The Turncoat's Widdow is an interesting book that is mostly period mystery with a very little bit of a suggested romance. I would say it is almost all mystery, really - the romance is so light as to be almost non-existent, but you do get the feeling that something could happen, maybe, someday, so I guess it counts.

The mystery is with the widow's (thus, the title) former husband, and whether or not he was working for the British or the Rebel Colonies and General Washington. Information is still be smuggled between the small town the widow lives in, and New York, which is held by the British. The townsfolk think that the widow is the smuggler, but she knows it's not her, and this handsome stranger who happened to be held on the prison ship where her husband died has a message for her...Washington wants him to figure out the dead man's secrets, which require him to get close to the widow. Here's our romance. It's actually pretty tepid - I don't even think they kiss; they just spend time together in the course of this "who is the real traitor/information smuggler/get the widow her good name back/answer General Washington's call to service" plot.

I actually quite liked this book, if you don't think too hard. There are some things that just don't make a whole lot of sense and I can't quite picture anyone doing, like sneaking out of a house in the middle of winter with no shoes on, and things like that. And there are some other little inconsistencies that a good editor should have picked up, like having a person leave a place without shoes, then, upon returning, take off their boots. Where did the boots come from? So if you ignore those kinds of things, it's a good story! It was actually one of those books where I wanted to come back to it and read it to find out what happens next, so it wasn't boring, by any means.

I think I would've liked it better, though, if I hadn't been expecting something of a romance between the two main characters. They're friends, and there is an attraction there, but there is no real romance to speak of - at least, not yet. Maybe in the future, but certainly not in this book. My favorite characters, actually, were the main character's former mother-in-law, maid, and the highwaymen. They were quite funny and had more personality to them, in my opinion.

The bottom line, I think the author did a good job of world-building; I did feel like I was in Revolutionary War-era America, but I also think there is room for improvement here, as well, as it felt like a very sanitized version of the era. I think most of the characters were well-rounded, but I don't know that there was a tremendous amount of growth for them - maybe for the main character, as she realized that the War did have implications beyond her and her farm - but not so much for the others. The sexual content, for grading a romance, was nill. And there is pretty much a HEA, or at least, the suggestion of one.

I would recommend this book if you are interested in cozy mysteries that don't make you think too hard, or light period pieces. This is NOT the book for you if you are going to get hung up on inconsistencies or true-to-life portrayals of 18th century life. Overall, I did enjoy the book, though I don't know if I would read another one featuring the same characters. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

Growing up in Newburgh, N.Y., I went on endless school trips to Washington's Headquarters, downtown, and the New Windsor Cantonment, where reenactors in tricorn hats played fifes and drums. When the 1976 Bicentennial rolled around, I was of the age to be called on to march in parade after parade dressed in a mob cap and some approximation of colonial dress. Naturally, I fell in love with the late-Victorian London of Sherlock Holmes, and yawned at the thought of the American Revolution.

Mally Becker's debut novel, The Turncoat's Widow, brings me full circle with an engaging historical mystery set in New Jersey and New York during the Revolutionary War. Becca Parcell, the eponymous heroine, is a strong and engaging protagonist who also feels true to her time. Daniel Alloway, a printer turned political prisoner turned reluctant spy for Washington, is a worthy ally and budding love interest for the widowed Becca. Secondary characters like Becca's mother-in-law Augusta, the more-than-he-appears bandit leader Mason, and the dastardly prison warden Cunningham fill out the stage for an exciting adventure filled with secret codes, spies on both sides, and a plot that nearly derailed the new nation before it even began. Appearances by George and Martha Washington and Alexander Hamilton round out the story.

The book's end sets us up for further adventures of Becca and Daniel, and I look forward to seeing what they get up to in Philadelphia, as the British provocateurs try to undermine support for the Revolution. (P.S. to Becker and Level Best Books: would love to see an Augusta and Mason adventure, too!)

Rebecca Parcell, widow of Robert Parcell, is targeted by the locals in Morristown of being a traitor during the American Revolution.
To save her farm and clear her name General George Washington offers her a deal, find the list of spies her husband had and give it to him. He appoints Daniel alloway, an escaped British prisoner to protect her and help her through her mission.
I loved the plot, it is interesting and generally fast paced. The ending especially moves quickly and is exciting, keeping you turning the pages.
I did find some of the characters a bit confusing and hard to keep track of who they are and what “side” they are on.
There is a great mix of suspense, romance and historical fiction.
It has a good ending and I like that while this story has finished there could definitely be another following it. I would definitely like to see more of Becca and Daniels relationship and how it develops.
3.5 stars rounded up.

