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The Sea Captain's Wife
From bestselling author Jackie French comes a compelling story of murder, mystery, and mutiny on the high seas - and a love so intense it can overcome two different cultures.
You never know what the sea will give you ... or what it will take back.
When Mair McCrae follows her island tradition and hunts for a husband cast up on the beach, she has no notion that the naked, half-drowned man she rescues is not just Captain Michael Dawson, heir to a major shipping firm, but that he's obsessed by a 'ghost ship' carrying golden cargo.
On Big Henry Island women make the decisions and knit the patterns that mark a man as their own. But Big Henry is also a volcano, and threatening to erupt. Yet when Mair agrees to accompany Michael home, she finds that the Australian comfort he promised has a danger just as a social system that tries to keep women confined to small roles at the edges of men's lives.
And as Michael hunts for the 'Ghost' in his revolutionary new steamship, a string of mysterious deaths upends Mair's new life in Sydney.
Who is the murderer, and why is Mair the only one who realises what is happening?
PRAISE FOR BECOMING MRS MULBERRY
'... a captivating story of personal growth, of generosity in its true sense and ultimately one of courage and hope. Not to be missed.'
DARRY FRASER, AUTHOR OF THE FORTHRIGHT WOMAN
'A captivating masterpiece - insightful, humorous and heart wrenching. A total delight.'
TEA COOPER, AUTHOR OF THE BUTTERFLY COLLECTOR
You never know what the sea will give you ... or what it will take back.
When Mair McCrae follows her island tradition and hunts for a husband cast up on the beach, she has no notion that the naked, half-drowned man she rescues is not just Captain Michael Dawson, heir to a major shipping firm, but that he's obsessed by a 'ghost ship' carrying golden cargo.
On Big Henry Island women make the decisions and knit the patterns that mark a man as their own. But Big Henry is also a volcano, and threatening to erupt. Yet when Mair agrees to accompany Michael home, she finds that the Australian comfort he promised has a danger just as a social system that tries to keep women confined to small roles at the edges of men's lives.
And as Michael hunts for the 'Ghost' in his revolutionary new steamship, a string of mysterious deaths upends Mair's new life in Sydney.
Who is the murderer, and why is Mair the only one who realises what is happening?
PRAISE FOR BECOMING MRS MULBERRY
'... a captivating story of personal growth, of generosity in its true sense and ultimately one of courage and hope. Not to be missed.'
DARRY FRASER, AUTHOR OF THE FORTHRIGHT WOMAN
'A captivating masterpiece - insightful, humorous and heart wrenching. A total delight.'
TEA COOPER, AUTHOR OF THE BUTTERFLY COLLECTOR
480 pages, Paperback
Published March 6, 2024
32 people are currently reading
408 people want to read
About the author
Jackie French
318 books864 followersJackie is an award-winning writer, wombat negotiator and the Australian Children’s Laureate for 2014-2015. She is regarded as one of Australia’s most popular children’s authors, and writes across all genres - from picture books, history, fantasy, ecology and sci-fi to her much loved historical fiction. In her capacity as Australian Children’s Laureate, ‘Share a Story’ will be the primary philosophy behind Jackie’s two-year term.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
January 30, 2024
Mair McCrae finds a naked and unconscious man in the shallows on the beach on Big Henry Island. His name is Captain Michael Dawson, he was sailing from England to Australia, when he came across a ‘ghost ship’, eerily abandoned at sea and that's the night he went overboard. Big Henry Island is mainly inhabited by women, the men go to sea and only return when they can. The women make the decisions, take care of the children, grow food and are almost self-sufficient.
Mair and Michael marry, she decides to travel with him back to Australia, and first they will stop, send provisions and help back to Big Henry Island. Michael has told Mair Australia is full of opportunities, different animals and vegetation. Mair has only lived in her tiny community, being aboard the ship is strange enough and she’s worried what Michael’s mother and grandmother will think of her?
Mair feels like a fish out of water in Australia, she’s not used to wearing so many layers of impractical clothing, having a maid, society has so many rules and ladies don’t do anything and Mair is used to being busy and she misses her family. Michael returns to sea, he’s obsessed with three things, a new ship he’s bought that’s powered by steam and finding the ‘Ghost’ and he hopes the treasure is still in it's hold. In Sydney, Mair starts putting odd occurrences and events that's been happening together, does someone have a vendetta against the Dawson family and why?
I received a copy of The Sea Captain’s Wife by Jackie French from Harlequin Australia and NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. This is the author’s first fictional historical novel, women did look for ‘beachies’ or men who washed ashore in some island communities and that's how they found a husband.
I really liked the manner of the narrative, it emphasized the strong community of women, how they all worked and lived together and on top of a volcano and their customs and traditions. The steamy relationship between Michael and Mair, how it evolved, her being willing to leave the island and despite her fears of not being good enough.
I come from a seafaring family, all of my ancestor on my mother's side were fishermen or deckhands and my dad was a member of the Australian merchant navy and it's hard to ignore the lure of the sea and especially when it's in your blood, I loved Ms. French's well written and entertaining nautical historical mystery, I could relate to many of the aspects in the story and five stars from me.
Mair and Michael marry, she decides to travel with him back to Australia, and first they will stop, send provisions and help back to Big Henry Island. Michael has told Mair Australia is full of opportunities, different animals and vegetation. Mair has only lived in her tiny community, being aboard the ship is strange enough and she’s worried what Michael’s mother and grandmother will think of her?
Mair feels like a fish out of water in Australia, she’s not used to wearing so many layers of impractical clothing, having a maid, society has so many rules and ladies don’t do anything and Mair is used to being busy and she misses her family. Michael returns to sea, he’s obsessed with three things, a new ship he’s bought that’s powered by steam and finding the ‘Ghost’ and he hopes the treasure is still in it's hold. In Sydney, Mair starts putting odd occurrences and events that's been happening together, does someone have a vendetta against the Dawson family and why?
I received a copy of The Sea Captain’s Wife by Jackie French from Harlequin Australia and NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. This is the author’s first fictional historical novel, women did look for ‘beachies’ or men who washed ashore in some island communities and that's how they found a husband.
I really liked the manner of the narrative, it emphasized the strong community of women, how they all worked and lived together and on top of a volcano and their customs and traditions. The steamy relationship between Michael and Mair, how it evolved, her being willing to leave the island and despite her fears of not being good enough.
I come from a seafaring family, all of my ancestor on my mother's side were fishermen or deckhands and my dad was a member of the Australian merchant navy and it's hard to ignore the lure of the sea and especially when it's in your blood, I loved Ms. French's well written and entertaining nautical historical mystery, I could relate to many of the aspects in the story and five stars from me.
March 6, 2024
Mair McCrae was devastated when The Wave took her intended, Duncan, and all the other young men and boys from the island. Only the women, and a few older men, were left on the tiny island of Big Henry, closest port St Augustus. So Mair was upholding tradition, searching the beaches each day for a lost seafarer to be washed up, who could be her husband. When she discovered one such man, naked and close to death, she nursed him until he was well again, learning the story of him being a captain on a sailing ship, run by his father. He was pushed overboard, but managed to cling to a broken mast which drifted toward Big Henry...
In the weeks it took Michael Dawson to recover, he and Mair learned about one another. Waiting the months before a ship would appear meant Michael grew to know the islanders and what made them tick. But the ominous rumbles of Big Henry worried Michael, and he spoke to the women elders. When the ship finally appeared, Michael and Mair had married and Mair agreed to journey to Sydney, where Michael lived with his family and his business, Dawson Shipping. But Mair's innocent and naive islander ways confronted Michael's mother and grandmother and their thoughts that Mair was not good enough for their son, obvious. When Michael left on his next voyage, it wasn't long before strange, mysterious happenings occurred. Mair was worried - was there someone out there determined to eliminate all the Dawson family? Would Michael's Grandmama listen to her concerns?
The Sea Captain's Wife is a masterful tale by Aussie author Jackie French and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Filled with a variety of genres; set in the 1800s it is historical fiction, but has mystery, suspense, murder, intrigue, romance and much more to fill the pages. Detailed and indepth, I found the beauty of the island shone through Mair's eyes; the journey by sea and subsequent arrival in Sydney, saw Mair amazed at the Harbour's magnificence. And Michael's love of the sea, and of his new wife, remained a constant. Jackie French has a wondrous way with words, and it shines in The Sea Captain's Wife, which I recommend highly.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
In the weeks it took Michael Dawson to recover, he and Mair learned about one another. Waiting the months before a ship would appear meant Michael grew to know the islanders and what made them tick. But the ominous rumbles of Big Henry worried Michael, and he spoke to the women elders. When the ship finally appeared, Michael and Mair had married and Mair agreed to journey to Sydney, where Michael lived with his family and his business, Dawson Shipping. But Mair's innocent and naive islander ways confronted Michael's mother and grandmother and their thoughts that Mair was not good enough for their son, obvious. When Michael left on his next voyage, it wasn't long before strange, mysterious happenings occurred. Mair was worried - was there someone out there determined to eliminate all the Dawson family? Would Michael's Grandmama listen to her concerns?
