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Goswell #4
The Widow's Secret
She looked down at the sweet little girl – and knew she wouldn’t listen to what anyone else said. She had to do what was right. Even if it meant going against everything she was taught to believe and keeping a secret from the person closest to her…
England, 1766: Abigail is happily married to James, a tobacco trader turned sea captain, and is looking forward to starting a family and settling down in Whitehaven, deep in the Lake District. But after a series of devastating losses, she finds herself in turmoil, with her future suddenly seeming unknown…
When James announces that he will captain a ship to Africa and then the Americas for a year, it sparks a series of surprising and heartbreaking events – involving some of the darkest evils in humanity’s history, and a tiny, terrified slave girl who’s brought back to England. This helpless child forces Abigail to reconsider everything she thought she knew – and will change her life forever…
Now: When a shipwreck is discovered off the coast of Cumbria, local expert Rachel is brought in to investigate. Her first thought is that this will be a perfect distraction from her troubled marriage and the memories of her past that she is desperate not to think about. But then it becomes clear the wreck is a slaving ship from the 1700s – one that was recorded as sinking in the Caribbean – and Rachel begins to wonder if there’s more to this terrible mystery than meets the eye.
Faced with uncertainty about both the past and present, can Rachel learn from Abigail’s extraordinary story and take the first step towards a brighter future of her own?
The Widow’s Secret is a completely heart-wrenching and powerful story of courage, redemption, and compassion. Fans of Lucinda Riley, Barbara O’Neal and Fiona Valpy will be absolutely captivated by this unforgettable read.
Previously published as The Widow’s Secret by Katharine Swartz.
England, 1766: Abigail is happily married to James, a tobacco trader turned sea captain, and is looking forward to starting a family and settling down in Whitehaven, deep in the Lake District. But after a series of devastating losses, she finds herself in turmoil, with her future suddenly seeming unknown…
When James announces that he will captain a ship to Africa and then the Americas for a year, it sparks a series of surprising and heartbreaking events – involving some of the darkest evils in humanity’s history, and a tiny, terrified slave girl who’s brought back to England. This helpless child forces Abigail to reconsider everything she thought she knew – and will change her life forever…
Now: When a shipwreck is discovered off the coast of Cumbria, local expert Rachel is brought in to investigate. Her first thought is that this will be a perfect distraction from her troubled marriage and the memories of her past that she is desperate not to think about. But then it becomes clear the wreck is a slaving ship from the 1700s – one that was recorded as sinking in the Caribbean – and Rachel begins to wonder if there’s more to this terrible mystery than meets the eye.
Faced with uncertainty about both the past and present, can Rachel learn from Abigail’s extraordinary story and take the first step towards a brighter future of her own?
The Widow’s Secret is a completely heart-wrenching and powerful story of courage, redemption, and compassion. Fans of Lucinda Riley, Barbara O’Neal and Fiona Valpy will be absolutely captivated by this unforgettable read.
Previously published as The Widow’s Secret by Katharine Swartz.
401 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 17, 2022
About the author
Katharine Swartz
11 books92 followersAlso published under the name Kate Hewitt.
After spending three years as a diehard New Yorker, Katharine Swartz now lives in the Lake District with her husband, an Anglican minister, their five children, and a Golden Retriever. She enjoys such novel things as long country walks and chatting with people in the street, and her children love the freedom of village life—although she often has to ring four or five people to figure out where they’ve gone off to!
She writes women’s fiction as well as contemporary romance for Mills & Boon Modern under the name Kate Hewitt, and whatever the genre she enjoys delivering a compelling and intensely emotional story. Find out more about her books at www.katharineswartz.com.
After spending three years as a diehard New Yorker, Katharine Swartz now lives in the Lake District with her husband, an Anglican minister, their five children, and a Golden Retriever. She enjoys such novel things as long country walks and chatting with people in the street, and her children love the freedom of village life—although she often has to ring four or five people to figure out where they’ve gone off to!
She writes women’s fiction as well as contemporary romance for Mills & Boon Modern under the name Kate Hewitt, and whatever the genre she enjoys delivering a compelling and intensely emotional story. Find out more about her books at www.katharineswartz.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
July 8, 2020
It was great to go back to Goswell again and have a bit of contact with characters from the previous Goswell books. It's not necessary to read them in order as each book is a standalone story.
This one alternates between the past in 1760s Cumbria with a woman Abigail who gets married to a ship owner, James Fenton. She soon discovers some things about him and his business that trouble her--dealing with the slave trade--and she goes on an internal journey to figure out how her life and faith can reckon with this news. The present-day story deals with marine archaeologist Rachel and her rocky marriage, some of which is due to her upbringing and things she believes about her parents. When she goes to investigate the ruins of a shipwreck, she also visits her mother and uncovers some painful truths about the past.
With the events going on in today's world with racial reconciliation, this book is a timely look at the past and how far we have come and how far we still have to go. Swartz deals respectfully with the past events, and even though the attitudes and practices were highly acceptable at the time, Abigail's disquiet and discomfort about them will stir thoughtfulness in the reader.
I actually liked the historical story better than the present-day one, because I didn't really connect with Rachel and her blindness toward her own faults. Yet overall, the stories intertwine and each helps the other along. There is a beautiful faith thread that is quite meaningful as well.
I don't honestly get the title, because there's not really a widow in the book (or at least there isn't one until the very end).
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
This one alternates between the past in 1760s Cumbria with a woman Abigail who gets married to a ship owner, James Fenton. She soon discovers some things about him and his business that trouble her--dealing with the slave trade--and she goes on an internal journey to figure out how her life and faith can reckon with this news. The present-day story deals with marine archaeologist Rachel and her rocky marriage, some of which is due to her upbringing and things she believes about her parents. When she goes to investigate the ruins of a shipwreck, she also visits her mother and uncovers some painful truths about the past.
With the events going on in today's world with racial reconciliation, this book is a timely look at the past and how far we have come and how far we still have to go. Swartz deals respectfully with the past events, and even though the attitudes and practices were highly acceptable at the time, Abigail's disquiet and discomfort about them will stir thoughtfulness in the reader.
I actually liked the historical story better than the present-day one, because I didn't really connect with Rachel and her blindness toward her own faults. Yet overall, the stories intertwine and each helps the other along. There is a beautiful faith thread that is quite meaningful as well.
I don't honestly get the title, because there's not really a widow in the book (or at least there isn't one until the very end).
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
November 6, 2022
Despite having dealt with some losses, Abigail is happily married to her husband James. It is the mid 1700s and James is a successful tobacco trader. Or so Abigail thinks. She does begin to wonder and even starts to doubt her husband. When he leaves for a year long voyage on one of his ships, her doubts begin to make sense. In fact, exactly what James did for his livelihood is what made this book difficult to read.
Before James leaves, he bestows a gift on Abigail. A young black girl. Now, Abigail is certain that her husband was involved in the slave trade. Nonetheless, not only does Abigail take the child in, she begins doting on her and the two soon become very close.
In present day, Rachel is the expert called in when the remains of a shipwreck near Goswell leads back to the 1700s. The very same timeframe that involved Abigail. Rachel is unhappy in her life, despite having an attentive husband. Ignoring her unhappiness, Rachel starts digging to the best of her ability into the lives of Abigail and her husband James.
This final book in the Goswell Quartet not only revealed secrets of the past, it also became a book of healing. In fact, despite the difficult subject matter, this was my favorite book of the series. Kate Hewitt has done a fabulous job with this book as well as with the previous titles. I love that they were all reissued as these books gave me many satisfying hours of reading.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Please enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/77sgQYHANy4
Before James leaves, he bestows a gift on Abigail. A young black girl. Now, Abigail is certain that her husband was involved in the slave trade. Nonetheless, not only does Abigail take the child in, she begins doting on her and the two soon become very close.
In present day, Rachel is the expert called in when the remains of a shipwreck near Goswell leads back to the 1700s. The very same timeframe that involved Abigail. Rachel is unhappy in her life, despite having an attentive husband. Ignoring her unhappiness, Rachel starts digging to the best of her ability into the lives of Abigail and her husband James.
This final book in the Goswell Quartet not only revealed secrets of the past, it also became a book of healing. In fact, despite the difficult subject matter, this was my favorite book of the series. Kate Hewitt has done a fabulous job with this book as well as with the previous titles. I love that they were all reissued as these books gave me many satisfying hours of reading.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Please enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/77sgQYHANy4
April 30, 2020
I received a free electronic ARC of this historical/modern novel from Netgalley, Katharine Swartz, and Lion Fiction publishers. I have read this novel of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I had not been previously exposed to this author, mentally grouping her in with modern romance tales, so I thank you, Netgalley, for introducing me to her excellent historical facets.
