I loved this wonderfully written historical fiction novel! I thought the writing was excellent as was the pacing. I know exactly who to recommend this to! What I loved about this book was that it felt different than most historical fiction out there, but just as good. That’s what I’m always looking for in good historical fiction

Pirate story meets mystery in this dual timeline historical fiction novel. Hannah is a poor orphan who ends up on a pirate ship impersonating a boy, after being chased by some unsavory fellows. A couple centuries later, a professor and her student go on a hunt for treasure supposedly tracked down by Hannah and her mates, after discovering her diary.

There is a lot of commentary about women's rights in the 18th and 20th centuries. I didn't find a character to root for much, other than Hannah, who was struggling just to survive. The more modern women weren't very likable.

This was a clever story and unlike others I've read. It wasn't as suspenseful as it could've been, though the ending was quite well done.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC.

The plot of this one is definitely intriguing - I mean, it’s pirates! But while Hannah’s story was captivating, I found the transitions between it and Marion’s (taking place in the 1930s) to be a bit clunky. I felt like I kept getting jerked out of the story and was less interested in that timeline.
I will say that the author’s note was probably my favorite part of the entire book, and I found myself wishing that she’d actually written that story instead.

A True Account is a fascinating historical mystery told through two timelines. I enjoyed this unique story of the history of a female pirate and her adventures.

Thank you NetGalley and Henry Holt & Co for the advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
#ATrueAccount #NetGalley

This story grabbed me from the beginning. The first story was about a female pirate, but there is much more. Written in a dual timeline we meet three women, Hannah the girl who disguises herself as a boy to escape her life in the 1700's and becomes a pirate. Then in the 1930's we meet Marian a professor and a bright student Kay who stumbles on this manuscript supposedly written by Hannah. A wild treasure hunt ensues. An interesting historical fiction with twists and turns and a real mystery.

The transitions could be smoother.

Katherine Howe vividly describes a pirates life and the conditions which women lived in both time lines. It's a book on survival.

Hannah Masury is a teen orphan bound to servitude near the waterfront in 1720s Boston. Her usual patrons at the tavern are port workers and pirates. One day, she witnesses the hanging of notorious pirate William Fly. Later that night, she encounters a young boy who is hiding from vicious men. Unfortunately, while Hannah tries to help, the boy is caught and murdered. And now the vicious men who killed him know Hannah’s name and are pursuing her as well. In order to escape, she disguises herself as a cabin boy to take the place of the now-dead one. She finds herself on the notorious pirate Ned Low’s crew. Fast-forward about 200 years to 1930s Columbia, where Dr. Marian Beresford is reading Hannah’s diary entries. As she progresses through the material, she realizes that a hidden treasure might still be available to discover. But she has yet to determine the location. A True Account by Katherine Howe is a historical fiction novel that follows two women between two timelines - a terrifying sea adventure amongst the most ruthless pirates, and the academic who risks her reputation to embark on her own journey and find the “X” that marks the spot.

Howe demonstrates her fondness of historical fiction in A True Account. At first, readers are led to believe that they are reading Hannah’s story. But when Marian is introduced, we realize there are two storylines in place, with two women in very different circumstances. And when both characters learn about the treasure, that’s when the real magic begins. I also appreciated the commentary about society’s expectations of women 200 years apart. Both women hide parts of themselves to fit in. Additionally, the descriptive storytelling will launch readers onto the seas themselves, making them feel like they are on the adventure and scavenger hunt along with Hannah and Marian. I couldn’t wait to find out how, if at all, Hannah survives, and if Marian will ever find what she’s looking for.

This book was such a fun and refreshing read. It is historical fiction but in some ways also reads as an adventure novel. There is quite a bit of brutal violence, so be warned, it is a book about pirates. The dual timelines are well done and make a lot of sense, but I do think the original transition between the two was jarring and there could have been a smoother segue. I was just as invested in the one set in the 1930s as I was in the pirate storyline and one didn’t overshadow the other. But what makes this book exceptional is the characters. They are extremely well constructed with interesting and complete backstories. You understand their motivations and actions completely. I highly enjoyed this book. It provides that something original that I was craving.
Thank you to @netgalley for this arc.

This story grabbed me from the beginning. I thought I was going to read about a female pirate and I did but there is much more. Written in a dual time line we meet three women, Hannah the girl who disguises herself as a boy to escape her life in the 1700's and becomes a pirate. Then in the 1930's we meet Marian a professor and a bright student Kay who stumbles on this manuscript supposedly written by Hannah. A wild treasure hunt ensues. An interesting historical fiction with twists and turns and a real mystery.

Katherine Howe vividly describes a pirates life and the conditions which women lived in both time lines. It's a book on survival.

This is one of those dual timeline books we all love so much. Hannah was sold into piracy as a child and can't really even remember her parents. She ends up saving a boy who hid on a ship. She lives in the 1700s.
And Marian is a professor in the 1930s who is working on researching Hannah. I love researching dead people.
But um how did Hannah learn to read? Literacy rates were low in that time.
Anyway, she can read and she has a journal.
I loved living in Hannah's world. The scenes were perfection. I mean amazing!