The Sea Captain's Wife is a masterful tale by Aussie author Jackie French and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Filled with a variety of genres; set in the 1800s it is historical fiction, but has mystery, suspense, murder, intrigue, romance and much more to fill the pages. Detailed and indepth, I found the beauty of the island shone through Mair's eyes; the journey by sea and subsequent arrival in Sydney, saw Mair amazed at the Harbour's magnificence. And Michael's love of the sea, and of his new wife, remained a constant. Jackie French has a wondrous way with words, and it shines in The Sea Captain's Wife, which I recommend highly.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
March 11, 2024
This is a wonderful story, and one that I thoroughly enjoyed and I am not sure how I am going to review it, there are so many different characters and settings, but the sea plays a big part, but I have to say Mair McCrae is a character I will not forget easily, strong and so caring as her life changes in so many ways when she finds her husband, come along for an adventure in life, mystery, intrigue and love.
Mair lives on Big Henry Island it is 1870 and this island is mainly woman and they make the decisions and keep the island running well, they grow food, cook, they knit clothes with their family patterns their men are sailors and leave on ships when they arrive and return when and if they can, three years ago the wave took all of their fishing boats and men and Mair lost her fiancé. The woman need and want husbands they truly are a loving group, the island tradition of searching the beach for sailors washed up they call them beachies and often they stay and become husbands.
When Mair finds Michael Dawson washed up on the beach little does she know how her life will change in the weeks that it takes Michael to heal she gets to know him well, she learns about The Ghost and he is very well liked by the woman on the island and even though they know they are living on a volcano Old Henry just grumbles but Michael is worried that that will change and soon, he loves Mair and soon they are married and he and some of the older woman convince Mair to leave the island with Michael to start a new life, this is of course very scary for Mair.
When they arrive in Sydney Australia, it takes Mair a little time to settle in and for Michael’s family to accept her and of course Michael is eager to be off again to search for the elusive Ghost that he discovered before he went overboard all those months ago, when Michael departs on the new steam ship he does not expect it to be as long as it ends up being and as for Mair strange things are happening and Mair is convinced that the Dawson family are in grave danger, will they all be safe, will Michael ever return?
This is such a well told adventure story, so many fabulous characters, it has a little of everything and is sure to please any reader who picks this one up, the sea journeys are described so well and Mair’s amazement on her journey was eye opening, I do highly recommend this one.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.
Mair lives on Big Henry Island it is 1870 and this island is mainly woman and they make the decisions and keep the island running well, they grow food, cook, they knit clothes with their family patterns their men are sailors and leave on ships when they arrive and return when and if they can, three years ago the wave took all of their fishing boats and men and Mair lost her fiancé. The woman need and want husbands they truly are a loving group, the island tradition of searching the beach for sailors washed up they call them beachies and often they stay and become husbands.
When Mair finds Michael Dawson washed up on the beach little does she know how her life will change in the weeks that it takes Michael to heal she gets to know him well, she learns about The Ghost and he is very well liked by the woman on the island and even though they know they are living on a volcano Old Henry just grumbles but Michael is worried that that will change and soon, he loves Mair and soon they are married and he and some of the older woman convince Mair to leave the island with Michael to start a new life, this is of course very scary for Mair.
When they arrive in Sydney Australia, it takes Mair a little time to settle in and for Michael’s family to accept her and of course Michael is eager to be off again to search for the elusive Ghost that he discovered before he went overboard all those months ago, when Michael departs on the new steam ship he does not expect it to be as long as it ends up being and as for Mair strange things are happening and Mair is convinced that the Dawson family are in grave danger, will they all be safe, will Michael ever return?
This is such a well told adventure story, so many fabulous characters, it has a little of everything and is sure to please any reader who picks this one up, the sea journeys are described so well and Mair’s amazement on her journey was eye opening, I do highly recommend this one.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.
February 26, 2024
On Big Henry Island, in the Atlantic Ocean northwest of Cape Town, lives Mair Rodrigues Lestrange McCrae. Founded by mutineers of a slaving ship, the 'First Landers' created a society where labour, property, decisions and lives are shared. Everyone is cared for and cherished, tolerance the norm. The men go sailing, often away for years, many are lost at sea. It is an island of self-sufficient strong women. But it's small enough that any of the 3 surnames shared are too closely related for marriage. So walking the beaches to find a husband, washed up by the waves, Mair rescues unconscious and naked Michael Dawson and nurses him back to health.
Having retrieved just one chest of gold from a ghost ship, Michael Dawson had been pushed overboard. He's keen to return to the family shipping company in Sydney, and takes Mair as his wife. Initially, Mair finds that she has lost her identity, has no power, voice or choice in this society of money, greed, prejudice and class. She's just Mrs Dawson.
When Michael is yet to return from a venture on his new-fangled steamship, the women of the family rise to the company's obligations. Except for widowed cousin Mildred, 'not the brightest ewe in the flock' whose concern is with a 'young man with prospects'. Is he the one who pushed Michael and is wanting the gold and control of the shipping empire?
Jackie French delivers a rollicking tale of murder, mystery and mutiny. It is amusing and instructive, just like the island's books.
Thanks to BRPreview for a copy to review.
Having retrieved just one chest of gold from a ghost ship, Michael Dawson had been pushed overboard. He's keen to return to the family shipping company in Sydney, and takes Mair as his wife. Initially, Mair finds that she has lost her identity, has no power, voice or choice in this society of money, greed, prejudice and class. She's just Mrs Dawson.
When Michael is yet to return from a venture on his new-fangled steamship, the women of the family rise to the company's obligations. Except for widowed cousin Mildred, 'not the brightest ewe in the flock' whose concern is with a 'young man with prospects'. Is he the one who pushed Michael and is wanting the gold and control of the shipping empire?
Jackie French delivers a rollicking tale of murder, mystery and mutiny. It is amusing and instructive, just like the island's books.
Thanks to BRPreview for a copy to review.
March 7, 2024
This was a pretty interesting book.
It started off really good, the middle was a bit of a struggle and the ending was so good.
I found some things a bit repetitive & the constant long descriptions of food on almost every second page was getting annoying and disrupting the storyline. Other than that the mystery of this book was amazing to read. The way they all lived was also interesting to read and the characters were so easy to relate to. I loved the FMC Mair so much. I found her to be such a strong woman. I definitely recommend picking this one up if you’re into historical books set in Australia that have mysteries involved.
It started off really good, the middle was a bit of a struggle and the ending was so good.
I found some things a bit repetitive & the constant long descriptions of food on almost every second page was getting annoying and disrupting the storyline. Other than that the mystery of this book was amazing to read. The way they all lived was also interesting to read and the characters were so easy to relate to. I loved the FMC Mair so much. I found her to be such a strong woman. I definitely recommend picking this one up if you’re into historical books set in Australia that have mysteries involved.
March 25, 2024
4.5*
With a Jackie French book readers are always guaranteed an engaging story. This story is so unique detailing a community of women living on a remote island that is also home to a volcano. This self sufficient group of women work well together being very resourceful. Few men live on the island - excepting those who perhaps have washed ashore from a shipwreck. The main character, Mair, discovers one such man and this is their story. Of course they fall in love, however, where the story really takes off is when Mair agrees to accompany him back to Sydney.
‘Mair was the perfect wife for a sea captain, he told himself, carefully forgetting in his peace and pleasure that she knew little beyond this island, that she would find his world as strange as he found this’
Here readers will discover how Mair struggles to adjust to Sydney society with the running of the family shipping company (both of which the reader must give some leeway at her quick adaptation given her sheltered existence). Add to the story a ghost ship filled with gold, a volcano that erupts, murder and mystery and this book quickly escalates to become a great tale. Jackie draws excellent contrasts in the two ways of living Mair has been exposed to and the role of women. The ghost ship and mysterious deaths just provide an added bonus being the proverbial icing on top.
‘The most important criterion for a sea captain's wife was a woman who was used to waiting in a household of women for her husband's ship to sail to harbour.’
The Sea Captain’s Wife is another excellent book for lovers of historical fiction as it is really quite unique with its societal contrasting observations. Jackie really is a master of cleverly combining a great tale from the past with strong female characters who invariably are seeking to uncover a mystery.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
With a Jackie French book readers are always guaranteed an engaging story. This story is so unique detailing a community of women living on a remote island that is also home to a volcano. This self sufficient group of women work well together being very resourceful. Few men live on the island - excepting those who perhaps have washed ashore from a shipwreck. The main character, Mair, discovers one such man and this is their story. Of course they fall in love, however, where the story really takes off is when Mair agrees to accompany him back to Sydney.