I am pleased to recommend her to friends and family and look very much forward to reading "The Emigrants Trilogy", written with Kate Hewitt and currently available on Kindle Unlimited.
Our tale comes to us in the voices of two protagonists, in two different time frames. Sounds complicated, but very well done and easy to follow. We see 1760's Whitehaven through the eyes of Abigail Heywood Fenton. Whitehaven is an Irish Seaport, Copeland district, the administrative county of Cumbria. With the rapid increase of American trade, Cumbria is slowly dwindling as a shipping city, as ships putting out of Glasgow, Scotland had the trade winds in their favor, winds that cut fully twenty days off of the trip to the Americas.
Abigail's new husband James Fenton is the proud owner of two sailing ships, 'The Pearl' and a second ship currently being built in Whitehaven. 'The Fair Lady', will be named for Abigail. The post-wedding trip of 'The Pearl' was disappointing, as American tobacco growers had pre-sold their crops to a single entity. The Pearl sailed into Whitehaven a year after their marriage, carrying only a few sacks of rice and bundles of furs, minus the money crop James was counting on to set himself up as a successful trader and solidify his new family into the middle class. James then sent 'The Pearl' south to join the lucrative triangle of many successful Irish shippers, traveling Whitehaven to the African Coast carrying trinkets and merchandise to barter for slaves, then carrying slaves to the West Indies and southern Gulf Coast, returning to Whitehaven with sugar, rum, and spices. Or so he hopes.
Through the eyes of Rachael Gardener, a marine archeologist working for Bristol's 'Center for Maritime Archaeology', we view modern Cumbria. Rachael grew up in Cumbria but is estranged from her mother. She will, however, take on the job at Whitehaven and make the time to touch base with her mom. A mining company, looking to expand their diggings, has pulled up obvious signs of an ancient shipwreck in the clay sample from their test drill a quarter of a mile off the coast of Whitehaven. Because it is a commercial request time is tight, so Rachael intends to leave right away, something her husband Anthony doesn't understand or care for. Not sure how to breach the ever-growing distance between them, Rachael heads down the coast with a heavy heart.
A lot depends on Rachael's findings on the old shipwreck. Fairly close to shore, it is not in the area of huge rocks further out in the bay where so many shipwrecks lie, and the iron piece found in the drill core could be a part of the equipment used on slave-carrying ships. If it was a slaver, there have been so few found sunken that it would be considered a historical site to be fully explored, as very few have ever been discovered. If it was simply a merchant ship, despite its age, the mining company would be able to continue its plans to expand the mine, destroying the shipwreck site in the process.
And too, Rachael has personal problems to sort out while she is in Cumbria. Her relationships with both her mother and her husband are in jeopardy. She must find a way to breach the silence between them, to salvage her relationships with the two most important people in her world. Or face the prospect of continuing on, all alone...
June 19, 2020
Lion Fiction
Reviewed June 22, 2020, at Goodreads, Netgalley, AmazonSmile, Barnes&Noble, BookBub, Kobo, and GooglePlay.
I am pleased to recommend her to friends and family and look very much forward to reading "The Emigrants Trilogy", written with Kate Hewitt and currently available on Kindle Unlimited.
Our tale comes to us in the voices of two protagonists, in two different time frames. Sounds complicated, but very well done and easy to follow. We see 1760's Whitehaven through the eyes of Abigail Heywood Fenton. Whitehaven is an Irish Seaport, Copeland district, the administrative county of Cumbria. With the rapid increase of American trade, Cumbria is slowly dwindling as a shipping city, as ships putting out of Glasgow, Scotland had the trade winds in their favor, winds that cut fully twenty days off of the trip to the Americas.
Abigail's new husband James Fenton is the proud owner of two sailing ships, 'The Pearl' and a second ship currently being built in Whitehaven. 'The Fair Lady', will be named for Abigail. The post-wedding trip of 'The Pearl' was disappointing, as American tobacco growers had pre-sold their crops to a single entity. The Pearl sailed into Whitehaven a year after their marriage, carrying only a few sacks of rice and bundles of furs, minus the money crop James was counting on to set himself up as a successful trader and solidify his new family into the middle class. James then sent 'The Pearl' south to join the lucrative triangle of many successful Irish shippers, traveling Whitehaven to the African Coast carrying trinkets and merchandise to barter for slaves, then carrying slaves to the West Indies and southern Gulf Coast, returning to Whitehaven with sugar, rum, and spices. Or so he hopes.
Through the eyes of Rachael Gardener, a marine archeologist working for Bristol's 'Center for Maritime Archaeology', we view modern Cumbria. Rachael grew up in Cumbria but is estranged from her mother. She will, however, take on the job at Whitehaven and make the time to touch base with her mom. A mining company, looking to expand their diggings, has pulled up obvious signs of an ancient shipwreck in the clay sample from their test drill a quarter of a mile off the coast of Whitehaven. Because it is a commercial request time is tight, so Rachael intends to leave right away, something her husband Anthony doesn't understand or care for. Not sure how to breach the ever-growing distance between them, Rachael heads down the coast with a heavy heart.
A lot depends on Rachael's findings on the old shipwreck. Fairly close to shore, it is not in the area of huge rocks further out in the bay where so many shipwrecks lie, and the iron piece found in the drill core could be a part of the equipment used on slave-carrying ships. If it was a slaver, there have been so few found sunken that it would be considered a historical site to be fully explored, as very few have ever been discovered. If it was simply a merchant ship, despite its age, the mining company would be able to continue its plans to expand the mine, destroying the shipwreck site in the process.
And too, Rachael has personal problems to sort out while she is in Cumbria. Her relationships with both her mother and her husband are in jeopardy. She must find a way to breach the silence between them, to salvage her relationships with the two most important people in her world. Or face the prospect of continuing on, all alone...
June 19, 2020
Lion Fiction
Reviewed June 22, 2020, at Goodreads, Netgalley, AmazonSmile, Barnes&Noble, BookBub, Kobo, and GooglePlay.
December 5, 2022
This is by far the best book out of the entire "Goswell" series. The historical aspect of the book, while accurate, was painful, and written as well as it could be. I love the author's depiction of Abigail coming to the realization that everyone, regardless of color, are people and deserve to be treated as such. My favorite part of the entire book was the inclusion of giving ourselves to God, and adding John Wesley in the storyline made that aspect of the book more powerful.
I want to give a huge thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
I want to give a huge thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Read
December 11, 2022This was a delightful series. You have to read it in order however to get the nuances
and sequence to the stories.
England 1766. Abigail is a young woman who has blotted her copybook, ruining her chances
for any offer from a respectable, honourable man.It must be said that her only fault was
her naivety and innocence and tge man involved was a scoundrel. However it was a tiny town
and when she was able to secure an invitation to a dance, her mother was tense with nerves
that it would turn into a fiasco. Abigail secured the attention of James, a shipowner who
not only seemed prosperous but was a kind and loving husband.
The real ramifications of the story begins with her husband presenting her with a six year old slave girl. Adelaide as others insisted she be called brought mayhem to the house but
awakened in Abigail maternal feelings which she could not show to anyone, as all expected
the child to be treated as a thing not a human. This part of the book was very hard to read, but it was factual, historically accurate depicting faithfully conditions of slaves till the
abolitionist movement took sway in society.
With James death and Abigail facing penury, a decision to join the Wesleyan movement and
adopt Adelaide formally were huge steps for Adelaide who had led such a protected life.
This is one story.
The parallel story is set in present times, when a mining company finds a wreck and Rachel
who is a marine archaelogist is called uponto investigate. In her search for clues, she
stumbles upon the story of Abigail and James, their life together and the discovery of
what happened to Adelaide.
Rachel gerself is in turmoil one with her mother and also with her husband. Rachel's
personality is "prickly" not warm or open to affection and everyone around her finds her
closed and unapproachable
The story of Rachel also finding a way out of her predicaments is also complicated but
shows how quickly relationships can be nurtured or irrevocably destroyed.
Everything ends well after all the tension. This final story was for me the most interesting read. Not just for the emotional impact but also for the wealth of historical information.
and sequence to the stories.
England 1766. Abigail is a young woman who has blotted her copybook, ruining her chances
for any offer from a respectable, honourable man.It must be said that her only fault was
her naivety and innocence and tge man involved was a scoundrel. However it was a tiny town
and when she was able to secure an invitation to a dance, her mother was tense with nerves
that it would turn into a fiasco. Abigail secured the attention of James, a shipowner who
not only seemed prosperous but was a kind and loving husband.
The real ramifications of the story begins with her husband presenting her with a six year old slave girl. Adelaide as others insisted she be called brought mayhem to the house but
awakened in Abigail maternal feelings which she could not show to anyone, as all expected
the child to be treated as a thing not a human. This part of the book was very hard to read, but it was factual, historically accurate depicting faithfully conditions of slaves till the
abolitionist movement took sway in society.
