I love Chris Bohjalian....one of my favorite authors but sadly I couldn't find myselp getting into this one. I just wasn't reaching to read it. Ultimately I did not finish the book. Thank you for the advanced copy.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

🌾 The Jackal’s Mistress by Chris Bohjalian is a Civil War novel that doesn’t just revisit history—it reanimates it with aching intimacy and moral complexity. Set in the war-ravaged Shenandoah Valley of 1864, this story is less about battles and more about the quiet, dangerous choices made in the shadows of conflict.

At its heart is Libby Steadman, a young Confederate wife whose husband is missing, presumed imprisoned—or worse. She’s holding together a fragile household with her orphaned niece and two newly freed Black workers when she discovers a gravely wounded Union officer, Captain Jonathan Weybridge, abandoned in a neighbor’s house. What follows is a harrowing and tender reckoning with loyalty, loneliness, and the boundaries of compassion.

🪶 Bohjalian’s prose is elegant but unflinching. He opens with a visceral scene of Libby defending herself from a would-be attacker, setting the tone for a novel that doesn’t shy away from the brutalities of war—physical or emotional. The narrative unfolds with cinematic pacing, alternating between moments of quiet reflection and bursts of tension. The historical detail is immersive without being overbearing, and the dialogue feels both era-appropriate and emotionally immediate.

💔
Libby is a marvel of contradictions: loyal yet rebellious, grieving yet fiercely alive. Her decision to save Weybridge—a man who represents everything she’s been taught to hate—isn’t framed as saintly, but as deeply human. Weybridge, too, is no mere symbol of Northern virtue. He’s a scholar, a father, a man broken in body and spirit, whose recovery is as much about dignity as it is about survival. Their relationship is not romantic in the traditional sense, but it pulses with longing, guilt, and the desperate need for connection.

This is a novel about moral courage—the kind that doesn’t come with medals. It explores the gray spaces between duty and desire, justice and survival. The title, The Jackal’s Mistress, is a misdirection in the best way: there’s no salacious affair here, but rather a meditation on how we define betrayal and fidelity in times of chaos. The “jackal” is a slur hurled at Union soldiers, and Libby’s decision to care for one is a quiet act of rebellion that could cost her everything.

Bohjalian has crafted a story that feels both timeless and urgently relevant. The Jackal’s Mistress is not just historical fiction—it’s a study in empathy, a reminder that even in the bloodiest chapters of history, there are still moments of grace. It’s a novel that lingers, like the scent of soap on a borrowed shirt, long after the final page.

Intense and thrilling, this historical fiction book offers a view of life in northern Virginia during the Civil War.

Rating this book 3 stars but it's really more like 3.5/5. Enjoyed the story and its characters, along with the mostly solid plot and pacing. Historical setting was also solid and well-researched but never felt didactic.

The story is based on a real-life Southern woman and Northern soldier, and I was intrigued by how the author developed a historical fiction tale out of that. The battle scenes were visceral but not overly so, and the stakes were always very clear and the tension just right. A good solid read. (Note: Without going into spoilers, this book is heavily marketed as a love story, but I don't know if I would call it that, at least, not exactly.)

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publishers for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I genuinely make an effort to explore all sorts of books, but I always find myself irresistibly pulled back into my favorite genre: historical fiction. It’s amazing how much I’ve learned over the years from such talented authors, especially considering I didn’t exactly shine in history class!

In his latest novel, Chris Bohjalian has crafted a truly compelling story that immerses readers in the gripping realities of survival during the Civil War. I have such a deep appreciation for narratives that come from a place of empathy and compassion. The protagonist, Libby Steadman, beautifully captures this essence, guiding us through a time filled with fear and mistrust. Libby is surrounded by a cast of memorable characters that are as endearing as they are strong, and it was so easy to get attached to them all. Bohjalian reminds us that at the core, we’re all human beings, deserving of understanding and respect, even when our beliefs differ.

Kudos to Mr. Bohjalian for reminding us of this crucial lesson!

Many thanks to partners Doubleday and NetGalley for this gifted review e-copy.

I loved this book!

Libby Steadman, a resilient, fascinating woman running a mill in 1864 Shenandoah Valley, does something completely unexpected - she secretly nurses a gravely wounded Union captain, Jonathan Weybridge, back to health. It’s more than historical drama—it’s about unexpected courage, moral gray zones, and what compassion can look like when loyalties collide.

Libby is a strong woman ahead of her time. She is managing the family's wheat mill while her husband has been fighting for the Confederacy and she learns that he has been captured by the Union. She has the support of Joseph and Sally, two former enslaved people who stayed on after being freed by Libby's husband before the war. Her young niece Jubilee offers her own perspective on harboring an injured Union soldier, in ways that often made me smile. Libby knows the risk she is taking by tending to Jonathan but she does it because she hopes if her husband were injured, a northern woman would have done the same. Others in the south would strongly disagree with her, however. Jonathan also gives his own perspective - a former college professor turned captain who participates in the war not because he wants to, but because he has to.

