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.

I was not prepared to like this book as much as I did. I have read most of Bohajalian novels, but this one was special! I felt, I smelled and I saw the amputations from the Civil War in all its complexities! I felt for Libby and her niece Jubilee both emotionally and physically as they coped with the Yankee soldier with 1 leg and 8 fingers! I especially was impressed with the “gun lesson”. Highly recommended!

Thank you Double Day Books and Netgalley for this ARC. When Confederate wife Libby finds a near dead Yankee at her neighbours abandoned home, she couldn’t let Johnathan Weybridge just die there. Against better judgement she brings him home. With help from her freed slaves and niece they hide him at home and help him recover. Can Johnathan be used to help Libby find her missing husband behind enemy lines? With taking chances and just being a decent human beings can they stay safe? Wonderfully written with all the feels!

THE JACKAL'S MISTRESS
BY: CHRIS BOHJALIAN

Every year Chris Bohjalian, comes out with a brand new, compelling and captivating novel, and Congrats to this one being his 25th book, and I've been a fan since the beginning. He has a very kind, and down to earth, friendly temperament in person, since I used to go to all of his Author events over 15 years ago. His newest is called, "THE JACKAL'S MISTRESS," and takes place during the Civil war in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia. It is beautifully written, and his fantastic job in his character development is highly evident in his depiction of a young Confederate female protagonist called, Libby Steadman whose husband has been off fighting the war. and he has to the best of her knowledge been captured in the North and been held prisoner for the past several years. Libby is compassionate, strong, courageous, and a hard worker, left to run the gristmill that produces flour, that both armies have been known to help themselves to. Libby's husband has inherited the mill from his deceased father, and her husband has left Libby in a friendless, if not hostile surrounding community, since he freed all of his slaves. Joseph and Sally, a husband and wife sixty year old freed slaves are the only ones left to help her run the mill. They are both kind, and loyal, and are also her only friends. Joseph and Libby run the gristmill, and Sally cooks and are lovable characters, also. Jubilee is Libby's spunky niece who is twelve going on thirteen, who has Libby's spunk, and she's very outspoken. Chris Bohjalian really made this foursome very full of heart and the plot is very fast moving and suspenseful.

Captain Jonathan Weybridge, who is a wounded Union Captain has had two fingers amputated and one finger broken and one leg amputated when shot in the area is left to die by his men in a nearby deserted shack is found by Sally, who alerts Libby. She is determined to harbor him in her home trying to save his life since she hoped some Northern woman would do the same for her husband, and in doing so she is risking treason so nobody can know he's there. She gives the Captain her bedroom to recuperate, and again in Captain Weybridge, Chris Bohjalian has sketched his character to be so lovable, and such a kind, patient, and easygoing that you can't help from getting fully immersed in the storytelling prowess of this author. You just don't ever want to reach the end of this excellent crafted story, and I was so sad to finish it. Jubilee spends a lot of time teasing the Captain and he's so willing to indulge her outspoken opinions. She's the one to call him the Jackal from which this title perfectly suits this historical fiction, but inspired by factual events. So make sure that you definitely read the Author's Note, and Acknowledgements, and you'll see that Christopher Bohjalian did extensive research and it enhances what to me is a purely, flawless novel written by one of my long time favorite Author's, who continues to impress me with how he can write such unique, and masterfully innovative, new completely original captivating novels each year. I've had this on my shelf to read forever, but couldn't get to it since I had other prior deadlines that I had committed to even though I was so happy and thrilled to read this.

This is one truly for both genders to enjoy since there is so much menacing suspense going on regarding not so much the soldiers, but rogue groups that word has gotten out that Captain Weybridge is staying with Libby who take the law into their own hands. Captain Weybridge tries to make himself useful as he starts to heal he becomes an asset that helps Libby by being instrumental in his help of defending herself and those she loves with his experience in the military. She and Freed-man Joseph make a harrowing journey to Harper's Ferry to get medical supplies during the beginning of his stay with them where the Union army is stationed nearest with a list of medical supplies from the doctor who tells Libby to write down everything he needs. I could go on and on this wasn't a slow burn which I've read in a couple of reviews. Quite the contrary. I felt this to be a fast paced, plotted historical novel that I couldn't put down once I started it. JUST READ THIS BOOK YOU'LL LOVE IT. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT AND WILL BE RECOMMENDING IT TO EVERYONE! This is pure genius on this author's part to do such a terrific job on both his four main characters, and write a fast and extremely suspenseful plot. This novel deserves to reach as wide of an audience as possible & I said it already it will be appreciated and highly appealing to both genders. UNFORGETTABLE, BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN! ANOTHER HOME RUN BY CHRIS BOHJALIAN!