‘Mair was the perfect wife for a sea captain, he told himself, carefully forgetting in his peace and pleasure that she knew little beyond this island, that she would find his world as strange as he found this’
Here readers will discover how Mair struggles to adjust to Sydney society with the running of the family shipping company (both of which the reader must give some leeway at her quick adaptation given her sheltered existence). Add to the story a ghost ship filled with gold, a volcano that erupts, murder and mystery and this book quickly escalates to become a great tale. Jackie draws excellent contrasts in the two ways of living Mair has been exposed to and the role of women. The ghost ship and mysterious deaths just provide an added bonus being the proverbial icing on top.
‘The most important criterion for a sea captain's wife was a woman who was used to waiting in a household of women for her husband's ship to sail to harbour.’
The Sea Captain’s Wife is another excellent book for lovers of historical fiction as it is really quite unique with its societal contrasting observations. Jackie really is a master of cleverly combining a great tale from the past with strong female characters who invariably are seeking to uncover a mystery.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
March 28, 2024
Jackie French is a very popular Australian author and yet I have only ever read her children’s books. The Sea Captain’s Wife is a wonderful story that was nothing like I expected. The story starts in 1870 and follows the life of Mair McCrae, a young woman living on a remote volcanic island. Big Henry Island is home to mainly women, and they live independent lives free of male dominance. Men, known as ‘beachies’ sometimes wash up on Big Henry Island from nearby shipwrecks and the women claim them as their husbands. Mair’s beachie, Captain Michael Dawson, convinces Mair to leave the only life she has ever known and return with him to his home country of Australia. Mair is quickly forced to adjust to life in Sydney, without her new husband, while he goes in search of an abandoned ghost ship that contains a cargo of gold. This historical fiction contained romance, mystery and adventure and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks to Better Reading and the author for my ARC.
April 4, 2025
4.5 so unique, I loved it!
August 10, 2025
This one absolutely captivated me from the very start…..
Mair McCrae is an island woman on the hunt for a husband.
Michael Dawson is a sailor washed up onto Mair’s island.
What we get is an amazing story that includes an incredible depiction of an island life that is full of love and beauty, despite the desolate area of Big Henry Island, as well as life in Sydney in the 1870s through the eyes of an intelligent but naïve Mair.
Jackie has showcased the awesome skill that she possesses by creating such an extraordinary and incredible island landscape, the colourful, resilient and loving inhabitants, with a strength and determination to survive, while enjoying their lives, families and some very unique traditions.
One of the things that I really enjoyed, was the language of the island. I found it very sweet and endearing, and at times a little bit humorous. I also enjoyed watching Michael trying to adjust to living on the island inhabited mainly by strong willed and independent women, doing thing completely different to the outside world. Sometimes it proved a little too much for him to understand.
Watching Mair find her place when she leaves the island, seeing the outside world through her eyes, was so entertaining. Through her struggles she grew stronger, but she also has a profound effect on those around her.
Her sweet nature not only wins over Michael, but endears her to many of those around her, even if they don’t understand her ways. It is because of her kind heart and devotion to family that she realises that people dear to her are in danger and she will do what she can to solve the mystery and keep them safe, even though it puts her in danger as well.
The Sea Captain’s Wife is not just a historical fiction. It is a love story, mystery, crime thriller, family drama and many more things, but what I did find is that it is an unbelievably entertaining story that had me wanting more. Mair and Michael’s story is one of love and heartbreak, but it is one worth reading.
#theseacaptainswife
#jackiefrench
#bobobeachies
#harpercollinsbooksaustralia
Mair McCrae is an island woman on the hunt for a husband.
Michael Dawson is a sailor washed up onto Mair’s island.
What we get is an amazing story that includes an incredible depiction of an island life that is full of love and beauty, despite the desolate area of Big Henry Island, as well as life in Sydney in the 1870s through the eyes of an intelligent but naïve Mair.
Jackie has showcased the awesome skill that she possesses by creating such an extraordinary and incredible island landscape, the colourful, resilient and loving inhabitants, with a strength and determination to survive, while enjoying their lives, families and some very unique traditions.
One of the things that I really enjoyed, was the language of the island. I found it very sweet and endearing, and at times a little bit humorous. I also enjoyed watching Michael trying to adjust to living on the island inhabited mainly by strong willed and independent women, doing thing completely different to the outside world. Sometimes it proved a little too much for him to understand.
Watching Mair find her place when she leaves the island, seeing the outside world through her eyes, was so entertaining. Through her struggles she grew stronger, but she also has a profound effect on those around her.
Her sweet nature not only wins over Michael, but endears her to many of those around her, even if they don’t understand her ways. It is because of her kind heart and devotion to family that she realises that people dear to her are in danger and she will do what she can to solve the mystery and keep them safe, even though it puts her in danger as well.
The Sea Captain’s Wife is not just a historical fiction. It is a love story, mystery, crime thriller, family drama and many more things, but what I did find is that it is an unbelievably entertaining story that had me wanting more. Mair and Michael’s story is one of love and heartbreak, but it is one worth reading.
#theseacaptainswife
#jackiefrench
#bobobeachies
#harpercollinsbooksaustralia
July 20, 2024
4.5 stars.
Mair McCrae follows her island tradition to hunt for a husband cast up on the beach, where she rescues Captain Michael Dawson, heir to a major shipping firm. When she agrees to follow Michael home, she finds that the Australian comfort has a danger just as real: a social system that tries to keep women confined to small roles at the edges of men's lives. As Big Henry island’s volcano threatens to erupt and Michael hunts for his dream ghost ship, Mair’s facing mysterious deaths in her new life in Sydney. Who is the murderer?
As soon as I finished reading, I immediately told my friends to pick this up! Part historical fiction, part mystery thriller, one-hundred percent female empowerment, the book had everything I wanted in one package. In her author’s note, Jackie French mentioned this book didn’t easily fit into one particular genre, and I’d agree!
Mair was such a force to reckon with. As a strong woman who grew up surrounded by other strong women who told her she could do everything, she showed resilience in adjusting to the patriarchal system. The social commentaries in the book were so good and I couldn’t help but agreeing with a lot of them.
Also, I did not see that plot twist coming, mostly because I was just so captivated at Mair’s adventures. Please go read it for yourself and let me know what you think!
(Thanks to HQ Australia for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review)
See my bookstagram review.
Mair McCrae follows her island tradition to hunt for a husband cast up on the beach, where she rescues Captain Michael Dawson, heir to a major shipping firm. When she agrees to follow Michael home, she finds that the Australian comfort has a danger just as real: a social system that tries to keep women confined to small roles at the edges of men's lives. As Big Henry island’s volcano threatens to erupt and Michael hunts for his dream ghost ship, Mair’s facing mysterious deaths in her new life in Sydney. Who is the murderer?
As soon as I finished reading, I immediately told my friends to pick this up! Part historical fiction, part mystery thriller, one-hundred percent female empowerment, the book had everything I wanted in one package. In her author’s note, Jackie French mentioned this book didn’t easily fit into one particular genre, and I’d agree!
Mair was such a force to reckon with. As a strong woman who grew up surrounded by other strong women who told her she could do everything, she showed resilience in adjusting to the patriarchal system. The social commentaries in the book were so good and I couldn’t help but agreeing with a lot of them.
Also, I did not see that plot twist coming, mostly because I was just so captivated at Mair’s adventures. Please go read it for yourself and let me know what you think!
(Thanks to HQ Australia for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review)
See my bookstagram review.
May 3, 2024
I loved this authors books when I was younger but found this one to be a slow read. Maybe I just wasn’t the target audience but generally love historical fiction stories. An interesting storyline, probably wouldn’t read again.
October 28, 2024
The “mystery” aspect was a bit meh, but I wasn’t here for that. The atmosphere was lit. The audiobook was the bomb.com.
August 18, 2024
Very good
June 9, 2024
A far cry from Diary of a Wombat, but just as magical in its own right, and beautifully written.
This is the first of Jackie French’s adult fiction books that I’ve read, and it was so good. So so good. Our FMC is Mair Rodrigues Lestrange McCrae, a young woman from a (fictional) volcanic island called Big Henry. Her community was founded by mutineers and shipwreck survivors, and has grown into a matriarchal, matrilineal society. Women own the houses and the children, and men bring back the riches of the Outside World to provide for their women and children. We meet Mair as she walks the beach, looking for a husband. Her first fiancé died in a tsunami (The Wave), along with most of the island’s men. Now, against all hope, she is looking for the sea that took her fiancé to provide a husband — and she finds Michael Dawson.
Michael Dawson, unlike most of the men who wash up on Big Henry, is not a simple fisherman. He is a captain, and the heir to a multi-generational shipping company, based out of Sydney. He was also pushed overboard — but doesn’t know who pushed him. Of course he falls in love with Mair, but he is unwilling to make the island his home. So, instead of following Island traditions and bringing back the goods she needs to furnish her house before marrying her, Michael convinces Mair to marry him and go with him to Australia.