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the electronic copy of The Turncoat’s Widow by Mally Becker. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this novel prior to publication. My opinions are my own, and nothing has influenced them.

The Turncoat’s Widow is a well-written novel with plenty of suspense, intriguing characters and an enthralling plot. The pacing is a bit slow in the first part of this tale, but it picks up dramatically around the halfway mark. From that point on, I couldn’t read fast enough.

Rebecca Parcell is the heroine, and I enjoyed her character a great deal. She’s fearless and determined to save her farm and protect her mother-in-law. Her bravery as the story progresses is amazing. The care and concern she shows toward Augusta is touching and helped me become fully vested in her character. Although her struggles are daunting, she never gives up, even when she faces being branded as a traitor.

Daniel Alloway is the hero, and he grew on me as the story moves forward. I could feel his fear when he’s presented with the task George Washington and Alexander Hamilton persuade him to undertake. The last thing he wants is to end up on the British prison ship, the Jersey again. His nightmares he experiences concerning his escape are chilling and vivid. There’s a good amount of descriptive writing in this book of those scenes that had me grabbing onto my seat!

I loved the spine-chilling espionage in this tale, as Rebecca and Daniel run from the villains of this story. I also enjoyed the historical aspect of the novel. I love novels set during our country’s fight for independence, and Ms. Becker’s research comes through. I can just imagine the excitement she must have experienced when the premise for this book came to her while volunteering at the Morristown Historical Park.

If you enjoy historical fiction with nail-biting suspense, incredible characters and a fantastic mystery to solve, then you will love The Turncoat’s Widow as much as I did. I was amazed when I learned this is Ms. Becker’s debut novel. This book is well worth the time it took to read. Happy reading!://vvaught512.blogspot.com/2021/02/book-review-with-featured-author.html

Becca was married to Philip, a man who did not love her. He married her for her dowery and then used it to pay his gambling debts and to try to recreate his lifestyle from England. He became a double agent during the Revolutionary War, selling information to the side that would benefit him most. After his death, Becca is accused of helping him and of knowing where he left a list of British spies.

Daniel has escaped from a British prison ship where he was chained next to Philip. Before dying Philip told him that his wife knew where to find this list of spies and that Washington would pay well for it. Daniel finds Becca and adventure begins. Washington wants the list and sends them to New York to do some undercover work. Who can they trust when no one is whom they appear to be.

This was a great read full of history, action, and a little romance thrown in as well. I was allowed to read this book on #NetGalley.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for access to this arc.

The plot is mainly focused on the spying that Becca and Daniel are asked to investigate with the romance being only a distant second. While that doesn’t end up being insta-love and there’s no sex at all, I never really felt that I was watching two people develop a romantic relationship. Becca daydreams a bit about Daniel and he’s impressed with her spirit and gumption but when Becca realizes she’s in love with him all I could think was “Huh. When did that happen?” Meanwhile Daniel never appears to reciprocate. He proposes marriage as a way for him to repay the debt he feels he owes Becca for saving his life but she (rightly, IMO) rejects this lukewarm offer.

The spying parts were done better but there were still things that just never went together. I felt it was like a jigsaw puzzle with some pieces jammed into place where they didn’t fit and other pieces missing completely. Becca’s (aristocratic, English born) husband was a snob who borrowed money and rarely paid it back so why the townspeople saw him as a Patriot who died for the cause bewildered me. Becca had an unusual upbringing before her father struck it rich but countless other Colonists also improved their social standing over the course of their lives so why were the townspeople so snobbish towards Becca and ready to turn on her?

New York City under British rule is a fascinating backdrop to use. The conflicting loyalties, cross purposes, and tensions should have made the book more interesting but I’m afraid that for the most part these seemed little more than window dressings. Nice window dressings, well researched window dressings but nothing that added a lot to the story.

Becca and Daniel put a great deal of effort into discovering who is playing the American side false but, to be kind, they’re not exactly brilliant spies or sleuths. It’s more dogged determination and in some cases dumb luck that helps them along. And even then, it takes them a long time to put the clues – which are mercifully sprinkled through the book so there are few “what?” moments. Still the place where what they’re searching for is found would have been one of the first places I would have looked given what Becca says about it plus the ultimate villain was one of the few “what?” moments.

