Once again, Chris Bohjalian has written a gripping and compassionate novel that will keep readers glued to their seats. Having read sixteen of this author's books, I think that this is one of his best. Inspired by the story of real people in history the author beautifully paints with his words the scenery of life during the Civil War. For the main character, Libby, it was a time when her neighbors became her enemy, and her enemy became her ally. This is a tense and suspenseful book with unforgettable characters. Historical fiction lovers who are searching for a compelling Civil War story will definitely enjoy this book. I sure did.

My sincere thanks to Book Browse, NetGalley, and the publisher for sending me a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I believe this is Chris Bohjalian's best work so far--an unputdownable story of a Virginian woman who nurses a badly-wounded Yankee captain from Vermont back to health in the later years of the American Civil War, risking everything to help this one man survive. Inspired by a true story, Bohjalian brings all the fear, courage and desperation of that era back to life in the pages of his novel. His characters are so magnificently wrought and real, the setting so beautifully depicted, and the dangers they faced so immediate and intense that for a few hours, this reader was totally immersed in their story. Highly recommend.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc of this new novel of historical fiction via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

This book isn’t just for fans of historical fiction—it’s for anyone who appreciates well-crafted storytelling, deeply human characters, and a plot that keeps you guessing. It’s a must-read for anyone looking to explore the Civil War era through the lens of captivating fiction, and one that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

With well-developed characters and expertly crafted dialogue, the novel brings the complex emotions, struggles, and hopes of the era to life in a way that’s both engaging and thought-provoking.

From the first page, I was hooked. What seemed like such a simple and straightforward story, had embedded itself deep into my heart before I even realized it with its well written, quietly powerful moments, completely wrecking me. The Jackal's Mistress has flown to the top of my list of favorite books by Chris Bohjalian.

Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday for access to this arc!

4.5 Civil War epic

Inspired by a true story, Bohjalian has knocked it out of the park with this one! I love historical fiction like this, especially about the Civil War. I loved the storyline and the characters, especially the main character's precocious niece.

Libby Steadman runs the mill with two freed slaves in Virginia while her husband languishes in a Union prison. However, he could be dead since it’s been months since she’s heard from him. Her niece Jubilee also lives with them as her father is also away in the war and her mother died. They provide grain to the Confederate Army.

Captain Jonathan Weybridge is from the Vermont Brigade, and we get some battle scenes from his perspective, including his injury near Libby’s house.

When Libby gets word that a Union soldier is potentially at a nearby farmhouse, she goes to investigate. They find seriously injured Weybridge, who has been left behind, believing he is near death. Libby can’t leave the man to die and makes the risky decision to bring him back to her house.

The group nurses Weybridge back to health. I loved his interactions with Jubilee. She would show up in his room, ask him what chores he did that day, and complain that all he did was lay around. He lost a leg and some fingers during the battle. She even gets him to play cards.

There is a lot of tension and danger in this one, as well as hatred between neighbors and others who live in different parts of the country. With a powerhouse ending, this one was clearly meticulously researched. It was well worth my time to read, and I will remember these characters.

Gripping, wonderfully written, well thought out, and hard to put down, Chris Bohjalian delivered a powerful and moving book with The Jackal's Mistress. I loved the writing, the vivid descriptions, the characters, the tension, and the dread. This book is set during the later stages of the Civil War and shows both the good and bad sides of humanity.

Virginia, 1864

Libby Steadman is barely holding things together while her husband is off fighting for the Confederate Army. She fears her husband dead but carries on with the help of Jubilee, her niece, two freed slaves, Joseph and Sally. They work the land to provide for not only themselves but for the confederate army. Then one day, she finds Captain Jonathan Weybridge of the Union army, badly injured and clinging to death. She is left with a HUGE decision to make. What a choice to have to make. To make a decision/choice about the life of someone she has never met or had an issue with. But a decision is what she must make, and it will have long lasting consequences.

This was such a wonderful book about choices, humanity, friendship, love, family, found-family, trust, survival, and resiliency. I found this book to be moving, riveting, and hard to put down. With Chris Bohjalian's wonderful writing and research, I was transported to the Shenandoah Valley, in a time and place ravaged by war. I became a silent observer, feeling for all the characters. I felt for their despair, not knowing if a loved one was alive or dead, not knowing who to trust, not knowing if this would be your last day, and not knowing how your choices would affect not only your life but the lives of others.

Beautifully written, moving, atmospheric, and hard to put down!


*The Jackal's Mistress was inspired by a real life friendship. Be sure to read the Author's note at the end of the book.

The Jackal's Mistress, set in the south during the Civil War, transports the reader to a family just barely surviving in the ravaged south. A confederate women, her freed slaves, her niece and a Yankee soldier bring this setting to life.

Libby, courageous and grieving her husband captured in the North, upends her life to save a Yankee who has been badly injured. Stedfast in her convictions, Libby risks it all to do onto others what she's hoping someone did for husband.

Beautifully written and executed, the war rages around this home as one man fights to return to his college profession and his family back in Vermont only for his world to be turned upside down by one women and her homestead.

This is my favorite book by Bohjalian to date.

Thank you, Doubleday Books | Doubleday

The Jackal's Mistress is a Civil War story from Chris Bohjalian.

