Polly Forrest is a difficult person to figure out. But Charlotte Whitney does a clever job of revealing bits about her that tease out her story and keep the reader guessing throughout the book. At times I was certain I knew how the story was going to go, and then was surprised by the turn of events. I especially liked the relationship between Polly and her sister and how it played out throughout the story. It felt like there were a lot of characters to keep track of, which pulled me out of things a bit along the way. But in the end, I enjoyed the novel and would recommend it to others.

In Michigan in 1934, Polly Forrest, a naïve and spoiled girl foolishly jumped into marriage, her husband Samuel Forrest seemed to be the perfect man before they tied the knot, which made her the happiest woman at the time, but her happiness turned into sorrow and regret. With his sudden death, she became the prime suspect. This incident made her life even more miserable, and she could no longer keep up the charade of hiding the truth behind her relationship with Sam.

Polly though still naïve does not know the full story behind Sam’s accident and what he got caught up in because of unexpected events and suspicion has been, which puts Polly in the middle of it all. Her deceptive ways are catching up to her as well because the people around her are beginning to question her motives and her relationship with Sam. Sarah especially knows Polly is hiding something and does not go easy on her. Polly finally decides to open up and Sarah is the most upset at Polly’s lies.

The Unveiling of Polly Forrest was a fantastic read, set in the Great Depression it tells of how much of a struggle it was and the essentials that are considered common in today’s time were more valuable than like coffee. The narration of this story revolves around three perspectives, Polly herself, Polly’s sister Sarah and Sarah’s husband Reverend Wesley Johnson.

As the story goes on, we see that Polly's behavior change from a childish, spoilt girl to a mature and reliable lady. She was ignorant and keen on getting her way during her early life and it was what led to her decision to a repulsive marriage. As Polly faces the struggles of being a widow and the baggage her husband left her, her character development progresses on further read.

Sarah on the other hand is always fierce with Polly because from an early age she was tasked with raising Polly and there was always a hint of resentment for her because of her spoilt attitude. When Polly got married Sarah thought that Polly’s decision was too rash, and she did not give her relationship time to blossom before taking on a serious commitment. Her greed and passion for wealth caused her to experience a life she was not expecting.

Wesley, Sarah’s devoted husband, and Reverend always look out for Polly, at times he is concerned and protective of her. He sometimes has idle thoughts about Polly but dismisses them instantly. He is always occupied with the church and his three children. He also must assist the community as part of his duties as a Reverend.

I would say this was a great mystery, historical fiction novel. It captures the reader’s attention. Great storyline and characters. I love the author Charlotte Whitney’s development of characters and the plot. The various narration made it even more interesting, and I was not bored while reading this book. I would recommend it to history lovers and women fiction readers. It has a strong storyline and I give this book a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

A small cast of characters in a rural farming community in Michigan in 1930's. Descriptions of the hardships of that time were eye opening. Polly married young in hopes of bettering her life, buy after the death of her abusive husband the story becomes more of a who done it story. Was it accidental or not?

I mostly enjoyed this book, the depression is a great time period that I love reading about, and as a Methodist pastors wife I really enjoyed the perspective of the church and a pastors family at that time. The mystery was interesting. But the writing wasn't completely there for me sometimes it was just lackluster and sometimes it was unclear what was actually supposed to be happening. There were little moments of incongruity that just bothered me. But for someone who reads less and is less critical than me I think the book would be great so I would recommend it.

I enjoyed this book set in the Great Depression and also somewhat of a murder mystery….both things I’m a sucker for.

Polly is a spoiled young newlywed whose husband is killed in a suspicious farm accident and several people are among the suspects, especially Polly who is not acting very upset.

The last part of the book got a little slow and repetitive and rather convoluted in my opinion, but at least we weren’t left hanging about what happened.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.

The Unveiling of Polly Forrest is set in Michigan in 1934 during the Great Depression and presents a striking picture of the hardships of that era. For the rural farming communities times were extremely tough. The prices for crops dropped so much that some farmers were left with no choice but to either sell up or lose their farms to foreclosure. There were no luxuries like indoor plumbing, extra money for clothes or anything but the most basic foods.

Polly lives with her husband, Sam, on the farm next to that of her sister, Sarah and brother-in-law, Reverend Wesley Johnson. Polly is young, pretty and immature, preoccupied with her own situation and not at all cut out out to be a farmer’s wife. She’s only been married a short time and the considerate and agreeable man she fell in love with has been replaced by a controlling bully. When her husband is killed in a freak accident Polly is at her sister’s house but that fact doesn’t seem to exclude her from suspicion due to the nature of the death.