Arriving in Sydney, they discover that not only was Michael pushed overboard, but his father died as well, and a clumsy attempt had been made on his mother’s life as well. Mair suspects foul play, but has nothing more than Edgar Allen Poe to go off. Michael leaves on a voyage, chasing a phantom ship carrying trunks of gold, leaving Mair to adjust to life in the Outside World, and to solve the mystery of who is attacking the Dawson family.
This is my type of historical fiction. Rich in real historical detail (1870s fashions, manners, cultures and customs), but completely fictional and internally cohesive. And no cursed hands from queens accused of witchcraft (The Curse of Anne Boleyn), or similar!
The Island was beautifully set up — with plausible science for its isolation, barrenness and climate, and historically appropriate knowledge of geology (for the tsunamis and volcanic activity). All the skills and materials the islanders needed are provided in their history, including a French ship’s prostitute who escaped for a better life, and taught all the women how to cook French food and how pleasure works. It’s a culture built on trust and the accountability of 300 people who all know each other, the type of place that women flee to from DV, based solely on rumours (that’s Auldies Somerton and Mirtry). In fact, it’s basically what every commune has tried to set up, and failed to do.
Watching Michael encounter this culture, where women make important decisions, own their homes, and are not owned by their husbands, was a delight. Coming from his colonial Australian background, basically everything is upside down. Women are in charge, not men; resources are shared, not stockpiled; clothes are practical and long-lasting, not fashionable; and all of this is worth braving a volcano to keep intact. There were some cute little phrases thrown in, such as him disparagingly thinking “petticoat rule” about having women in charge, and wondering what it means when the women say the men are welcome “so long as they behave” — and he’s not sure what that means! The contrast in cultures, from women being property to women being respected equals, is vast, and helps set the context for Mair’s real struggle dealing with upperclass clothing and manners in Australia.
The rest of the book is somewhere between social commentary and a murder mystery. It’s a beautiful portrait of how women relate to each other, and the power of shared experience to bring people together — and the irrationality of grief, driving us apart when we need each other most. (As a side note: why DID they insist that people spent a year being bored beyond measure when anyone in the immediate family died? I’ve never really questioned that before… but it’s so daft!)
The truest moment of this novel, for me, was when Mair was thinking about Michael, and realised he’s not actually a kind man. He’s a passionate and protective man — which means, if he cares about you, he will go to any lengths to look after you. It doesn’t mean that he’ll notice beggars on the street and feel the need to help them in any way. To his loved ones, that makes him seem good and kind… but they see through love-tinted glasses.
My takeaway, which I think Jackie French intended, was that we all live under a volcano of one sort or another, and do our best to ignore it. As Grandmama Dawson said, we all try to look beyond our first sight (what’s actually there) and find second sight (what we think should be there). Sometimes that can give us a vision for the future, but often it blinds us to the real world, to the detriment of ourselves and our loved ones.
5 stars, and I need to read more Jackie French.
This is the first of Jackie French’s adult fiction books that I’ve read, and it was so good. So so good. Our FMC is Mair Rodrigues Lestrange McCrae, a young woman from a (fictional) volcanic island called Big Henry. Her community was founded by mutineers and shipwreck survivors, and has grown into a matriarchal, matrilineal society. Women own the houses and the children, and men bring back the riches of the Outside World to provide for their women and children. We meet Mair as she walks the beach, looking for a husband. Her first fiancé died in a tsunami (The Wave), along with most of the island’s men. Now, against all hope, she is looking for the sea that took her fiancé to provide a husband — and she finds Michael Dawson.
Michael Dawson, unlike most of the men who wash up on Big Henry, is not a simple fisherman. He is a captain, and the heir to a multi-generational shipping company, based out of Sydney. He was also pushed overboard — but doesn’t know who pushed him. Of course he falls in love with Mair, but he is unwilling to make the island his home. So, instead of following Island traditions and bringing back the goods she needs to furnish her house before marrying her, Michael convinces Mair to marry him and go with him to Australia.
Arriving in Sydney, they discover that not only was Michael pushed overboard, but his father died as well, and a clumsy attempt had been made on his mother’s life as well. Mair suspects foul play, but has nothing more than Edgar Allen Poe to go off. Michael leaves on a voyage, chasing a phantom ship carrying trunks of gold, leaving Mair to adjust to life in the Outside World, and to solve the mystery of who is attacking the Dawson family.
This is my type of historical fiction. Rich in real historical detail (1870s fashions, manners, cultures and customs), but completely fictional and internally cohesive. And no cursed hands from queens accused of witchcraft (The Curse of Anne Boleyn), or similar!
The Island was beautifully set up — with plausible science for its isolation, barrenness and climate, and historically appropriate knowledge of geology (for the tsunamis and volcanic activity). All the skills and materials the islanders needed are provided in their history, including a French ship’s prostitute who escaped for a better life, and taught all the women how to cook French food and how pleasure works. It’s a culture built on trust and the accountability of 300 people who all know each other, the type of place that women flee to from DV, based solely on rumours (that’s Auldies Somerton and Mirtry). In fact, it’s basically what every commune has tried to set up, and failed to do.
Watching Michael encounter this culture, where women make important decisions, own their homes, and are not owned by their husbands, was a delight. Coming from his colonial Australian background, basically everything is upside down. Women are in charge, not men; resources are shared, not stockpiled; clothes are practical and long-lasting, not fashionable; and all of this is worth braving a volcano to keep intact. There were some cute little phrases thrown in, such as him disparagingly thinking “petticoat rule” about having women in charge, and wondering what it means when the women say the men are welcome “so long as they behave” — and he’s not sure what that means! The contrast in cultures, from women being property to women being respected equals, is vast, and helps set the context for Mair’s real struggle dealing with upperclass clothing and manners in Australia.
The rest of the book is somewhere between social commentary and a murder mystery. It’s a beautiful portrait of how women relate to each other, and the power of shared experience to bring people together — and the irrationality of grief, driving us apart when we need each other most. (As a side note: why DID they insist that people spent a year being bored beyond measure when anyone in the immediate family died? I’ve never really questioned that before… but it’s so daft!)
The truest moment of this novel, for me, was when Mair was thinking about Michael, and realised he’s not actually a kind man. He’s a passionate and protective man — which means, if he cares about you, he will go to any lengths to look after you. It doesn’t mean that he’ll notice beggars on the street and feel the need to help them in any way. To his loved ones, that makes him seem good and kind… but they see through love-tinted glasses.
My takeaway, which I think Jackie French intended, was that we all live under a volcano of one sort or another, and do our best to ignore it. As Grandmama Dawson said, we all try to look beyond our first sight (what’s actually there) and find second sight (what we think should be there). Sometimes that can give us a vision for the future, but often it blinds us to the real world, to the detriment of ourselves and our loved ones.
5 stars, and I need to read more Jackie French.
March 22, 2024
I’ve long enjoyed Jackie French’s novels, and I was delighted to find that “The Sea Captain’s Wife” is another excellent historical fiction. I thoroughly enjoyed being drawn into another world, and the characters I met there.
Mair has lived all her life on a remote island dominated by women. The men leave for long stretches of time, making their livings as sailors. Each return to the island is a joyous one, reuniting them with the women who wait (and bringing some of the goods the island cannot create itself).
Recently a tidal wave drowned nearly all the men of the island, severely disrupting the rhythm of life on the island. For Mair, the wave brought sorrow with the death of her fiancé. So she now walks the beaches of the island, looking for a husband. It’s a long standing tradition on the island, where periodically sailors wash up after wrecks.
Mair doesn’t expect to find someone on her first walk, but she does. And Michael is indeed a man she can love, and who can love her. But he has obligations in the wider world, and marrying him will mean that Mair must undertake the long and dangerous journey to Australia.
Mair expects challenges, but also expects her love for Michael will help her meet them. However, the challenges are far greater than she could imagine, and soon she’s not sure whether their love will indeed be enough.
This is the story of a strong willed woman who leaves the home she has always known, with its’ promise of a comforting and predictable life. She longs for adventure and to see new things, but finds the social rules she must respect confronting and difficult. Although a fair bit of this is fairly specific to the time period she lives in, most readers will find it easy to empathise with her struggle with other people’s expectations versus her personal inclinations and instincts.
Mair is a vivid character, and most readers will quickly fall in love with her. Michael, too, is vivid. He may be a little less sympathetic, given how little he grasps Mair’s feelings, but overall readers will also empathise with and care for him.
Michael’s grandmother is a particularly delightful character; many of us will aspire to be like her when we’re “old”!
French can’t help herself – she has to slip a little tension and mystery in as well. These work well, being both realistic and well paired with the romance that is a substantial part of the story.
