Set during the Civil War, The Jackal’s Mistress is the story of Libby Steadman, a Southern woman who is left to run her husband’s gristmill after he is wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg and sent to a Union prison camp. Libby lives in Berryville, Virginia with her niece Jubilee, and Joseph and Sally, former slaves who were freed by Libby’s husband Peter before he enlisted in the Confederate Army and left for war. In the fall of 1864 Sally finds a wounded and dying Union soldier in an abandoned house nearby. Libby, whose life has already been upended, makes a fateful decision which will change her life forever. She brings the Union soldier home to care for him, explaining to Joseph, Sally and Jubilee that she hopes a Northern woman would do the same for her wounded husband Peter.
Jonathan Weybridge, a Union infantry captain, knew he was dying. Part of his left hand and his right leg had been amputated near the battlefield and they were badly infected. His troops had moved him to the abandoned house when they fled the area, leaving him to survive or die. He would have ended his life with what soldiers called a “mistress bullet” if they had left him a pistol. Instead, he wakes up to find himself in the home of a proud Confederate wife. Libby and her niece call Jonathan a jackal, but during his months long recovery, they grow fond of the English professor from Vermont and the stories he shares with them of the life he’s lived. A life which is very different from their own. When rumors of a Union soldier being hidden in the area bring a mob of Confederates and Mosby’s Rangers to Libby’s home, she decides to help Jonathan escape and, in that moment, she becomes a traitor to the Confederate cause.
With a haunting backdrop of the terror and destructiveness of war, Bohjalian has written a poignant story of the relationship between a woman and man who have different backgrounds yet share a yearning for a life that no longer exists and a future that can never be.
Bohjalian is a very descriptive and atmospheric writer. While reading The Jackal’s Mistress, I felt I was in war torn Virginia amidst the charred fields and barren orchards around Berryville. In one vivid scene he describes a thunderous lightning storm. In another he describes the sun as a blinding white ball set against a sky the color of bread dough and I could feel the heat and humidity both armies must have felt as they battled each other in their woolen uniforms of blue and gray.
The Jackal’s Mistress is based in part on real life people whose histories were found in archival materials in Vermont.
I would highly recommend this book to other readers. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Doubleday, for an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book! What a page turner! It kept me on the edge of my seat. Real people doing the right thing facing what could be monumental consequences. When people who have never read Chris Bohjalian before ask me for a recommendation, I always have a difficult time choosing just one. The Jackal’s Mistress will become my go to. It’s one of his best if not the best book he’s ever written. You’re immediately pulled into this story. The characters are real, well rounded and so very likable. The story takes us to the Civil War, where we see its effects on the people who are living through it. North and South may have been enemies but underneath all the battles were people just trying to get by and hope that they’ll be reunited with their families. I highly recommend this book. Preorder now! You will not be disappointed.

This is an exquisitely told story of violence, loyalty and hope. Libby is a southern woman near a Civil War battlefield who has to decide what to do with a mortally wounded Northern Captain. I was on the edge of my seat for the entire story.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ✨ (4.5 out of 5 stars for me)

🙏 First, thank you @doubledaybooks and @netgalley for a free copy of this book! The publication date is in March 2025.

Inspired by a true Civil War story - in The Jackal's Mistress, Libby Steadman finds herself grappling with both loyalty and survival as she nurses a wounded Union officer left to die near her Confederate-run homestead. As the brutalities of the Civil War unfold, her forbidden compassion drives them both into deeper danger, testing every ounce of her courage.

From its gripping opening scene to the emotional complexities Libby faces, this novel doesn't shy away from hard truths. The suspense had me on the edge, and I loved the clever banter between Libby's niece, Jubilee, and Weybridge, the Yankee officer.

At its core, The Jackal's Mistress explores humanity's blurred lines in wartime - how bonds can form even across battle lines and how love and loyalty are rarely simple.

This book is perfect if you crave historical fiction with high stakes, vivid tension, and unforgettable characters who fight not just to survive but to find some sliver of humanity in a harsh world.

P.S. Plus, who doesn't love a badass, strong heroine?!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

This novel started out a bit too slow for me, and I was concerned that it wouldn't hold my interest. The beginning takes part on a Civil War battlefield, not the easiest story to read about. I kept going, and the plot did eventually pick up. Captain Weybridge is a wounded Union soldier discovered by Libby, a Virginian whose husband is fighting for the Confederacy. She takes Weybridge into her home and secretly nurses him back to health. Throughout the novel, there are tense conflicts between renegade soldiers and those who are looking for this fugitive. I just wish there was a bit more to the very end, as the epilogue just super quickly wraps up, whereas I wanted to know more about what happened to these characters.