The story is narrated from alternating first person perspectives — Polly, Sarah and Wesley, all flawed, well defined and complex. This drives the story and shows the individual points of view as events unfold. The investigation into Sam’s death begins to uncover much more that expected and puts the family in danger.

Sarah and Polly’s relationship is strained at times, more so from Sarah who had been, and perhaps still was, a little jealous of Polly. Both have their own differing versions of their childhood, but it was good to see the development of their characters as the story progresses. The twisty plot kept my interest throughout, it’s entertaining, sad in parts and the historical aspect is very informative — not only about the plight of the farmers but things like telephones with party lines and how people could listen in to everyone else’s phone calls.

There’s drama, heartbreak and several serious issues covered, and even if I didn’t quite see what Wesley’s fall from grace added to the story, I enjoyed it very much.

The Unveiling of Polly Forrest by Charlotte Whitney takes readers back to 1934 in rural Michigan. The story is told from three points of view: Polly Forrest, Polly’s sister Sarah Wolcott Johnson, and Sarah’s husband Reverend Wesley Johnson. It can be confusing as the story switches between the three points-of-view plus it interrupted the flow of the story. The short chapters allowed us to see the story from each person’s point-of-view, but it also led to repetition. The first half of the book is mainly from Sarah and Wesley’s POV with letters from Polly to her mother. The second half of the book we get Polly’s take on the story and I was glad the pacing increased. The three main characters were realistic. They were flawed people who were hard to like at times. The most likeable was Reverend Wesley Johnson. He worries about providing for his family in these tough times. The donations the family used to receive (especially food) are no longer being received. Wesley must also take care of his flock as well as the church which has a leaky roof. Polly is a frivolous woman who only married to avoid having to move with her mother to take care of her grandmother. While Sam and Polly were dating, he took her out on dates and bought her gifts. Polly thought Sam had money which would allow her to dress in the latest fashions and keep making her hats. Polly was unprepared for the life of a farmer’s wife. Sarah gets frustrated with Polly’s immaturity and work ethic. Sarah has three kids to feed and clothe plus the farm chores. Sarah was very critical and self-righteous. I was glad that one of the characters changed by the end of the book. I thought the author captured the time period. I can tell that she did her research. The author really shows readers how stark life was on farms during the depression. The Great Depression was a rough time for our country. Everyone felt the pinch especially rural farmers. They had to grow or raise most of their food if they wanted to eat. The drought made it hard for farmers as well as the low prices for produce, meat, and dairy. A dangerous bull kills Polly’s husband. Polly and her relatives become suspects. The police have to figure out if the death was an accident or was it murder. Did someone deliberately let the bull out of its pen? Polly did not have a happy marriage, and this could have been her way to get free. The mystery suited the time period. It depends on the number of mysteries you have read on how you view the mystery and how difficult you find solving it. I thought it was easy to solve. The author gave it away. I did not feel the mystery was suspenseful. There is a minimal amount of foul language in the story. I did enjoy the descriptions of Polly’s hats (I love vintage hats). This was an okay book for me. The alternating point-of-view, slow pacing, and unsympathetic characters made this book a challenge for me to finish. While The Unveiling of Polly Forrest was not for me, I suggest you obtain a sample to see if it suits you. The Unveiling of Polly Forrest is a historical whodunit with a fatal farm accident, sibling displeasure, frustrating finances, surprising secrets, a haunted home, and rampant rumors.

Polly Forrest is a newlywed on a farm in rural Michigan in 1934. When her husband dies in a tragic farm accident Polly and those around her become suspects in what might actually be a murder. Every time Polly thinks the matter has been settled some new information comes out and she come back under suspicion. The story is told in turns by the three people closest to the victim: Polly,her sister Sarah, and brother in law Wesley (who are also her neighbors).

It’s an interesting mystery against the backdrop of the struggles of the Great Depression. Parts of it were slow moving but I did enjoy seeing Polly grow and change and the courage she displayed when things started to get dangerous. I had my guesses as to what really happened about three quarters of the way through once more details of life on the farm were realized. Overall a fun and quick read, I was able to finish in 2 days.

