Even though Chris Bohjalian’s The Jackal’s Mistress is not shampoo, the plot does have the kind of rhythm conjured by the three words found on pretty much all bottles of the stuff: lather, rinse, repeat ... Pleasing in its directness but simultaneously lacks a certain depth ... That doesn’t mean the novel is a drag to read. It’s hard not to get pulled in from the first sentence ... An anachronistic feel also plays havoc ... Inconsistency of language is the problem ... Despite all that, The Jackal’s Mistress gallops along, sweeping us up in its heart-pounding final pages, almost lifting free of its trappings.
Destined to be a classic worthy of Charles Dickens, Edgar Allan Poe, William Faulkner and Ernest Hemingway, and is easily one of the most powerful novels I have read in a long time ... Some of the most suspenseful reading I have experienced in quite a while ... An unforgettable read that cements Bohjalian’s placement on the literary Mount Rushmore of American writers and should appeal to readers of all genres.
In Libby, Jubilee, and Sally, Bohjalian, also the author of The Princess of Las Vegas (2024), once again demonstrates his profound respect for women, endowing his female protagonists with depth and nuance in an indelible testament to the transformative powers of resiliency, trust, and loyalty ... Bohjalian’s latest will attract his steadfast fans as well as avid readers of historical fiction, especially those seeking novels starring resourceful women.
A compelling story about two people who long for their spouses in a time of war ... A credit to the author’s imagination ... If there is a nit to pick, it’s with a title that might misdirect readers’ expectations. It’s not wrong, but don’t expect anything steamy or licentious.
Bohjalian skillfully rachets up the tension as rumors spread of a Union officer on the loose and Libby and the captain grow close. Readers will be glued to the page.
