What a superb read! This is a work of historical fiction but based around a true story and the author has done a fantastic job of taking the bare bone details of somebody’s life that are available through the archives and creating a credible and engrossing story.

Nancy Rudolph lived in Virginia in the 18th century, growing up on a plantation and involved in her youth in a major scandal surrounding the possible birth and death of a baby to her brother-in-law. The family, closely connected to the Jeffersons, are important enough in society for this to have consequences for her and those around her for the rest of their lives. Of course, the exact details of what happened are impossible to know but Kate Braithwaite has obviously looked closely at the stories that were around at the time, at the court case, at the ensuing lives of those involved and pieced together an excellent version of what may have been.

The sense of time and place is perfectly done, and there’s a real sense of the stifling lives they lead, judged constantly by those around them and how fragile everything is (of course their position is in no way analogous to the slaves on the plantation but this story centres more on the family in the house rather than the politics of the time). The story focuses mostly on the women, particularly Nancy and her sister Judy, and their lack of control over their own lives. Both are sympathetic but have their own flaws and are very believable as people. It’s so frustrating to see what happens to them and how little they can do about it, yet they are both also products of their time and accept it as just what happens. The central mystery over the birth is handled beautifully and I read the book in one sitting as I was so eager to find out what was going to happen to everyone.

I will definitely read more of Kate Braithwaite’s work – I loved her style of writing and, as historical fiction, it was especially good to see how detailed her research into the story and era was.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

Adventure, mystery, and different from any other book. Nancy will make you wonder. Thanks, NetGalley for the Arc.