4 stars

THE UNVEILING OF POLLY FORREST takes you to 1930s rural Michigan as the economic realities of the Great Depression begin to impact everyday life. The Reverend Wesley Johnson and his wife, Sarah, live a short piece away from her younger and prettier sister, Polly, and Polly's newly wedded husband Samuel. Living so close, Wes went running to Polly and Samuel's farm when anguished shrieks broke out. Samuel is dead, gored and mutilated by the aptly named bull, Black Devil.
Chapter by chapter, the narrator shifts between Wes, Sarah and Polly, and their widely divergent viewpoints keep the reader from being able to trust any version. Plus each of the characters are flawed and almost unlikeable...at least at the beginning of the book. Sarah has always resented her sister and her version of events are full of moral superiority and condemnation of everything Polly does. While Wes is basically a decent man, Polly's vivacious nature seems to captivate him a little too much. Polly's story is told through letters she writes to her mother for the first half of the book. And her story is slightly suspect as she even states, "Well, sometimes deception is the best course of action. Fewer people get hurt." An attitude that leads into trouble for her.
After a short courtship, Polly chose to marry Samuel instead of moving with her mother to help care for her grandmother. Samuel seemed to have plenty of money to indulge his wife and fascination with making hats. At first, it seemed as if Polly had adapted well to being a farmer's wife. Always going to visit her her sister and play with her twin nephews and favorite niece and coming home to make sure a meal was ready. While she never complainedBduring her visits, both Wes and her sister began to notice bruises. Bruises that Polly explained away by claiming clumsiness. Was she being abused? Combined with her lack of visible grief after Samuel's death and seemingly flirtacious behavior, could Polly have had a hand in letting Black Devil out? When the sheriff comes with more and more questions, the whole community starts to wonder about Lilly's innocence.
It's obvious that the author, Charlotte Whitney, did an incredible amount of research into the time period. Her description of everyday life and how it changed, how money got tighter, and the whole community changes as more and more farmers were unable to make their mortgages and even keeping a family fed more difficult. I loved how the party line for the phone even became a useful plot point.
As it unfolds, the mystery of Samuel's death becomes more complex and layered. And we begin to understand exactly occurred as we read what Polly is truly thinking, not the whitewashed version of events that she wrote to her mother.
Definitely an enjoyable historical novel that brought depression era to life. The format of three narrators initially put me off, but as I got more into the story that concern diminished in importance.

During the throes of the Great Depression Polly marries for money. After her husband Sam dies in a freak farm accident, new bride Polly assumes she is financially set to pursue her dream of opening a hat-making business. Instead, she becomes the prime suspect in Sam’s murder. Secrets abound and even Polly’s family can’t figure out the truth. Great read. The author wrote a story that was interesting and moved at a pace that kept me engaged.

A historical murder-mystery set during the Great Depression era of 1934 rural Michigan. Narration alternates between 3 main characters which I’m not usually a fan of, but it works w/ this story as it helps to gain insight & move the story along. Short chapters are a plus, too! There were scenes I felt weren’t necessary/slowed down the story. I figured out the main “twist” midway, but the themes of family & sibling drama, personal growth, hardships and community are well showcased in this book.

*ARC courtesy of @NetGalley for review.

I truly enjoyed this book. What a story of family drama. A spoiled thoughtless younger sister, a jealous bitter older sister and secrets between them. Set during the great depression in 1934, it portrays the life of those in the farming community during the time when jobs and homes were lost. It is a historical fiction mystery.

This is the story of Polly Forrest, a young woman of twenty who married an older man in a hurry to avoid moving from Michigan to Connecticut with her mother. She soon finds marriage is a lot of work and that her husband is not who he pretends to be. She hides the bruises loath to admit to her self-righteous sister that she has made a mistake in marrying Sam.

When her husband is killed in a farming accident she is the prime suspect. Just when she thinks it is over the white house police come investigating Sam for another crime. She is suspect both in the murder and in the other crime and has no way of proving her innocence. Not even her sister and her not so perfect preacher husband believe in her.

When the real criminals come looking for something her husband has left behind she and her family are in real danger. Can Polly live long enough to prove her innocence?

This is an exciting, fast paced book with twists and turns, secrets and an unbelievable ending. I enjoyed reading it and I know that you will as well. I would recommend this book.

Thanks to Charlotte Whitney for writing a great story, to Lake William Press for publishing it and to NetGalley for making it available to me.

All because she listened in on the party line.

