swearing is a statement of love for Angelica followed by what this person says Angelica confided in her and what she witnessed herself.
Beauty is definitely only skin deep where Angelica is concerned as men underestimate her and most women sense that there is something very off with her. Her goal in life is to lift her son out of poverty and into much wealthier circles so that he will never want for anything. The drawback of being so beautiful though is how memorable it makes her, making her an easy target for anyone wanting to make a quick few shillings or for pure self-gratification.
The author creates a vivid picture of the huge divide between the poor and upper classes of the Victorian era and the people who lived in each. The characters are very well developed in the story with some tender and light moments between friendships that develop making some of what happens, feel even more shocking. The end just knocked me sideways. Brilliant round up.
I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.

I enjoyed this book and did find myself racing through it to see if Angelica’s past would come back to haunt her, but generally the book seemed rushed in some places and also a bit repetitive in parts. Angelica gets herself out of situations in what should be a serious way but seems so glib in the way the author describes it to us and Angelica then describes it to Effie.
Unlike some reviewers I predicted many parts of the plot very early on but the ending was a surprise that had me throwing my head back and laughing. It shouldn’t have, but my admiration for Angelica grew exponentially on the last page!! I’m not sure if the author wanted me to be shocked or disgusted or even frightened but for me it was definitely humorous.
I found myself fascinated by the descriptions of the fountain pen making and how they sought to solve the problems of leakage and I wished there was more historical detail like that. I think there was so much scope to expand the book in terms of historical context and fact and descriptions of every day life. The paragraphs that were included show that Mr Robinson knows how to to research and include fact amongst his fiction.
This book wasn’t a 5 star read for me but is definitely enough to make me want to read more by the author.

When I first read the synopsis for this book I was intrigued and thought the story arc could be really interesting. But as I started to read the book, I found that it didn't grab my attention as much as I thought it would. I had a hard time connecting to the characters, and found the main character Angelica unlikable. The second timeline that takes place about 20 years after the beginning I found to be confusing at first. I wish I had liked this book more, but I had a hard time finding its rhythm .

A hugely enjoyable tale of Angelica Chastain and her scheming life. The story begins in 1880 and sees Angelica and her son fleeing London to start a new life in Birmingham. Angelica is a quick-witted, determined and ruthless character. Lots of fun to read. A light, quick read with lots of twists and turns.

I wish to thank Net Galley and the publisher Amazon Publishing UK for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Steve Robinson has done it again. He has written a compelling mystery with lots of twists and turns that grabs you at the beginning and holds your interest to the last word. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the story unfold and had no idea where it was going. It is told in the third party voice which just deepens the plot. The setting is Victorian England. I especially enjoyed learning about the history of pen production..
You will really enjoy this one.

I have to say I was a bit disappointed with this book. I assumed it was one of Steve's Jefferson Tayte books and kept waiting for it to switch to current day. It wasn't until I checked I found I was mistaken. It's quite a good story but it didn't really grip me like his other books do. There seemed to be too many coincidences for it to be believable. A shame because I love his other books.

Hugh fan of Steve Robinson's writing so was looking forward to reading this.
Was I disappointed NO
Was I gripped and drawn into the story YES
Did I foresee the ending NO

Completely absorbed from the beginning, thought it was well written
With twists and turns, and plenty of shocking ways the main character hoodwinked everyone for a better life.
A must read

Thank you netgalley, Steve Robinson and Amazon Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book.

I was immediately grabbed by the description of this book and had to delve straight in. I have read other books by the same author and have never been disappointed and this book is another brilliant title. The story starts in 1880's London where Angelica Chastain is trying to escape her past. She is determined to create a new and better life for her son William and will go to extraordinary lengths in order to achieve this aim. We follow Angelica as she thinks she has succeeded in securing a better life for herself and her son which for several years seems fine. However we should know that our past always catches up with us and as grieved individuals start to investigate Angelica's torrid past the net closes in and she has to become even more ruthless to keep the truth hidden. It is not until the end of the book that things become clear and we realise that not everything is as we are led to believe.

This is a brilliant book and I highly recommend this to those who enjoy getting totally engrossed in a tale of struggle and determination to escape their past and improve life for their children.

Many thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in return for a fair and honest review.

I received this from Netgalley.com for a review.

Birmingham, 1880. Angelica Chastain has fled from London with her young son, William. She promises him a better life, far away from the terrors they left behind.

Great story, well told. I love these femme fatale characters that are so very charming and so very devious. Good read! I look forward to reading more by this author.

4.25 stars

If you want to immerse yourself in late 19th century England, from the dirty streets of london to the jewel rich homes of Birmingham, then this book is good on settings. I don;t know Birmingham very well but this novel really does take you into the jewel quarter there and shows a sense of place and time that is very fascinating to experience.

The whole theme about the manufacture and importance of pens was interesting. Might not seem so at first sight, but It was intrigued to find out about how they were made, why they were important and why now there is a pen museum in the very quarter where the book is set. All fine details are woven into the plot and it's insightful to find yourself in this world.

The romance part of the novel wasn't its strong point for me and weakened the overall feel of a novel where the research enriched the setting. The characters and their reactions didn't equal the well developed settings for me and it was the jewel quarter and pen manufacturing which was the most interesting for me.

Effie and William were not people who I felt changed much over the course of the novel and this was disappointing as I wanted to find out about them and how they had grown.

As for Angelica - well she had to put up with a lot of problems and challenges!

The novel delves into a fascinating time period and setting which I wanted more of, but I enjoyed this one!

The Penmaker’s Wife by Steve Robinson is an historical novel about murder, obsession, manipulation and the lengths a mother will go to, to give her son the best in life.

I loved the historical details in the novel. I could clearly imagine life in late 19th century England, the contrast of the dirt-poor streets of London to the wealthy suburbs of Birmingham. The settings were beautifully created.

The character development was minimal. I felt the characters were the same at the beginning of the novel as at the end, except maybe for William. Perhaps this was intentional – it showed the inherent characteristics of Angelica, and that maybe due to ambition, these characteristics never change. But I would have liked to have seen more growth in Effie. She starts out flaky and naïve, and after almost 20 years is still the same woman.

I enjoyed the trials that Angelica faced – nothing came easy to her and the obstacles were many, making her that much more determined. But she is not a likeable woman in the least and I didn’t feel any attachment to her at all. The only emotion I felt was regarding her relationship with Effie. I do think William and Effie were the only two people she loved.

Overall, I did enjoy this book and would recommend it to fans of historical fiction.

#netgalley #thepenmakerswife #steverobinson #amazonpublishing

This is about a woman who attempts to do everything for her son, whether that is faking her own death, selling her body or bumping off a few abusive men along the way.

However, I felt the character of Angelica was horrid. I feel as if a story when told from the point of view of the murderer it should be more nuanced and have more character development as the book progresses. I didn’t have any emotions towards her and that to me means an author has failed. I should have been either rooting for her or hating her. But by the end I was indifferent and quite happy that this book was at an end.

I read about a third of this book and gave up.
It wasn't to my taste.
I think the best way I can describe it is overly simplistic.
There were no details or depth to the book.
It was a series of fortunate or unfortunate events I felt.

Possibly if I'd carried on it would have picked up,but not all books suit all people and I happily moved on to something else.