This novel is a gripping tale of piracy, adventure, and truth. Set in two time periods --- the 17th century with Hannah and the 20th century with Marian --- "A True Account" follows Hannah's adventure from a waterfront inn to a cabin boy under Ned Low to pirate as Marian works to discern if Hannah's journal is real and her story true.

Katherine Howe captures the thrill and wonder that reminds me of the first time I watched Pirates of the Caribbean. Howe built an incredible cast of characters:
Hannah Masury: a young girl trying to survive in a group of cutthroat pirates
Marian Beresford: a tired college professor with a detached father and a reluctant hope for discovery
Kay Lonergan: a bright-eyed undergraduate student hoping for her big break with Hannah's journal

With the character and the switching of perspectives, Howe wove a gripping story that had you second-guessing the validity of the narrator. Never once did I successfully predict what would happen next. Howe kept me on the edge of my seat, praying for Hannah's survival and hoping for Marian and Kay's success.

Thank you to the author Katherine Howe, publishers Henry Holt & Co., and as always, NetGalley, for an advance digital copy of A TRUE ACCOUNT. Thank you also to Goodreads for my won paperback copy. All views are mine.

Three (or more) things I loved:

1. Whenever the narrator takes a bit of distance, as when describing landscapes, the writing is striking.

2. Fascinating history, like, for example, the effects of a starving childhood on a woman's puberty and sexual development, and how, in turn, that translates into insurmountable social pressure in late adolescence and young adulthood. I want more of this!!

Three (or less) things I didn't love:

This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.

1. Some very clichéd images in this book. Cliché isn't constant, just sprinkled in. Like, weary bones loc.834 and shipmates [snoring, like] sawing wood. loc.836

2. I don't really think the second timeline is necessary. It's presence complicates the story unnecessarily. I wish it had been just a straight historical fiction piece.

3. All the curse words are bleeped. Like, "d---" for instance. It's an interesting choice rather than just leaving the curses out. I think this is more authentic to natural speech and thought. Removing curses doesn't really bother me one way or the other.

Rating: 🌊🌊🌊.5 ocean voyages
Recommend? Yes
Finished: Dec 3 23
Format: Digital, Kindle, NetGalley
Read this book if you like:
☠️ pirates
🚢 ship voyages
⌛️ dual timelines
💇‍♀️ girl's coming of age
🏝 historical fiction

A True Account by Katherine Howe is a wonderful adventure of past and present. The characters are well rounded and interesting. This book had me from the first sentence. I stayed up all night reading it and I found myself wishing the story hadn't ended. This is a great book!

"A True Account" is an absolute delight. Katherine Howe's latest novel has a bit of something for everyone -- an endearing and brave protagonist in Hannah Masury, pirates and adventure, mystery and romance.

Although it deals with adult themes, the story reads a little young. I wouldn't say the book is full-on YA, but it sort of straddles the line between adult fiction and stories written for a teenage audience.

I enjoyed the book and was sad to see it end, nevertheless. Pirates, mutiny, and buried treasure -- oh my.


My sincerest appreciation to Katherine Howe, Henry Holt and Co., and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All thoughts and opinions herein are my own.

Riveting! I absolutely loved Hannah's story, and intertwining it with a modern treasure hunt made it all the more satisfying. Easily my favorite of Howe's books, impossible to put down past the halfway-mark.

Hannah Masury is working at an inn on Boston Harbor. She is a young teen who has been bound out for service and has become accustomed to an incredibly hard life. She and a group of friends watch the hanging of three pirates, including the infamous William Fry, but this leads to events that force Hannah to flee. She disguises herself as a cabin boy whose murder she hears and joins the crew of the pirate Ned Low.

This story comes to light when Kay, an undergraduate, brings Hannah’s story to the attention of Professor Marian Beresford in 1930. Marian is determined to discover the missing pieces of Hannah’s story, and the author does an outstanding job of weaving the two timelines.

I was drawn to the book by the title, and I found it to be most enjoyable. Is it suitable for young readers? No, no, no ... Not at all. These are tales of pyrates.

I love a good adventure story and it’s even better if it includes pirates and history. This story is told during two different time periods, the 1700’s and the 1930’s. It illustrates how the times for women have changed throughout the years, and sadly, how they have remained the same.

In the 1700’s, Hannah Masury is an orphaned indentured servant who runs into an unusual situation and is forced to get out of Boston. She disguises herself as a boy and boards a ship to serve as a cabin boy.

Meanwhile, professor Miriam Beresford pours over an old document about a woman pirate that is thought to be authentic. It is believed that there is treasure still unclaimed and she sets out to find it, only to discover that she has been tricked.

The story goes back and forth from Hannah to the professor as the truth is gradually uncovered. I found this to be a fun adventure story and I liked the mystery of finding where the buried treasure might be.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am pleased to recommend this and give my honest review.

This story is told in dual timelines of 1726 and 1930. Marian Beresford is a professor at Radcliffe College, the female coordinate to Harvard, when a student comes to her with a manuscript that leads them on a treasure hunt to the Florda Keys. This story is interspersed with pieces of the journal told in first person by Hannah Masury of how she came to sail with pirates including the famed Ned Low in search of a hidden treasure. I did find some of the timeline transitions be a little rough or abrupt.

I really enjoyed Hannah’s story though some of the tedious daily life on the ship dragged a bit at times. The pirate politics was interesting and added good tension to the story propelling it along with mutinies, revenge, skirmishes and tropical locales. All the things you expect from a pirate story. I especially enjoyed the parrot that they procured during a raid and how it squawked at them in French.

As for Marian’s part of the story, I enjoyed her excitement for the project and the connection she felt with Hannah. However, the dynamic with her student, Kay, was strange and frustrating to me. While the manuscript was found by Kay, as the professor, project lead and procurer of funding, Marian came across as oddly intimidated by the girl and let her run roughshod over the entire process with little to no protest though I found the similar relationship with her intimidating father to be understandable. I would have enjoyed this story more if Marian had come across as a stronger female protagonist.

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for a copy provided for an honest review.

4.5/5 Stars!
When the publishers of this book approached me about reading and reviewing this book, I was really glad, mostly because my late November TBR of ARCs was pretty thin, so I needed to have something to read. Yeah, sure, I could have grabbed some novellas, but when I read what this was about, I have to say that my immediate reaction was “oh, this sounds fun” and, knowing I had time to read it, I accepted right away!

Now, to be honest, I’m not really into pirates (correctly or incorrectly spelled), but I did watch a couple of the Pirates of the Caribbean films, mostly because I remember going on the ride when I was seven in Disneyland. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book about pirates before, and certainly none about female pirates. I knew that they weren’t considered to be the nicest of people, but I wasn’t really prepared for some of the violence described here. Not that Howe gets truly gory or overly graphic, but there are a few passages here that were pretty bloody. Now, I’m a bit on the squeamish side, but thankfully Howe stopped at the edge of “yuck” before falling into the “gross” where I might have had to put the book down altogether. So, yes, these sections of the book were well balanced for me (but I’m guessing that some horror fans will be a bit disappointed that she didn’t go far enough). All I can say to that is, I’m happy she reigned it in just enough.

By the way, I guess I didn’t read the blurb overly closely because I didn’t realize that there were going to be two timelines with this story. The one niggle I have with this book is how abruptly we sent from Hannah’s story to Marian’s parts. When we first move from Hannah to Marian, all I got (and maybe the final will be slightly different) was the name of the city on one line, and then the more modern part began. To begin with, I was sure that there was something wrong with my file, or that I had missed something, and it took me a few lines of reading before I realized what was happening here.

Now, I know that many people are getting tired of dual timelines, but despite the technical problem mentioned above, I have to admit that these two worked pretty well together. You see, with such an unreliable narrator as Hannah in the earlier parts, combined with such obscure historical references, you really do need something, or someone, more objective to help see through the embellishments and get to the reality of the tale. That’s where Marian comes in, with her background in being a history professor, together with her father’s past experience as an explorer.

The thing is, Howe uses all of this to her best advantage, and not only keeps these two timelines broken up so that we’re excited to read on, but she also surprises us with some interesting twists. What I found out in the author’s notes is that there were some personal connections to Howe’s own family history, which is why I noted that this is also a biographical, historical fiction novel! (Remember, never skip reading the authors’ notes. These can be essential to reading any literary historical fiction book!) In sum, I must say that this was as much fun as I hoped it would be, and maybe a touch more. Therefore, I’m warmly recommending it to people who are looking for historical stories in unusual settings and less familiar eras. For all that, I think that it deserves a very respectful four and a half stars out of five!

In Boston, Hannah Masury – bound out to service at a waterfront inn since childhood , watches a man is be hanged for piracy in the town square and hears the whispers of a treasure he left behind in the Caribbean. When she attempts to help a boy from that ship who was hiding, two men come after the two of them. ....the boy winds up dead and they search for Hannah so she would suffer the same fate., Hannah is forced to flee for her life, disguising herself as a cabin boy in the crew of the notorious pirate Edward "Ned" Low. Meanwhile, professor Marian Beresford pieces Hannah’s story together in 1930, seeing her own lack of freedom reflected back at her. . At the center of Hannah Masury’s account, however, lies a centuries-old mystery that Marian is determined to solve, just as Hannah may have been determined to take it to her grave.

I am usually a huge fan of this author's books, but this one fell flat for me. The writing was excellent, and you could tell she was passionate about the subject matter. She did extensive research into the subject, I think, for me, I just could not get fully invested in the story because I just didn't enjoy reading about pirates. This is entirely on me. I did enjoy the end of the book, where there were a couple of surprising twists. For that reason, I will give this a solid 4.

A riveting dual timeline that shares the story of two women trying to find their way in a world that is dominated, and dictated by men. Part pirate tale and part historical mystery the stories of Hannah and Marian intertwine to expose a long hidden secret of a female pirate who was against the odds in her deception, but survived to tell her tale- or did she? Excellent storytelling made this an engaging read! Another great historical from Katherine Howe!