The Jackal’s Mistress by Chris Bohjalian is an extraordinary work of historical fiction that exceeded my expectations. As a longtime fan of Bohjalian’s novels, I was thrilled to receive this ARC, and it’s easily one of his finest yet. Set against the backdrop of the Civil War, the novel explores the unlikely and gripping friendship between the wife of a missing Confederate soldier and a wounded Union officer left for dead. The depth of their connection, inspired by real-life events, is beautifully written, and I was completely captivated by both main characters. The well-developed side characters added layers of emotional richness, enhancing the story in meaningful ways. Bohjalian has a talent for bringing history to life, and this novel is a powerful example of his storytelling mastery. Five stars, without question!

This title captivated me from the very first page. I hadn’t been able to finish his most recent title and even the one before I found hard going-but this is the Chris Bohjalian I remember. Strongly developed cchaeacters, well developed plot line. A book about compassion. A book about war. A book about family. It is well worth your read.

I have been a fan of this author since Transister Radio . His writing is like fine wine it just gets better with age .
I loved the premise of this book during the civil war and the choices people made then hard choices that we could face now .
It is well researched.. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review the book

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of THE JACKAL’S MISTRESS by Chris Bohjalian in exchange for my honest review.***

THE JACKAL’S MISTRESS wouldn’t have interested me, if written by anyone other than the incomparable Chris Bohjalian, a writer with whom I fell in book-love way back in the beginning of his career. I don’t particularly enjoy historical fiction, but Bohjalian could probably interest me in any topic.

While Libby’s husband is held as a POW in the North by the Yankees, she cares for her niece Jubilee. Also on the property are an older couple, freed slaves Johnathan and Sally. Risking hanging, Libby takes in a gravely injured Yankee captain Jonathan,, hoping a northern woman would do the same for her husband should the opportunity arise. Amid war, hunger, hiding from confederate soldiers who would hang them all for treason, Libby nurses the soldier back from near death. Jubilee calls him The Jackal, certain he can’t be trusted. Though loyal to their spouses, feelings develop between Libby and Jonathan,

Bohjalian’s characters always feel like actual people, flawed, complex, never one dimensional . Warming to Libby and Jubilee took a minute as both expressed hatred for Lincoln and Grant. Bohjalian’s writing helped me get into the headspace where I could feel their points of view in my heart.

THE JACKAL’S MISTRESS takes place during the civil war, based on the true experiences explained after the epilogue. I found myself thinking about today’s politics, the vitriol between supporters of one presidential candidate or the other, glad our battles are only metaphoric.

Five patriotic stars for THE JACKAL’S MISTRESS.

4.5 shining stars for yet another phenomenal book by Chris Bohjalian - I am such a fan of his fiction that I'd probably read anything he wrote - and this was another winner. Bohjalian's books are so well researched and so interesting. It's like he took a little tiny part of history and enveloped this entire novel around it to where I was so invested in these people I had to finish it right away.

This takes place is 1864, Civil War, and I love reading about that time in American history. A Union Captain is injured and left to die when a Rebel wife finds him and tries to nurse him back to health along with her two slaves, who were freed by her husband earlier but decide to live on their land and help them out. Her husband was taken as a prisoner fighting for the Confederates. The juxtaposition of living in Virginia and freeing your slaves while neighbors are upset with that choice and then nursing a Union Captain to health is written really well and comes to a head as the novel progresses. The never knowing who you could trust, the secrets, the scary thoughts of survival, not knowing what tomorrow would bring was brought to life in this book.

Put this book on your TBR list - publishing March 11, 2025 - it's one you won't want to miss if you like well researched historical fiction (do NOT miss the author's note at the end of the book). Thank you, NetGalley, Chris Bohjalian and Doubleday Books for an advanced e-copy of this fantastic book.

I enjoyed this novel set in the period of the Civil War. Lilly is not yet a widow, her husband is missing in the war. She works at her gristmill with two former slaves her husband freed before the war. Lilly comes across a Northern captain who was abandoned by his men due to his injuries. She helps him. She would want someone to help her husband and she might be able to trade information in hopes of finding her husband. A very moving story.

The Jackal's MIstress
by Chris Bohjalian
Pub Date: Mar 11, 2025
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
In this Civil War love story, inspired by a real-life friendship across enemy lines, the wife of a missing Confederate soldier discovers a wounded Yankee officer and must decide what she’s willing to risk for the life of a stranger, from the New York Times bestselling author of such acclaimed historical fiction as Hour of the Witch and The Sandcastle Girls.
Beautifully written and perfectly executed, this is one of Chris Bohjalian’s best novels to date. I cannot recommend this highly enough.
I have read nearly all of Bohjalian's books and this one does not disappoint. Grab it as soon as you can- the release date is March 11th!
5 stars

I seldom read American Civil War novels of the type this appears to be at first glance, but - Bohjalian. Inspired by a true story, Union Captain Captain Jonathan Weybridge is seriously wounded and left to die by bis army, Libby Steadman and her freedman mill manager rescue and save him. Libby’s husband, a Virginia/Confederate Captain was captured and is presumed dead. Well written, good storyline, good character development. The passages about enslaved people are not white-washed, not Disney-died, and not salacious, yet honestl expressed as a the reason for the war and not the “states rights” bull. However, SPOILER, the brief one-time love scene was not necessary and did not add to the story. Indeed, I think the “mistress” in the title of the book somewhat cheapens it. That was my only disappointment.