With James death and Abigail facing penury, a decision to join the Wesleyan movement and
adopt Adelaide formally were huge steps for Adelaide who had led such a protected life.
This is one story.
The parallel story is set in present times, when a mining company finds a wreck and Rachel
who is a marine archaelogist is called uponto investigate. In her search for clues, she
stumbles upon the story of Abigail and James, their life together and the discovery of
what happened to Adelaide.
Rachel gerself is in turmoil one with her mother and also with her husband. Rachel's
personality is "prickly" not warm or open to affection and everyone around her finds her
closed and unapproachable
The story of Rachel also finding a way out of her predicaments is also complicated but
shows how quickly relationships can be nurtured or irrevocably destroyed.
Everything ends well after all the tension. This final story was for me the most interesting read. Not just for the emotional impact but also for the wealth of historical information.
February 23, 2020
An outstanding novel by Katharine Swartz. A time slip story with everything you want in a story. Intrigue, a shipwreck with a mystery, love, difficult family dynamics and a woman facing a world where doing the right thing could cost her everything. I couldn’t put it down, highly recommended.
August 9, 2020
Some novels are forgettable. The Widow’s Secret is not. The Widow’s Secret is a unique dual timeline story set in Whitehaven, a small village in northern England. The present story is about marine archaeologist Rachel Gardener, who tends to place her career ahead of her relationship with her husband, to his annoyance. The past story is about Abigail, the wife of an eighteenth-century maritime trader.
A good dual-timeline story always has a clear relationship between the past and the present story. With The Widow’s Secret, it doesn’t take long to work out that the link must be the ship Rachel is investigating, given that Abigail’s husband was a ship’s captain. We watch Rachel discover aspects of Abigail’s story in the present, then see more of Abigail’s life in the past story.
Abigail is definitely the heroine in this story. Her prospects for making a good marriage are rapidly declining when she meets Mr Fenton, a newcomer to their village. He is a ship owner, a man with excellent prospects, and she is delighted to marry him. Her delight is tempered when she is unable to present him with a son. He gifts her a slave, a young girl, which raises more discord in their marriage.
As Abigail’s circumstances change, she has to reconsider everything she was raised to believe. And that’s what makes her a brilliant character. She’s not content to believe what everyone around her believes. Instead, she makes her own decisions based on Christian values. And that includes some tough decisions.
As the news is constantly reminding us, the USA is still suffering the aftereffects of slavery. What’s less well-known is the role of the English in the slave trade. The Widow’s Secret is an outstanding novel that shows the power of looking beneath our obvious differences to our underlying humanity.
Recommended. Thanks to Lion Publishing and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.
A good dual-timeline story always has a clear relationship between the past and the present story. With The Widow’s Secret, it doesn’t take long to work out that the link must be the ship Rachel is investigating, given that Abigail’s husband was a ship’s captain. We watch Rachel discover aspects of Abigail’s story in the present, then see more of Abigail’s life in the past story.
Abigail is definitely the heroine in this story. Her prospects for making a good marriage are rapidly declining when she meets Mr Fenton, a newcomer to their village. He is a ship owner, a man with excellent prospects, and she is delighted to marry him. Her delight is tempered when she is unable to present him with a son. He gifts her a slave, a young girl, which raises more discord in their marriage.
As Abigail’s circumstances change, she has to reconsider everything she was raised to believe. And that’s what makes her a brilliant character. She’s not content to believe what everyone around her believes. Instead, she makes her own decisions based on Christian values. And that includes some tough decisions.
As the news is constantly reminding us, the USA is still suffering the aftereffects of slavery. What’s less well-known is the role of the English in the slave trade. The Widow’s Secret is an outstanding novel that shows the power of looking beneath our obvious differences to our underlying humanity.
Recommended. Thanks to Lion Publishing and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.
January 3, 2025
I enjoy this author's work. Thought provoking. Definitely recommend.
July 6, 2020
I’ve enjoyed all of the novels set in Cumbria by Katherine Swartz, and this one didn’t disappoint. As with the other ones, this one had a time-split aspect, which told the modern-day story of Rachel alongside the one of Abigail in the late 1700s. I appreciated the topic of the slave trade as told through a shipwreck that connected the two stories. I also appreciated the growth of the two main female characters, especially Abigail as she came in contact with John Wesley. An enjoyable read.
September 15, 2024
This was my favourite of the series but once again, the ending is abrupt and seems like nothing is resolved.
June 17, 2020
A heartwarming novel about the roles History plays in our Present, and how learning of the past can eventually help to free us and to impel our own character evolution. A marine archaeologist, summoned to a previously undiscovered shipwreck in Cumbria, England, eventually uncovers the ship's truth and undergoes her own rite of passage.
November 16, 2022
I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Kate Hewitt's delightful dual timeline tale THE WIDOW'S SECRET.
EXTRACT:
Georgiana let out a gay laugh and clapped her hands. "What can she do? Does she speak?"
"Of course she speaks," Abigail answered stiffly. "She has learned English remarkably well."
"How clever of her! In any case I am quite looking forward to having a page and dressing him in a frock coat and frills. How handsome he will look! Mr Fenton said he would find me a healthy, well turned out little lad for me. I am quite depending on him."
"I do not know know how he will find such a creature," Abigail said before she could think better of it, "when he will have endured the kind of voyage no human being ever should."
"Why, Abigail, you sound almost like one of those abolitionists," Georgiana answered with a laugh. "And with your husband in the trade."
She pressed her lips together. "Well I know it."
"Surely you are not getting such ideas? It would be most unsuitable. Besides, we cannot do without the trade. All of society rests on it." With a little laugh she gestured to the loaf of sugar that had been brought in with the tea tray. "There would be none of this without them, you know."
"Then perhaps we should go without sugar in our tea," Abigail said recklessly. "I daresay it would not be such a sacrifice."
"And what of the trade? The profit?" Georgiana replied with an irritable laugh. "Really Abigail, you are too much. I thought you would amuse me today, with your little lady's maid, but I am quite put out."
"I am so sorry to disappoint you," Abigail returned with acid in her voice.
"What does she do?" Georgiana asked petulantly. "Can you make her say something?"
"No, I cannot." Abigail found herself shaking with rage. "She is not a puppet, or a pet, or a plaything. She is a person."
MY THOUGHTS:
I really didn't think I would enjoy this final installment of the Goswell Quartet as the subject matter - shipwrecks and maritime whatnot - is not something I would normally have picked up to read. However, I have been proved pleasantly wrong. I enjoyed THE WIDOW'S SECRET far more than I ever thought I would and I am saddened to have to say goodbye to Goswell and Jane, who has been a stalwart throughout all four books.
As with each tale, this one delves even further back than the previous three as we venture into the 18th century and the world of merchant ships and the slave trade.
Whitehaven, 1762: After a a rather dubious entanglement in Harrogate, 19 year old Abigail Heywood is sure her prospects for a husband have all but disappeared within the whispers of society's gossips. And then she meets 33 year old James Fenton, a former sea captain and now maritime trader in tobacco. He has no interest in the gossips and thinks only on the lovely Abigail Heywood, despite her plain looks and yet he finds her attractive in an innocent and wholesome way. Within months he proposes and they marry, moving to the beautiful town house he has procured for them. But after more than a year, Abigail has been unable to bear him a son...or any child, for that matter.
But with every tobacco plant and every shipment bound for Glasgow, James must find another source in which to trade...and he soon finds that the slave trade is proving to be rather profitable. Procured in Africa, the ship then sails to the Caribbean where they trade the slaves for sugar, thus sailing back to Cumbria with a haul to pay off the investors as well as make a profit themselves. A profitable business, by all accounts.
One one such voyage, James returns with a surprise for Abigail. Her very own slave, her small hands manacled! Abigail is shocked. The creature before her couldn't be more than six years old, if that! She speaks not a word of English (just heathen gibberish) and her skin is as dark as anything she has ever seen. She takes the young girl home and orders her maid to fill a bath of hot water for the child as she bathes her emaciated and scarred body. Who would do this to a child? And yet, when her husband returns home, he argues that the child is to sleep on the dark warehouse floor and to remain manacled until she learns her place.
And then when James announces that he is to sail on the next voyage since his captain failed to procure enough slaves so he will see to it himself. He will be gone for more than a year by the time he has solicited enough slaves from the Africas and journeyed to the Caribbean to trade them for goods that he will bring back home.
During the time her husband has been gone, Abigail meets and listens to John Wesley and his teachings and thus begins to learn a lot more about herself and her husband...and the situation in which she now finds herself. She also comes to see Adelaide, as she now calls the child, as more than a slave...more than a servant even...but something akin to a daughter.
