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The Silent Widow
They called her a monster. History called her a murderer. But the truth was far more chilling...
Ivanovo, Russia, 1758. When the body of a young maid is discovered frozen in the snow, the villagers whisper only one name—Darya Saltykova. Widow, landowner, noblewoman.
She rules her servants with the same hand she raises to God and behind closed doors, her piety and cruelty are indistinguishable.
Into her world comes fourteen-year-old Anya, a new maid trembling with hunger and hope. As the winter deepens, girls vanish, rumours spread, and Anya learns the price of survival under a mistress whose calm smile hides something terrifying.
When two peasants flee to Moscow with their plea for justice, Empress Catherine orders an inquiry that will shake the Empire. Darya’s arrest shocks the nation—but her trial hides a greater sin. For beneath the superstition and scandal lies another one that Darya will guard with silence for the rest of her life…
Based on the incredible true story and told across forty years of snow and empire, The Silent Widow is a spellbinding novel of guilt, motherhood, and the small mercies that survive monstrous deeds.
With the lyricism of Hannah Kent’s Burial Rites and the moral complexity of Emma Donoghue’s The Wonder, it illuminates the thin line between love and destruction, truth and the stories we choose to believe.
Ivanovo, Russia, 1758. When the body of a young maid is discovered frozen in the snow, the villagers whisper only one name—Darya Saltykova. Widow, landowner, noblewoman.
She rules her servants with the same hand she raises to God and behind closed doors, her piety and cruelty are indistinguishable.
Into her world comes fourteen-year-old Anya, a new maid trembling with hunger and hope. As the winter deepens, girls vanish, rumours spread, and Anya learns the price of survival under a mistress whose calm smile hides something terrifying.
When two peasants flee to Moscow with their plea for justice, Empress Catherine orders an inquiry that will shake the Empire. Darya’s arrest shocks the nation—but her trial hides a greater sin. For beneath the superstition and scandal lies another one that Darya will guard with silence for the rest of her life…
Based on the incredible true story and told across forty years of snow and empire, The Silent Widow is a spellbinding novel of guilt, motherhood, and the small mercies that survive monstrous deeds.
With the lyricism of Hannah Kent’s Burial Rites and the moral complexity of Emma Donoghue’s The Wonder, it illuminates the thin line between love and destruction, truth and the stories we choose to believe.
242 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 4, 2026
42 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
Review of advance copy
It is not a book that rushes to shock or entertain. Instead, it settles into your bones, building unease through silence, routine, and what remains unsaid. Natasha Vale’s writing excels in atmosphere, making every snowfall, prayer, and glance feel heavy with meaning.
What truly sets this book apart is its moral complexity. Rather than pointing fingers outright, it asks uncomfortable questions about complicity, obedience, and the ways cruelty survives through silence.
If you enjoy historical fiction with a gothic edge, this book offers a compelling look at a real historical figure through a fictionalized, empathetic lens. While the subject matter is undeniably grim, the core question of what one will sacrifice for love and legacy remains resonant long after the final page is turned
Rating:- 4.5/5
What truly sets this book apart is its moral complexity. Rather than pointing fingers outright, it asks uncomfortable questions about complicity, obedience, and the ways cruelty survives through silence.
If you enjoy historical fiction with a gothic edge, this book offers a compelling look at a real historical figure through a fictionalized, empathetic lens. While the subject matter is undeniably grim, the core question of what one will sacrifice for love and legacy remains resonant long after the final page is turned
Rating:- 4.5/5
February 13, 2026
Different
This story was different from my usual read. The plot and the characters fit well together, the story itself was not my usual fare.
This story was different from my usual read. The plot and the characters fit well together, the story itself was not my usual fare.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews