Anthony Burns, an enslaved man who dared to read, write and seek an education. . .he was a successful fugitive, stayed focused as he gained a little ground and then was pulled back, imprisoned, tortured, and from time to time was known to preach a good sermon. Living for a time as a free person in Massachusetts, he was sent back to Southern slavers. This book depicts these treacheries society inflicted on his body, mind and spirit. Difficult reading, considering, processing - how much more so to live it, as did so many for centuries before Lincoln made his wonderous Proclamation.

This reimagining of Anthony's life is well-researched and gives good references in the end papers for those who want to delve deeper - always a plus for this reader.

Abolitionists aplenty here - non-fictional mingled in with the fictional: Henry David Thoreau, William Lloyd Garrison, Richard Dana, Ann and Wendel Phillips, Octavia and Leonard Grimes, even PT Barnum has place in this stirring reminder that there was a movement that provided constant irritation to those holding hard to the status quo. Keep on pinching, biting, shouting, never let them forget that all is not well. . .change happens slowly, but happen it does.

This read re-opened windows of interest for me on this topic, and this author.

*A sincere thank you to Jacqueline Friedland, SparkPress, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #TheStockwellLetters #NetGalley

Based on a true story, this book shares the fictional account of a real abolitionist's life. We get Ann (the abolitionist), Wendell (Ann's husband who has stepped away from his career as an attorney to speak out against slavery), and Anthony (an escaped slave). The story focuses not only on their lives but on some major themes of the era such as the strain to the lives of abolitionists and the limited options for women at that time beyond marrying young and raising children. The characters are well-written and I think it's a story that will stick with me.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Jacqueline Friedland has penned a remarkably well-written and detailed account of mid-1800s America. This historical fiction novel will place you in the middle of one slave’s emotional journey to freedom and the lives of two women who helped him along the way. It’s a novel you will not want to put down.
I’d like to thank Jacqueline Friedland, SparkPress, and NetGalley for allowing me the great opportunity to read this book for an honest review.

A well-written, well researched novel that any historical fiction lover will enjoy. The story really makes you feel like you are in the world with the characters. I highly recommend.


Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an arc. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Stockwell Letters is a well-written, well researched novel of a vivid depiction of the battle against slavery in the 1850s. We learn a lot about slavery and the abolitionist movement from the three main characters: Anthony Burns, a runaway slave, Ann Philips a Northern abolitionist and Colette Randolph, a fictional southern belle. The characters are based on a real people and even though it's fiction, there is a great deal to learn. Highly recommended.

Firstly, I would like to thank NetGalley, Spark Press and the books author, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own, they are unbiased and and not influenced by anothers.

I really enjoyed the everything about this one: the setting, its narrative and just gow well everything flowed and came together. I found it to be a quite suspensful and the more suspense the merrier. I try not to quote anything or provide another synopsis as thats already done. Just a big recommendation from me. Pick this one up today..

What a fascinating read based on a true story!
This author certainly has a way with words that will draw you in from the beginning. Amazing.
This is one of my favorite time periods that kept me engrossed on the plight of Ann and her husband Wendell Philips along with Anthony Burns.
A true tale of helping escaped slaves into freedom.
This book will have you holding your breath and in tears at times. It will also make you smile and rejoice with certain characters that overcome their ordeals in life.
I simply couldn't put this book down until it was finished. These people had a story to tell and I was bound to finish it. I'm so glad I did.
My heart was left feeling full and satisfied!
5 stars for a wonderful read and I highly recommend it.
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is a thought provoking and extremely interesting book. The character perspectives take the reader into the time period and help us to look at what was happening from different viewpoints. It creates a much richer book than if we were only looking at this from one perspective. I felt like I knew a decent amount about this time period, I recognized many of the laws and some of the names but I didn't know anything about Ann, Wendall, or Anthony. Weaving their story into recognizable history helped me learn so much more about the period and add a layer of depth. I really enjoyed it.

The newest novel by Jackie Friedland is a wonderful historical fiction novel. The books take place before the Civil War between Boston and Virginia. Ann was a big activist in the abolitionist movement when she suddenly gets sick. Her husband forbids her from doing any more. But she can’t help herself after a fugitive slave is caught in Boston.

Since the novel is based on a true story, you can really see the author’s research and attention to detail to make sure everything is accurate. Ann is a true inspiration to others who fought for what she believed in. This is an important part of history and it was interesting to see how slavery was viewed differently from the north and the south of the same country.

Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours @jackiefriedland and @shewritespress for my giver copy. The Stockwell Letters is out now!

Wow! What a hero. Loved this adventure and the heroine inside. Don't plan on sleeping while you're reading.

Fascinating story, based on the Boston abolitionists, Ann and Wendell Phillips, and escaped slave Anthony Burns in the 1850s Well-researched and written in a way that keeps the pages turning, this is a compelling read.

I was intrigued by the book because it is based on the real past. Ann has a passion for freeing slaves and is willing to do what it takes for the cause. She lives in the north where her actions are supported but she is still expected to show decorum in the 1800’s. I have not read a lot about this time in history and this was a great book to dive into. The author does a great job bringing this time to life. Ann is a strong woman and Anthony is a strong man. These strong characters fight together to see justice.

This was a really interesting look at some of the women who helped the abolition movement prior to the Civil War. The story is told from multiple viewpoints, which I loved at some points because we could get more detailed background, while at other times the jumping around became confusing. Ann and Wendell Phillips were my favorite characters to read about, followed by Anthony Burns.

The one thing that still bugs me is - why is this book called The Stockwell Letters? They seem to be a very passing reference near the end of the book, and I’m just stumped by this title choice. Maybe I missed something.

Ann and Wendell Phillips were active abolitionists in nineteenth century America and their involvement in anti-slavery forms the basis for this interesting historical novel which also looks at the case of escaped slave, Anthony Burns and the way in which he was sent back to Virginia having made it to the free state of Massachusetts, settling for a short time in Boston. This case attracted much attention at the time and in using factual evidence in combination with well written historical fiction a story emerges which sheds light on this shameful time in history.

The Stockwell Letters is a well researched and thought-provoking story about something I knew very little about which therefore offered me the opportunity to learn more about what life was like in America during the middle part of the nineteenth century and the inhumane treatment of slaves who found themselves on the wrong side of humanity. I felt such sympathy for Anthony Burns and only hoped that his life became easier. Ann and Wendell Phillips are equally fascinating characters who I enjoyed getting to know over the course of the story. The other characters who flit into, and out of, the story also add their own contribution to the overall strength of the narrative.

The Stockwell Letters is one of those well written historical novels which stays with you long after the last page is turned.

The Stockwell Letters is a very interesting historical novel which touches on the role of women in the abolitionist movement. In the mid-nineteenth century, the United States is divided between the North, which has abolished slavery, and the South, where slavery is not only legal, but also continues to form the backbone of the plantation economy and society. Determined to put an end to slavery everywhere in the country, abolitionists were actively campaigning the federal government to reform the law and treat all human beings as equal and free.

Among the three main characters in the novel is Ann Philips, a Boston activist committed to the cause of freedom alongside her husband Wendell Phillips. A true historical character, Ann suffered her whole life from a frail physical condition. This did not prevent her from playing a key role behind the scenes, writing her husband's speeches and actively coordinating the abolitionist network of relations across the country. The Stockwell Letters shows how she became involved in the defence of Anthony Burns, a famous slave who fled to the North and was sent back to the South before being bought again and freed.

The chapters alternate between Ann’s story, Anthony’s tortuous journey from slavery to freedom, and the story of Colette, the wife of a tobacco plant owner in Virginia. The latter character is fictional but the author explains, in her afterword, that Colette was inspired by a mysterious female anonymous donor who funded Anthony’s studies while he was in the North.

I found The Stockwell Letters extremely interesting and gripping. I even cried a few times when reading particularly violent scenes showing the extreme cruelty in the treatment of slaves, especially fugitives.

I particularly enjoyed…
• the alternating points of view. Whereas Ann and Colette’s stories are told in the first person, Anthony’s is told in the third person, reflecting his alienation and powerlessness as his case becomes a symbol for the fight between Northern abolitionists and pro-slavery Southerners. Yet the identification is strong with all three characters and I found that the author managed to create a unique, endearing voice for each of them.
• the female perspective in the novel. Like Ann and Colette, the reader learns about key developments in Anthony’s case indirectly – via the oral reports of the men involved (such as Wendell) or via the press. Without being tedious, this method of narration reflects the limited role of women in the public sphere in the 19th century, while showing that these restrictions in no way prevented them from being committed to defending their ideas.
• learning about the history of slavery and the abolitionist movement in the US, including the legal and organizational aspects around the case of Anthony Burns. I discovered the role of the vigilance committees as well as the shameful provisions of the Fugitive Slave Act requiring Northern states to send back escaped slaves back to the state where they came from, depriving these men and women of their hard-won freedom and subjecting them to threat of revengeful torture and death.
• the author’s afterword which helps disentangle facts from fiction.

The few things that left me unconvinced were…
• a couple of scenes that appeared unbelievable to me. Colette’s reaction when her husband has a strike and Anthony’s decision to go on the deck of the boat while travelling with McDaniel - when he knows that his freedom hangs by a thread – seemed inconsistent with their psychology in the rest of the book.
• the mistakes in the French phrases used by Colette in certain parts of her story.

Ann becomes sick before her twenty-fourth birthday. Her illness is a complete puzzle to the physicians. She is weak, fatigued and aches all the time, to the point of not getting out of bed. She struggles on and eventually marries her long time beau, Wendell. These two become the voice of the abolitionist movement in the area surrounding Boston.

The setting of Boston before the civil war is a unique. I also loved the way the author wrote about her women characters, especially Ann. She knows what needs to be done and she does it!

This time period used to be my jam. For some reason, I moved away from it. But this novel may have me coming back. Talk about emotional! This story brings to light how terrible this period in our history actually was. If it had not been for people like Ann and her husband…I don’t even want to contemplate.

Need a well researched, abolition novel…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today

I received this novel from the author for a honest review.

When the publisher of this novel asked me if I would like to read and review this book, I agreed immediately. To be honest, I didn’t do it because of the author – this is the first of her books I’ve read. I also didn’t do it because of the topic – although I was pleased that I’d be reading about an era that I’ve sadly overlooked. I agreed because I saw a hole in my reading schedule and this would help me fill it. The thing is, while my very liberal upbringing and education made me well aware of the horrors of slavery, I’m afraid I don’t know nearly as much as I probably should about the abolitionist movement. This might seem strange because when it comes to my own ethnic background, there’s no limit to the number of historical fiction books you can find about the resistance during WWII and people who tried to help Jews (and others) escape from being mercilessly murdered by the Nazis. So, no matter the reason why I read this book, I really am glad that I had this chance to widen my knowledge. This also made me looked up the names of these characters because I wanted to make sure who were the real people, and who were the fictional ones.

Now, from that last sentence you can probably believe me when I say that Friedland really made these characters come alive for me. Each one was vividly portrayed, and Friedland easily got me to care about them. That said, I realize that the summary above says this book is about Ann Phillips, but I must disagree to a certain extent. I personally felt that this was more Anthony’s story than it was Ann’s. This may be because the totally fictional character of Colette. Friedland puts this character in the area where Anthony is enslaved, and connects with him by secretly giving him reading lessons. Colette also seems to be a bit in love with Anthony, although her being a married white woman is an obviously gigantic stumbling block to their ever being more than teacher and student. I realize that Friedland included Colette in order to show that not all white people in the south were disgusting racists. Friedland also uses Colette to show us that many of the well-off women of the time were veritable slaves themselves – to their husbands and society at large.

All this made for a very interesting triangle of relationships, where Friedland concentrates on one character in each of her chapters. Admittedly, I was hoping for a few different outcomes, especially for Colette, but I understand why Friedland had to conclude this novel as she did. With her tender writing style, Friedland also gives us three personalities who, in and of themselves, are wracked with weaknesses – physical, emotional, and societal. However, Friedland allows each of them to show an inner strength that somehow contradicts their circumstances – some of which are superficially considered to be advantages. And as I mentioned, the most powerful of the chapters are those from Anthony’s point of view – both for the terrible things he suffered, and for the rollercoaster of emotions that he experiences. I’m very glad I got the chance to read this novel, and I am going to warmly recommend it to those who haven’t had much of a chance to read literary historical fiction about this era. I think, therefore, that it should get a very healthy four out of five stars from me.

Engrossing historical fiction that takes place in Boston and Richmond during pre-Civil War era and explores that impact of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 that required escaped slaves, even if they were in a free state, to be returned to their owners. Told from three points of view - that of a slave, a Richmond housewife, and a sickly Boston abolitionist trying to fight for the cause alongside her husband, despite her own physical frailties. I recommend you NOT google the characters, most of whom are based on real people, until after you complete the book, so that you can avoid spoilers and instead keep the pages turning as you read on to find out what happens.

NOTE: Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reader's cpy in exchange for an honest review.

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and SparkPress for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
I was also gifted a copy in partnership with Booksparks for their #FRC2023 fall reading challenge.
The Stockwell Letters releases August 29, 2023

- multi-pov
- mid 1800’s
- slavery
- abolitionists
- chronic illness
- based on true events

This was a well written novel with complex themes, but it was told in a way that was easy to understand.
Once you get past the initial non-linear chapters that set up the story, there’s great fluidity.
Overall, I think I was craving a bit more depth and more of an epistolary style, but it was very interesting to see the contrast between all three main characters; each with their vastly different social standings, but sharing one common thread — from Colette, a housewife who risked her privilege to educate her maid and a slave, to Anthony, the aforementioned slave who we saw attempt freedom, and in Boston, the abolitionist married couple where the chronically ill wife did everything she could to advocate for anti-slavery from within her home.

The great thing about historical fiction is when it can transport you to the time and imagined perspective of the protagonist. Friedland does just that in her story of abolitionist Ann Phillips. It’s not easy to read books that shine a light on the dark history of slavery and how its legacy continues to impact our world, but it is important. A great insight into the Boston abolitionist movement.

Many thanks to Spark Press and Netgalley for the review copy.