"The wife of a missing Rebel soldier discovers a wounded Yankee officer and must decide what she is willing to risk for the life of a stranger."

The Civil War is near it's end. Libby Steadman just wants it to be over and to get her husband back. She runs a grist mill along with her niece and two slaves her husband freed. Her home is in Virginia near a very fluid front. Soldiers from both armies are nearby - fighting is nearby. She faces a choice and chooses humanity and kindness. Bohjalian captures the desperation that families had to feel then when life was pretty much survival. This is not a fast-paced thriller or a feel-good story. There are some terrible characters here - not just unlikable, but evil. You're always wondering - "Is this it?" It's surprising when that moment comes.
One thing I kept asking myself as I read this - "Have people really changed?"

Different ending than what you might expect. Well written story from Bohjalian.

Thank you Net Galley and Doubleday Books for this really excellent work of historical fiction. Five stars from me!

I’ve never read anything by C. B. before and I notice that he has written a lot of books on various topics. This particular book had made me really curious about others.

I love well-researched historical fiction and this is clearly of that ilk. I also love Civil War history. For some reason it speaks to me. C. B. Has definitely hit the mark with this book. I’ll be checking out his other work.

Love this foray into historical fiction. The story was so engaging. Libby, you go girl!!! Parts of it had me on the edge of my seat. The tension was unbearable. The social commentary was spot on.

The novel takes place in Virginia in 1864, when the country is in the middle of the Civil War. Libby Steadman, wife of a missing Confederate soldier, has been left to run the gristmill along with the freed slaves that her husband had hired to work at the mill, and take care of her teenage niece who's father is also away fighting. Things are hard enough, without the Confederate Army. requisitioning so much of their grain they have milled, along with the crops from their farm, that leave them little to survive on. One day, Libby finds a gravely injured Union officer left for dead in a neighbor’s house, the bones of his hand shattered and one of his legs partially amputated. Captain Jonathan Weybridge of the Vermont Brigade is her enemy—but he’s also a human being, and Libby makes a split decision to bring him back to her house and nurse him back to health, even though she risks being tried for treason to do so. She would want someone to do the same for her husband., and if she succeeds, she could try to secretly bring him across Union lines, where she might negotiate a trade for news of her own husband.

This book started out as a bit of a slow burn for me, mainly because it begins in the middle of the fighting, and talk of war is not really one of my interests. However, once the story moved past the battlefield, I became engrossed and could not put the book down. I loved Libby and how resilient she was. Her niece Jubilee was hilarious, and she was the one who began calling Captain Weybridge a "jackal" . The things that they all went through was just heart-wrenching, and the author did an excellent job portraying just how scary and turbulent that time in history was. If you love historical fiction, then you should definitely check this out. I highly recommend it!

The Jackal's Mistress is based on the true story of a Union
soldier left to die by his comrades after he suffered severe
wounds in battle. When the wife of a Confederate soldier heard
rumors of this, she risked her own life to save him. As she and
her two formerly enslaved companions and her niece nursed
him back to health, they all formed strong bonds despite having
different views on the war.


Chris Bohjalian is such a reliable author for me. I know if I pick
up one of his books, '"l at the very least enjoy it, and sometimes
even love it. He has written 15 books, and I've read about half of
them so far. As always, I liked the story, the characters, the
messages and the themes of this one. Jubilee, the teenage
niece , was a particular highlight...her personality really shined
brightly.

I don't usually love Civil War historical fiction but I am a big Chris Bohjalian fan so I decided to read his latest, The Jackal's Mistress. It was a very good novel loosely based on actual events. Libby Steadman was a strong and smart young woman and her character's growth was evident by the end. The story was interesting, and the book was obviously well researched. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

When it comes to historical fiction, I have to be in the mood and war historical fiction is not my favorite, but I wanted to read things by Bohjalian to see if I could find another favorite author.

This book takes place during the Civil War in Virginia and follows a strong female protagonist. Bohjalian did a lot of research and created a beautiful novel that shows insight during a tough time of history. It shows both sides of the conflict working together and you could feel the emotion of the characters and storyline.

I recommend this story for those that like historical fiction especially based during the Civil War. I can't wait to pick up another book of his and see more of his writing style.

Thank you for the eARC for an honest review.

Bohjalians’ storytelling is magical, this my new favorite sliding into the #1 spot, followed by his Hour of the Witch release in ‘21. THE JACKAL’S MISTRESS is simply marvelous with a refreshing new take on the Civil War based on a true story that took place in Virginia during that war. I see now that I need to remedy not reading enough books in that time period. Bohjalians’ beautifully descriptive setting, era, times + people all pulled me inside of the story as it’s being told. Another plus is this is character based, my favorite, and that I couldn’t put it down.
The story tells of an unlikely friendship between a Southern woman - - living in the Shenandoah Valley, her enlisted confederate husband possibly captured by the enemy - - and a wounded Union soldier. It shows not only the hard choice she had to make in helping him, but their friendship as it grows and how it affects everyone in their lives. This was very emotional bringing out all the feels. There’s a lot I’m leaving out as to not give spoilers. This book was so well written and researched with Bohjalian including an authors note detailing the true story behind it. Well done CB!! 5 stars — Pub. 3/11/25

Thanks so much to Doubleday Books via NetGalley for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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.