Gripping, wonderfully written, well thought out, and hard to put down, Chris Bohjalian delivered a powerful and moving book with The Jackal's Mistress. I loved the writing, the vivid descriptions, the characters, the tension, and the dread. This book is set during the later stages of the Civil War and shows both the good and bad sides of humanity.

Virginia, 1864

Libby Steadman is barely holding things together while her husband is off fighting for the Confederate Army. She fears her husband dead but carries on with the help of Jubilee, her niece, two freed slaves, Joseph and Sally. They work the land to provide for not only themselves but for the confederate army. Then one day, she finds Captain Jonathan Weybridge of the Union army, badly injured and clinging to death. She is left with a HUGE decision to make. What a choice to have to make. To make a decision/choice about the life of someone she has never met or had an issue with. But a decision is what she must make, and it will have long lasting consequences.

This was such a wonderful book about choices, humanity, friendship, love, family, found-family, trust, survival, and resiliency. I found this book to be moving, riveting, and hard to put down. With Chris Bohjalian's wonderful writing and research, I was transported to the Shenandoah Valley, in a time and place ravaged by war. I became a silent observer, feeling for all the characters. I felt for their despair, not knowing if a loved one was alive or dead, not knowing who to trust, not knowing if this would be your last day, and not knowing how your choices would affect not only your life but the lives of others.

Beautifully written, moving, atmospheric, and hard to put down!


*The Jackal's Mistress was inspired by a real life friendship. Be sure to read the Author's note at the end of the book.

The Jackal's Mistress, set in the south during the Civil War, transports the reader to a family just barely surviving in the ravaged south. A confederate women, her freed slaves, her niece and a Yankee soldier bring this setting to life.

Libby, courageous and grieving her husband captured in the North, upends her life to save a Yankee who has been badly injured. Stedfast in her convictions, Libby risks it all to do onto others what she's hoping someone did for husband.

Beautifully written and executed, the war rages around this home as one man fights to return to his college profession and his family back in Vermont only for his world to be turned upside down by one women and her homestead.

This is my favorite book by Bohjalian to date.

Thank you, Doubleday Books | Doubleday

The Jackal's Mistress is a Civil War story from Chris Bohjalian.

"The wife of a missing Rebel soldier discovers a wounded Yankee officer and must decide what she is willing to risk for the life of a stranger."

The Civil War is near it's end. Libby Steadman just wants it to be over and to get her husband back. She runs a grist mill along with her niece and two slaves her husband freed. Her home is in Virginia near a very fluid front. Soldiers from both armies are nearby - fighting is nearby. She faces a choice and chooses humanity and kindness. Bohjalian captures the desperation that families had to feel then when life was pretty much survival. This is not a fast-paced thriller or a feel-good story. There are some terrible characters here - not just unlikable, but evil. You're always wondering - "Is this it?" It's surprising when that moment comes.
One thing I kept asking myself as I read this - "Have people really changed?"

Different ending than what you might expect. Well written story from Bohjalian.

Thank you Net Galley and Doubleday Books for this really excellent work of historical fiction. Five stars from me!

I’ve never read anything by C. B. before and I notice that he has written a lot of books on various topics. This particular book had made me really curious about others.

I love well-researched historical fiction and this is clearly of that ilk. I also love Civil War history. For some reason it speaks to me. C. B. Has definitely hit the mark with this book. I’ll be checking out his other work.

Love this foray into historical fiction. The story was so engaging. Libby, you go girl!!! Parts of it had me on the edge of my seat. The tension was unbearable. The social commentary was spot on.

The novel takes place in Virginia in 1864, when the country is in the middle of the Civil War. Libby Steadman, wife of a missing Confederate soldier, has been left to run the gristmill along with the freed slaves that her husband had hired to work at the mill, and take care of her teenage niece who's father is also away fighting. Things are hard enough, without the Confederate Army. requisitioning so much of their grain they have milled, along with the crops from their farm, that leave them little to survive on. One day, Libby finds a gravely injured Union officer left for dead in a neighbor’s house, the bones of his hand shattered and one of his legs partially amputated. Captain Jonathan Weybridge of the Vermont Brigade is her enemy—but he’s also a human being, and Libby makes a split decision to bring him back to her house and nurse him back to health, even though she risks being tried for treason to do so. She would want someone to do the same for her husband., and if she succeeds, she could try to secretly bring him across Union lines, where she might negotiate a trade for news of her own husband.

This book started out as a bit of a slow burn for me, mainly because it begins in the middle of the fighting, and talk of war is not really one of my interests. However, once the story moved past the battlefield, I became engrossed and could not put the book down. I loved Libby and how resilient she was. Her niece Jubilee was hilarious, and she was the one who began calling Captain Weybridge a "jackal" . The things that they all went through was just heart-wrenching, and the author did an excellent job portraying just how scary and turbulent that time in history was. If you love historical fiction, then you should definitely check this out. I highly recommend it!