But society will never accept an African child...and neither would James, Abigail fears.
Present day: Maritime archaeologist Rachel Gardener is called up to look into the remains of a possible shipwreck off the Cumbrian coast. Leaving her husband behind in Bristol, she makes the five hour journey to Whitehaven and this exciting possible find. But Rachel is no stranger to the Lake District for she grew up about an hour away and where her mother still lives, though they barely talk having a somewhat prickly relationship.
During a dive to investigate the site, Rachel and her colleagues find a pocket watch with the engraving "JMF" and soon discovers an 18th century merchant trader with those initials whose ship was reportedly wrecked off the coast of Antigua in the Caribbean. So why was his pocket watch found within this wreck just a quarter of a mile out of Whitehaven? And so close to home?
Her investigations lead her to James and Abigail Fenton as she tries to unravel the mystery of who they were and what their roles were in the slave trade? She meets and befriends Jane Hatton (from the previous books) who is an ear for Rachel to offload her worries as well as her findings into the Fentons. For Jane, too, is understandably as intrigued.
Her enquiries are then paused when she receives a call about her mother who has had a fall and is in hospital. But it seems not everything is as it seems and Rachel must deal with an even further blow, wondering how she is going to handle everything from her mother to her marriage.
THE WIDOW'S SECRET is a little different from the first three in that it is not actually set in Goswell, though it does feature. I couldn't warm to Rachel who I found standoffish and aloof, and there are times I could have gladly knocked her and her mother's heads together. The heroine of this tale is most certainly Abigail. She was loyal, kind and somewhat forward thinking for the time. She knew in her heart that slavery was wrong and hated the very thought of treating Adelaide as nothing but a savage creature who behaved like a heathen, could speak nothing but gibberish and could very murder her in her sleep! She refused to see her that way and her relationship with Adelaide was a heartwarming one.
I thoroughly enjoyed this tale far more than I expected to and I am saddened to leave the residents - past and present - of Goswell behind as this beautiful series comes to an end. I have enjoyed every minute of my time with everyone, getting to know them and seeing them blossom. And I loved the mysteries each of the characters were faced with. I am so glad I met them all. And I thank Kate Hewitt for the opportunity.
Overall, though not an entirely easy read in parts, THE WIDOW'S SECRET is perfect for fans of dual timelines.
I would like to thank #KateHewitt, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheWidowsSecret in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
EXTRACT:
Georgiana let out a gay laugh and clapped her hands. "What can she do? Does she speak?"
"Of course she speaks," Abigail answered stiffly. "She has learned English remarkably well."
"How clever of her! In any case I am quite looking forward to having a page and dressing him in a frock coat and frills. How handsome he will look! Mr Fenton said he would find me a healthy, well turned out little lad for me. I am quite depending on him."
"I do not know know how he will find such a creature," Abigail said before she could think better of it, "when he will have endured the kind of voyage no human being ever should."
"Why, Abigail, you sound almost like one of those abolitionists," Georgiana answered with a laugh. "And with your husband in the trade."
She pressed her lips together. "Well I know it."
"Surely you are not getting such ideas? It would be most unsuitable. Besides, we cannot do without the trade. All of society rests on it." With a little laugh she gestured to the loaf of sugar that had been brought in with the tea tray. "There would be none of this without them, you know."
"Then perhaps we should go without sugar in our tea," Abigail said recklessly. "I daresay it would not be such a sacrifice."
"And what of the trade? The profit?" Georgiana replied with an irritable laugh. "Really Abigail, you are too much. I thought you would amuse me today, with your little lady's maid, but I am quite put out."
"I am so sorry to disappoint you," Abigail returned with acid in her voice.
"What does she do?" Georgiana asked petulantly. "Can you make her say something?"
"No, I cannot." Abigail found herself shaking with rage. "She is not a puppet, or a pet, or a plaything. She is a person."
MY THOUGHTS:
I really didn't think I would enjoy this final installment of the Goswell Quartet as the subject matter - shipwrecks and maritime whatnot - is not something I would normally have picked up to read. However, I have been proved pleasantly wrong. I enjoyed THE WIDOW'S SECRET far more than I ever thought I would and I am saddened to have to say goodbye to Goswell and Jane, who has been a stalwart throughout all four books.
As with each tale, this one delves even further back than the previous three as we venture into the 18th century and the world of merchant ships and the slave trade.
Whitehaven, 1762: After a a rather dubious entanglement in Harrogate, 19 year old Abigail Heywood is sure her prospects for a husband have all but disappeared within the whispers of society's gossips. And then she meets 33 year old James Fenton, a former sea captain and now maritime trader in tobacco. He has no interest in the gossips and thinks only on the lovely Abigail Heywood, despite her plain looks and yet he finds her attractive in an innocent and wholesome way. Within months he proposes and they marry, moving to the beautiful town house he has procured for them. But after more than a year, Abigail has been unable to bear him a son...or any child, for that matter.
But with every tobacco plant and every shipment bound for Glasgow, James must find another source in which to trade...and he soon finds that the slave trade is proving to be rather profitable. Procured in Africa, the ship then sails to the Caribbean where they trade the slaves for sugar, thus sailing back to Cumbria with a haul to pay off the investors as well as make a profit themselves. A profitable business, by all accounts.
One one such voyage, James returns with a surprise for Abigail. Her very own slave, her small hands manacled! Abigail is shocked. The creature before her couldn't be more than six years old, if that! She speaks not a word of English (just heathen gibberish) and her skin is as dark as anything she has ever seen. She takes the young girl home and orders her maid to fill a bath of hot water for the child as she bathes her emaciated and scarred body. Who would do this to a child? And yet, when her husband returns home, he argues that the child is to sleep on the dark warehouse floor and to remain manacled until she learns her place.
And then when James announces that he is to sail on the next voyage since his captain failed to procure enough slaves so he will see to it himself. He will be gone for more than a year by the time he has solicited enough slaves from the Africas and journeyed to the Caribbean to trade them for goods that he will bring back home.
During the time her husband has been gone, Abigail meets and listens to John Wesley and his teachings and thus begins to learn a lot more about herself and her husband...and the situation in which she now finds herself. She also comes to see Adelaide, as she now calls the child, as more than a slave...more than a servant even...but something akin to a daughter.
But society will never accept an African child...and neither would James, Abigail fears.
Present day: Maritime archaeologist Rachel Gardener is called up to look into the remains of a possible shipwreck off the Cumbrian coast. Leaving her husband behind in Bristol, she makes the five hour journey to Whitehaven and this exciting possible find. But Rachel is no stranger to the Lake District for she grew up about an hour away and where her mother still lives, though they barely talk having a somewhat prickly relationship.
During a dive to investigate the site, Rachel and her colleagues find a pocket watch with the engraving "JMF" and soon discovers an 18th century merchant trader with those initials whose ship was reportedly wrecked off the coast of Antigua in the Caribbean. So why was his pocket watch found within this wreck just a quarter of a mile out of Whitehaven? And so close to home?
Her investigations lead her to James and Abigail Fenton as she tries to unravel the mystery of who they were and what their roles were in the slave trade? She meets and befriends Jane Hatton (from the previous books) who is an ear for Rachel to offload her worries as well as her findings into the Fentons. For Jane, too, is understandably as intrigued.
Her enquiries are then paused when she receives a call about her mother who has had a fall and is in hospital. But it seems not everything is as it seems and Rachel must deal with an even further blow, wondering how she is going to handle everything from her mother to her marriage.
THE WIDOW'S SECRET is a little different from the first three in that it is not actually set in Goswell, though it does feature. I couldn't warm to Rachel who I found standoffish and aloof, and there are times I could have gladly knocked her and her mother's heads together. The heroine of this tale is most certainly Abigail. She was loyal, kind and somewhat forward thinking for the time. She knew in her heart that slavery was wrong and hated the very thought of treating Adelaide as nothing but a savage creature who behaved like a heathen, could speak nothing but gibberish and could very murder her in her sleep! She refused to see her that way and her relationship with Adelaide was a heartwarming one.
I thoroughly enjoyed this tale far more than I expected to and I am saddened to leave the residents - past and present - of Goswell behind as this beautiful series comes to an end. I have enjoyed every minute of my time with everyone, getting to know them and seeing them blossom. And I loved the mysteries each of the characters were faced with. I am so glad I met them all. And I thank Kate Hewitt for the opportunity.
Overall, though not an entirely easy read in parts, THE WIDOW'S SECRET is perfect for fans of dual timelines.