Chris Bohjalian’s latest novel is partly inspired by the true story of a Union Captain who was rescued and nursed back to health by the wife of a Confederate soldier. Libby Steadman discovers Jonathan Weybridge alone and close to death in a house after his own troops abandoned the post, believing he was dead. He is missing a leg and two fingers on one of his hands. After Lily and her former slave Joseph manage to get him back to her house, Lily begins to try and save him. She is helped by Joseph and his wife Sally, who, although freed, have stayed on because they believe they are too old to leave and start over elsewhere. Also living in the house is Libby’s niece Jubilee, who dubs Weybridge. “The Jackal”.
Although there is a growing attraction between Libby and the Captain, the book is less romance and more a depiction of life during the Civil War. The horrors of battle, the deep divide in our country, the scarcity of food and supplies, and the risks people took to protect loved ones, and sometimes, total strangers. Libby and Jonathan only come together once, close to the end of the story. Still, Bohjalian keeps the reader’s interest throughout by emphasizing the constant danger the characters are facing. A good read if you enjoy books set in this time period.

An excellent portrayal of humanity during the American Civil War. Based loosely on a true story, this was a fascinating read, with well researched details about the impact of war on everyday life, loyalties, and survival.

I really liked this book. And was glad that everything worked out in the end.

#netgalley #TheJackalsMistress

For all you loyal fans of bestselling author Chris Bohjalian, here comes another compelling historical novel! Based loosely on a true story, THE JACKAL'S MISTRESS is a suspenseful Civil War tale, with a bit of romance, that raises some interesting moral questions about war, violence, loyalty, and friendship.

In the later years of the American Civil War (1861-65), protagonist Libby Steadman is struggling to keep the family gristmill going while her husband Peter is away fighting for the Confederacy. Still in her early 20s, the only help she can rely upon comes from Joseph and Sally, two formerly enslaved people (who were freed when by her husband when he inherited the mill), and Libby's sassy 12-year-old niece. Living in Virginia near the Pennsylvania border (not far from the town of Harper's Ferry, made famous by John Brown and the 1863 slave revolt he led), Libby's family is in the middle of the action. Surrounded by frequent battles, with continual demands for grain from both armies, and only meager supplies -- theirs is a subsistence existence.

Nearby Captain Jonathan Weybridge, a professor at Middlebury College, finds himself far away in Virginia from his young family, leading soldiers of the 1st Vermont Brigade for the North. After he is grievously injured in battle, Libby makes the dangerous decision to help him, despite being on opposing sides of the war. The daily burden of providing medical care for Jonathan, the constant tension around keeping him hidden, the relationships that slowly form, and the moral questions raised make this one very powerful and emotional story.

THE JACKAL'S MISTRESS is quite a page-turner with plenty of action. Soldiers from both sides show up without notice, desperate deserters threaten from nearby hideouts, and neighbors mistrust the Steadmans, simply because they decided to free their slaves. The novel raises questions about the very definition of humanity and how war changes people, as well as exploring the loyalties of someone who considers themselves a "good" person. A truly thoughtful story!

This historical fiction novel is SO well researched! It takes place in the Shenandoah Valley during the Civil War. Libby is at her home, trying to keep her husband’s mill going while meeting the increasing demands of the Confederate Army for grain. She finds a seriously injured Union officer, Jonathan, and has to decide what to do with him. Turn him in? Leave him there? Take him home to try and nurse him back to health? All options will out her in some type of danger and she has to listen to her conscience because there is no one she can confide in. The dialogue in this book works well and so does the setting. Great rice of historical fiction set during a turbulent and violent time in US history.

The Jackal’s Mistress is an American Civil War novel inspired by a true event wherein a woman in the Confederate state of Virginia hid a critically wounded Union officer, nursed him back to health, and safely returned him to a Union garrison. Bohjalian uses this story as the basis of his own fictionalized account of a Union captain who, when crippled by a cannon blast, is discovered by a freed slave named Sally. Sally’s employer, Libby, the wife of an imprisoned Confederate captain, decides to conceal the Union captain and try to save his life in an act of humanity and decency that she wants to believe would be reciprocated by a Union counterpart if her husband were in a similar situation. She does this at great risk to herself, her twelve-year-old niece, and her two freedman employees, Sally and Joseph, as the constantly roving Confederate rangers are ruthless towards those who aid the Union and especially brutal to negroes, whether they are slaves or freedmen.

