I am in awe of Chris Bohjalian. He is a true American original who has mastered every genre he has tackled: literary fiction, historical fiction, mystery, thriller and horror. Not since SKELETONS AT THE FEAST has he depicted the harsh realities of war and the impact on those affected by it like he does in THE JACKAL’S MISTRESS. It is destined to be a classic worthy of Charles Dickens, Edgar Allan Poe, William Faulkner and Ernest Hemingway, and is easily one of the most powerful novels I have read in a long time.

Set towards the end of the Civil War, the book introduces readers to an extremely brave woman. Libby Steadman, aka the Mistress, has been running the homestead and gristmill with her niece, Jubilee, and two freed slaves: Sally and her husband, Joseph. This is all occurring as Libby's husband, Peter, a Confederate soldier, is being held captive in a Union prison.

"THE JACKAL’S MISTRESS is an unforgettable read that cements Bohjalian’s placement on the literary Mount Rushmore of American writers and should appeal to readers of all genres."

Libby’s life is about to be changed forever by the unexpected arrival of Captain Jonathan Weybridge, a Union soldier and an English professor from Vermont. He is severely injured during a brutal battle that costs him most of his right leg, as well as two fingers on his left hand. The Union medics do all they can for him before having to evacuate the area, leaving him in an abandoned Southern home that neighbors Libby.

Sally finds Weybridge and brings him to Libby’s place for further caring. Had she not stepped in when she did, he surely would have died. Jubilee tags him with the nickname “Jackal,” and it sticks. Once he finally regains full consciousness and is able to share his identity and background, they surprisingly take to him and his calm demeanor. He left a wife and child back home in Vermont and is just as eager as anyone to see the end of this bloody war, followed by a safe return home.

Of course, word will spread about the possibility of an injured Yankee in the area, and Libby is already not very popular because of her freed slaves and her husband, whose father is from the North. There will be more than one instance when all of their lives are in danger, and they make for some of the most suspenseful reading I have experienced in quite a while.

The plan ends up being an extremely risky one. There is an attempt to transport Weybridge to Harpers Ferry disguised as a corpse in a coffin built by Joseph, but it will be nearly impossible to pull off. The hope is that Weybridge will be returned to the Union Army, and then he will do what he can for Libby regarding the whereabouts or potential death of her husband.

THE JACKAL’S MISTRESS is an unforgettable read that cements Bohjalian’s placement on the literary Mount Rushmore of American writers and should appeal to readers of all genres.