I would like to thank #KateHewitt, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheWidowsSecret in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
February 27, 2020
I really really enjoyed reading this book. It had all the elements I like in a novel. It's well-written, with a good detailed plot and deep interesting character development. The author managed a dual plot line wonderfully, juggling the early 1700's with current day seamlessly. In the 1700's we are introduced to a young woman who is married to a man who owns several ships and who deals in slave trade. In the current day we have Rachel, a young marine archaeologist of sorts who is sent to the Cumbria area of the Lake District in the UK to investigate a sunken ship to determine if it holds historical value. Rachel is originally from this area and has a strained relationship from her mother, who is getting along in years, and with whom she has a strained relationship since her father's death some 25 years ago. The story is full of history, friendship, sorrow and love. So interesting and such a wonderful read. I loved it and definitely recommend.
I would like to thank the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I would like to thank the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
May 21, 2020
"The Widow's Secret" was an enjoyable, but sometimes uncomfortable, read. It's well-written, with interesting characters and a good plot. I particularly enjoyed the way the chapters swapped between the modern day and the 1700s - two stories which gradually meld together into a fairly solid novel.
My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advance copy to review. This review is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.
My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advance copy to review. This review is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.
January 18, 2023
A story of courage, redemption,and compassion.
England, 1766: Abigail is happily married to James, a tobacco trader turned sea captain, and is looking forward to starting a family and settling down in Whitehaven, deep in the Lake District. But after a series of devastating losses, she finds herself in turmoil, with her future suddenly seeming unknown…
When James announces that he will captain a ship to Africa and then the Americas for a year, it sparks a series of surprising and heartbreaking events – involving some of the darkest evils in humanity’s history, and a tiny, terrified slave girl who’s brought back to England. This helpless child forces Abigail to reconsider everything she thought she knew–and will change her life forever…
Now: When a shipwreck is discovered off the coast of Cumbria, local expert Rachel is brought in to investigate. Her first thought is that this will be a perfect distraction from her troubled marriage and the memories of her past that she is desperate not to think about. But then it becomes clear the wreck is a slave ship from the 1700s–one that was recorded as sinking in the Caribbean–and Rachel begins to wonder if there’s more to this terrible mystery.
Faced with uncertainty about both the past and present, can Rachel learn from Abigail’s extraordinary story and take the first step towards a brighter future of her own?
Whitehaven's growth was largely due to the exploitation of extensive coal measures by the Lowther family,driving a growing export of coal through the harbour from the 17th century onwards.It was the major port for trading with the American colonies, and was, after London, the second busiest port of England by tonnage from 1750 to 1772. This prosperity led to the creation of a Georgian planned town in the 18th century which has left an architectural legacy .
Whitehaven's growing prosperity was also based on tobacco. By 1685 there were ships regularly bringing tobacco from the British colonies of Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania in America, and by the early 18th century about 10% of England's tobacco imports passed through Whitehaven. By the middle of the 18th century it was the second or third port in England for tobacco imports. The tobacco was then sold on the domestic market or re-exported, e.g. to Ireland, France and the Netherlands. However after the Acts of Union 1707 united England with Scotland, thereby abolishing excise duties between them, the port of Glasgow began to take over Whitehaven's tobacco trade, leading to the later creation of Glasgow's Tobacco Lords. By the second half of the 18th century there was a marked decline in shipping of tobacco via Whitehaven.
To replace the tobacco trade Whitehaven turned to importing sugar from Barbados, cotton from Antigua and coffee and cocoa from St Lucia.
Whitehaven was involved with the transatlantic slave trade,as slave ships left Whitehaven for voyages to Africa between 1711-1767.The Slave Wrecks Project uses maritime archaeology,historical research and inspecting sunken slave ships to study the transatlantic slave trade.
Various instruments of torture and confinement were used by slave ship captains and crew members to enforce discipline during the long sea voyage. Wrist manacles and leg shackles, thumbscrews designed to torture uncooperative slaves, and the speculum oris, a mechanism used to force open the mouth of anyone who refused to eat.
John Wesley was the leader of Methodism and a keen abolitionist. He addressed the slave trade in a polemical tract, titled Thoughts Upon Slavery, in 1774.
The British campaign to abolish the slave trade is generally considered to have begun in the 1780s with the establishment of the Quakers' anti-slavery committees, and their presentation to Parliament of the first slave trade petition in 1783.
Wesley was a mentor to William Wilberforce,leader of the abolitionist movement,involved with the Clapham Sect. Wilberforce's involvement in the abolition movement was motivated by a desire to put his Christian principles into action and to serve God in public life.
He and other evangelicals were horrified by what they perceived was a depraved and un-Christian trade, and the greed and avarice of the owners and traders.
The Clapham Sect, or Clapham Saints, were a group of social reformers associated with Clapham in the period from the 1780s to the 1840s. These were reformists and abolitionists, where they figured and heard readings, sermons and lessons from prominent and wealthy Evangelical Anglicans who called for the liberation of slaves, abolition of the slave trade and the reform of the penal system, and recognised and advocated other cornerstone civil-political rights and socio-economic rights. Defying the status quo of labour exploitation and consequent vested interests in the legislature was laborious and was motivated by their Christian faith and concern for social justice and fairness for all human beings.
The name stems from most of its figures being non-dissenting parishioners of Clapham, then a village south of London (today part of south-west London), where Wilberforce and Thornton, its two most influential leaders, often lived and met. Liturgy, sermons and sometimes meetings at Holy Trinity Church on Clapham Common were a central feature, largely neighboured by upmarket new homes and expensive single-home plots of land (fashionable villas in the terms of the time).
England, 1766: Abigail is happily married to James, a tobacco trader turned sea captain, and is looking forward to starting a family and settling down in Whitehaven, deep in the Lake District. But after a series of devastating losses, she finds herself in turmoil, with her future suddenly seeming unknown…
When James announces that he will captain a ship to Africa and then the Americas for a year, it sparks a series of surprising and heartbreaking events – involving some of the darkest evils in humanity’s history, and a tiny, terrified slave girl who’s brought back to England. This helpless child forces Abigail to reconsider everything she thought she knew–and will change her life forever…
Now: When a shipwreck is discovered off the coast of Cumbria, local expert Rachel is brought in to investigate. Her first thought is that this will be a perfect distraction from her troubled marriage and the memories of her past that she is desperate not to think about. But then it becomes clear the wreck is a slave ship from the 1700s–one that was recorded as sinking in the Caribbean–and Rachel begins to wonder if there’s more to this terrible mystery.
Faced with uncertainty about both the past and present, can Rachel learn from Abigail’s extraordinary story and take the first step towards a brighter future of her own?
Whitehaven's growth was largely due to the exploitation of extensive coal measures by the Lowther family,driving a growing export of coal through the harbour from the 17th century onwards.It was the major port for trading with the American colonies, and was, after London, the second busiest port of England by tonnage from 1750 to 1772. This prosperity led to the creation of a Georgian planned town in the 18th century which has left an architectural legacy .
Whitehaven's growing prosperity was also based on tobacco. By 1685 there were ships regularly bringing tobacco from the British colonies of Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania in America, and by the early 18th century about 10% of England's tobacco imports passed through Whitehaven. By the middle of the 18th century it was the second or third port in England for tobacco imports. The tobacco was then sold on the domestic market or re-exported, e.g. to Ireland, France and the Netherlands. However after the Acts of Union 1707 united England with Scotland, thereby abolishing excise duties between them, the port of Glasgow began to take over Whitehaven's tobacco trade, leading to the later creation of Glasgow's Tobacco Lords. By the second half of the 18th century there was a marked decline in shipping of tobacco via Whitehaven.
To replace the tobacco trade Whitehaven turned to importing sugar from Barbados, cotton from Antigua and coffee and cocoa from St Lucia.
Whitehaven was involved with the transatlantic slave trade,as slave ships left Whitehaven for voyages to Africa between 1711-1767.The Slave Wrecks Project uses maritime archaeology,historical research and inspecting sunken slave ships to study the transatlantic slave trade.
Various instruments of torture and confinement were used by slave ship captains and crew members to enforce discipline during the long sea voyage. Wrist manacles and leg shackles, thumbscrews designed to torture uncooperative slaves, and the speculum oris, a mechanism used to force open the mouth of anyone who refused to eat.
John Wesley was the leader of Methodism and a keen abolitionist. He addressed the slave trade in a polemical tract, titled Thoughts Upon Slavery, in 1774.
The British campaign to abolish the slave trade is generally considered to have begun in the 1780s with the establishment of the Quakers' anti-slavery committees, and their presentation to Parliament of the first slave trade petition in 1783.
Wesley was a mentor to William Wilberforce,leader of the abolitionist movement,involved with the Clapham Sect. Wilberforce's involvement in the abolition movement was motivated by a desire to put his Christian principles into action and to serve God in public life.
He and other evangelicals were horrified by what they perceived was a depraved and un-Christian trade, and the greed and avarice of the owners and traders.