The Jackal's Mistress is based on the true story of a Union
soldier left to die by his comrades after he suffered severe
wounds in battle. When the wife of a Confederate soldier heard
rumors of this, she risked her own life to save him. As she and
her two formerly enslaved companions and her niece nursed
him back to health, they all formed strong bonds despite having
different views on the war.


Chris Bohjalian is such a reliable author for me. I know if I pick
up one of his books, '"l at the very least enjoy it, and sometimes
even love it. He has written 15 books, and I've read about half of
them so far. As always, I liked the story, the characters, the
messages and the themes of this one. Jubilee, the teenage
niece , was a particular highlight...her personality really shined
brightly.

I don't usually love Civil War historical fiction but I am a big Chris Bohjalian fan so I decided to read his latest, The Jackal's Mistress. It was a very good novel loosely based on actual events. Libby Steadman was a strong and smart young woman and her character's growth was evident by the end. The story was interesting, and the book was obviously well researched. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

When it comes to historical fiction, I have to be in the mood and war historical fiction is not my favorite, but I wanted to read things by Bohjalian to see if I could find another favorite author.

This book takes place during the Civil War in Virginia and follows a strong female protagonist. Bohjalian did a lot of research and created a beautiful novel that shows insight during a tough time of history. It shows both sides of the conflict working together and you could feel the emotion of the characters and storyline.

I recommend this story for those that like historical fiction especially based during the Civil War. I can't wait to pick up another book of his and see more of his writing style.

Thank you for the eARC for an honest review.

Bohjalians’ storytelling is magical, this my new favorite sliding into the #1 spot, followed by his Hour of the Witch release in ‘21. THE JACKAL’S MISTRESS is simply marvelous with a refreshing new take on the Civil War based on a true story that took place in Virginia during that war. I see now that I need to remedy not reading enough books in that time period. Bohjalians’ beautifully descriptive setting, era, times + people all pulled me inside of the story as it’s being told. Another plus is this is character based, my favorite, and that I couldn’t put it down.
The story tells of an unlikely friendship between a Southern woman - - living in the Shenandoah Valley, her enlisted confederate husband possibly captured by the enemy - - and a wounded Union soldier. It shows not only the hard choice she had to make in helping him, but their friendship as it grows and how it affects everyone in their lives. This was very emotional bringing out all the feels. There’s a lot I’m leaving out as to not give spoilers. This book was so well written and researched with Bohjalian including an authors note detailing the true story behind it. Well done CB!! 5 stars — Pub. 3/11/25

Thanks so much to Doubleday Books via NetGalley for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I ended up listening to the audiobook of this novel and I liked the narration.

I’ve been reading Chris Bohjalian since loving his book ‘The Lioness.’ I feel that every time I read one of his books, I’m getting a completely different author because they are all so different from each other, but all written really well and engaging.

This one might not have been my favorite of his, but I would still recommend it if you like historical fiction and reading about people that go against the grain.

Another great novel by Mr. Bohjalian that transports you to a different time and place. Civil War books aren’t really my historical fiction era but I knew that the characters would be well written and rounded. This is about being a good human and treating others kindly.

A historical fiction novel, loosely based on a true story, The Jackal’s Mistress, is a Civil War story that makes you think about how far one should go to do the “right thing”.

When Jonathan Weybridge a Union Captain is gravely injured in the war, his company leaves him behind to die. All hope seems lost for him, until he is found by a family of a confederate officer, led my Libby Steadman, whose husband is currently being held captive in a Yankee prison.

Despite their differences, and the grave danger it puts her entire family in- Libby attempts to nurse him back to health because it’s what she would want someone to do for her husband.

Once again, Chris Bohjalian took a topic I thought I had no interest in and left me captivated. I read this book in less than 4 hours- that’s how invested I was in the storyline. The characters are written so well, you can’t help but cheer for all of them, and the ending will leave you heartbroken and hopeful all at the same time.

This is a must read for historical fiction fans AND romance fans- and then read all of the rest of his books because he is one of my favorite authors ever!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is historical fiction at its finest. Chris Bohjalian has an amazing talent for taking stories and making them so entertaining and interesting. He is a master storyteller!
Libby Steadman is left with her young niece, and a married couple of freed slaves when her husband leaves to fight for the South during the Civil War. She takes in an injured Union soldier that was left behind to die. What happens next is really a story of strength and survival.
Thank you Netgalley and Doubleday Books for the digital ARC. I really enjoyed it!

I was really looking forward to this book, but it kind of missed its mark for me. I think I prefer his thrillers.

A thoughtful and emotional novel of the Civil War. Libby is keeping it together with the help of Joseph, Sally, and her young niece Jubilee- she's running the grist mill that supplies flour for Confederate soldiers- when Sally, out collecting flowers for tinctures, discovers Jonathan, a Union Army Captain, gravely injured in an abandoned farm house. Libby makes the decision to try to save him, at great risk to herself and the others. Jonathan, a professor in Vermont, is deemed the Jackal by Jubilee (what a character she is). While this is very much Libby's story- the story of a woman in her early 20s doing things she never envisioned-it's also his. This takes turns, with surprises. Bohjalian is a terrific storyteller who pulls the reader in. He walks the tightrope on ethical issues. And this is atmospheric. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is well done historical fiction with a group of people you will root for.

