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Would You Risk Your Life For an Enemy? The Novel, The Jackal’s Mistress
Chris Bohjalian’s Civil War Story
Already a fan
Chris Bohjalian is a writer I’ve followed for years because he never fails to tell a good story. I am not alone in my appreciation of his skill. He’s a best-selling author of twenty-four novels translated into 35 languages, and multiple works have been made into films. When he releases a novel, I don’t hesitate to buy it, and The Jackal’s Mistress was no exception — only this time I purchased it in audiobook format.
And enjoy it, I did!
Like other Bohjalian novels that showcase how ordinary people face and overcome big issues, The Jackal’s Mistress has plenty of “big issues.” The book is set in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia during the Civil War.
A Southern Woman and a Northern Soldier
Libby Steadman is a spunky young married woman keeping her husband’s family gristmill going while he’s away fighting Union soldiers. Before he left, he had set his father’s slaves free, an action causing a ruckus among the Steadmans’ Confederate neighbors. Two older slaves, now free, Joseph and Sally, decide to stay with Libby. Joseph was Peter Steadman’s right-hand man, and with Joseph’s expertise, Libby can…