The Clapham Sect, or Clapham Saints, were a group of social reformers associated with Clapham in the period from the 1780s to the 1840s. These were reformists and abolitionists, where they figured and heard readings, sermons and lessons from prominent and wealthy Evangelical Anglicans who called for the liberation of slaves, abolition of the slave trade and the reform of the penal system, and recognised and advocated other cornerstone civil-political rights and socio-economic rights. Defying the status quo of labour exploitation and consequent vested interests in the legislature was laborious and was motivated by their Christian faith and concern for social justice and fairness for all human beings.
The name stems from most of its figures being non-dissenting parishioners of Clapham, then a village south of London (today part of south-west London), where Wilberforce and Thornton, its two most influential leaders, often lived and met. Liturgy, sermons and sometimes meetings at Holy Trinity Church on Clapham Common were a central feature, largely neighboured by upmarket new homes and expensive single-home plots of land (fashionable villas in the terms of the time).
June 19, 2020
The Widow's Secret, Katharine Swartz
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: General Fiction (adult), Historical fiction
A dual POV novel, in the present Rachel is researching the history of a wreck, a ship she believes to be a slave ship, and then we see the past, where Abigail Fenton is the wife of the ship's owner.
Its an interesting story, Rachel isn't just learning about the ship's history but examining her own. She loves her husband, he loves her, but its a tense relationship, with Rachel not understanding her actions so how on earth can her husband?
I got the feeling this was a tipping point in their marriage, that Rachel had always been a prickly, closed off person, and we see from her relationship with her mother that she doesn't exactly have a loving role model there. It seems to stem from when her adored father died when she was young, but its spilled over and now her marriage is in danger. She doesn't want that but doesn't know how to be the person she wants, open, friendly, loving.
Then back in the past we've Abigail, lovely young lady, adores her husband and he loves her. Typical of the time though they are restricted by society and what's deemed correct. Abigail is unsure of the belief commonly held that slaves are more like animals, her own experiences make her doubt that, putting her in a hard position with her husband and contemporaries. Can she speak out? What about the effect on her family? If she doesn't though what does that make her?
Its a good story, and Rachel is escaping to the past rather than face up to the issues in her present life. It hits back though, events make it so that she needs to take action or lose everything. In a strange parallel Abigail too has to pick a side, contemporaries, friendship, marriage and the accepted view of slaves, or can she voice her opinions, and maybe hope to bring about change in a small way, but risking her marriage and her position in society?
There's a thread of Christianity running through the past, but not in an overbearing way – its something I avoid, but here it fits the story and isn't dominating it. Its was interesting reading about the past, the slaves ( awful trade. One wonders how many really felt as Rachel did inside) and wondering what the future held for the characters involved.
I really felt for James, a good man, but carried along with accepted beliefs until confronted with the harsh truth. For anyone with a conscience that makes things tough, and I felt his struggle. Its easier to think everyone involved in that trade was awful, bigoted, a bully, but James was a gentle man, adored Abigail but initially really didn't see wrong in what he did. Then as facts began to solidify in his mind he was struggling, what to do? Risk everything he had earned? Leave things as they were and live with his conscience? What about Abigail, he can see her actions in a different light now.
Its very complex, being horrified at his actions and then seeing them for his POV.
I loved Antony, Rachel's husband, such an incredibly patient and understanding man and yet eventually he feels he's tried and tried, and needs Rachel to make an effort too. I did feel that for such huge issues as they have, the ending was a little slick, very quickly all those issues were put behind them, when really I felt they would need a huge amount of work. Of course this is bookland, where problems can have quick situations leading to a HEA, but I would have liked a bit more time for them, a little more delving into the issues, and how they were going to get past them. Its simply not possible to have a blinding revelation and say all will be well......
Stars: Four, an interesting read, the abhorrent slave trade looked at through eyes of the time, and of course through Rachel's current day view. I enjoyed the story, just felt the ending was a little too easily fixed and settled.
ARC supplied by Netgalley and publisher
August 1, 2020
The discovery of a shipwreck off the coast of Whitehaven brings a marine archaeologist to the town to uncover its secrets. Rachel has personal and relationship issues following the death of her father when she was only 12 and this has had a serious impact on her own marriage and her relationship with her mother. During her visit it becomes clear that her mother's health is deteriorating due to dementia.
Meanwhile, in a second timeline set in Whitehaven in the 1760s, Abigail marries a man who gets involved in the slave trade to combat his mounting debts but she begins to question the morality of slavery. He brings her a young slave to train as a maid but she soon develops a strong affection for the girl which contravenes the standards and rules of the era.
The Widow's Secret is a hugely emotional book to read. Both timelines are completely captivating and are written convincingly. The title could be referring to secrets held by Rachel's mother or Abigail so is clever for having multiple interpretations.
I felt a great deal of sympathy with Rachel whose relationships are so fraught. She is desperate to give and receive love but is afraid of rejection. Abigail is thrilled to have found happiness after her reputation was destroyed by the inappropriate behaviour of a man, so she really battles with her conscience when her new husband becomes involved in the slave trade.
Swartz doesn't shy away from the ethical angle and the horrendous attitudes of the time that resulted in the appalling treatment of other humans. This was unconfortable at times which is quite right when considering the atrocities which were perpetrated according to race. We are also introduced to John Wesley, the founder of the Methodists, which is a good plot device to allow Abigail to do some soul-searching. I think some comment on women's roles could also be extrapolated from the events in the book, such as the sacrosanct honour of unwed women and the requirement for emotional management within a family context for both Abigail and Rachel.
The narrative is told through the third person with an emphasis on the viewpoint of the two main female characters. Although we discover the truth about the shipwreck and Rachel finds out about Abigail so we get a conclusion to their story, I would have liked further exploration of the wreckage or more of Adedayo's story to have been included.
The Widow's Secret was a hugely enjoyable book to read, despite the serious subject matter and uncomfortable history it conveys.
Meanwhile, in a second timeline set in Whitehaven in the 1760s, Abigail marries a man who gets involved in the slave trade to combat his mounting debts but she begins to question the morality of slavery. He brings her a young slave to train as a maid but she soon develops a strong affection for the girl which contravenes the standards and rules of the era.
The Widow's Secret is a hugely emotional book to read. Both timelines are completely captivating and are written convincingly. The title could be referring to secrets held by Rachel's mother or Abigail so is clever for having multiple interpretations.
I felt a great deal of sympathy with Rachel whose relationships are so fraught. She is desperate to give and receive love but is afraid of rejection. Abigail is thrilled to have found happiness after her reputation was destroyed by the inappropriate behaviour of a man, so she really battles with her conscience when her new husband becomes involved in the slave trade.
Swartz doesn't shy away from the ethical angle and the horrendous attitudes of the time that resulted in the appalling treatment of other humans. This was unconfortable at times which is quite right when considering the atrocities which were perpetrated according to race. We are also introduced to John Wesley, the founder of the Methodists, which is a good plot device to allow Abigail to do some soul-searching. I think some comment on women's roles could also be extrapolated from the events in the book, such as the sacrosanct honour of unwed women and the requirement for emotional management within a family context for both Abigail and Rachel.
The narrative is told through the third person with an emphasis on the viewpoint of the two main female characters. Although we discover the truth about the shipwreck and Rachel finds out about Abigail so we get a conclusion to their story, I would have liked further exploration of the wreckage or more of Adedayo's story to have been included.
The Widow's Secret was a hugely enjoyable book to read, despite the serious subject matter and uncomfortable history it conveys.
December 20, 2022
The Widow’s Secret by Kate Hewitt is the final of the Goswell Quartet and slightly different. This time a sunken ship has been discovered off the coast and before the oil company can disturb it they have to do an archeological survey to see if it has historical significance. Hence, Rachel is called in to research that for them. She starts with the research while waiting for her team members to arrive to dive with her to examine what remains. What she discovers is disconcerting. It appears to have been a slave ship. She has found an object (that with research) that indicates it. As she researches, she discovers the owner of the ship and his wife and daughter, who, for a time, loved locally. It is a heart-wrenching story of a woman abandoned with no means of support who manages to find her own way, while adopting an African child her husband had brought her earlier as a slave. Rachel has her own problems: her mother has dementia and can no longer live on her own and her marriage is dissolving, against her wishes.
Abigail, the wife of the captain, is a plain girl who managed to get manipulated by a man into ruining herself. She had no prospects of marriage until a young man appeared who owned a ship and appeared to be on his way up. Against all odds, he asked her to marry him and they were happy for a while. She loved him and he appeared to love her. Then, the appearance of the slave child and his decision to captain the next voyage. She was a strong woman who did what she had to do and bucked the norms of society: an excellent character. Rachel had grown up worshipping her father and being ignored by her cold mother. Only now did she begin to understand any of what had happened to her as a child, and possibly, how to fix it. She was a terrific character. This is not the best of the quartet but still very moving. The two plots, especially the historical one, were enchanting and kept the reader on edge as they progressed. I highly recommend the entire quartet.