Publication Date: March 11, 2025

Thank you to Net Galley, Chris Bohjalian and Doubleday Books for generously providing me with my Fantastic ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#TheJackalsMistress #ChrisBohjalian #DoubledayBooks #NetGalley

THE JACKAL'S MISTRESS
BY: CHRIS BOHJALIAN

Every year Chris Bohjalian, comes out with a brand new, compelling and captivating novel, and Congrats to this one being his 25th book, and I've been a fan since the beginning. He has a very kind, and down to earth, friendly temperament in person, since I used to go to all of his Author events over 15 years ago. His newest is called, "THE JACKAL'S MISTRESS," and takes place during the Civil war in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia. It is beautifully written, and his fantastic job in his character development is highly evident in his depiction of a young Confederate female protagonist called, Libby Steadman whose husband has been off fighting the war. and he has to the best of her knowledge been captured in the North and been held prisoner for the past several years. Libby is compassionate, strong, courageous, and a hard worker, left to run the gristmill that produces flour, that both armies have been known to help themselves to. Libby's husband has inherited the mill from his deceased father, and her husband has left Libby in a friendless, if not hostile surrounding community, since he freed all of his slaves. Joseph and Sally, a husband and wife sixty year old freed slaves are the only ones left to help her run the mill. They are both kind, and loyal, and are also her only friends. Joseph and Libby run the gristmill, and Sally cooks and are lovable characters, also. Jubilee is Libby's spunky niece who is twelve going on thirteen, who has Libby's spunk, and she's very outspoken. Chris Bohjalian really made this foursome very full of heart and the plot is very fast moving and suspenseful.

Captain Jonathan Weybridge, who is a wounded Union Captain has had two fingers amputated and one finger broken and one leg amputated when shot in the area is left to die by his men in a nearby deserted shack is found by Sally, who alerts Libby. She is determined to harbor him in her home trying to save his life since she hoped some Northern woman would do the same for her husband, and in doing so she is risking treason so nobody can know he's there. She gives the Captain her bedroom to recuperate, and again in Captain Weybridge, Chris Bohjalian has sketched his character to be so lovable, and such a kind, patient, and easygoing that you can't help from getting fully immersed in the storytelling prowess of this author. You just don't ever want to reach the end of this excellent crafted story, and I was so sad to finish it. Jubilee spends a lot of time teasing the Captain and he's so willing to indulge her outspoken opinions. She's the one to call him the Jackal from which this title perfectly suits this historical fiction, but inspired by factual events. So make sure that you definitely read the Author's Note, and Acknowledgements, and you'll see that Christopher Bohjalian did extensive research and it enhances what to me is a purely, flawless novel written by one of my long time favorite Author's, who continues to impress me with how he can write such unique, and masterfully innovative, new completely original captivating novels each year. I've had this on my shelf to read forever, but couldn't get to it since I had other prior deadlines that I had committed to even though I was so happy and thrilled to read this.

This is one truly for both genders to enjoy since there is so much menacing suspense going on regarding not so much the soldiers, but rogue groups that word has gotten out that Captain Weybridge is staying with Libby who take the law into their own hands. Captain Weybridge tries to make himself useful as he starts to heal he becomes an asset that helps Libby by being instrumental in his help of defending herself and those she loves with his experience in the military. She and Freed-man Joseph make a harrowing journey to Harper's Ferry to get medical supplies during the beginning of his stay with them where the Union army is stationed nearest with a list of medical supplies from the doctor who tells Libby to write down everything he needs. I could go on and on this wasn't a slow burn which I've read in a couple of reviews. Quite the contrary. I felt this to be a fast paced, plotted historical novel that I couldn't put down once I started it. JUST READ THIS BOOK YOU'LL LOVE IT. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT AND WILL BE RECOMMENDING IT TO EVERYONE! This is pure genius on this author's part to do such a terrific job on both his four main characters, and write a fast and extremely suspenseful plot. This novel deserves to reach as wide of an audience as possible & I said it already it will be appreciated and highly appealing to both genders. UNFORGETTABLE, BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN! ANOTHER HOME RUN BY CHRIS BOHJALIAN!

