Rebecca Bartlett and Daniel Alloway find themselves working together to solve a mystery. Who betrayed Rebecca's husband Phillip and now wants to kill General George Washington? The unlikely spies face their own threats of betrayal and adventure in this fast-paced story.
I liked the historical aspects of "The Turncoat's Widow." I didn't realize the impact on the soldiers who fought to free their families and create an independent country. They faithfully served in the army but weren't guaranteed an income or home afterward. That's sacrifice!
Becca is also a strong-willed, courageous and resilient woman. She gives up her dream life to pursue to truth and defend the cause she believes in.
I enjoyed the banter between John Mason and Abigail Bartlett, too. That gang was a star of the book, in my opinion.
I wasn't a big fan of the romance. But while it leans toward the risque side, it isn't graphic.
The book could also use a bit of editing. In places, the timeline didn't fit - in one chapter, it took two days to travel to New York from Morristown, while the characters made the trip overnight in another part of the book. I was sometimes uncertain about the location and participants of the action, too - it wasn't clear who was involved and where they were located.
The ending left me wanting another book in this series! I hope author Mally Becker takes Becca and Daniel on another adventure.

The Turncoat's Widow
by Mally Becker

This is a fictional account of an act of treason during the American Revolutionary War. I have read very few books set in this time period so the plot seemed unique to me. It was complex enough to keep me interested, but not so convoluted that it was difficult to follow.

I liked the main character, Daniel Alloway, but I never felt comfortable about his relationship to the widow, Becca Parcell. Their attraction was too sudden for me to find it believable. At about 30% into the book, I still didn't feel comfortable with their relationship nor the direction the book was going. I kept waiting for it "start."

There were many inconsistencies, such as why was Becca a sensation to the Loyalists living in NYC? She was from a small town and definitely not from a high social class. How had they even heard of her. She was the daughter of a blacksmith who struck it rich, so how did she know how to move in upper class circles in New York City?

The writing seems to jump around as well. Often when there was a change of scene, the author didn't provide any transitional background. During these shifts, when did things happen? Later that night? The next day? Mally just dives into the action. The writing is not consistent. It is either not clear and concise or unnecessary information is given, for example: "She listened to the hiss of a match, then watched the candle flare to life."

As for Chapter 36 I am completely baffled as to the sequence of events.

In spite of the fact that I had mixed feelings about this book, I did enjoy reading it and I will read her next book.


#TheTurncoatsWidow #NetGalley

After the death of her husband at the hands of the British, Rebecca Parcell becomes the target of her neighbors. Some hated her husband, who was a spy for Britain only to switch allegiances. Many doubt Rebecca's loyalty. To save her farm, she agrees to act as a spy for General Washington. She has to keep ahead of other traitors to find a list of spies and unravel a plot that threatens the future of the new nation.

This was a strange read. It was fast-paced with some interesting characters. The problem was there were so many characters and the fast pace meant few of them were fleshed out. Even the two characters we mainly follow don't feel developed. A romance is hinted at, but it felt undeserved and without a solid foundation.

That said, it was interesting to have a heroine who questioned both sides of the war. She just wanted to be left alone. But this changes by the end when she allies herself with General Washington.

Opposite Rebecca, we had a hero who was forgettable. I wasn't interested in Daniel Alloway's story, his past or his motivation. And the times when the story follows him were dull. Almost as dull as the parts where we see things from the villain's point of view. I think the villain's parts were included to build tension and suspense, but I just wasn't interested.

It would appear this is meant to set up at least another book, if not a series. I'm sure there are readers who would enjoy it and there's nothing really wrong with this book. It just wasn't for me.

The Turncoat's Widow: A Revolutionary War Mystery by Mally Becker is Historical Thriller Fiction with a British, American or double spy. An exciting story from the beginning with a preacher's accusations and congregational gossip in a small town. There are traitors, treasonous acts, spy’s, mysteries, danger and romance. Who are the traitors in the War of Independence and why?
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I appreciate the opportunity and thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read, enjoy and review this book. 5 Stars

Historical drama set in the time of the War of Independence. A strong heroine and a damaged hero struggle to find a list of spies which both sides want. Lots of interesting characters, a good fead.