If you like historical drama then I highly recommend this book! Thank you to NetGalley for the digital ARC!

The Jackal’s Mistress, Chris Bohjalian’s latest novel is an excellent exploration of the challenges of war, based on a true event. When a Southern woman finds a severely wounded Northern soldier, she makes the dangerous decision to care for him, an attempt to save his life. As she has had no communication from her husband for months, she prays that a northern woman would help him the way she decides to help this wounded man. But hiding him, medically caring for him, and avoiding both the Confederate soldiers and Mosby’s rangers proves overwhelming. Bohjalian’s research is impeccable, focusing on the medical practices during the Civil War and the dire straits Southerners faced. Libby runs a mill with Joseph and his wife (slaves freed by her husband) and her niece Jubilee. The responsibility for all of them falls on Libby’s shoulders and she finds an inner strength to just keep going day after day, slowly changing to survive the world in which she now finds herself. Fascinating, gripping novel!

This is the story of a Southern woman, Libby, who decided to help a seriously injured Union soldier, Jonathan, rather than leave him to die. After all, she would want someone to do the same for her husband, a Confederate soldier who has been captured by the Union. She is helped by two freed people and her 12-year-old-niece, but helping Jonathan will put them all in danger.

I enjoyed the setting of the story and the constant threat of being found out made the book pretty suspenseful in places. I thought there were interesting relationships and good character growth (at least for the white characters). There's a lot to think about here, including asking yourself what you would do?

What's crazy about this book is how much I loved the first 95% and how disappointed I was in the last 5%. And after reading the author's notes at the end, I find out the last part is the only truly fictional part of the whole book - everything else was based (loosely) on historical events. Why?? It was so good until then.

My thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for the DRC in exchange for an honest review.

The Jackal’s Mistress is a well written and a well paced novel. Its fascinating characters are fictional yet written into a very detailed and researched end of the Civil War. This is my first Bohjalian read, and definitely will not be my last.

Bohjalian takes us to Virginia in 1864. His story is based on real events, though the characters are fictional. The Civil War is raging and Libby Steadman believes her husband might be currently held in a Union POW prison. She’s left alone to run the gristmill and protect their land from all, including Confederate renegades who pose threats to her property and her person. Fortunately, she has a freed Negro and his wife who help run the mill and the property.

Libby takes pity on a Union Captain who’s badly injured and left behind to die by the Union Army. She could let him suffer alone or she could treat him as she hopes someone up North might treat her husband, if he was in need. The very presence of the recuperating officer puts her in serious danger. Captain Weybridge has lost a leg and needs to be hidden from the neighbors and the visiting Confederates who buy from the mill. Harboring the soldier would be seen as treason but then she decides she might use the situation to her advantage in her desperation for news of her husband.

This is an emotional tale of one woman trying to do the right thing. Bohjalian creates fascinating characters to populate the real-life setting. The captain is quite intriguing. He’s a professor who loves books and appreciates the help Libby is giving him. His interactions with Jubilee, who’s Libby’s husband’s niece, are sparkling and amusing. The young girl lives with her aunt and is fascinated with the man she has dubbed the “The Jackal.” Her presence adds levity and charm to the book.

Bohjalian is an author who cannot be simply characterized; his books are varied in setting and topic. He is skillful at weaving his principled and determined characters into an exciting, dramatic tale that showcases his writing prowess.

I recently gave a talk about my favorite spring books, and this was one of the titles I highlighted. I hope you'll check it out if you haven't already!

The deep bond that builds between an injured Union soldier and the Virginia woman who secretly takes him in is touching and complicated, and Bohjalian doesn't make Libby's dangerous choices feel too easy. The author was inspired by a true story.

In Chris Bohjalian's newest historical fiction novel, Libby Steadman lives in Virginia on the edge of the Confederate-Union Civil War conflict. Her husband has been away fighting for the Confederacy since soon after they were married, and Libby is warden to her orphaned, strong-willed niece Jubilee. She's also living alongside a hired hand, Joseph, who became a freedman when Libby's husband's family reconsidered their stance on slavery, and his wife Sally. Together the family members work grueling hours milling grain for the Confederacy.

Then Libby finds a gravely injured Union officer in a neighbor’s abandoned home. Because she hopes that a Union woman would take pity on her husband in the same situation, she secretly cares for Weybridge's injuries, realizing that if Confederate soldiers were aware of his presence in her home, the family would be considered traitors.

Weybridge begins to bond with each member of the household, but particularly in the case of Libby, a growing friendship adds to an impossibly complicated situation. He is married, she is married--although she's becoming more and more certain that her husband has been killed in battle--and Weybridge's mere presence is dangerous to a deadly degree.

The decision to take in Weybridge is morally clear to Libby, but the realities of the potential harm it could bring aren't lost on her. Bohjalian never makes the decision-making too easy, and the ending was not the neatly tied-up bow of a resolution I had begun to anticipate.

The story is based upon a real account of a Southern woman who helped a Union soldier during the Civil War.

I received a prepublication edition of The Jackal's Mistress courtesy of Doubleday Books and NetGalley.

This is Chris Bohjalian’s 25th book. Check out Bossy Bookworm, the blog, for my reviews of Hour of the Witch and Skeletons at the Feast (a WWII-set book that I read about 15 years ago and loved) and for more Bossy reviews of books set during the Civil War.

I usually really enjoy Chris Bohjalian’s books but this one just did not work for me. I found it to be dull and rather uninteresting. I know I’m an outlier, but this just wasn’t my “cup of tea”.

An interesting read about a place in Virginia that was transitional several times during the war.
I found the author’s note the most interesting because the novel was actually based on a true story.
War makes strange bedfellows and friendship can occur even among the most oppositional camps.

A unique historical fiction set during the Civil War, with a heavy side of suspense. The story is often tense but well-written, and I loved reading the authors note about the real life people behind this book.

Another wonderful read from Chris Bohjalian!! I loved the the characters, Libby Steadman, the Yankee officer, Jonathan Weybridge, she saves. It is a truly captivating saga of the Civil War. Thank you to Doubleday Publishers and NetGalley for this arc.

Jackall’s Mistress is a beautifully rendered Civil War-era novel that exceeded my expectations. Having only previously read Gone With the Wind as a reference point for fiction set in this period, I approached this book with a degree of skepticism—an unfair comparison, perhaps, but one I suspect many readers might share.
To my delight, Jackall’s Mistress distinguished itself with a thoughtful treatment of the historical moment. While it may not delve as deeply into character development as Margaret Mitchell’s classic, it offers a more restrained yet sincere portrayal of both Union and Confederate perspectives on the realities of war. The novel treats its characters—and the complexity of their choices—with empathy and care, inviting readers to reflect on the shared humanity that endures even when it feels impossible to go on.
The central storyline is a thread of forbidden love, and I found myself fully immersed and genuinely reluctant to part with the characters by the final page. I will certainly be seeking out more of Chris Bohjalian’s work.

Chris Bohjalian never disappoints. His style of writing and descriptive words pull the reader into his stories, and The Jackal's Mistress is a perfect example. This vivid tale, set in the Shenandoah Valley during the Civil War, gives the reader a perspective on the life of civilians, particularly women, during the conflict. Libby Steadman, whose husband is fighting with the Confederacy, runs a mill with Joseph and Sally, enslaved workers who were freed, and her niece Jubilee. Thrown into situations not typical during peaceful times, Libby makes choices she would not make if the country was not a war. Libby, faced with trying to survive and worry about her husband, will encounter Union soldier Jonathan Weybridge. Bohjalian is able to develop these characters so that there is compassion and understanding in the relationship despite the roar of cannons and violence surrounding them. This book was released on March 11, 2025. I give it 5 stars and highly recommend reading this novel if you enjoy historical fiction, the Civil War, a story with a strong woman, or stories about resilience.

Riveting! Chris Bohjalian sure knows how to keep a reader glued to his books. This book is about a young woman living in Virginia during the Civil War. Her husband is fighting for the Confederates, living her at home with two former slaves and a smart alecky niece. A Union officer is wounded and left in a nearby abandoned home as the Army retreats. Libby, the protagonist decides to take in the Union officer and nurse him back to health.

The tension in this book is palpable. The characters are beautifully drawn. Plot turns abound, with some interesting twists at the end.

Highly recommended.

I have read many of Chris Bohjalian's books. This particular book is based on a true story of individuals from both sides of the Civil War conflict who cross paths and become involved with each other. Quite an interesting tale. I always enjoy Mr. Bohjalian's writing style and his ability to weave a great tale.

This book was inspired by a true story the author came across some twenty years ago, and the idea began to germinate.

A woman in Virginia decides to nurse a Union Captain, left for dead by his own men, back to health. She hopes she can exchange his life for that of her Confederate Captain husband, who is a prisoner of war. Close proximity makes these two see each other as people, not monsters, and begin to forge a friendship.

Chris Bohjalian writes books that always immerse me in a world I know little about. In this case, he shows how the Confederacy had battles often right in their own backyard. They could hear the cannon fire, yet daily life went on.

He has created a very memorable character in Libby Steadman, who must run the mill in her husband's absence, even though she is not yet 25. A word I rarely use comes to mind to describe her character: plucky. She is faced with challenges of all sorts, and always rises to the occasion. I also enjoyed her niece Jubilee. The author shows how hard life was for African Americans in the South, and also the North, even when they were free.

This was a good book with memorable storyline and characters.

Thank you to NetGalley, Chris Bohjalian, and Doubleday Books for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.