I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Widow’s Secret by Bookoutre, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Bookoutre #KateHewitt #TheWidowsSecret
Abigail, the wife of the captain, is a plain girl who managed to get manipulated by a man into ruining herself. She had no prospects of marriage until a young man appeared who owned a ship and appeared to be on his way up. Against all odds, he asked her to marry him and they were happy for a while. She loved him and he appeared to love her. Then, the appearance of the slave child and his decision to captain the next voyage. She was a strong woman who did what she had to do and bucked the norms of society: an excellent character. Rachel had grown up worshipping her father and being ignored by her cold mother. Only now did she begin to understand any of what had happened to her as a child, and possibly, how to fix it. She was a terrific character. This is not the best of the quartet but still very moving. The two plots, especially the historical one, were enchanting and kept the reader on edge as they progressed. I highly recommend the entire quartet.
I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Widow’s Secret by Bookoutre, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Bookoutre #KateHewitt #TheWidowsSecret
November 22, 2022
Kate Hewitt saved the best for last with The Widow's Secret (The Goswell Quartet Book 4). There are marriages to be saved, relationships to be restored, lives to be changed and a child to be loved. Each book in the Goswell Quarter has had dual timelines. The historical timeline is different in each book. This time it is the 1760’s where Abigail is married to James a sea captain. All looks good to an outsider but there are cracks in their lives that quickly comes to light. Then in the present marine archaeologist Rachel has no doubt that her marriage is rocky.
There was much that drew my heart in this story. A personal up close look at a social atrocity. Abigail faces this, doing much soul searching to come to the truth. While there is heartache for her I greatly appreciated that James and she never wavered in their love for each other. Also this story has a real historical figure in it. Of course, Abigail is a fictional character but her story is what could have happened to someone who hear John Wesley preach.
Rachel ‘s story is different but also with a major issue of today. She also changes her attitude seeing the truth after so long being blind to it. I was not quite as invested in the outcome of her story but found real truth from her when she insisted that love was not always easy. “What if it means trying even when you don’t feel like it or you’re not sure you can,” she asked. Rachel found some profound wisdom. She is a memorable character for me because of that one statement.
This series has been a pleasure to read even when the subject matter was difficult. The books do not need to be read in any order. The Widow's Secret is my favorite so why not start with that one first.
An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
There was much that drew my heart in this story. A personal up close look at a social atrocity. Abigail faces this, doing much soul searching to come to the truth. While there is heartache for her I greatly appreciated that James and she never wavered in their love for each other. Also this story has a real historical figure in it. Of course, Abigail is a fictional character but her story is what could have happened to someone who hear John Wesley preach.
Rachel ‘s story is different but also with a major issue of today. She also changes her attitude seeing the truth after so long being blind to it. I was not quite as invested in the outcome of her story but found real truth from her when she insisted that love was not always easy. “What if it means trying even when you don’t feel like it or you’re not sure you can,” she asked. Rachel found some profound wisdom. She is a memorable character for me because of that one statement.
This series has been a pleasure to read even when the subject matter was difficult. The books do not need to be read in any order. The Widow's Secret is my favorite so why not start with that one first.
An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
June 12, 2023
This novel alternates between two time periods present day and 1760. In present day, Rachel is the expert called in when the remains of a shipwreck near Goswell leads back to the 1700s. The very same timeframe that involved Abigail. Rachel is unhappy in her life, despite having an attentive husband. Ignoring her unhappiness, Rachel starts digging to the best of her ability into the lives of Abigail and her husband James. England 1766. Abigail is a young woman who has blotted her copybook, ruining her chances for any offer from a respectable, honorable man. It must be said that her only fault was her naivety and innocence and the man involved was a scoundrel. However it was a tiny town and when she was able to secure an invitation to a dance, her mother was tense with nerves that it would turn into a fiasco. Abigail secured the attention of James, a shipowner who not only seemed prosperous but was a kind and loving husband. The real ramifications of the story begins with her husband presenting her with a six year old slave girl. Adelaide as others insisted she be called brought mayhem to the house but awakened in Abigail maternal feelings which she could not show to anyone, as all expected the child to be treated as a thing not a human. This part of the book was very hard to read, but it was factual, historically accurate depicting faithfully conditions of slaves till the abolitionist movement took sway in society. This final book in the Goswell Quartet not only revealed secrets of the past, it also became a book of healing. In fact, despite the difficult subject matter, this was my favorite book of the series. Kate Hewitt has done a fabulous job with this book as well as with the previous titles. I love that they were all reissued as these books gave me many satisfying hours of reading.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity.
October 31, 2022
The Widow's Secret (The Goswell Quartet Book 4)
Earc:NetGalley
Publisher, : Bookouture
Publication Date: 17 November 2022
Genre : General Fiction, Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction
The series concludes nicely with two stories, an 18th-century setting that follows the life of Abigail Fenton, and a contemporary setting that follows Rachel Gardener. This provocative and inspirational book deals with subjects such as marriage, family relationships and the horrors of the slave trade. It is a story of love, compassion, courage and redemption with a strong Christian message.
Rachel, a marine archaeologist, returns to Cumbria from a lonely childhood after the death of his father to study a shipwreck off the coast of Whitehaven. Not much remains of the ship, but it appears to have been a slave trader when part of the Mirror Oris was found, and Abigail Fenton and her husband's when part of the man's gold watch was found. Leads to interest in James.
I like how Jane Hutton, always fascinated by unraveling mysteries, befriends a lonely and confused Rachel.
The story of Abigail's difficult marriage runs in parallel...
This book is really worth reading and the first three in the series. It is highly recommended to be read in conjunction with the book, but can also stand on its own. A very satisfying end to a great series! This was more spiritual in nature, not as good as others, but as a fan of Christian fiction, I loved it. was fascinating (and heartbreaking about the injustices of the slave trade). Hewitt successfully navigates the timeline of the duel. The modern plot was also heartwarming and engaging. I loved this whole series!!
#NetGalley #bookstagram #bookreview #goodreads @bookouture
The Last book in the series
Earc:NetGalley
Publisher, : Bookouture
Publication Date: 17 November 2022
Genre : General Fiction, Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction
The series concludes nicely with two stories, an 18th-century setting that follows the life of Abigail Fenton, and a contemporary setting that follows Rachel Gardener. This provocative and inspirational book deals with subjects such as marriage, family relationships and the horrors of the slave trade. It is a story of love, compassion, courage and redemption with a strong Christian message.
Rachel, a marine archaeologist, returns to Cumbria from a lonely childhood after the death of his father to study a shipwreck off the coast of Whitehaven. Not much remains of the ship, but it appears to have been a slave trader when part of the Mirror Oris was found, and Abigail Fenton and her husband's when part of the man's gold watch was found. Leads to interest in James.
I like how Jane Hutton, always fascinated by unraveling mysteries, befriends a lonely and confused Rachel.
The story of Abigail's difficult marriage runs in parallel...
This book is really worth reading and the first three in the series. It is highly recommended to be read in conjunction with the book, but can also stand on its own. A very satisfying end to a great series! This was more spiritual in nature, not as good as others, but as a fan of Christian fiction, I loved it. was fascinating (and heartbreaking about the injustices of the slave trade). Hewitt successfully navigates the timeline of the duel. The modern plot was also heartwarming and engaging. I loved this whole series!!
#NetGalley #bookstagram #bookreview #goodreads @bookouture
The Last book in the series
November 20, 2022
England, 1766: Abigail and James are happily married and are ready to settle down and start a family together. James was a tobacco trader turned sea captain. Their plans rapidly change after a series of unexpected events. James tells Abigail that he is going to captain a ship to Africa and then to the Americas. He will be gone for a year. Before James leaves he leaves a young slave girl with Abigail. Present day: A shipwreck is discovered off the Cumbria coast. Rachel is brought in to investigate. She welcomes the distraction from her unhappy marriage. It doesn’t take Rachel long to determine that the ship was a slave ship that sank in the Caribbean in the mid 1700’s. The mystery of the ship soon has Rachel discovering the untold story of Abigail’s life.
This is the fourth and final installment in the amazing series of Goswell Quartet. I enjoyed this story and really liked how the author tied all four books together. There were so many parallels that worked well together. This was a difficult storyline to read but was still a very emotional and an inspiring story. I found this book to be intriguing and portrayed hope in a most difficult time in history. I enjoyed this wonderful addition to this series. I definitely recommend this emotional story that can be read as part of the series or a stand-alone.
Thank you Kate Hewitt for such a wonderful conclusion to this amazing series, I loved it.
