The Yellow Wife

A Novel

By: Sadeqa Johnson

Narrated by: Robin Miles

A Best Book of the Year by NPR and Christian Science Monitor

Called “wholly engrossing” by New York Times bestselling author Kathleen Grissom, this “fully immersive” (Lisa Wingate, #1 bestselling author of Before We Were Yours) story follows an enslaved woman forced to barter love and freedom while living in the most infamous slave jail in Virginia.

Born on a plantation in Charles City, Virginia, Pheby Delores Brown has lived a relatively sheltered life. Shielded by her mother’s position as the estate’s medicine woman and cherished by the Master’s sister, she is set apart from the others on the plantation, belonging to neither world.

She’d been promised freedom on her eighteenth birthday, but instead of the idyllic life she imagined with her true love, Essex Henry, Pheby is forced to leave the only home she has ever known. She unexpectedly finds herself thrust into the bowels of slavery at the infamous Devil’s Half Acre, a jail in Richmond, Virginia, where the enslaved are broken, tortured, and sold every day. There, Pheby is exposed not just to her jailer’s cruelty but also to his contradictions. To survive, Pheby will have to outwit him, and she soon faces the ultimate sacrifice.

©2021 Sadeqa Johnson. All rights reserved. (P)2021 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

Critic reviews

NPR Best Book of 2021

Christian Science Monitor Best Book of 2021

You will get trapped in the story.

This may be the most powerful story I've ever heard. There parts where I held my breath waiting to hear what happened next. It's sad and bitter sweet but it's a story I felt like I just had to hear.

You Must Listen and So Must Your Children

Anyone who is anyone that wants a deeper understanding of slavery, the absolutely horrible treatment, the r*pe and mistreatment of both the men and women, and how easily human life was tossed aside needs to listen and/ or read this book. It’s time to stop saying people need to “get over” slavery.

Incredible

I can not put into words how much I, and I struggle here, because enjoyed is such a strange word to use simply because of the subject matter. Cringeworthy does not begin to describe some of the graphic scenes depicted but the way it gives the reader an awareness of just how cruel and barbaric people were treated is jolting. i recommend this book so that people never forget.

Much better than I hoped!

Amazing story telling! 100+ for narration.
Be sure to listen to the epilogue. The author explains how this story came to be.

My top 20 list

I didn't read just once, but twice. The writing is vivid and at times breath taking.

Spellbound

I loved this book so much! I found it really hard to listen too in parts though.

Excellent reimagined history and love story

The possibility of love and freedom with so few choices kept me reading. The abuse and lack of humanity shown in certain parts of the story rang painful true and consistent with nonfiction accounts of slavery that I’ve read. I greatly appreciate the author’s efforts to honor those known and unknown and highly recommended the Yellow Wife for all.

Remarkable telling of a very painful period in History

A friend recommended this book. It took some time for me to finish it because pieces are graphic but at same time true. This book is set in the area where I live and this history is very real.

Ms Johnson did a phenomenal job weaving the story with history. Robin Miles is one of my favorite narrators.

I’m glad I read this

So often I shiver when embarking on stories about slavery. There was so much family love and the joy between lovers was sweet. There was heartache and pain as well. The tenderness of the story and care made me extremely glad to read this novel. The author did a splendid job.

Enjoyed completely

Great story line, the main character had me completely hooked on her journey and strength as a mother.