This is an engaging, absorbing, and entertaining novel. I found the last third surprisingly moving (I’m a bit of a tough nut to crack on that front). French’s many fans will be justifiably pleased. If you’re somehow coming to French for the first time, you should enjoy this immensely.
You may be interested in my reviews of other books by Jackie French:
https://otherdreamsotherlives.home.bl...
If you enjoyed this review, please visit www.otherdreamsotherlives.home.blog to read more.
Mair has lived all her life on a remote island dominated by women. The men leave for long stretches of time, making their livings as sailors. Each return to the island is a joyous one, reuniting them with the women who wait (and bringing some of the goods the island cannot create itself).
Recently a tidal wave drowned nearly all the men of the island, severely disrupting the rhythm of life on the island. For Mair, the wave brought sorrow with the death of her fiancé. So she now walks the beaches of the island, looking for a husband. It’s a long standing tradition on the island, where periodically sailors wash up after wrecks.
Mair doesn’t expect to find someone on her first walk, but she does. And Michael is indeed a man she can love, and who can love her. But he has obligations in the wider world, and marrying him will mean that Mair must undertake the long and dangerous journey to Australia.
Mair expects challenges, but also expects her love for Michael will help her meet them. However, the challenges are far greater than she could imagine, and soon she’s not sure whether their love will indeed be enough.
This is the story of a strong willed woman who leaves the home she has always known, with its’ promise of a comforting and predictable life. She longs for adventure and to see new things, but finds the social rules she must respect confronting and difficult. Although a fair bit of this is fairly specific to the time period she lives in, most readers will find it easy to empathise with her struggle with other people’s expectations versus her personal inclinations and instincts.
Mair is a vivid character, and most readers will quickly fall in love with her. Michael, too, is vivid. He may be a little less sympathetic, given how little he grasps Mair’s feelings, but overall readers will also empathise with and care for him.
Michael’s grandmother is a particularly delightful character; many of us will aspire to be like her when we’re “old”!
French can’t help herself – she has to slip a little tension and mystery in as well. These work well, being both realistic and well paired with the romance that is a substantial part of the story.
This is an engaging, absorbing, and entertaining novel. I found the last third surprisingly moving (I’m a bit of a tough nut to crack on that front). French’s many fans will be justifiably pleased. If you’re somehow coming to French for the first time, you should enjoy this immensely.
You may be interested in my reviews of other books by Jackie French:
https://otherdreamsotherlives.home.bl...
If you enjoyed this review, please visit www.otherdreamsotherlives.home.blog to read more.
July 12, 2025
Another review written on a phone, so prepare yourself for errors!
I didn't particularly love this. Or even really like it.
I went in with high expectations, remembering the joy I had reading Jackie French a million years ago when I was a teen. The joy wasn't there. Maybe it's because I'm older and my tastes have changed. Or maybe her adult writing is not my cup of tea. Or maybe my expectations set me up for a bad time.
I thought the world building was interesting, as were the themes. Some of what happened gave me real Mistress Brabican and The Mysterious Island (both by Jules Verne) vibes. But it fell far short of both these novels, and a lot of the issues in these that I find quite forgiveable (particularly the quite unrealistic tying up of loose ends and plot resolutions) I could not bring myself to like here. Things ended all too nicely and conveniently. It also seemed like a half-baked mystery sub-plot was shoved into the book that was too obvious so the twist was not surprising, and with things being resolved too quickly or too conveniently to be enjoyable. This could have been done better.
And I realise there was quite a long afterword explaining many of the themes in the book, but it felt like that had to be added in to justify what came across as the deliberate insertion of modern, progressive views on feminism (probably more second wave feminism), domestic violence, etc, into a book set in the 1800s. It felt contrived. I felt there was an underlying agenda. That I was being preached at. That the author went a bit too far at times. I don't like the rewriting of historical attitudes and eccentricities for the sake of pandering to modern sensibilities. Let me give you an example of this from the book. On an island essentially run by women is a church minister who is openly gay and is accepted for it by these women. This is no small thing, given the era, but in the context of the story it was believable. However, the outsider male main character's response when he finds out is very incongruent with how a wealthy man from that era would respond. He just accepts it. Immediately. Despite it completely contradicting his world views and values. He does not wrestle with it. And that rapid response feels convenient, cheap, and unrealistic, leading me, as the reader, feeling like the book has progressive elements for the sake of being progressive rather than actually exploring these themes and subjects in a way that makes sense for the time period.
Finally, for any editors reading this, please do a word search and delete the word "had". The words "that" and "just" cop heaps of flak in writing, and writers are advised to cut their usage back. The same goes for "had". There are so many ways to convey past tense without using it, such as... oh, I don't know... shoving "ed" onto a verb. Using "ed" and "had" is pretty superfluous much of the time for conveying past actions, and it makes the writing drag. It drove me mad in this book. In the style of the book, I could write this as "It had driven me mad in this book". Which flows better? Hmm. Mad. Mad, I say.
I didn't particularly love this. Or even really like it.
I went in with high expectations, remembering the joy I had reading Jackie French a million years ago when I was a teen. The joy wasn't there. Maybe it's because I'm older and my tastes have changed. Or maybe her adult writing is not my cup of tea. Or maybe my expectations set me up for a bad time.
I thought the world building was interesting, as were the themes. Some of what happened gave me real Mistress Brabican and The Mysterious Island (both by Jules Verne) vibes. But it fell far short of both these novels, and a lot of the issues in these that I find quite forgiveable (particularly the quite unrealistic tying up of loose ends and plot resolutions) I could not bring myself to like here. Things ended all too nicely and conveniently. It also seemed like a half-baked mystery sub-plot was shoved into the book that was too obvious so the twist was not surprising, and with things being resolved too quickly or too conveniently to be enjoyable. This could have been done better.
And I realise there was quite a long afterword explaining many of the themes in the book, but it felt like that had to be added in to justify what came across as the deliberate insertion of modern, progressive views on feminism (probably more second wave feminism), domestic violence, etc, into a book set in the 1800s. It felt contrived. I felt there was an underlying agenda. That I was being preached at. That the author went a bit too far at times. I don't like the rewriting of historical attitudes and eccentricities for the sake of pandering to modern sensibilities. Let me give you an example of this from the book. On an island essentially run by women is a church minister who is openly gay and is accepted for it by these women. This is no small thing, given the era, but in the context of the story it was believable. However, the outsider male main character's response when he finds out is very incongruent with how a wealthy man from that era would respond. He just accepts it. Immediately. Despite it completely contradicting his world views and values. He does not wrestle with it. And that rapid response feels convenient, cheap, and unrealistic, leading me, as the reader, feeling like the book has progressive elements for the sake of being progressive rather than actually exploring these themes and subjects in a way that makes sense for the time period.
Finally, for any editors reading this, please do a word search and delete the word "had". The words "that" and "just" cop heaps of flak in writing, and writers are advised to cut their usage back. The same goes for "had". There are so many ways to convey past tense without using it, such as... oh, I don't know... shoving "ed" onto a verb. Using "ed" and "had" is pretty superfluous much of the time for conveying past actions, and it makes the writing drag. It drove me mad in this book. In the style of the book, I could write this as "It had driven me mad in this book". Which flows better? Hmm. Mad. Mad, I say.
January 23, 2024
Jackie French, The Sea Captain's Wife, Harlequin Australia. HQ (Fiction, Non-Fiction, YA) & Mira, March 2024.
Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.
The Sea Captain’s Wife is an engaging amalgam of Jackie French’s knowledge of the intriguing historical hunt for marriageable shipwrecked sailors; meticulous attention to depicting an authentic social environment, and characters who realistically portray social mores of the period. Starting life on a remote island, where the community’s rules encourage social cohesion, to her sojourn in Australia, where the prevailing ideals are diametrically opposed to those of the island, Mair Rodrigues Lestrange McCrae is a strong, thoughtful and captivating character. At twenty-one, she is wedded to the idea of finding a beachie – a man thrown up by the sea and available for marriage – and she does so. Her courting takes place in her family’s cottage as Michael Dawson recovers from his near drowning after having been pushed off the ship he had captained on its journey between Australia and England.
The story of Mair and Michael’s courtship, with its picturesque island traditions and judicious use of island language makes an excellent contrast with their lives in Sydney. Here, Mair must navigate the life as the wife of a sea captain and heir to the large shipping empire of the Dawson family. Mysteries are gradually unfurled as Michael seeks the ghost ship that he boarded before being pushed overboard; and the family dynamics around the business become fraught. Michael’s grandmother’s historic and continuing role in the business and Mair’s burgeoning interest in becoming a part of it raises gender issues, as does the vivid contrast depicted between women’s behaviour and expectations while alone waiting for their husbands to return to the island or Sydney. Class issues are raised in relation to Mair and her new life and the choice of a ship’s captain. Racism is explored as Mair’s background is considered, along with the slave trade. The move from sail to steam is portrayed graphically through the dangers associated with each: the doldrums and lack of wind, the impact of storms, and the power of steam to forge a new way of shipping, or its downside, create new dangers for sea crews.