Cloudy vision, an astigmatism I didn’t comprehend, until one day I was granted the opportunity to lift the veil.

Polly Forrest was known by many names - Pampered Polly was most familiar, at least to her family. As time went on she became known as Plentiful Polly and Patient Polly, but I am getting ahead of myself. This story has many twists and turns, keeping you wondering what is really going on. Had there been a suicide or a murder? Squatters, thieves, hidden treasure - many more questions than answers.

There are many different veils that the folks were hiding behind during the Great Depression. Life was hard and it was sometimes easier to give a good impression than it was to really be truthful. This was not only the situation Polly finds herself in, but was also true for those around her. Would the unveiling of Polly lead to more openness with family and friends?

This ARC was received through Lake William Press. The impressions and comments are my own and were in no way solicited.

Told in the POVs of three persons, Polly Forrest, her sister Sarah, and her brother-in-law, the Reverend Wesley Johnson, the tale is woven through the perilous, deprived times of the depression of 1934, Michigan.

Polly is immature, making bad decisions, and one was her marriage to Sam who became abusive. Her husband Sam is killed in a farm accident and it isn’t long before she becomes a suspect as well as her sister, Sarah.

Living on boiled potatoes and bean soup, thoroughly patched clothing, most are living hungry with the threat of losing their farms and a roof over their heads. Polly is beginning to discover secrets around Sam’s farm she hadn’t known about which might make a small difference in her financial recovery, but there are others who might have interest as well.

I wasn’t able to engage in either sister or the reverend. There were themes of domestic abuse, friendship, secrets, felonious crimes, and redemption. All characters are flawed. Events begin to occur that gradually change the demeanor of Polly, which is often illustrated by naming Polly as Patient Polly, Impetuous Polly, or Pretty Polly.

A rather slow start, the plot picks up speed as it hurdles into an interesting conclusion. In the meantime, however, I noted a few contradictions and slightly awkward descriptions.

“Mr. Samuel R. Forrest, age 41, of Cornfield Road, was killed in an unfortunate farm accident. . . Circumstances of the accident are under investigation.” Charlotte Whitney begins The Unveiling of Polly Forrest with a gripping obituary, setting the tone for this engrossing mystery. What at first seems like a horribly careless and forgetful act quickly grows into a pandora’s box of questions surrounding Samuel Forrest’s brutal death. Suddenly Samuel’s 20-year-old wife Polly is singled out as the prime suspect in his murder. Skillfully paced, this mystery curves through one unexpected event after another; just when the reader believes they know where the book is going, a new character arrives on the scene or the plot twists in a different direction.

Pretty and naïve, Polly is self-absorbed and used to having her own way. She is easily taken in by the charming and older Samuel, whose admirable qualities quickly vanish when they marry. Unaccustomed and sadly unsuited to life as a farm wife, Polly is repeatedly berated by Sam for her many shortcomings. As the memory of the unfortunate death of Sam’s first wife still lingers in the minds of Polly’s family and neighbors, little by little, a history of Sam’s abusive behavior comes to light.

Told through the eyes of three characters, Polly, her older sister, Sarah, and Sarah’s husband, the Reverend Wesley Johnson, the story gradually unfolds in three different perspectives. Polly complains about her life to Sarah, but hides her worry and fear in letters to their mother, writing glowing descriptions of her happy married life and describing Sam as a generous and loving husband. The rocky relationship between the two sisters is a constant theme throughout the book. Sarah sees what Polly refuses to admit and worries about her sister even as she envies her. Practical and hardworking, Sarah pries Polly to confide in her without success. Wesley calmly and capably handles his responsibilities as a pastor, farmer, husband and father, even as he struggles with his loyalty to Sarah and attraction to Polly.

Three different narrators might disrupt the flow of the story in some books, but here the voices present different angles to the story and blend easily into each other. Set in Michigan in 1934, The Unveiling of Polly Forrest paints a stark portrait of life in a farm community during the depression. Some readers will easily identify with the characters or recall stories their own grandparents told them. In the end, The Unveiling of Polly Forrest is a compelling mystery which will hold your interest and a testament to the resilient people who struggled through a difficult time in American history.

This is the perfect book club read. There is so much to discuss in the “Unveiling of Polly.” It’s 1934 and the deep depression is going strong in small farm towns across the US.

Charlotte Whitney gives us a front row seat to what it was like in rural Michigan. The cast of characters are small but we get to know their flaws and watch them grow. Vagrants, thieves, sibling rivalry, lack of rain and lack of food availability are just a few examples of the hard times Whitney exposes in this historical mystery.