I did like that the actual historical personages are made to be three dimensional and given some “warts” rather than portrayed as hallowed saints. It was a shame that all the British are pretty much foul characters, two dimensional or both. The depiction of the tensions between Loyalists and Patriots was nicely done as well as how desperate things were and how much the Patriot cause was balanced on a knife edge. As the story ends, it appears that Becca and Daniel might have further undercover adventures and perhaps the romance will be developed more. I enjoyed parts of this book but it isn’t what I’d hoped it would be. C

3.5 Stars

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.
The book is full of action, twists, and revelations. The lines between good and bad, friend and foe, blur as Becca gets embroiled deeper in the tangle of web around her.
What I like:
• It is a fast-paced story with a straightforward and crisp narration.
• Some characters were interesting to read. (Augusta, Annie, Mason, etc.) I wished there was more information to give them the required depth.
• A decent and neatly tied up ending that can lead to another book in the series (it does look that way).
• Keeping the reader guessing about the twist. Half my guesses were right.
What I Wished was Better:
• Too many characters crammed into the story, causing confusion. (Yeah, they are necessary, but some could have been used without names).
• There are no proper explanations for some developments in the story. I wouldn’t call these plot holes. It’s more of a lack of character development.
• There is no real depth of emotions displayed by any character. Even Becca seems superficial and removed from the story. While that made reading easier, it would have been more impactful to delve into the emotional turmoil of the lead characters.
• The love/ romance angle wasn’t explored enough. I understand there wasn’t time for it, but the emotional connection was not as strong as it should be.
Overall, this is a good debut novel and was quite enjoyable. But it is a one-time read and not memorable enough to stay with me for a long time.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Level Best Books and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This was an enjoyable read centered around the American Revolution with some spy-craft thrown in.

Becca Parcell has been recently widowed and ostracized by the town because the blame her for her husband's death and capture by the British. Daniel Alloway escaped a prisoner of war ship and was the last one to see Becca's husband alive. With knowledge of Parcell's list of British spies in the midst of Washington's command, Daniel joins forces with Becca at Washington's request. As the two navigate the tricky world of spies and double agents, will the two find their home in each other or gather enough funds to build a new home on their own?

I will say I enjoyed George Washington's role in this novel! There's the hint of his spymaster status, which often gets overlooked. But because of my knowledge of the Culper Spy Ring (particularly George Washington's Secret Six), Minister Townsend's name through me for a loop because I kept thinking of a Robert Townsend. (But James Rivington does make an appearance!)

All in all, a pretty solid debut by Mally Becker.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Level Best Books for the e-ARC. I really appreciated the opportunity to read this novel!

As a fan of historical fiction, I took a step away from the time period of World War II to venture back to our nation's fight for independence by reading The Turncoat's Widow. The character of Becca is a richly written character who is trying to overcome the reputation left behind as a result of her husband's death with the community laying blame on her. Through a series of events, she meets General Washington and is brought in to "right the wrong" she's accused of by finding her husband's list of spies and get the information to General Washington. In her quest, she is paired with a man named Daniel Alloway who knew her husband when he died on board the ship Jersey. Fighting their attraction to each other and trying to determine to trust or avoid certain people as they search for clues to where her husband hid the list, Becca and Daniel uncover the truth of who the turncoats are and attempt to save the nation and future first President as well. In a debut novel by Mally Becker, you are transported back to a time where neighbors don't know if they are friend or foe based on loyalties.

#netgalley #theturncoatswidow

The Turncoat's Widow is a historical fiction mystery set during the American Revolution. This is a unique time period for a mystery novel and it gave it a little extra kick for being different. The characters of Becca and Daniel are solid, though not particularly complex, so it made the novel a quick and easy read. It is laid out well and it is fun to guess along the way who might be part of the spy ring they are investigating.

The Turncoat's Widow is not your traditional spy novel. Set during the days of the American Revolution, this is a mystery woven with many strings to untangle. With a story like this one, it is easy for a reader to begin theorizing what is going to end up happening. I was thrilled when I finished the book and the majority of my theories were wrong, some were right, but so many were not. It is a great feeling to know that you as the reader did not figure out the entire plot before the end.
There are a lot of characters in this book, some real people and some fictionalized. With that many players, there is a huge risk of them not making sense, but Becker magically makes them all work together well within the story.