The Turncoat's Widow is definitely a promising start for a debut author, though there were certain aspects of her writing that took me out of the story. In terms of the positives, I liked the unique setting of the story, as Revolutionary War-era America is often overlooked in historical mysteries and romance. Becca and Daniel were also sympathetic protagonists. Both were pulled into the intrigue of the war despite preferring to keep to their own business. With concise chapters and plenty of action, the book is definitely a fast read.

My main issue with the story is that I wanted more details and depth to fill in gaps in characterization, the setting and plot points. The major points were all covered, but the little details that make a story come to life were missing or only partially there. For example, I was expecting more details to tie the story to historic Morristown, especially with the author's familiarity with the location. Aside from the basic facts of Washington's Headquarters at the Ford Mansion and the brutal winter at Jockey Hollow, it felt a bit generic, like it could have been any colonial-era town or village. I don't need a whole treatise on historical facts or even 100% historical accuracy, but just something more to anchor it to the specific time and place. The scenes in British-occupied New York fared better in this respect, though given the action and suspense in those portions, the details were less noticeable.

Thank you to Level Best Books and Netgalley for providing an ARC for review!

3.5 - I enjoyed the intrigue of the various spies and seeing how so many "ordinary" people got involved. I felt the characters could have been more developed. It was hard to feel like you got to know them.

I loved this book from the first tension-filled moment to the last.

The Turncoat’s Widow reminds us that this country has always faced the challenge of divisions, but this book doesn’t stop there. It also brings us on a whirlwind adventure with Washington’s most reluctant spy.

Mally Becker treats us to a rare literary experience – a female-centric book of the Revolutionary War era. The stakes are high, but Rebecca Parcell is up to the challenge. She is a strong, determined and complex heroine you are compelled to root for. Becca Parcell is so capable she has no need for a man, but that doesn’t mean romance is out of the question.

Read it for the historical adventure. Read it for the romance. Read it for the mystery, but whatever you do, read it!

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley. A blend of historical fiction, mystery, and romance, the book packs quite a lot into one volume.

The setting is the most interesting part of the book- authors tend not to emphasize the darker aspects of the American Revolution. We don’t think of it in those terms, but the War for Independence was in fact a civil war. The author does an excellent job evoking the atmosphere of uncertainty and distrust that existed at the time. I couldn’t help but see modern parallels in some of the book’s events- the violent polarization of the townspeople, the malignant intersection of religion and politics, the toxicity of unproven rumors etc.

The story is well-paced and held my attention (which is some thing I have struggled with during the pandemic). I did have some trouble keeping track of events and especially characters, but that is likely due to the fact that I rarely read books involving espionage. (Seriously, with all that double and triple crossing and all the different sides/factions, how do people keep up?!)

The book did feel uneven at times. The romance, for instance, seems “tacked on.” Most of the characters could’ve used a little more depth- I didn’t connect with the heroine the way I expected to. There were several very intriguing secondary characters that deserved more attention.

Overall, this was a promising start to what appears to be a new series and I look forward to seeing how it develops.

The American Revolutionary era is one of my favorite periods to read about. I have been hard pressed lately to find good and unique fictional stories about the subject. When I first saw The Turncoat’s Widow’s book cover and read the description, I knew I found solid gold.

Becker brilliantly captures the mindsets of people’s opinions about the war and what was happening around them. She takes us on a journey to a prison war ship, espionage, mingling with notable historical figures, blended with romance and friendships developing in the most extraordinary circumstances.

Becker is a compelling story writer and she deftly places her readers at the edge of their seat with this adventurous read.

I was impressed with how impeccably the story flowed and the author’s attention to historical detail. I’m trusting we will get to read more of these fascinating character’s adventures? I certainly hope so.