Effective story telling is one feature of this work. Another is the way in which it is demonstrated that there are challenges in both island and city living and that both require the thoughtfulness and strength exhibited by Mair, but also her new Dawson relatives. Jackie French has written a novel that resonates with humour, as well as thoughtful social commentary. One to read and ponder.
Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.
The Sea Captain’s Wife is an engaging amalgam of Jackie French’s knowledge of the intriguing historical hunt for marriageable shipwrecked sailors; meticulous attention to depicting an authentic social environment, and characters who realistically portray social mores of the period. Starting life on a remote island, where the community’s rules encourage social cohesion, to her sojourn in Australia, where the prevailing ideals are diametrically opposed to those of the island, Mair Rodrigues Lestrange McCrae is a strong, thoughtful and captivating character. At twenty-one, she is wedded to the idea of finding a beachie – a man thrown up by the sea and available for marriage – and she does so. Her courting takes place in her family’s cottage as Michael Dawson recovers from his near drowning after having been pushed off the ship he had captained on its journey between Australia and England.
The story of Mair and Michael’s courtship, with its picturesque island traditions and judicious use of island language makes an excellent contrast with their lives in Sydney. Here, Mair must navigate the life as the wife of a sea captain and heir to the large shipping empire of the Dawson family. Mysteries are gradually unfurled as Michael seeks the ghost ship that he boarded before being pushed overboard; and the family dynamics around the business become fraught. Michael’s grandmother’s historic and continuing role in the business and Mair’s burgeoning interest in becoming a part of it raises gender issues, as does the vivid contrast depicted between women’s behaviour and expectations while alone waiting for their husbands to return to the island or Sydney. Class issues are raised in relation to Mair and her new life and the choice of a ship’s captain. Racism is explored as Mair’s background is considered, along with the slave trade. The move from sail to steam is portrayed graphically through the dangers associated with each: the doldrums and lack of wind, the impact of storms, and the power of steam to forge a new way of shipping, or its downside, create new dangers for sea crews.
Effective story telling is one feature of this work. Another is the way in which it is demonstrated that there are challenges in both island and city living and that both require the thoughtfulness and strength exhibited by Mair, but also her new Dawson relatives. Jackie French has written a novel that resonates with humour, as well as thoughtful social commentary. One to read and ponder.
February 18, 2024
‘You never knew what the sea would give you.’
On Big Henry Island, women make most of the decisions. Men spend most of their time at sea. There’s a tradition here, where women search for eligible shipwrecked sailors as husbands. Such men are known as ‘beachies’. And, while following this tradition, Mair Rodrigues Lestrange McCrae rescues a naked half-drowned man. His name is Captain Michael Dawson, heir to a major Australian shipping firm. He was pushed overboard while sailing from England to Australia, shortly after boarding a mysterious ‘ghost’ ship with a cargo of gold. Who pushed Michael overboard, and why?
Mair cares for Michael, they fall in love, and she agrees to accompany him home to Australia after the arrival of a ship makes this possible. Meanwhile the comparatively idyllic life on Big Henry Island is under threat. The island is an active volcano and there are worrying signs that it may erupt.
A ship arrives. Michael and Mair leave the island for Sydney. On arrival in Sydney, Mair learns that the independent life she enjoyed on Big Henry Island is not possible. The role of women in Sydney society in the 19th century is confined by convention and dress. And soon enough, Michael leaves. His responsibilities take him back to sea, and he wants to find the ‘ghost’ ship. Michael has dreams for the family shipping firm: steamships would enable far more profitable voyages between Australia and England.
Ms French provides intrigue and mystery in this novel, as well as a look into a unique social environment. Mair faces many challenges while Michael is away, including negotiating her own place in Michael’s family. His grandmother, defying convention, manages the company operations while Michael is away. Michael’s mother, a far more conventional society lady, struggles with her own prejudices concerning Mair. By providing glimpses into Mair’s everyday life, Ms French shows us the contrast between life on Big Henry Island, and expectations in Sydney. In both places, women wait for men to return but in each place they do so differently. Meanwhile Mair finds herself torn between wanting to return to Big Henry Island and life with Michael in Sydney.
In addition to the cleverly drawn contrasts between the roles of women on Big Henry Island and in Sydney, there’s the continuing mystery of who pushed Michael overboard. Other mysterious deaths in Sydney are also of concern.
Another terrific story from Ms French. Highly recommended.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia for providing me with a free electronic copy
of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
On Big Henry Island, women make most of the decisions. Men spend most of their time at sea. There’s a tradition here, where women search for eligible shipwrecked sailors as husbands. Such men are known as ‘beachies’. And, while following this tradition, Mair Rodrigues Lestrange McCrae rescues a naked half-drowned man. His name is Captain Michael Dawson, heir to a major Australian shipping firm. He was pushed overboard while sailing from England to Australia, shortly after boarding a mysterious ‘ghost’ ship with a cargo of gold. Who pushed Michael overboard, and why?
Mair cares for Michael, they fall in love, and she agrees to accompany him home to Australia after the arrival of a ship makes this possible. Meanwhile the comparatively idyllic life on Big Henry Island is under threat. The island is an active volcano and there are worrying signs that it may erupt.
A ship arrives. Michael and Mair leave the island for Sydney. On arrival in Sydney, Mair learns that the independent life she enjoyed on Big Henry Island is not possible. The role of women in Sydney society in the 19th century is confined by convention and dress. And soon enough, Michael leaves. His responsibilities take him back to sea, and he wants to find the ‘ghost’ ship. Michael has dreams for the family shipping firm: steamships would enable far more profitable voyages between Australia and England.
Ms French provides intrigue and mystery in this novel, as well as a look into a unique social environment. Mair faces many challenges while Michael is away, including negotiating her own place in Michael’s family. His grandmother, defying convention, manages the company operations while Michael is away. Michael’s mother, a far more conventional society lady, struggles with her own prejudices concerning Mair. By providing glimpses into Mair’s everyday life, Ms French shows us the contrast between life on Big Henry Island, and expectations in Sydney. In both places, women wait for men to return but in each place they do so differently. Meanwhile Mair finds herself torn between wanting to return to Big Henry Island and life with Michael in Sydney.
In addition to the cleverly drawn contrasts between the roles of women on Big Henry Island and in Sydney, there’s the continuing mystery of who pushed Michael overboard. Other mysterious deaths in Sydney are also of concern.
Another terrific story from Ms French. Highly recommended.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia for providing me with a free electronic copy
of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
March 7, 2024
On the volcanic island of Big Henry, the men were sailors almost always away from the island while the women waited and managed life on the island, from catching fish to growing the food, and sharing the bounty of the ocean and the land with all on the island.
Mair Rodrigues Lestrange McCrae walked the beaches to find herself a husband, a “beachie”, a man washed up on the rocks from a passing vessel, after her betrothed had been lost in the big wave that took the life of every man on the island still able to climb the cliffs.
Michael Dawson, on board the “Henrietta”, had come across a Ghost ship sailing in the doldrums and after boarding it and finding chests of gold, they took one back to the Henrietta before a storm hit. After stowing it Michael was back on deck only to be pushed into the ocean.
After recovering and learning the ways of the island, Mair and Michael married and returned to Australia where society was the opposite to the Island and Mair must cope with the custom of the men being totally in charge. As Michael returns to chase the Ghost ship Mair struggles to settle in the new customs of life in Sydney, can she become accepted by Michael’s Mother and Grandmama and can she find an answer to the mysterious deaths and injuries to the family and ultimately control over the Dawson shipping company.
This was another well written and thought-provoking social observation by Jackie French, the master of combining historical fiction with mystery and intrigue.
Thanks to Better Reading for the opportunity to review this book.
Mair Rodrigues Lestrange McCrae walked the beaches to find herself a husband, a “beachie”, a man washed up on the rocks from a passing vessel, after her betrothed had been lost in the big wave that took the life of every man on the island still able to climb the cliffs.
Michael Dawson, on board the “Henrietta”, had come across a Ghost ship sailing in the doldrums and after boarding it and finding chests of gold, they took one back to the Henrietta before a storm hit. After stowing it Michael was back on deck only to be pushed into the ocean.
After recovering and learning the ways of the island, Mair and Michael married and returned to Australia where society was the opposite to the Island and Mair must cope with the custom of the men being totally in charge. As Michael returns to chase the Ghost ship Mair struggles to settle in the new customs of life in Sydney, can she become accepted by Michael’s Mother and Grandmama and can she find an answer to the mysterious deaths and injuries to the family and ultimately control over the Dawson shipping company.