Thank you to Level Best Books and Net Galley for the chance to read and review this book. The opinions expressed are my own. This was a good Revolutionary War mystery written by a debut author. Lots of good historical details, with a great mystery thrown in. I hope this author continues to write more books like this one. Recommend to all history lovers!

Becca Parcell, recently widowed, has suddenly come under suspicion of being a British sympathizer in her small New Jersey town during the War of Independence. Tasked by George Washington to uncover a ring of suspected spies her husband had been a part of, Becca has an opportunity to clear her name. When she is paired with escaped prisoner Daniel Alloway, the last person to speak to her scoundrel of a husband onboard a British prison ship, the last thing Becca expects is to be attracted to him. Will they be able to untangle the web of deception before it’s too late? Find out in this cleverly-written tale of Revolutionary War intrigue.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Turncoat’s Widow, and after finishing, was surprised to learn this was author Mally Becker’s debut novel. I look forward to more of her books in the future.

In a unique setting for the historical mystery genre, this book is set in gritty Revolutionary War-era New England. Young widow Rebecca Parcell finds herself at the mercy of the townspeople in Morristown, NJ, when publicly accused of betraying her husband to the British and being the cause of his death. But Philip Parcell was not what he seemed to be. As a blacksmith’s daughter wed for her dowry, Becca had never fit in with Morristown society, despite her husband’s aristocratic family line, so she provides a handy scapegoat for those in the town who had reasons to be rid of her. The suspicions raised mean that Becca will most likely lose her farm and all she holds dear, despite the backing and support of her mother-in-law, Lady Augusta, and neighbor Thomas Lockwood, a man of standing who also happens to be personally acquainted with George Washington. In an astonishing turn of events, Becca finds herself enlisted by General Washington himself, to serve as a spy for him and discover the truth about a list of names of turncoats Philip had in his possession.

Enter Daniel Alloway, who’d been on the same British prison ship as Philip Parcell and was told by the dying man that his wife would know how to retrieve the list of names. Daniel is recruited to accompany Becca, Lady Augusta, and their maid Annie to British-occupied New York City to help discover who the traitors are amongst Washington’s own men and how the trail leads to Morristown. Already a dangerous and brutal place during the Revolutionary War, the city harbors enemies of both Daniel and Becca, making a difficult assignment even more deadly.

The cast of supporting characters was well-rounded and enjoyable, the story clipped along at a fast pace, and there were twists and turns along the way. It offered a glimpse into the rougher, and most likely quite accurate, aspects of life during this tumultuous time. It also threw in a few interesting facts I didn’t realize, like one needing a passport to travel from New Jersey to New York.

With a tidy resolution to the mystery and hints at a future romance and other opportunities to spy for Washington, it set itself up nicely for future books in the series. And I’ll gladly read them.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for my unbiased review.

The Turncoat's Widow was a quick read for me. It is based on a fictional couple during the American Revolution. The town turns away from Becca after her husband is killed by the British. They think she might be a turncoat and that she had the British kill her husband. However, things are much more complicated than it first looks. This is a historical novel and it is a simply written book that allows for a entertaining escape from life. Thank you #NetGalley for allowing me to give my honest opinion on #TheTurncoat'sWidow.

I enjoyed this,and in fact sat down and read it in one afternoon.
It's a period I know little about,so that's always interesting.
I felt for the most part though,it was very light weight,didnt go beyond surface level.

It's not a complaint,because it was exactly what I needed that particular afternoon.

The Turncoat’s Widow by Mally Becker is a great historical fiction novel that has it all: history, intrigue, mystery, suspense, well-thought out characters, and a dash of romance to boot.

I really enjoyed this book. I really don’t think that there are enough books that take place during the Revolutionary War time period. There is so much untapped potential. It was refreshing to read and follow along with a full cast of characters as they try to decipher through political intrigue, spy networks, espionage, traitors, secrets, conspiracies, and villains to overcome evil and right the wrongs.

I really enjoyed Rebecca Parcell as the main character. She is strong, smart, complex, imperfect yet likable, and is a woman wronged. Word on the street is that she is a traitor to the British, however she is wrongly accused. With the help of unlikely additional characters, Daniel Alloway and the inclusion of George Washington himself (I looooove this classy addition), the stakes couldn’t be higher. Will Rebecca find vindication, happiness, and be able to help save her country in the process?....one must read to find out.

Delightful.

4.5/5 stars

Thank you to NG and Level Best Books for this arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately (as of 2/6/21 no BB listing has been created) and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.