An outstanding debut novel!

Stephanie Hopkins

This fast-paced tale of espionage, betrayal, and mystery during the American Revolution has much to recommend it. I especially enjoyed the fact that the story has two protagonists, a man and a woman (the ‘Turncoat’s Widow’ of the title). Having these two main characters gives the story a wider scope—we get to see more than one person’s view of certain situations. The story turns on a coded list of British agents compiled by a Tory turncoat that is lost en route to General Washington. The turncoat’s widow, Rebecca Parcell, has to find the list or risk having her farm, her livelihood, confiscated by Continental forces. A man who was imprisoned with her husband and heard his dying words is the only person who can help find the missing list. George Washington and Alexander Hamilton make cameo appearances in the story. They are, from what I have read, accurately portrayed. It’s also fun to know that the author lives in the area she is writing about. The historical details lend solidity but do not crowd out the story; it gallops along at an ever-increasing pace until a final moment of suspense and resolution. There is a strong hint at the end of the book that the story will continue, so I look forward to Mally Becker’s next book of Revolutionary espionage.

Thanks to Level Best Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was an enjoyable historical read. It was full of action and I found myself engrossed pretty quickly.

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. This was a revolutionary war historical fiction. I liked how this book told how every day citizens felt and faced the war. It took a bit to get into this book. Great read and very enjoyable once I to it!

As a non-American I often wondered what the American revolution meant for a "common" colonist. Many were British or of British decent and the slogan "No taxation without representation" what we learned in Holland in school that was the spark that set off the war seemed for a grown up me a bit far fetched for the random Tom, DIck and Harry who had no seat in Parliament anyway.

However many American historical novels go for a full patriotic blast. But there were loyalists. Canada stayed British. Native Americans were often pro British as the Americans were not so nice and freedom loving to them. So how would it have been for a random person living in the colonies?

This book is about exactly those..

New York being in the hand of the British but New Jersey in the hands of Washington's army Becca is just a young widow of impoverished middle class who does not give a toss who is in charge Washington or the British. But when words get out her husband was a British spy who turned on his master willing to sell British spies on Washington's staff and she is supposed to have ratted on him what she did not, she is almost run out of town. Her only way out is given by Washington who promises to let her keep her farm (and he also promises to pay a former prisoner to aid her) if she finds that list with the spies.

Becca at a certain moment says she realises that the people living in the colonies are indeed not British. I think she regards them as people less focussed on a glorious pasts and more flexible. I think the author means that there were more opportunities on the American side.

After finishing the book I found out the author works on the historical site where the novel is set.

The mystery part of the novel is well done. The love interest is an undercurrent that is very believable and the historical background is fascinating. For instance that people in their thirties were considered middle aged. That Washington at age 48 was considered old and that he was very tall but had a high voice (like my good friend M I immediately thought). It is also interesting to read that people had expected that war to be over a lot sooner too. Are they not always? And that the British had burned Manhattan and not rebuild it and the prison ships sounded very cruel too. I always wondered why the British who were winning for a long time lost. Lost the popular vote?

What isn’t to love about this story?! If you love historical fiction, adventure, and strong female characters, you’ll love this book and won’t want to put it down. Becca has to prove her innocence during a time of uncertainty for everyone, the Revolutionary war. The author does a great job with the characters, the flow of the story and then sets it up nicely for a sequel.

This is a great historical fiction novel. It centers on Becca Parcell, a Revolutionary War widow. As the name implies, her husband is a turncoat for the Continental Army. he dies before getting his secret list to General Washington. I love the character of Becca and Daniel Alloway, her reluctant ally in the story. The relationship between Becca and her mother in law is also great. I hope Mally Becker continues the story of Becca and Daniel in Philadelphia.
I received a complimentary copy of the book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Set during the darkest days of the American Revolution, The Turncoat’s Widow tells the fictional story of General Washington’s most reluctant spy, a young widow who races times and traitors in New York City and Morristown circa 1780 to uncover a plot that threatens the new nation’s future. With elements of romance and suspense, this historical mystery also explores themes of resilience, loss, and the courage needed to leave the past behind.

