The Penmaker's Wife

By: Steve Robinson

Narrated by: Clare Corbett

Length: 8 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's Summary

In Victorian England, a mother is on the run from her past - and the truth about what she did.

Birmingham, 1880. Angelica Chastain has fled from London with her young son, William. She promises him a better life, far away from the terrors they left behind.

Securing a job as a governess, Angelica captures the attention of wealthy widower Stanley Hampton. Soon they marry and the successful future Angelica envisaged for William starts to fall into place.

But the past will not let Angelica go. As the people in her husband’s circle, once captivated by her charm, begin to question her motives, it becomes clear that forgetting where she came from - and who she ran from - is impossible.

When tragedy threatens to expose her and destroy everything she’s built for herself and William, how far will she go to keep her secrets safe? And when does the love for one’s child tip over into dangerous obsession?

Alias Grace meets Peaky Blinders in this tale of obsession, ambition and murder in Victorian England.

©2019 Steve Robinson (P)2019 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Wow!

What a book! Lots of twists and turns. Could not but this book down until I finished.

Not Worth it

I have enjoyed most of Steve Robinson’s books but this one was disgusting. Sorry we bought it.

Totally unlikable protagonist

I picked this book because it appeared on a ton of “must read” book lists. I hated the main character from the start. I kept listening because I thought the “great” parts must be coming. They never did.

Surprise at Every Turn

Great book! As the story unfolds you find yourself in for more than you expect.

A page-turner that I did not want to end...

As an avid reader of historical fiction, I was excited to see this new title from author Steve Robinson. I had heard about it on Twitter and downloaded it the day it was released on Audible.

I was not disappointed.

From the start the story was full of twists and turns, with characters you can't help but love or loath! For lovers of historical fiction and mysteries, this is a damned good romp. The narration was fantastic, too. Attention to historic detail, with lots of local observations in London and Birmingham, gave this book a solid and believable base. The balance between historic detail and storytelling was a joy.

I, for one, want to meet Angelica again and see what other dastardly deeds she will get up to - please tell me there will be more to come!

Excellent.

Wonderful story of what a mother will do to secure her son's future,. The narrator is perfect, especially good at the children's voices.

Good plot but...

I generally like stories with a Victorian setting, especially murders! But this one I just couldn't get into. The setting and plot were well enough worked out, but they seemed built rather than grown, and never came to life for me. I couldn't find even the smallest grain of sympathy for the main character. In addition her son, for whom she did all she did, was a more or less complete blank. Without empathy, I didn't care what happened. I can't say I enjoyed this one.