This is the fourth and final installment in the amazing series of Goswell Quartet. I enjoyed this story and really liked how the author tied all four books together. There were so many parallels that worked well together. This was a difficult storyline to read but was still a very emotional and an inspiring story. I found this book to be intriguing and portrayed hope in a most difficult time in history. I enjoyed this wonderful addition to this series. I definitely recommend this emotional story that can be read as part of the series or a stand-alone.
Thank you Kate Hewitt for such a wonderful conclusion to this amazing series, I loved it.
June 29, 2020
THE WIDOW’S SECRET by Katharine Swartz is a well-written novel that is told using a dual timeline, focusing on the points of view of the two main characters in each time period. Rachel is a marine archaeologist investigating a shipwreck from the 1700s and the mystery of why and how it got to be in the harbor. This provides a backdrop for Rachel’s journey of self-discovery and understanding why her relationship with her husband and her Mom is not what she wishes it to be. At the same time, Swartz weaves in the story of Abigail Fenton, wife of the slave trader whose ship Rachel is researching, and her evolution into the woman she was proud to be.
Swartz does an excellent job of creating a story that was interesting and kept me invested in both characters and their evolution. I also enjoyed learning more about a part of England’s history that I was unfamiliar with.
Swartz’s novels never disappoint! She always gives her readers stories full of heart and emotion that resonate and stay long after the book ends. I highly recommend this one.
Thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.
#TheWidowsSecret #LionFiction #KatharineSwartz
Swartz does an excellent job of creating a story that was interesting and kept me invested in both characters and their evolution. I also enjoyed learning more about a part of England’s history that I was unfamiliar with.
Swartz’s novels never disappoint! She always gives her readers stories full of heart and emotion that resonate and stay long after the book ends. I highly recommend this one.
Thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.
#TheWidowsSecret #LionFiction #KatharineSwartz
July 15, 2020
The Widow’s Secret is a topical and relevant novel set in the present day, and the 1700’s. Rachel is a marine archeologist who travels back to her home county of Cumbria to examine a ship wreck found off the coast of Whitehaven. When she identifies that an artefact found in the wreckage could relate to the slave trade, she is intrigued and is determined to discover the story behind the ship. In the 1700’s, Abigail is relieved to finally be married to a successful merchant but becomes uncomfortable with his recent decision to trade in human beings.
I found this book to be incredibly well researched and written in a suitably considered way. Abigail’s slow realisation that she believes the slave trade to be inhuman, and the finding of her strength to stand up and protect the person she loves the most is an inspiring storyline. The setting of both narratives in the sometimes bleak Lake District also adds to the dark mood of the novel. A Widow’s Secret is present in both the modern day and the past, and the book approaches difficult elements of our history with great sensitivity.
I found this book to be incredibly well researched and written in a suitably considered way. Abigail’s slow realisation that she believes the slave trade to be inhuman, and the finding of her strength to stand up and protect the person she loves the most is an inspiring storyline. The setting of both narratives in the sometimes bleak Lake District also adds to the dark mood of the novel. A Widow’s Secret is present in both the modern day and the past, and the book approaches difficult elements of our history with great sensitivity.
May 25, 2020
The Widow’s Secret is a dual time story, one of my favorite genres. This was a wonderful addition to the genre.
The story revolves around Rachel in modern times an archeologist investigating a shipwreck off the coast of Cumbria. She is using work to escape from a troubled marriage and a troubled relationship with her mother.
In the past we have Abigail the beloved wife of a slave trader. Abigail starts to have misgivings about slavery and the slave trade, but how is she to reconcile her misgivings to the livelihood that her family depends on? I will say that I preferred the storyline in the past as I found Abigail a more sympathetic and likeable character.
Overall the story was interesting and well written. I recommend it for anyone who likes dual timeline novels.
My thanks to Netgalley, Lion Hudson and Katherine Swartz for the chance to review this novel.
The story revolves around Rachel in modern times an archeologist investigating a shipwreck off the coast of Cumbria. She is using work to escape from a troubled marriage and a troubled relationship with her mother.
In the past we have Abigail the beloved wife of a slave trader. Abigail starts to have misgivings about slavery and the slave trade, but how is she to reconcile her misgivings to the livelihood that her family depends on? I will say that I preferred the storyline in the past as I found Abigail a more sympathetic and likeable character.
Overall the story was interesting and well written. I recommend it for anyone who likes dual timeline novels.
My thanks to Netgalley, Lion Hudson and Katherine Swartz for the chance to review this novel.
November 10, 2022
Sad to say, The Widow’s Secret is the final book in The Goswell Quartet series. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the complete series. I highly recommend this series. Definitely would be a great Christmas present to give to your historical book friends.
I always like reading duel timeline books when they are written well. And, Kate Hewitt does a obsoletely wonderful job in The Goswell Quartet. Her writing is both thought provoking and intriguing.
I cannot recommend this series enough. From the first book to the last book, I was completely invested. Each story is emotionally charged, heartbreaking as well as heartwarming.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
@shortbookthyme
@bookouture
@netgalley
I always like reading duel timeline books when they are written well. And, Kate Hewitt does a obsoletely wonderful job in The Goswell Quartet. Her writing is both thought provoking and intriguing.
I cannot recommend this series enough. From the first book to the last book, I was completely invested. Each story is emotionally charged, heartbreaking as well as heartwarming.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
@shortbookthyme
@bookouture
@netgalley
June 19, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley, the publishing house and the author for the opportunity to read a complimentary advance reader copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.
This was an enjoyable dual timeline story, told in the 1760s and the present. In the past. I really enjoyed both storylines, Abigail in the past, Who marries a ship’s captain, who is stronger than she thinks and Rachel, a marine archaeologist, in the present who is brought close to her hometown to study a wreck, who discovers she doesn’t really know herself. Both storylines were very well written and researched, the author did a great job keeping the story seamless and keeping it interesting.
Will definitely be checking it more books by this author.
This was an enjoyable dual timeline story, told in the 1760s and the present. In the past. I really enjoyed both storylines, Abigail in the past, Who marries a ship’s captain, who is stronger than she thinks and Rachel, a marine archaeologist, in the present who is brought close to her hometown to study a wreck, who discovers she doesn’t really know herself. Both storylines were very well written and researched, the author did a great job keeping the story seamless and keeping it interesting.
Will definitely be checking it more books by this author.
June 21, 2020
Katherine Swartz gives us the story of two women from two different times. Rachel is a present day marine archeologist called into investigate a previously undocumented shipwreck. She suspects the ship was involved in slave trade along the English coast. In the 1760's Abigail was the wife of the ship's captain who was a slave trader. As Rachel digs into the shipwreck and Abigail's life she is forced examine her own life. Both women must come to terms with their own family dynamics.
This book is a fascinating look at a time in English history that, as an American, I had little knowledge of. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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This book is a fascinating look at a time in English history that, as an American, I had little knowledge of. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
.
September 15, 2020
The Widow’s Secret is a dual time-line story, which is always an interesting premise for me if it is written well and the author is skilled at blending the two time-lines together, which Katherine Swartz most definitely is.
The story switches between Rachel a marine archaeologist investigating a shipwreck off the coast of Cumbria and in the 1760's Abigail Fenton the wife of the ship's owner. Rachel is using work to escape from a troubled marriage and a troubled relationship with her mother. Abigail has married a man who gets involved in the slave trade to help pay off his mounting debts, but she learns to question the morality of slavery.
A truly engaging read that weaves the two tales together beautifully.
The story switches between Rachel a marine archaeologist investigating a shipwreck off the coast of Cumbria and in the 1760's Abigail Fenton the wife of the ship's owner. Rachel is using work to escape from a troubled marriage and a troubled relationship with her mother. Abigail has married a man who gets involved in the slave trade to help pay off his mounting debts, but she learns to question the morality of slavery.
A truly engaging read that weaves the two tales together beautifully.
May 11, 2023
This was an excellent book.
This book dealt with what is was like in the 1760’s and the slave trade how they were treated and how so many that went through going from Africa to America. Abigail marries an shipowner and we see how strong a character she is that no matter your skin colour we are all the same. Then we have Rachel who is the present time line trying to find out about a shipwreck. Rachel has not had a good childhood and has never really made friends she finds it hard to show her emotions.
This book is the best out of the series.
Would recommend it and it so well written.
This book dealt with what is was like in the 1760’s and the slave trade how they were treated and how so many that went through going from Africa to America. Abigail marries an shipowner and we see how strong a character she is that no matter your skin colour we are all the same. Then we have Rachel who is the present time line trying to find out about a shipwreck. Rachel has not had a good childhood and has never really made friends she finds it hard to show her emotions.
This book is the best out of the series.
Would recommend it and it so well written.
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