The book is about Rebecca Parcell or Becca, widow of Phillip Parcell, the supposed Patriot during the American Revolution. We see how he was a British spy and had made a list of fellow spies, which is supposed to be in Becca’s possession.
She is targeted by the folk of Morristown for various reasons- hatred for her husband, suspicion on her loyalties towards the land, and for the list, she doesn’t even know existed. Above all, we see that she was an easy target for being different from the rest of them.
Becca is offered a deal by none other than George Washington to find the list and be free of the rumors and the Council's threat to take away her farm.
Daniel Alloway, an escaped British prisoner, is appointed as her protector when Becca travels to New York to uncover the mystery around her dead husband.
It is a historical fiction with sizzling romance and thrill. What makes it even better for me is it's quick pace,

American War of Independence, widow Rebecca and escaped British prisoner Daniel come together to untangle whether her husband was really on the British or American side, to decide which side they support and which side their friends, relatives and foes support - this week. An interesting if convoluted story but with a lot of description of life in those turbulent times which makes up for some of the convolutions. Almost everyone seems to betray everyone else and everyone certainly has secrets they prefer to keep. Well written and researched and the ending clearly sets the reader up for another story in the series. Thanks to NetGalley and Level Best books for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Revolutionary War has been going on for a while, and things are getting really tough. Families have been split, American soldiers are being paid in worthless paper currency, food is scarce, disease is not scarce, and it’s hard to tell where anyone’s loyalties really lie. Amidst this roiling mess, Rebecca Parcell just wants the war to end - and to be able to keep her deceased husband’s land. But that’s not going to happen without a miracle. The local townspeople (with some extra help from a provocateur or two) think she betrayed her hero husband to the British, and she’s likely to forfeit the farm when she’s forced to defend herself in front of the “Council of Safety”.

Luckily for Becca, General Washington knows the truth about her decidedly non-heroic husband, Philip, and is willing to intervene on her behalf if she and Daniel Alloway, the last man to see Philip alive, help the Revolutionary cause with a bit of spying. Toss in some villainous Brits, an equally heinous American or two, a puzzling code, a pretty slick way of transferring messages, and an underhanded British plot, and soon the bit of spying turns into a lot of spying - and a fair amount of danger too. Eventually, though, Rebecca and Daniel figure things out, just in time to prevent a wartime atrocity. And in the process they figure out some things about themselves too, and about each other.

I really enjoyed The Turncoat’s Widow. Although this isn’t really a traditional mystery, since we know right up front how Philip died (on a British prison ship), the story is more in the details – who DID betray him, and why? Author Mally Becker does a great job of setting the stage, although I wish she would have included a historical note at the end – I always think these add to mysteries set in different times. The plot kept me guessing right along with Becca and Daniel. And it was a ton of fun to see a young Alexander Hamilton!

If I have any minor issue with The Turncoat’s Widow, it’s that I’m not super fond of the type of mystery where the wrongly-accused protagonist has to prove their innocence. But Becker handles it pretty well, and I didn’t find it too annoying. All-in-all, this is a really nice series starter. At least, I hope it’s a series starter – after all there’s that matter in Philadelphia that General Washington would like Becca and Daniel to look into...

And finally, my thanks to the publisher, Level Best Books, and NetGalley for the advance review copy!

If you enjoy historical fiction, specifically about the revoloutionary era, this book is for you. After her husband dies, Rebecca Parcell is accused of being a Loyalist Sympathiser. General George Washington promises to safeguard Rebbeca, as long as she goes on a mission to find her husband's list of British spies.
It was so interesting to read about some of the famous faces of that time but in a different fictional context e.g. George Washington and Alexander Hamilton.

#TheTurncoatsWidow #NetGalley