This was another well written and thought-provoking social observation by Jackie French, the master of combining historical fiction with mystery and intrigue.
Thanks to Better Reading for the opportunity to review this book.
January 27, 2024
I love Jackie French’s books and was looking forward to this new title. It took me a few chapters to get into the story but once I did I couldn’t put the book down.
There is a community of women living on a remote island called Big Henry Island which has a volcano grumbling above it. The women are a self sufficient community who look to the sea for ‘beachies ’, washed up sailors from ship wrecks so they can find a husband. There are very few men living on the island as they usually return to sailing and only come home for short periods.
Mair finds a ‘beachie’ Michael Dawson after he is pushed off his ship after he had found gold on a ghost ship. Mair cares for Michael and brings him back to life and they fall in love but Michael cannot stay on the island he has to return home to Sydney to look after his family’s shipping company and find the ghost ship that has caskets of gold. Mair returns with him and at first struggles to adjust to a new way of life and a completely different culture to what she is used to but Michael’s mother and grandmother take Mair under their wing. . Strange things happen to members of the Dawson family and Mair believes someone is trying to kill them for control of Dawson shipping. She is determined to find out who it is.
This is a story of family, love, loyalty, hope and resilience. It also provides an interesting commentary on the social norms of early Australia.
There is a community of women living on a remote island called Big Henry Island which has a volcano grumbling above it. The women are a self sufficient community who look to the sea for ‘beachies ’, washed up sailors from ship wrecks so they can find a husband. There are very few men living on the island as they usually return to sailing and only come home for short periods.
Mair finds a ‘beachie’ Michael Dawson after he is pushed off his ship after he had found gold on a ghost ship. Mair cares for Michael and brings him back to life and they fall in love but Michael cannot stay on the island he has to return home to Sydney to look after his family’s shipping company and find the ghost ship that has caskets of gold. Mair returns with him and at first struggles to adjust to a new way of life and a completely different culture to what she is used to but Michael’s mother and grandmother take Mair under their wing. . Strange things happen to members of the Dawson family and Mair believes someone is trying to kill them for control of Dawson shipping. She is determined to find out who it is.
This is a story of family, love, loyalty, hope and resilience. It also provides an interesting commentary on the social norms of early Australia.
March 7, 2024
"The Sea Captain's Wife" by Jackie French is a captivating historical novel that delves deep into the life of a woman thrust into the tumultuous world of a 19th-century sea captain. French's narrative is both intimate and sweeping, exploring themes of resilience, love, and adaptation against a backdrop of societal constraints and maritime adventure. The protagonist, portrayed with depth and complexity, navigates the challenges of her new life at sea with a spirit that resonates with the reader, highlighting her inner strength and determination.
Jackie French's meticulous research shines through, offering a vivid portrayal of the era's socio-political climate and the intricacies of shipboard life. Her prose is lyrical, with evocative descriptions that transport readers to the heart of the ocean's beauty and terror. The novel's exploration of marriage and partnership underlines the emotional core of the story, presenting a nuanced look at the evolving dynamics between the sea captain and his wife.
A testament to French's storytelling prowess and historical insight, "The Sea Captain's Wife" is a compelling read that combines historical depth with emotional resonance, making it a standout addition to the genre of historical fiction.
Jackie French's meticulous research shines through, offering a vivid portrayal of the era's socio-political climate and the intricacies of shipboard life. Her prose is lyrical, with evocative descriptions that transport readers to the heart of the ocean's beauty and terror. The novel's exploration of marriage and partnership underlines the emotional core of the story, presenting a nuanced look at the evolving dynamics between the sea captain and his wife.
A testament to French's storytelling prowess and historical insight, "The Sea Captain's Wife" is a compelling read that combines historical depth with emotional resonance, making it a standout addition to the genre of historical fiction.
March 17, 2024
Review: The Sea Captain's Wife by Jackie French 5 stars
What a wonderful book written with excellent descriptions of people, places and events. I fell in love with the Island called Big Henry and the local people. The ways of the island people and the fact they did not have a fear it was a volcanic island..
I loved the main characters and the twists that intertwined their lives. The story made me sad at times but then there was times you could picture yourself in the place living in the era the story was written. It would not be so captivating without the events both on the sea, the island, the business that was run by the Dawson's and the mystery of the deaths that had happened. The twists you did not see coming and the way Micheal the Sea Captain and Mair the Sea Captain's wife dealt with all that was thrown at them kept me turning the pages to see what could happen next along with the ending you did not see coming while reading the book..
If you enjoy the early times in Australia, Sea travel and interesting places I can highly reccomend The Sea Captain's Wife.
Well done Jackie French on another book well worth the read.. put it on your list as I am sure you will not be dissapointed
What a wonderful book written with excellent descriptions of people, places and events. I fell in love with the Island called Big Henry and the local people. The ways of the island people and the fact they did not have a fear it was a volcanic island..
I loved the main characters and the twists that intertwined their lives. The story made me sad at times but then there was times you could picture yourself in the place living in the era the story was written. It would not be so captivating without the events both on the sea, the island, the business that was run by the Dawson's and the mystery of the deaths that had happened. The twists you did not see coming and the way Micheal the Sea Captain and Mair the Sea Captain's wife dealt with all that was thrown at them kept me turning the pages to see what could happen next along with the ending you did not see coming while reading the book..
If you enjoy the early times in Australia, Sea travel and interesting places I can highly reccomend The Sea Captain's Wife.
Well done Jackie French on another book well worth the read.. put it on your list as I am sure you will not be dissapointed
March 21, 2024
Thank you Harlequin for sending us a copy to read and review.
Historical fiction is at its peak when it is believable and the reader can connect it with previous learnings.
Jackie has a beautiful way of weaving history with an awesome story that presents like a literary embroidery.
The depth and imagery indulge the reader with a vivid picture of what’s happening.
Mair lives with her family and small community on an isolated Island.
Culture, ethics and traditions have been passed down which has created a united harmony among the residents.
Consisting mainly of women and children as the men are at sea or have lost their lives in the water, they work and live with solidarity and do not need men to thrive.
Mair’s luck is abundant when she finds a washed up sailor on the beach.
A chance for a husband, a new life and many challenges.
Michael loves the sea and soon falls for Mair.
His life in Australia will present obstacles both socially and emotionally for his new wife.
Strange accidents, an angry volcano and unlikely friendships adorn these pages as love tries to conquer and true camaraderie flourishes in a touching and intriguing tale.
You’re in safe hands when Jackie takes you on a journey.
Historical fiction is at its peak when it is believable and the reader can connect it with previous learnings.
Jackie has a beautiful way of weaving history with an awesome story that presents like a literary embroidery.
The depth and imagery indulge the reader with a vivid picture of what’s happening.
Mair lives with her family and small community on an isolated Island.
Culture, ethics and traditions have been passed down which has created a united harmony among the residents.
Consisting mainly of women and children as the men are at sea or have lost their lives in the water, they work and live with solidarity and do not need men to thrive.
Mair’s luck is abundant when she finds a washed up sailor on the beach.
A chance for a husband, a new life and many challenges.
Michael loves the sea and soon falls for Mair.
His life in Australia will present obstacles both socially and emotionally for his new wife.
Strange accidents, an angry volcano and unlikely friendships adorn these pages as love tries to conquer and true camaraderie flourishes in a touching and intriguing tale.
You’re in safe hands when Jackie takes you on a journey.
April 2, 2024
The Sea Captain’s Wife is my first Jackie French book and honestly, after reading and loving this story, I am wondering why I haven’t read this author before. This book, set in 1870, is an epic tale of resilience in the face of adversity, love and loss. Strong women pepper the pages, led by central character Mari Rodrigues Lestrange McRae, who is 21 when the story opens. Born and raised on a small volcanic island off the west coast of Africa, she is keen to find a husband and, as is often done in her world when men are scarce, she is walking the beach looking for one. Enter Michael Dawson. naked, and drowned and rather good looking and it’s clear the story is off to a fascinating start. I was enthralled with the details of island life that were so real I could almost see them. I both felt for and admired the island women who were so strong and resourceful in dealing with their day to day living. As Mari’s story moved to Sydney I marvelled at the way she slowly settled into a strange and unfamiliar world and proved her worth. Michael was an interesting and mostly admirable character, certainly more so towards the end of the story. Around these two, suspicious deaths kept the plot interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
June 18, 2024
Another wonderful read from a master storyteller. Jackie French continually introduces us to new and fresh characters and ideas which always include strong female leads.
