The Wives' Revenge: A historical novel by Lindsey Hutchinson

Happy July 1.  Lindsey Hutchinson is the author of The Workhouse Children.  It is currently on sale for $1.99 on Amazon or free with Kindle Unlimited.  Please do not judge a book by the cover (it is bland and deceiving).  Readers can follow Ms. Hutchinson on Goodreads, Amazon and Facebook.  If you enjoy the novels by Donna Douglas, Rosie Clarke, Nancy Revell or Nadine Dorries, you will like reading The Wives' Revenge.

The Wives’ Revenge is a new historical novel by Lindsey Hutchinson.   We are swept back to 1887.  Violet Clancy lives with her mum, Kath Clancy Sligo and her step-father, John in Wednesbury, England (the Black Country).  Primrose Berry has done it again.  She caused trouble and Violet was blamed for it.  Violet knows what will happen when John finds out.  When Kath finds out what John has been doing to her daughter, she calls a meeting of the Wednesbury Wives’ (Annie Green, Mary Forbes, Martha Slater, Kath Clancy, Joyce Clews and Violet Clancy).  John Sligo soon meets an unfortunate demise.  Woman in the town know if they need assistance, they can get help from the Wives’.  They assist abused woman, find lost children, and so much more.  Violet is asked to join the group when she leaves school and starts looking for work.  After what happened with John, Violet avoids men.  Then the persistent Spencer Gittins comes along.  He is a kind and compassionate young man who falls for Violet.  After the two marry, Violet can provide more help to the town.  This group of close-knit women set out to get justice for the abused (sometimes revenge) and help the poor in their town.  See what a group of hardworking and caring women can do when they band together in The Wives’ Revenge.

The Wives’ Revenge is an engaging novel that captured my attention from the very first page.  I found the book to be well-written and have very lifelike characters.  Thanks to the authors descriptions, I could visualize the town and her characters.  I thought the author did an excellent job at capturing the time period especially with the dialogue (though, I did not like the continual use of the word wench).  It was a very different time when the laws did not protect women and children.  But the ladies of the Wednesbury Wives’ could and would help them.  The Wives’ Revenge has a heartwarming ending.  I do want to mention that the book contains foul language, violence, murder and sexual assault.  Some of situations are just heartbreaking.  There is also love, respect, courage and lifelong friendships.  My rating for The Wives’ Revenge is 5 out of 5 stars (I loved it).  I found the authors use of what my father called “ten dollar words” amusing (I love big words) and I learned a new word too (coterie).  The Wives’ Revenge is one of those books that you will be thinking about for days after you finish it (it lingers in your mind).  I will be reading Lindsey Hutchinson’s next book The Lost Sisters (will be available on September 1).  

The next book up for review is Grace to the Finish by Julie Hyzy.  I am off to the grocery store. Those dogs need to quit eating so much (Doozy is such a chow hound). May you have a very special Saturday. Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader