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The Stowaway
Norway, 1828. A fiery descendant of Vikings, Elsa Ferner wasn’t termed Elsa the Determined by her father for no reason, so when her mother pushes her to marry a wealthy but unscrupulous man, she seizes the opportunity to stow away and escape. Now aboard The Starling with her ally, handsome English officer Thompson Smith, she chooses to trust her heart, following their shared destiny on the salted wind.
On arriving in Iceland, it seems the pair might finally explore the possibilities of a new life together. However, a rash and catastrophic act sees Thompson taken away in chains, with Elsa the one now fighting for their future, and leading them on to new frontiers. However, tragedy strikes, and Thompson chooses to stowaway himself, this time to Tasmania, embittered yet resolved to find a new life with their son, Sven.
Little do they know that Elsa searches for them, even to the ends of the earth, never giving up on love…
The Stowaway is an epic romantic adventure that whisks the reader from one end of the earth to the other, to witness sights unimagined, see places steeped in timeless beauty… and to experience passion and heartbreak in an age of exploration, danger and opportunity on a desperate quest for love.
On arriving in Iceland, it seems the pair might finally explore the possibilities of a new life together. However, a rash and catastrophic act sees Thompson taken away in chains, with Elsa the one now fighting for their future, and leading them on to new frontiers. However, tragedy strikes, and Thompson chooses to stowaway himself, this time to Tasmania, embittered yet resolved to find a new life with their son, Sven.
Little do they know that Elsa searches for them, even to the ends of the earth, never giving up on love…
The Stowaway is an epic romantic adventure that whisks the reader from one end of the earth to the other, to witness sights unimagined, see places steeped in timeless beauty… and to experience passion and heartbreak in an age of exploration, danger and opportunity on a desperate quest for love.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
472 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 19, 2025
5 people are currently reading
79 people want to read
About the author
Mary-Anne O'Connor
13 books174 followersMary-Anne O'Connor nee Best grew up in Wahroonga in the Bushland Shire of Hornsby-Kuringai, northern Sydney. The youngest of six children, her childhood was spent exploring the local bush and playing music with her siblings and close neighbours. An avid reader, she devoured her mother Dorn's extensive library and was often found trying to finish a chapter by torchlight late at night. She also began to fill every blank piece of paper in the house with stories and drawings of her own and dreamt of becoming a writer one day.
When she was twelve her father Kevin Best left his established career in the stock-market to become one of Australia's best-loved artists. The perseverance and ultimate triumph she witnessed during those years left her inspired to follow in his footsteps and pursue her own creative aspirations. A multi-faceted career path followed in marketing and teaching, along with the completion of education/arts degree with specialities in literature, music and environment. During this time she also co-wrote two books with her father, A Brush with Light and Secrets of the Brush. Work then began on her first major novel, Gallipoli Street. This work gained critical acclaim and finished at #3 for debut novels in Australia in 2015.
Since then she written four more best-selling novels: Worth Fighting For, War Flower, In A Great Southern Land and Where Fortune Lies. Her sixth novel, Sisters of Freedom, is due out in March, 2021.
Mary-Anne has drawn on her love of the Australian bush, her fascination with her own family history and her deep, abiding respect for the men and women who carried our nation through turbulent, formative times to produce these novels.
They were written in her office at home beneath a long window that overlooks her beloved gum trees. She still lives in the Bushland Shire with her husband Anthony, their two sons, Jimmy and Jack and their very spoilt, gorgeous dog, Saxon.
When she was twelve her father Kevin Best left his established career in the stock-market to become one of Australia's best-loved artists. The perseverance and ultimate triumph she witnessed during those years left her inspired to follow in his footsteps and pursue her own creative aspirations. A multi-faceted career path followed in marketing and teaching, along with the completion of education/arts degree with specialities in literature, music and environment. During this time she also co-wrote two books with her father, A Brush with Light and Secrets of the Brush. Work then began on her first major novel, Gallipoli Street. This work gained critical acclaim and finished at #3 for debut novels in Australia in 2015.
Since then she written four more best-selling novels: Worth Fighting For, War Flower, In A Great Southern Land and Where Fortune Lies. Her sixth novel, Sisters of Freedom, is due out in March, 2021.
Mary-Anne has drawn on her love of the Australian bush, her fascination with her own family history and her deep, abiding respect for the men and women who carried our nation through turbulent, formative times to produce these novels.
They were written in her office at home beneath a long window that overlooks her beloved gum trees. She still lives in the Bushland Shire with her husband Anthony, their two sons, Jimmy and Jack and their very spoilt, gorgeous dog, Saxon.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 22, 2025
Kaupanger, Norway, 1828. Elsa Ferner's father gave her the nickname “Elsa the Determined” and she has both English and Viking blood running through her stubborn veins. Her mother Frida is a widow and she wants to marry her two daughters off, Elsa and her younger sister Leah and their not keen.
Lieutenant Thompson Smith is a naval officer aboard The Starling, he offers her a way to escape and return to Iceland, her birth place and Elsa wonders if she has any surviving relatives? It’s under Danish rule, the people are starving and both Elsa and Thompson hate to see them suffering and he makes a rash decision and the couple are separated and Thompson jailed.
An epic historical fiction tale and set over two decades, it takes the reader from the fjords of Norway, to desolate Iceland and the smelly docks of Liverpool, England, and finally the penal colony in Hobart Town, Australia.
A narrative about exploring the world and via the high seas, danger, tragedy, separation, greed and corruption, heartbreak and never giving up on searching for the people you love and hope when all seems lost.
I particularly liked reading about Norway and Iceland, sailing the vast salt water, my dad was in the Australian merchant navy, so I know how big and unforgiving the ocean is and with its waves, rips and tides and dangerous, due to the weather, wind and storms and Mary-Anne O'Connor's descriptions matched his and I could easily picture it all in my mind.
Using a combination of true facts and fiction, and Ms O'Connor got the idea for her new book from researching her great grandfather who was a stowaway and travelled to Australia. It explores the concept of what makes a person so desperate to hide in the bowels of a ship and at the time when only the rich could afford to travel and others of course forced and were either convicts or slaves.
Marketed as a mid-19th century adventure story, it most certainly is and so much more! Well written and engrossing and The Stowaway ticked all the right boxes for me and five stars and I highly recommend.
Lieutenant Thompson Smith is a naval officer aboard The Starling, he offers her a way to escape and return to Iceland, her birth place and Elsa wonders if she has any surviving relatives? It’s under Danish rule, the people are starving and both Elsa and Thompson hate to see them suffering and he makes a rash decision and the couple are separated and Thompson jailed.
An epic historical fiction tale and set over two decades, it takes the reader from the fjords of Norway, to desolate Iceland and the smelly docks of Liverpool, England, and finally the penal colony in Hobart Town, Australia.
A narrative about exploring the world and via the high seas, danger, tragedy, separation, greed and corruption, heartbreak and never giving up on searching for the people you love and hope when all seems lost.
I particularly liked reading about Norway and Iceland, sailing the vast salt water, my dad was in the Australian merchant navy, so I know how big and unforgiving the ocean is and with its waves, rips and tides and dangerous, due to the weather, wind and storms and Mary-Anne O'Connor's descriptions matched his and I could easily picture it all in my mind.
Using a combination of true facts and fiction, and Ms O'Connor got the idea for her new book from researching her great grandfather who was a stowaway and travelled to Australia. It explores the concept of what makes a person so desperate to hide in the bowels of a ship and at the time when only the rich could afford to travel and others of course forced and were either convicts or slaves.
Marketed as a mid-19th century adventure story, it most certainly is and so much more! Well written and engrossing and The Stowaway ticked all the right boxes for me and five stars and I highly recommend.
November 15, 2025
It was 1828 in Norway; Elsa Ferner and her sister Leah loved each other dearly, but rebelled against their mother who wanted to marry them both off to brutal but wealthy brothers. Leah loved Felix, so Elsa did a deal - then she stowed away on an English ship which had arrived at their shores with food for the poor. The Starling was headed to Iceland, where Elsa was born and where she'd longed to return once her father had died. She'd formed an alliance with Lieutenant Thompson Smith, and he kept her hidden until they were safely out to sea.
But after their arrival, things went catastrophically wrong; Thompson was arrested and carted off to England. Elsa also headed to England and lived with Adeline, Thompson's mother. In the years that followed, Elsa faced many challenges and when Thompson and Sven disappeared, she vowed to follow them, to find them, even if it took her to the ends of the earth. Hobart Town eventually beckoned...
The Stowaway is another outstanding historical novel by Aussie author Mary-Anne O'Connor which I loved. Visions of Norway and Iceland, of Reykjavik and the harsh beauty of the two countries was pretty spectacular, with the author painting perfect verbal pictures. I loved the main characters, especially Elsa & Thompson. An epic and harsh environment with interesting touches of truth, as per the author's notes at the end of the book. Highly recommended.
But after their arrival, things went catastrophically wrong; Thompson was arrested and carted off to England. Elsa also headed to England and lived with Adeline, Thompson's mother. In the years that followed, Elsa faced many challenges and when Thompson and Sven disappeared, she vowed to follow them, to find them, even if it took her to the ends of the earth. Hobart Town eventually beckoned...
The Stowaway is another outstanding historical novel by Aussie author Mary-Anne O'Connor which I loved. Visions of Norway and Iceland, of Reykjavik and the harsh beauty of the two countries was pretty spectacular, with the author painting perfect verbal pictures. I loved the main characters, especially Elsa & Thompson. An epic and harsh environment with interesting touches of truth, as per the author's notes at the end of the book. Highly recommended.
September 8, 2025
Big thanks to Penguin for sending us a copy to read and review.
Mary-Anne O’Connor is one of this country’s finest storytellers.
Part of the historical fiction elite.
And her new release The Stowaway is historical fiction magic.
It’s 1828 in the cold climate of Norway and Elsa Ferner, a descendant of Vikings, is not happy her mother has arranged her marriage.
For both her and her sister, Leah it’s important that they have a secure future according to their mother.
He’s old and shady and so Elsa plans her escape.
Meeting the dashing English officer Thompson Smith, she boards a ship to Iceland as a stowaway.
Love sparks between the two and they seek a life together.
But things don’t always go to plan….
And destiny steps in and causes chaos, heartbreak and much drama.
Get ready to be taken on a journey and transported to an era of history that will dazzle you.
Inspired by her family history, Mary-Anne is quite fortuitous that her ancestors are interesting enough to create stories around.
Her fabulous tales are fascinating, refreshing and delightful to read.
I adored the characters and the lead character of Elsa was a definite stand out.
A determined, strong and ambitious woman, her story was so mesmerising.
A showing of the past brought to life in a book that is highly recommended.
Mary-Anne O’Connor is one of this country’s finest storytellers.
Part of the historical fiction elite.
And her new release The Stowaway is historical fiction magic.
It’s 1828 in the cold climate of Norway and Elsa Ferner, a descendant of Vikings, is not happy her mother has arranged her marriage.
For both her and her sister, Leah it’s important that they have a secure future according to their mother.
He’s old and shady and so Elsa plans her escape.
Meeting the dashing English officer Thompson Smith, she boards a ship to Iceland as a stowaway.
Love sparks between the two and they seek a life together.
But things don’t always go to plan….
And destiny steps in and causes chaos, heartbreak and much drama.
Get ready to be taken on a journey and transported to an era of history that will dazzle you.
Inspired by her family history, Mary-Anne is quite fortuitous that her ancestors are interesting enough to create stories around.
Her fabulous tales are fascinating, refreshing and delightful to read.
I adored the characters and the lead character of Elsa was a definite stand out.
A determined, strong and ambitious woman, her story was so mesmerising.
A showing of the past brought to life in a book that is highly recommended.
August 13, 2025
THE STOWAWAY by Mary-Anne O’Connor is published by Penguin Random House 2025
Review by Lorraine Parker
Australian author Mary-Anne O’Connor, has chosen; Norway, Iceland, Liverpool in England and Hobart Town in Tasmania, for the many linked backgrounds for this historical romance, adventure, and, at times fantasy story.
The intriguing prologue of May 1833 captured my immediate interest and kept me turning the many pages of this saga.
Elsa, is a red headed beauty with intense blue eyes. Elsa and her sister Leah live with their struggling mother in Sognefjord, Iceland. Elsa is a direct descendant of the Vikings and can only dream of freedom and escape, especially with her father gone, now buried for some months. Frida Ferner, their mother is “hell bent”, on her quest to marry both Elsa and Leah to any man in the village who will support them.
Iceland is under Danish rule with trade forbidden, leaving the poorer, too often near starvation. A rare English clipper enters the port on a busy festival day. Hopes for supplies run high and excitement spreads. Elsa, however sees a way for escape!
The last officer to disembark from the clipper, immediately caught Elsa’s eye; tall, handsome, blue eyed and with a cat under his arm. Their eyes met. Elsa froze but not so the huge mutt, Rooster who spotted the cat and bounded away out of Leah’s control. Elsa took off after the mutt. Catastrophe! Yes, as Rooster knocked both Elsa and Thompson Smith into the sea. A fortunate meeting?
Meanwhile Frida, their mother, has arranged marriages with two eligible but vile local brothers! Not if Elsa the planner, has anything to do with it!
Say no more! Enough is outlined on the back cover.
A brilliantly woven epic, that has semi-climax after semi-climax. Yes, the sisters are separated and Elsa, who of course falls in love, remains clinging on to her freedom as her priority. Her adventures take her through many locations, with one disaster and separation after another.
The Stowaway is an account full of cruelty, harshness, power, deceit, scheming (both female and male) snobbery, class division, friendships, love, kindness, loyalty, family, human weakness and strength and the cultural, legal parameters of historical times.
I personally, would have liked the story to culminate in Hobart Town. I also felt the author relied too heavily on too many coincidences, stretching the action into yet another scene. I was left wanting the episodes to culminate well before they did.
I still highly recommend. I actually went looking for the historical facts on which it is based.
Surely the sign of a success in a book
Review by Lorraine Parker
Australian author Mary-Anne O’Connor, has chosen; Norway, Iceland, Liverpool in England and Hobart Town in Tasmania, for the many linked backgrounds for this historical romance, adventure, and, at times fantasy story.
The intriguing prologue of May 1833 captured my immediate interest and kept me turning the many pages of this saga.
Elsa, is a red headed beauty with intense blue eyes. Elsa and her sister Leah live with their struggling mother in Sognefjord, Iceland. Elsa is a direct descendant of the Vikings and can only dream of freedom and escape, especially with her father gone, now buried for some months. Frida Ferner, their mother is “hell bent”, on her quest to marry both Elsa and Leah to any man in the village who will support them.
Iceland is under Danish rule with trade forbidden, leaving the poorer, too often near starvation. A rare English clipper enters the port on a busy festival day. Hopes for supplies run high and excitement spreads. Elsa, however sees a way for escape!
The last officer to disembark from the clipper, immediately caught Elsa’s eye; tall, handsome, blue eyed and with a cat under his arm. Their eyes met. Elsa froze but not so the huge mutt, Rooster who spotted the cat and bounded away out of Leah’s control. Elsa took off after the mutt. Catastrophe! Yes, as Rooster knocked both Elsa and Thompson Smith into the sea. A fortunate meeting?
Meanwhile Frida, their mother, has arranged marriages with two eligible but vile local brothers! Not if Elsa the planner, has anything to do with it!
Say no more! Enough is outlined on the back cover.
A brilliantly woven epic, that has semi-climax after semi-climax. Yes, the sisters are separated and Elsa, who of course falls in love, remains clinging on to her freedom as her priority. Her adventures take her through many locations, with one disaster and separation after another.
The Stowaway is an account full of cruelty, harshness, power, deceit, scheming (both female and male) snobbery, class division, friendships, love, kindness, loyalty, family, human weakness and strength and the cultural, legal parameters of historical times.
I personally, would have liked the story to culminate in Hobart Town. I also felt the author relied too heavily on too many coincidences, stretching the action into yet another scene. I was left wanting the episodes to culminate well before they did.
I still highly recommend. I actually went looking for the historical facts on which it is based.
Surely the sign of a success in a book
November 9, 2025
The Stowaway was such a beautiful read. The details and descriptive language was such a pleasure to read and I enjoyed this book immensely.
Mary-Anne O'Connor has written an epic love story that spans across distance and time. I really enjoyed characters. The two main characters are strong, passionate people with adventurous souls and are fierce in their need for justice.
The fact that parts of this book was based on a culmination of two real figures was also fascinating to me - The first being her Great Grandfather who actually stowed away on a ship and the other being Jorge Jorgesen.
I found myself looking up the history of Iceland and wanting to know more about what happened historically throughout sections of the book.
This book is highly recommended to all who love historical fiction. It really is a rollicking adventure with such heart and I loved it.
I have a copy of Mary-Anne's latest book, Christmas Joy - which I can't wait to read as it looks like another gorgeous read!
Mary-Anne O'Connor has written an epic love story that spans across distance and time. I really enjoyed characters. The two main characters are strong, passionate people with adventurous souls and are fierce in their need for justice.
The fact that parts of this book was based on a culmination of two real figures was also fascinating to me - The first being her Great Grandfather who actually stowed away on a ship and the other being Jorge Jorgesen.
I found myself looking up the history of Iceland and wanting to know more about what happened historically throughout sections of the book.
This book is highly recommended to all who love historical fiction. It really is a rollicking adventure with such heart and I loved it.
I have a copy of Mary-Anne's latest book, Christmas Joy - which I can't wait to read as it looks like another gorgeous read!
October 9, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. I must admit that I had to read the first chapter twice because I couldn’t remember who was who but after that I was hooked. Set in the 1800s it is romance with a refreshingly different storyline. Set, originally in Norway & Iceland and finishing up in Australia it kept me interested and wondering how it would all work out until the last chapter. Thompson at times acting more on instinct rather than rational thought, turned out to be the perfect leading man/love interest/hero. Elsa was just lovely throughout the entire story always trusting her heart and her “gods” to make everything turn out right.
October 12, 2025
The words “epic saga” get thrown around a lot when it comes to historical fiction. But it’s so fitting in this book that moves from Norway to Iceland, England and Tasmania.
It follows the story of Elsa Ferner, descended from Vikings and living in a Norwegian town with her mother and sister. When her mother determines to marry her off to an older, unscrupulous man, Elsa takes the opportunity to stowaway on a visiting English vessel bound for her birthplace of Iceland.
Elsa meets her soulmate in English officer Thompson Smith and life seems to be looking up, until fate intervenes to split the pair up. Elsa makes her way to England where she pursues happiness with her son to Smith by her side, but again fate intervenes and the family is split up.
The narrative picks up on the other side of the world, in Tasmania, where Smith and his son end up grieving the loss of Elsa. But fate is not done with this family yet.
The action in this book is constant, barely a chapter passes without twists and turns, which is a testament to O’Connor’s storytelling prowess. And she has such a gift for creating characters you can’t help but become invested in. Interestingly, Thompson Smith is based on one of her descendants.
I always love O’Connor’s Australian historical fictions, but she’s delivered big time with this global epic. I highly recommend it.
It follows the story of Elsa Ferner, descended from Vikings and living in a Norwegian town with her mother and sister. When her mother determines to marry her off to an older, unscrupulous man, Elsa takes the opportunity to stowaway on a visiting English vessel bound for her birthplace of Iceland.
Elsa meets her soulmate in English officer Thompson Smith and life seems to be looking up, until fate intervenes to split the pair up. Elsa makes her way to England where she pursues happiness with her son to Smith by her side, but again fate intervenes and the family is split up.
The narrative picks up on the other side of the world, in Tasmania, where Smith and his son end up grieving the loss of Elsa. But fate is not done with this family yet.
The action in this book is constant, barely a chapter passes without twists and turns, which is a testament to O’Connor’s storytelling prowess. And she has such a gift for creating characters you can’t help but become invested in. Interestingly, Thompson Smith is based on one of her descendants.
I always love O’Connor’s Australian historical fictions, but she’s delivered big time with this global epic. I highly recommend it.
September 3, 2025
A fantastic and original story. Mary-Anne O'Connor delivers again.
October 30, 2025
If I was to only read one book this year, it would be this book. Mary-Anne Connor is historical fiction royalty - as stated by Goodreads.
Enjoyed it immensely from start to finish.
Enjoyed it immensely from start to finish.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews