“The Widows kept me on the edge of my seat. Montgomery is a masterful storyteller.” —Lee Martin, author of Pulitzer Prize-Finalist The Bright ForeverInspired by the true story of Ohio’s first female sheriff, Jess Montgomery’s powerful, lyrical debut is the story of two women who take on murder and corruption at the heart of their community.Kinship, Ohio, 1924: When Lily Ross learns that her … community.
Kinship, Ohio, 1924: When Lily Ross learns that her husband, Daniel, the town’s widely respected sheriff, has been killed while transporting a prisoner in an apparent accident, she vows to seek the truth about his death.
Hours after his funeral, a stranger appears at her door. Marvena Whitcomb, a coal miner’s widow, is unaware that Daniel has died and begs to speak with him about her missing daughter.
From miles away but worlds apart, Lily’s and Marvena’s lives collide as they realize that Daniel was perhaps not the man that either of them believed him to be.
*BONUS CONTENT: This edition of The Widows includes a new introduction from the author and a discussion guide
”The Widows is a gripping, beautifully written novel about two women avenging the murder of the man they both loved.”—Hallie Ephron, New York Times bestselling author of You’ll Never Know, Dear
“Jess Montgomery’s gorgeous writing can be just as dark and terrifying as a subterranean cave when the candle is snuffed out, but her prose can just as easily lead you to the surface for a gasp of air and a glimpse of blinding, beautiful sunlight. This is a powerful novel: a tale of loss, greed, and violence, and the story of two powerful women who refuse to stand down.”—Wiley Cash, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Ballad, A Land More Kind than Home, and This Dark Road to Mercy
“[A] flinty, heartfelt mystery that sings of hawks and history, of coal mines and the urgent fight for social justice.”—Julia Keller, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Bone on Bone
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The Widows is the first book in the Kinship series, a historical mystery written by Jess Montgomery. I stumbled upon the second book in the series on NetGalley recently and requested it… the story focuses on a female sheriff, which is also a key role in my book series – I had to read it! When I realized it was part of a series, I ordered the first one and read it yesterday. I have to read in order, it’s just who I am. I’m so glad I enjoyed this book as it makes me eager to read the second one. Let’s dive into a review…
The book takes place in Ohio in the mid-1920s, after World War I and the Spanish Influenza but before the Great Depression. The chapters alternate POV between Marvena, a close ally of the sheriff, and Lily, the sheriff’s wife. The two women have never met… until Daniel’s, the sheriff’s, death. Who killed him? Add in a nasty half-brother who fought with Daniel over unionization in the mines, several Pinkerton guards, a deputy, a group of miners with nothing to lose, and some seedy characters who might’ve been in the mob… you’ve got a well-rounded cast of suspects. As the tale unfolds, we learn what happened in the past, when Daniel and Marvena were closer, and how Lily and Daniel fell in love and married.
To start with, this book combines two of my favorite genres: mystery and historical fiction. I loved learning about live nearly a century ago, especially in a small town I’ve never been to. Kinship is key, and the author’s forward and summary at the end (about how she came up with this story) was just as fascinating as the story itself. I supported the miners but understood the town’s fury and debate. I loved how Lily became sheriff, given some of the responsibilities but kept from others because she was a woman — this showed the possibilities, even ~100 years ago. While I don’t condone what the town did to her at times, knowing when this takes place, it was a positive thing to see how she pushed forward. Excellent characterization.
The bond between Marvena and Lilly was tremendous – and it was not always easy. Questions of love and infidelity lingered on the surface. Family ties were strong and painful. In the end, the mystery kept me guessing, and I was fairly sure whodunit, but let me just say… I never saw the twist coming! So… kudos to the author for keeping the suspense – a most appropriate kind for 1920s rural America. I kept turning the pages to find out what would happen to these wonderful people. I’m very intrigued to read the second book, and I definitely recommend this series so far.
Set when coal was king and the Pinkertons its strikebreakers, The Widows is a gripping, beautifully written novel about two women avenging the murder of the man they both loved.
Pulling back the curtain on a time and place where women’s roles were too often overlooked, The Widows is full of characters who surprise those who underestimate them. A rich, empowering, and satisfying read.
With compassion and skill, Jess Montgomery deftly smashes stereotypes and puts a human face on the cost of coal mining in 1924 Appalachian Ohio. Rich with historical details, yet fast paced, The Widows revolves around a murder investigation. But it was the vivid voices of Lily Ross and Marvena Whitcomb that completely captivated my heart and kept me reading long into the night.
The Widows is the story of a community in crisis: the Pinkertons are waging war against miners and the law, and no one is safe from their recklessness. But two brave women take a stand, committing themselves to saving their community and families. Jess Montgomery’s gorgeous writing can be just as dark and terrifying as a subterranean cave when the candle is snuffed out, but her prose can just as easily lead you to the surface for a gasp of air and a glimpse of blinding, beautiful sunlight. This is a powerful novel: a tale of loss, greed, and violence, and the story of two powerful women who refuse to stand down.
In the hard-luck, homespun Appalachian town of Kinship, Ohio, in 1924, two strong women become unlikely comrades to solve a murder in this flinty, heartfelt mystery that sings of hawks and history, of coal mines and the urgent fight for social justice.
Two Widows is a historical fiction novel set in Ohio during the mid-1920s. It’s written in alternating points of view—Lily, the widow of murdered sheriff Daniel Ross, and Marvena, his “close” friend. Marvena became a widow after the death of her common-law husband in the shaft of a mine owned by Daniel’s half-brother.
Lily and Marvena first meet after Daniel’s murder. When Lily is appointed sheriff, the two women join forces to find the person responsible for Daniel’s death and discover what happened to Marvena’s missing daughter.
The book has twists and turns. There are several suspects, including Daniel’s half-brother, Luther, some ruthless Pinkerton guards hired by him, and some shady characters who had a hold on Daniel.
I suspected several people, was right on one count, but I was surprised at the end. I like when an author keeps me guessing.
Both women are strong characters. The author did her research, as the character of Lily was based on Ohio’s first appointed female sheriff. Parts of the book are a little slow, and for this reason, I’m rating it four stars.
If you like historical fiction with a touch of mystery and suspense, you’ll like this one.
This book is set in 1924 coal mining country. I didn’t expect to love it. The writing is superb, the story line fascinating and the characters are going to stay with me for a long time. One of the best things in life is finding a book that resonates with you. Please try it.
With its blend of history & mystery and its cast of strong women, this book is a multi-faceted and fulfilling read! I loved everything about it! I’ve always gravitated to stories about coal mining towns, so I felt I had to read this one as soon as I heard about it. It is truly one of the best I’ve read! Jess Montgomery’s writing is exceptional. Lily, Marvena, and the other widows in this story have physical, emotional, and mental strength, a strong love of motherhood and their children, and the courage to make almost-impossible choices, while also having moments of fun. In one of those moments, Lily teaches her friend to drive – it reminded me of my Mom, who’s friend taught her to drive. The solution to the mystery surprised me and the decisions made by Lily and Marvena touched my heart. I will watch for and read the next book in the series!
(Be sure to sign up for Jess Montgomery’s newsletter if you read “The Widows” — she sends subscribers two letters that truly add to the experience of reading the book.)
Favorite Quote:
Mama’s round face is so puckered with outrage that her mouth looks like the top of a drawstring purse.
My Review:
I am in awe of this author, this is her first novel and it was simply stellar! The storytelling was commanding, cunningly crafted, enthralling, emotive, highly descriptive, and smartly nuanced. I was instantly sucked into her vortex and heard a multitude of sounds, accents, and dialects in my head. I was right there with them, riding in their cars, feeling the dynamite blasts as well as their deep sorrows, and smelling their sweat and fear. The mystery was hopelessly intriguing and appeared an impossibly tangled knot that I feared was without hope for a solution. I was so deeply engrossed in their tale I experienced the conflict of simultaneous relief and grief upon completion. Jess Montgomery’s word voodoo packs a powerful punch and is dangerously hypnotic.
Two women, a murdered husband, and the secret life he lived. Set in Appalachian Ohio coal country in 1924, The Widows kept me on the edge of my seat. Jess Montgomery is a masterful storyteller. This is a novel about courage and the good hearts of women, and it builds, almost unbearably, to its stunning end.
A gut-wrenching novel about the mining industry in this country. Jess’s description and characters will draw you in and keep you with them to the end of this moving novel. I was reading THE WIDOWS simultaneously with EDUCATED, and had trouble keeping them separate! Fabulous novel about an important aspect of our American history that is so meaningful still today.
The Widows is powerful reminder that there have always been strong women; they just haven’t made it into the history books. This terrific novel corrects that omission by spinning a compelling tale of courageous women in a place and time rarely portrayed in fiction. Jess Montgomery is a top-notch storyteller.
The Widows by Jess Montgomery
Kinship #1
Lapsang Souchong – not Jasmine Tea – One thought I had while reading this book. Now, my mother loved a smokey tea and…others no doubt love it too…not my favorite flavor but I do have to say this book grew on me as I continued to read. That thought happened at the beginning of the book and as I read I kept thinking that neither of the main characters were people I could really relate to and I wondered why. It wasn’t the era of the early 1900’s or the location in the Appalachian coal country or even the fact that the number of widows was huge within the area because…post war there would be widows. I think perhaps that Lily and Marvena took time to really know and didn’t seem the warmest women I have ever met in a book. As the story unfolded I saw a bit more of who they were and why they made the choices they did but even at the end of the story I didn’t feel I knew them well. Perhaps as this series continues the characters and their back stories and thoughts and reasoning will be exposed a bit at a time and I will come to know them better and warm to them, too. I did think about not finishing the book but in the end am glad I did finish it and can say that I am interested in finding out what happens in Kinship when book two comes out.
This book deals with a great deal of loss and is filled with the darkness of a mining town with the oppression of miners in that period. There is more than one murder so a mystery to solve. There are evil men with agendas of their own. There is the slow unveiling of who Lily’s husband Daniel was besides being the Sheriff and her husband. This is the story of two women that may forge a friendship as the series continues and it is a story that though dark does have a bit of hope toward the end.
Did I like the story? More at the end than in the beginning
Would I read more in this series? Yes, to see where the author plans to go with the characters
What did I like? That it made me think and wonder even though it was not an easy read
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press-Minotaur for the ARC – This is my honest review
3-4 Stars
Jess Montgomery wows with her awesome debut novel, The Widows. You’ll be on the edge of your seat as Lily and Marvena fight for justice in a time and place where it hardly exists . . . they are heroes for every age, and represent all the women who have fought for justice in every age and who continue that fight today.
Jess Montgomery has written an amazing account of a time in our history that was fraught with hope, hard work and tragedy. The mining industry offered jobs but at a price in many cases not worth the outcome. Behind all the miners in these towns were their woman. As tough as the men were the woman had to be tougher. These are the characters we learn most about in this book! This is the first in a series and I’m anxious to move onto the next!
The women of Bronwyn County are a force to be reckoned with when their families are threatened.
They are courageous and skilled in concealment. I enjoyed following along as they came together to stop the Ross Mining Company from destroying their families.
Due to the profanity, I will not be reading the remaining books in the series.
I borrowed a copy from my local library. All views expressed are my honest opinion.
Didnt really keep my interest. Parts seemed repetetive
Great historical fiction about two strong women with little in common except surviving a shared lose.
A solid plot, interesting and well-drawn characters, and a good evocation of the era and place without sentimentality. What more can you ask for? You’ll root for both of these women, each scrambling to take care of her own while searching for stability and truth in a hard world with literal monsters.