I received a copy of Chris Bohjalian's new book, The Jackal's Mistress, from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I've enjoyed many of Bohjalian's books, but this might be my favorite. It was "couldn't put it down" good. Libby Steadman is running a gristmill owned by her husband. Her husband is a Confederate soldier being held in a Union prison camp. She doubts he is still alive, and she works tirelessly to provide food for the Confederate Army. Working with her are an older couple, former slaves on the farm her husband freed, and her 12-year-old niece. After a battle takes place near the farm, Libby finds a Union soldier who has been left to die in an abandoned home. She decides to take him into her home to try to save him. This starts all sorts of trouble as neighbors and soldiers distrust Libby.

Thank you Doubleday Books for this arc.

The opening scene “sets the stage” for the violence that we will see in this story. I will agree with the blurb that this is a love story but maybe not quite what we romance readers expect. There is a strong found family vibe. When Peter Steadman freed his family’s “servants” – a term Weybridge calls Libby on and which Libby and her niece discuss – all but Joseph and Sally left. As Joseph tells Weybridge, he and his wife were too old to want to start over somewhere else and Peter promised to pay him a fair wage. Then the war came. Libby freely acknowledges that without Sally and Joseph, she could never have kept up the mill.


But neither Joseph nor Sally have forgotten the bondage they were in and even though Peter’s father didn’t stop them from learning to read and write, he sold one of their children. Peter and Libby have always treated them well. It’s clear that Libby, whose family never owned people, respects them both but she also faces and eventually admits the fact that she’s not thought of them the same way she would think of white people. So no, Libby and Peter haven’t been and are not perfect nor do they get a pass on the actions of the family’s past.


Libby and Jonathan are tough people. Libby wasn’t raised to work but she can operate the mill and heft large, heavy bags of flour now. Jonathan, a professor at home, had spent the early years of the war basically defending DC before the need for warm bodies got his regiment moved into action. He could have given up and died from his injuries but something kept him trying to live in spite of them.

The character I adore is Jubilee. Twelve going on twenty-five, Jubilee is a force of nature. Jubilee verbally takes some of her frustration and anger out on Weybridge as his presence also increases the workload around the house and farm for her but gradually eases into a friendship with him. She does ask Jonathan pointed questions about how Yankees think of and treat freed people – questions that make him consider that while he’s fighting for their freedom, he’s in some ways not much better than Southerners.


Danger is always there. The land near them has changed hands back and forth, a battle has taken place close by, skirmishes occur daily, Mosby’s (often scoundrel) Rangers are a constant threat, and of course Libby’s neighbors follow up on the rumors of a Yankee in the area. Ducking, dodging, and maintaining their cool become almost daily occurrences. The bold trip Libby and Joseph take to the Union forces at Harper’s Ferry to obtain supplies is its own form of stress to read. But Libby is no fainting flower and Joseph has quick wits.

Sooner or later though, everyone knows that Weybridge has to be smuggled out before they’re caught hiding him. I guessed along the way how things might turn out. There are little things that are mentioned which I wondered if they were meant to be Chekov’s guns. But this is done so lightly and woven in so well that I was never sure. How a relationship will go is another question. Would it or wouldn’t it happen? I’m satisfied overall except for one person’s fate. The choice of narrator for the epilogue is clever but I do wish that one of the people on the final journey was mentioned in it and what happened to that person. Overall, this was a fast read but one still packed with emotion and humanity. B

I’ve always been interested in the Civil War. However it’s one part of history I don’t read too often. When I have each book has made that era come alive. This book certainly fits that bill. It’s very descriptive, full of characters who brought out the good and bad parts of the war. It’s a fast paced book that kept my attention to the very end.

The Civil War Era has been a favorite in my historical fiction reads since I read Gone With the Wind so many years ago. In The Jackal's Mistress, Chris Bohjalian tells the fictionalized true story of a gravely injured Union soldier saved and nursed back to health by a Confederate soldier's wife. Bohjalian's writing and the tension of the story make for a compelling, page-turner of a novel.

The characters show depth and personality, drawing readers into the story and making it come to life. Personally, I hoped for a different ending, but nonetheless found the way it wrapped up satisfactory. My favorite character was not one of the leads, but Jubilee, the niece of Libby Steadman; her jabs at the man she nicknames the Jackal made me laugh as I recognized that her fondness for the man was growing.

The novel highlights the brutal reality of women who were left running the household when the men went off to war, and also the moral quandry when decisions had to be made about survival. In the author's notes, he tells of the people that were in inspiration for the story, and what their fates were. I am always doubly impressed by writers who can bring such stories to life in such an entertaining fashion.

Readers of Kristin Hannah's historical fiction will also enjoy The Jackal's Mistress.

Thank you to Netgalley and Doubleday Books for the digital ARC of The Jackal's Mistress by Chris Bohjalian. The opinions in this review are my own.