I’ve always admired the authors of historical fiction. The great ones such as Anthony Doerr (All the Light We Cannot See), Amor Towles (A Gentleman in Moscow), Alice Walker (The Color Purple), and Barbara Kingsolver (The Poisonwood Bible), to name a few, can craft period-accurate yet relatable characters and weave them into an authentic and historically significant setting while capturing the reader with thoroughly engrossing story-telling. I’ve especially admired any author willing to dive into the American Civil War as their work is guaranteed to be thoroughly scrutinized by the throngs of aficionados whose obsession with the Civil War borders on cult status. Although I don’t know what his standing will be among those enthusiasts after the book is published, I am happy to report that Bohjalian, in my view, brought the best of his expert storytelling skills and historical research to Jackal’s Mistress and can be compared favorably to the authors mentioned above. The result is what I consider one of his best novels. 

Why? I find that Bohjalian’s novels seem most dialed in when he is writing either historical fiction (The Sandcastle Girls) or metaphysical mysteries (The Sleepwalker, The Law of Similars). In Jackal’s Mistress, his historical fiction instincts are fully dialed in with his well-thought-out characters, balanced pacing, insightful dialogue, and detailed description of the setting and action. His multiple perspective, omniscient point of view is executed nimbly, avoiding, for the most part, the trap of jarring head-hopping that can occur when taking this approach. That being said, multiple perspectives are almost demanded by this story as the many themes that are presented—slavery, war, bigotry, racism, sexism—would be flat and meaningless if delivered exclusively from the POV of a white, male Yankee captain. And yet, this approach also presents the risk that all authors are challenged with; authentically portraying the point of view of someone who has grown up with a reality that is beyond what you could ever fully understand. Bohjalian often braves this territory in his books, but rarely a story with as much diversity as Jackal’s Mistress—slave, freed slave, woman, adolescent girl, Confederate, Union college professor. Bohjalian, to his credit, doesn’t attempt to assimilate these characters, instead, he presents them as they would present themselves in dialogue. It is more of a discussion between the different points of view than a deep analysis of each character.

And deep analysis isn’t necessary. Accurate portrayal is often best served through sparse descriptions and dialog, allowing the reader to fill in the character. Along that line, I’ve always found Bohjalian’s adolescent and teenage characters exceedingly well done. One of his best is Emily Shepard in Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands.  I’ve used the term already, but I’ll use it again: He is really “dialed-in” to the adolescent/teen brain, and his twelve-year-old character in Jackal’s Mistress, Jubilee, in many ways can be considered a central character of the book. A frequent scene-stealer, she injects the story with a critical dimension that helps define the underlying theme of the book—how the Civil War changed America. After all, kids like Jubilee were the phoenixes to arise from the conflict as the next generation of Americans. It was her attitudes (and those of her generation) towards slaves, freed slaves, northerners, southerners, men, and women, that shaped our world after the war.

In short, Bohjalian brings the best of his storytelling prowess, along with sensitive and perceptive portrayals of his diverse cast of characters, to The Jackal’s Mistress. He guides us through a harrowing but all too plausible side story occurring during one of the most disruptive yet definitive periods in the history of America. This is a compelling read that will find a welcome spot in many “best historical novels” collections.

4.7/5 stars

The Civil War is not an area that I know much about but I feel like reading this book gave me a glimpse into what both sides were experiencing. I loved how one of the characters was a professor in a Vermont college; this made it very real for me. This story is historical fiction but is based on a true life relationship that formed as a result of a some people taking in a badly injured man from the other side and nursing him back to health. Chris Bohjalian is a master at storytelling. I recommend this book. Thank you netgalley for the ARC.

One of Chris Bohjalian's greatest strengths is that he doesn't limit himself to one genre. Some of his most enjoyable books have been historical fiction and he continues that trend with his new novel, The Jackal's Mistress. It takes place in 1964 Virginia during the Civil War and as Mr. Bohjalian explains in the Author's Note, has its origins in a true story of an injured Vermont lieutenant left for dead who was nursed back to health but a Yankee woman.

The Jackal's Mistress is both an introspective and well-crafted tale. It gives the reader time to feel what the characters are feeling and understand all sides of the conflict, and especially the dilemma Libby Steadman finds herself in, wanting to save the life of Jonathan Weybridge, at the same time knowing the most likely consequences of her actions. This is definitely one of Mr. Bohjalian's best books.

Thank you to Doubleday Books and NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.