The Turncoat's Widow- Book Review

The Turncoat’s Widow by Mally Becker 

Genre: Historical Fiction Mystery & Thrillers, Women's Fiction

3.5 Stars 

The book is about Rebecca Parcell or Becca, widow of Phillip Parcell, the supposed Patriot during the American Revolution. We see how he was a British spy and had made a list of fellow spies, which is supposed to be in Becca’s possession. 

She is targeted by the folk of Morristown for various reasons- hatred for her husband, suspicion on her loyalties towards the land, and for the list, she doesn’t even know existed. Above all, we see that she was an easy target for being different from the rest of them. 

Becca is offered a deal by none other than George Washington to find the list and be free of the rumors and the Council's threat to take away her farm. 

Daniel Alloway, an escaped British prisoner, is appointed as her protector when Becca travels to New York to uncover the mystery around her dead husband. 

The book is full of action, twists, and revelations. The lines between good and bad, friend and foe, blur as Becca gets embroiled deeper in the tangle of web around her. 

What I like: 

• It is a fast-paced story with a straightforward and crisp narration. 
• Some characters were interesting to read. (Augusta, Annie, Mason, etc.) I wished there was more information to give them the required depth. 
• A decent and neatly tied up ending that can lead to another book in the series (it does look that way). 
• Keeping the reader guessing about the twist. Half my guesses were right. 

What I Wished was Better: 

• Too many characters crammed into the story, causing confusion. (Yeah, they are necessary, but some could have been used without names). 
• There are no proper explanations for some developments in the story. I wouldn’t call these plot holes. It’s more of a lack of character development. 
• There is no real depth of emotions displayed by any character. Even Becca seems superficial and removed from the story. While that made reading easier, it would have been more impactful to delve into the emotional turmoil of the lead characters. 
• The love/ romance angle wasn’t explored enough. I understand there wasn’t time for it, but the emotional connection was not as strong as it should be. 

Overall, this is a good debut novel and was quite enjoyable. But it is a one-time read and not memorable enough to stay with me for a long time. 

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Level Best Books and am voluntarily leaving a review. 

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