Publication Date: March 11, 2025

Thank you to Net Galley, Chris Bohjalian and Doubleday Books for generously providing me with my Fantastic ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#TheJackalsMistress #ChrisBohjalian #DoubledayBooks #NetGalley

Not going to lie but I love Chris Bohjalian’s books that I have read and the list is long. I was hesitant about this one because when I read historical fiction I haven’t read much about the Civil War and was worried this book wouldn’t interest me, but interest me it did.

The plot revolves around a wife of a soldier at war and a wounded soldier from the other side. What happens as they develop a friendship and how does it affect others in their lives? Getting close to the end I was worried about how the story would be resolved but I was pleasantly pleased with the ending!

The Jackal's Mistress is based on a true incident that took place in Virginia during the Civil War. Libby Steadman, a young woman whose husband has been off fighting for two years, runs his grist mill with the help of two of his freed slaves, Joseph and Sally, and his motherless twelve-year old niece, Jubilee. When she discovers a badly wounded Union soldier dying alone in an abandoned house, Libby decides to bring him home and save his life, because she can't bear the idea of anyone dying alone. It is a difficult task, made dangerous by the fact that her neighbors, the Confederate Army, and the undisciplined Mosby's rangers, would be happy to hang the soldier along with Libby's entire family, for betraying the South.
Despite the innate suspense of the situation, I found it difficult to enjoy this book. The author writes well, and he obviously did his research, but I really couldn't connect with any of the characters.
Captain Jonathan Weybridge is the only first-person narrator. He is a former college professor with a wife and young children. He joined the war to fight against slavery as a matter of principle. Left to die with a mutilated hand and an amputated leg, he dreams of surviving and returning to his former life in Vermont. The grisliness of his situation was almost too much for me to read.
Libby Steadman works hard to feed her household and has given up hope of ever seeing her husband again. Caring for an enemy stranger and concealing his presence in her home makes her life even more difficult. If there was anything I actually liked about this books, it was the gradual descovery of how much these two different people had in common.
In my opinion, Sally and Joseph were underdeveloped characters, almost stereotypes, and Jubilee was a spoiled brat who annoyed me every time she opened her mouth.
The final chapter of the book tied up all the loose ends in a way I found unrealistic.
While I doubt that Chris Bohjalian has ever written a bad book, The Jackal's Mistress is not up to the standard of Midwives or the Sandcastle Girls or even The Princess of Las Vegas. If I hadn't agreed to write a review, I would probably not have finished it. As it was, it took me a while to get through what came to feel like an endless slog of unpleasantness.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Doubleday for the opportunity to read a free advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Jackal’s Mistress by Chris Bohjalian is a slow burn character based historical fiction novel set during the Civil War. The novel is based on the incredible true events surrounding an unlikely friendship between a Yankee soldier and a Confederate woman. In the novel, Captain Jonathan Weybridge is wounded by rebel shelling, losing 3 fingers and his left leg above the knee. He is left behind to die in an abandoned farmhouse when the army moves on. He is soon discovered by a former enslaved woman and her husband, and brought to the home of Libby Steadman, whose own husband was injured and taken prisoner by the Yankee army. Libby, her precocious 13 year old niece, Jubilee, and the freed black couple, nurse and hide Captain Weybridge, who they nickname The Jackal, in Libby’s home. Libby’s goal is to exchange Captain Weybridge for her husband, and in time, they develop an unlikely friendship.

The novel’s writing and research is excellent. I would consider it a slow burn as the bulk of the story is devoted to character development with the action coming in the final quarter of the book. I found it entertaining, appreciated the author’s take on this delicate time in our country’s history, and well worth reading. Don’t miss the fascinating author’s note detailing the true story behind the novel. 4/5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own. Pub date: 3/11/25

Set during the latter days of the Civil War in rural Virginia, Libby Steadman is barely surviving - her husband has been captured by the Union forces (at least two years earlier and without any further news) and the farm/grist mill where she lives with her teenage niece (who is quite a character) and a married slave couple who were freed by their master before he went to war is barely providing them with a livable existence. Jonathan Weybridge, a captain in the union forces, is severely injured (he has lost one leg and two fingers) and is left for dead by his troops as they flee attacking rebels. Libby finds him and brings him back to her home and despite the Blue/Gray differences decides to nurse him back to health. Facing many challenges to avoid detection sets the tone for a moving story that will keep you turning pages not wanting to put the book down.

When I first started reading this book, I thought I was going to put it in the “did not finish” pile. Am I glad that I hung in there. A well-written book that was clearly well-researched- be sure to read the author’s notes to see how the plot line for this novel came about. The brutality, death, violence and hatred that marked the Civil War are offset by the humanity that can be surface under awful circumstances. Chris Bohjalian is a talented author - both in his true fiction novels and his many historical fiction books.

My thanks to Doubleday Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

The Jackal’s Mistress is a historical fiction story that was inspired by true events. This story takes place in Virginia during the Civil War, on a family gristmill managed by Libby Steadman, wife of a Confederate soldier with the aid of her two freed slaves and young niece. After an intense battle, Jonathan Weybridge, Captain in the Union Army is critically wounded and is left behind in a vacant house near the Steadman property. It is here that Libby finds Weybridge not only near death but missing a leg and part of his hand. Compassion is a quality that Libby lives by and even though this man is the enemy she will not let this man suffer. Knowing that bring Weybridge into her home will put all at risk yet she must try and save this man’s life, always thinking that some Yankee women is doing the same thing for her husband. I fell in love with Libby’s character, she was smart, brave and willing stand up for her principles and still able to feed and protect the people that are dear to her.

While The Jackal’s Mistress is a Civil War story, it is much more than the North verses the South and the hatred and violence that always seems to be depicted. It is a story about kindness, finding strength to do the right thing and learning to find goodness and love for your fellow Americans. It left me hopeful that we can and must do this once again.

The one thing I love when I pick up a Chris Bohjalian novel is that I know it will be a unique, fascinating and beautifully written story - The Jackal’s Mistress is all of that, one of my favorites of his historical fiction. However, out of all of Bohjalian novels I must say The Sandcastle Girls will always remain very dear to my heart. Finally, do not miss reading the author’s notes to understand where this story’s inspiration came from.

Thank you, Chris Bohjalian, Doubleday and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This was my first Chris Bohjalian book, and I tore through it. It was a page turner but also full of heart and well-formed, loveable characters that I was sad to say goodbye to. I also thought it was well-researched and informative and I loved that it was very loosely based on the historic account of a wounded union soldier left behind confederate lines.

Bohjalian does it again, immersing me in another time and place completely! I love it! This novel is set during the Civil War in northern Virginia. Control of the area has repeatedly changed between the North and the South. Libby Steadman (whose husband, a Confederate soldier, has been missing for years) is trying to keep herself and her teen-aged niece alive by running the family's grist mill with the help of two freed slaves. It's a hard and uncertain life, with soldiers from both sides streaming through the valley and presenting dangers to those living in the area.

One day, Libby finds a severely wounded Union soldier, Captain Jonathan Weybridge of the Vermont Brigade, left for dead in a house nearby. Unable to just let him die, she takes him to her house and begins nursing him back to life. She hopes in her heart, that someone would do the same for her missing husband. His very presence in her home puts herself and those she loves in additional danger.

Based on a true relationship, this novel deftly shows both the horrors of war, and the moral battles fought within the hearts and souls of soldiers and civilians alike. The richly drawn and complex characters, and descriptive, prosaic writing which makes everything seem so vivid and real, meld together to produce a wonderful and engaging read.

My thanks to Doubleday for permitting me to access a DRC of this book via NetGalley. Publication is 3/11/25. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given.