The title is a perfect choice and Whitney’s use of adjectives for Polly throughout the book emphasis her growth.

Perfect Polly
Pampered Polly
Passionate Polly
Perturbed Polly

And we see so many more sides to 20 year old Polly who married young in hopes of being rich and escaping her family home. Sadly, Polly experiences physical and mental abuse from the man she thought was her savior and path to an easy life. This is so very relatable even in today’s world. Readers hearts will tug for a young city girl with so many hopes and dreams as she learns and lives tough times on the farm.

The book opens with the accidental death of Pollys husband, but was it accidental? Did someone have a motive to kill him? With small chapters from multiple viewpoints, this book is a quick and enjoyable read. You won’t want to put it down until you discover if it truly was an accident, and if not what happened. Plus it’s wonderful to see a small town pull together to help one another. What starts as a town filled with flawed and broken people ends with growth for just about everyone.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake William Press for this wonderful relatable story of hard times, family relationships and Midwest values.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake William Press for the copy of this book. I wish I had loved this book more, but it just wasn’t for me. The story ended up being good, but I wish it had moved faster. So much time was spent establishing Polly’s character and the time could have been better spent advancing the plot. I never connected to the characters because none of them were sympathetic. The writing never really grabbed me. I think historical fiction mystery lovers would love this if they don’t need to connect with the characters and care more about the story than the writing.

I received this from Netgalley.com.

"Set in rural Michigan, 1934, Polly's new husband Sam is killed in a bizarre farm accident and Polly soon becomes the prime suspect in his murder."

The setting of this book dragged me in and gave a strong sense of time. The MC's were all broken and unlikable but likeable enough to want to be better people. Chapters alternating between the three MC's helped move the story forward but was also confusing and I had to flip back and forth between pages to remember who was speaking, and that interrupted the flow of the story for me.

3.25☆

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Lake William Press and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.


Beautifully written with descriptions that put you in the place and time. You’ll feel as you’re part of the world you’re reading about the way the author has crafted this story. Well-written, delightful and a lovely piece of literature.

he Unveiling of Polly Forrest by Charlotte Whitney is an engaging historical mystery set in rural Michigan in 1934. The story is told from three points of view: Polly Forrest, her sister, Sarah Wolcott Johnson, and her brother-in-law, Reverend Wesley Johnson. When Polly’s new husband Sam is killed in a farm accident, Polly and her nearby family members become suspects in his death. Was it an accident or murder? If it was murder, who committed the crime?

The Great Depression was a tough time economically for most. In addition to the stock market crash and bank failures, farmers faced drought and over-production which led to reduced prices. The sisters’ families faced true hardship from working hard on their farms to having very little to eat to outgrowing clothes and having no money to buy replacements. Additionally, as a minister Wesley had to find ways to repair roof leaks at the church as well as help his congregation as massive job losses and dropping meat and dairy prices affected everyone. It was a time when a telephone, indoor plumbing, and electricity were luxuries in this small community near Marshall, Michigan. However, there were other dangers including a variety of crimes and rumors.

Polly, Sarah, and Wesley are all very flawed characters and weren’t very likeable at times. Polly essentially married so she wouldn’t have to move with her mother to take care of her grandmother. She thought Sam was wealthy and had no idea what her married life would be like. She hates the isolation and is self-centered. However, she shows tremendous character depth and growth over the course of the story. Sarah is somewhat self-righteous, and gets easily frustrated over Polly’s immaturity. Meanwhile Wesley is flawed, but mainly likeable and tries to help everyone.

Short chapters alternate between the three perspectives and their reflections on the events that occur. While this shows how each person perceived events and people, it also seemed to interrupt the flow for me. There’s a strong sense of time that easily transports readers to 1934. Ms. Whitney did a great job of painting a picture of the lives of the sisters, their families, and the surrounding community. She obviously did a lot of research to ensure historical accuracy. Themes include community, family relationships, friendship, death, forgiveness, secrecy, deception, lies, people loving and supporting one another despite their failings, and much more.

Overall, the story is moving and entertaining. Many readers of historical fiction and family dramas will likely enjoy it. This is the second book I have read by this author and I’m looking forward to reading what she writes next.

Lake William Press – Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) Members’ Titles and Charlotte Whitney provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for March, 2022.