From bestselling author Jackie French comes a compelling story of murder, mystery, and mutiny on the high seas - and a love so intense it can overcome two different cultures. You never know what the sea will give you ... or what it will take back. When Mair McCrae follows her island tradition and hunts for a husband cast up on the beach, she has no notion that the naked, half-drowned man she rescues is not just Captain Michael Dawson, heir to a major shipping firm, but that he's obsessed by a 'ghost ship' carrying golden cargo. On Big Henry Island women make the decisions and knit the patterns that mark a man as their own. But Big Henry is also a volcano, and threatening to erupt. Yet when Mair agrees to accompany Michael home, she finds that the Australian comfort he promised has a danger just as a social system that tries to keep women confined to small roles at the edges of men's lives. And as Michael hunts for the 'Ghost' in his revolutionary new steamship, a string of mysterious deaths upends Mair's new life in Sydney. Who is the murderer, and why is Mair the only one who realises what is happening?
From bestselling author Jackie French comes a compelling story of murder, mystery, and mutiny on the high seas - and a love so intense it can overcome two different cultures. You never know what the sea will give you ... or what it will take back. When Mair McCrae follows her island tradition and hunts for a husband cast up on the beach, she has no notion that the naked, half-drowned man she rescues is not just Captain Michael Dawson, heir to a major shipping firm, but that he's obsessed by a 'ghost ship' carrying golden cargo. On Big Henry Island women make the decisions and knit the patterns that mark a man as their own. But Big Henry is also a volcano, and threatening to erupt. Yet when Mair agrees to accompany Michael home, she finds that the Australian comfort he promised has a danger just as a social system that tries to keep women confined to small roles at the edges of men's lives. And as Michael hunts for the 'Ghost' in his revolutionary new steamship, a string of mysterious deaths upends Mair's new life in Sydney. Who is the murderer, and why is Mair the only one who realises what is happening?
March 15, 2024
Jackie French has a knack for writing strong female characters and Mair Rodrigues Lestrange McCrae is no exception. We join twenty-one-year-old Mair on Big Henry Island, learning the ways of the island alongside washed up Captain Michael Dawson. French expertly weaves the tale of the island and its inhabitants through her descriptions of the locale, so real that you can almost smell the salt water.
As we follow Mair to Sydney, French continues to craft descriptions so real that you feel you are there watching events unfold before you. We are introduced to the family “Audies” – an island word for elders – who are as strong as their island counterparts, although more discreet in their activities. Every reader will find it hard not to fall in love with Grandmama Dawson and her quick wit, while equally longing for Mother Dawson to show some much-needed affection to those around her.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Sea Captain’s Wife, it was part historical fiction, part romance, and part mystery. If you have liked any of French’s earlier works, or even if you have never read any of her previous novels, The Sea Captain’s Wife is a delightfully easy read that should not be missed.
As we follow Mair to Sydney, French continues to craft descriptions so real that you feel you are there watching events unfold before you. We are introduced to the family “Audies” – an island word for elders – who are as strong as their island counterparts, although more discreet in their activities. Every reader will find it hard not to fall in love with Grandmama Dawson and her quick wit, while equally longing for Mother Dawson to show some much-needed affection to those around her.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Sea Captain’s Wife, it was part historical fiction, part romance, and part mystery. If you have liked any of French’s earlier works, or even if you have never read any of her previous novels, The Sea Captain’s Wife is a delightfully easy read that should not be missed.
March 17, 2024
This is a great book to sit down and read with a cup of tea or two! I love Jackie French, she always brings fascinating and different stories to life and ‘The Sea Captain’s Wife’ is no exception. The juxtaposition of Mair leaving her inland home and settling into life in Australia split the story into two halves. Mair seemed to do the reverse of what most people would want- coming from a kind, caring and nurturing environment to one of sophisticated society, strict rules and corsets. I think most people of that time would want more freedoms and not less. Her knowledge of some areas of life is greater than those who have been living in the ‘outlands’ forever but is in contrast with her struggle to make friends and learn what she doesn’t know about her new home. With many opposites in this book, I enjoyed looking for this theme- the men sailing away while the woman stayed behind.
Mair is a strong female character and even though her story is fictional it is lovely to read about characters who break trends, even 100s of years ago.
Sailors and volcano islands, what will happen to those closest to Mair? It is a question that will keep you reading this book until the end.
Mair is a strong female character and even though her story is fictional it is lovely to read about characters who break trends, even 100s of years ago.
Sailors and volcano islands, what will happen to those closest to Mair? It is a question that will keep you reading this book until the end.
March 18, 2024
Love the beginning , Mair McCrea walking the beach to find a husband, and yes she finds a washed up unconscious man lying amongst the rocks and the story is set in motion.
Thank you to Better Reader for providing this copy of The Sea Captain’s Wife by Jackie French. This novel is historical fiction, romance, and mystery all in one. It explores the two different cultures of Mair McCrea, her Islander life and that of her new life in High Society Sydney. It is a love story between Mair and Micheal, and explores the difficulty of being a Sea Captains wife, the waiting and not knowing or hearing for so long. It explores the deeper characteristics and strengths of the new women in her life, and how they step up and live with purpose especially when the men are away. Finally the mystery of the “Ghost “ship and gold her husband Micheal is in search of, and additionally closer to home the suspected murder she is trying to solve. There is a lot going on in this book, to keep the pages continuously interesting, and the story telling is vivid and interesting, and flows beautifully integrating all this into an easy-to-read story.
Thank you to Better Reader for providing this copy of The Sea Captain’s Wife by Jackie French. This novel is historical fiction, romance, and mystery all in one. It explores the two different cultures of Mair McCrea, her Islander life and that of her new life in High Society Sydney. It is a love story between Mair and Micheal, and explores the difficulty of being a Sea Captains wife, the waiting and not knowing or hearing for so long. It explores the deeper characteristics and strengths of the new women in her life, and how they step up and live with purpose especially when the men are away. Finally the mystery of the “Ghost “ship and gold her husband Micheal is in search of, and additionally closer to home the suspected murder she is trying to solve. There is a lot going on in this book, to keep the pages continuously interesting, and the story telling is vivid and interesting, and flows beautifully integrating all this into an easy-to-read story.
March 15, 2024
I've yet to read a Jackie French novel that I didn't love, and The Sea Captain's Wife is no exception.
A unique exploration of humanity's capacity for good and evil, for love, resilience, greed and malice, it is - as Jackie French mentions - genre-defying.
It explores in fascinating detail the inner workings of the matrilineal society on isolated Big Henry Island where the currency is love, cooperation and conciliation; the island where Mair McCrae is born and raised, and on whose tiny beach she finds the naked Captain Michael Dawson, sole miraculous survivor of a shipwreck.
I couldn't put this book down, so immersed was I in the story of the many events that followed as they committed themselves to a lifelong love of each other, of family, community, the sea and the land.
Although fictional, this book is also anthropological and mystical. It encompasses rip-roaring adventures, murder mysteries, tales of tenderness, grief, loyalty and abiding love - and much more.
I didn't want it to end.
5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ again, Jackie French; only because the system doesn't let me give you any more.
A unique exploration of humanity's capacity for good and evil, for love, resilience, greed and malice, it is - as Jackie French mentions - genre-defying.
It explores in fascinating detail the inner workings of the matrilineal society on isolated Big Henry Island where the currency is love, cooperation and conciliation; the island where Mair McCrae is born and raised, and on whose tiny beach she finds the naked Captain Michael Dawson, sole miraculous survivor of a shipwreck.
I couldn't put this book down, so immersed was I in the story of the many events that followed as they committed themselves to a lifelong love of each other, of family, community, the sea and the land.
Although fictional, this book is also anthropological and mystical. It encompasses rip-roaring adventures, murder mysteries, tales of tenderness, grief, loyalty and abiding love - and much more.
I didn't want it to end.
5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ again, Jackie French; only because the system doesn't let me give you any more.
July 27, 2024
Wow, this was quite the story with so many big themes and adventures. I liked the first half of the book best, where we spend time on Big Henry Island's utopian society and Mair finds her beachie husband and they fall in love.
I loved learning about the Big Henry community and their values. It filled me with hope and happiness. And I really liked how Michael was depicted, the realisms of his lack of understanding of the community values and lack of interest in women's lives. He was conditioned to live a certain way in his society and I really like how all of that was brought into question.
Then life moves on to Sydney and there's a murder mystery plot that was the right kind of predictable. And a perfect ending where everything comes together. Mair is also a great heroine to follow. I would've liked some more relationship building but there's a lot of plot and adventure to cover. And seeing the world through Mair's eyes was quite enjoyable.
I loved learning about the Big Henry community and their values. It filled me with hope and happiness. And I really liked how Michael was depicted, the realisms of his lack of understanding of the community values and lack of interest in women's lives. He was conditioned to live a certain way in his society and I really like how all of that was brought into question.
Then life moves on to Sydney and there's a murder mystery plot that was the right kind of predictable. And a perfect ending where everything comes together. Mair is also a great heroine to follow. I would've liked some more relationship building but there's a lot of plot and adventure to cover. And seeing the world through Mair's eyes was quite enjoyable.
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