The Widows of Braxton County: A Novel

Written by Jess McConkey

Narrated by Coleen Marlo

Widows of Braxton County by Jess McConkey is a haunting and suspenseful novel about family secrets and how well we really know the people we love.
 
Kate is looking forward to starting a new life with her new husband, Joseph Krause. She leaves the big city and moves with him to the Iowa farm that has been in his family for more than 140 years.
 
Instead of something out of Country Living, Kate finds life on the farm a struggle. She hears gossip from the unfriendly neighbors about the connection between the Krause family and a mysterious death decades before.
 
As the past creeps into Kate’s present, she’s caught in a web of dangerous, unexplainable events.
 
Jess McConkey, who is also published under the pseudonym Shirley Damsgaard, is an award-winning writer of short fiction.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: Jul 23, 2013
• ISBN: 9780062295743

Jess McConkey

Jess McConkey, aka Shirley Damsgaard, is an award-winning writer of short fiction and the author of the Ophelia and Abby mysteries and Love Lies Bleeding. She lives in a small Iowa town, where she served as postmaster for more than twenty years.

Reviews for The Widows of Braxton County

[jessicaofthebees · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Oh! A quick double twist? You're smart.

[valerietheblonde-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Oh! A quick double twist? You're smart.

[devlindusty · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The sins of the fathers visited onto the sons. Kate is a newlywed to her husband Joe Krause. They end up moving to his hometown and in with his mother which totally kills the excitement of a new life for Kate. Joe has a sinister side to him that Kate had not seen previously. Joes great-great grandfather was killed in the family farmhouse back in 1890. and he was an abusive husband to his wife Hannah.

[bookofsecrets · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Do sons bear the sins of their father? That’s the question facing new bride Kate Krause in Jess McConkey’s novel, THE WIDOWS OF BRAXTON COUNTY. Kate’s excitement over starting a new life with her husband Joe on his family’s farm quickly turns to despair when the dark side of Joe begins to emerge. Kate learns that Joe’s great-great grandfather was murdered in the farmhouse in 1890, and that he was a cold man who abused his wife Hannah. Rumor is that the Krause family is cursed because of Jacob’s cruelty, and tragedy has plagued the family for over a century.This was an intriguing murder mystery with a hint of the supernatural and so much more. The chapters alternated between Hannah in 1890 and Kate in present day. (I love dual time periods!) Both women were strong protagonists, and I was particularly impressed by Hannah’s strength and courage. The book addresses domestic violence, women’s rights and their place in society in the 19th century, and the struggles early suffragettes had to face. It also explores violent behavior of parents and its effects on children later in life.I enjoyed Coleen Marlo’s narration of this book. She gave a lively performance and did a fantastic job giving distinct voices to Kate, Hannah, and a sizable cast of secondary characters. A couple of the men had a noticeable growl to their voice, which I thought was appropriate given their disposition!THE WIDOWS OF BRAXTON COUNTY was a compelling novel with an important message and a satisfying surprise twist at the very end! This one’s going on my keeper shelf. Recommended to fans of mystery, suspense, family secrets, and women’s fiction. 4½ Stars!Source: A copy of this book was provided by Audible.com in exchange for an honest review.

[seasonsoflove_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The Widows of Braxton County does an excellent job of portraying two parallel stories, of two women caught in marriages that aren't what they expected, and two murders that are eerily similar, despite being separated by over a century. Kate, in 2012, uproots her whole life to live with Joe, her new husband, on his farm, but quickly discovers that there may be unforeseen consequences to her new life. And Hannah, at the end of the 19th century, is trapped in an abusive marriage, but soon finds things can get even worse. It's a gripping, well-written story that has some very interesting things to say about women's roles and how past deeds can drastically effect the future.

[tinasbookreviews · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Krause family are no strangers to town gossip, nor are the Krause men strangers to hard work, but for the women who marry them a life a struggle, disappointment and judgement usually follows. This is where we find our main characters Kate and Hannah- both women married to a Krause man, one in the 1890's and one in present day. The tale flows through both characters voice and alternates chapter by chapter weaving a story of murder, gossip and secrets.From page one this alluring story cast its spell on me, the writing and tone of the novel set a great atmosphere for a Gothic read, although this book falls into the contemporary-mystery genre, McConkey did an outstanding job blending modern day and the late 1800's into a creepy mystery, one that at times actually gave me the creeps......one that had me thinking after the lights went out. The book is by no means scary, but scary in the sense of what gossip and hate can do to a family and sad at how some stay forever trapped in the past. From both women's perspective we see the issue of abuse, fierce parental love (good and bad) and secrets that destroy families and while I very much connected with Hannah, the stronger character of the two, I admired the growth in Kate and came to appreciate and understand the choices she made.The ending was tremendous bringing both stories together and shedding light on the true mystery surrounding the Krause clan, boiling down to one hauntingly fun read and for sure worth the wait getting there.I would highly recommend The Widows of Braxton County to contemporary, thriller, mystery and Gothic ghost story lovers. For sure the sleeper hit of the summer, don't miss it.

[joyanne-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Hannah Krause gets out of bed one night to have a few moments away from her abusive husband, Joseph, who is asleep beside her. She checks on her young son then heads back downstairs and finds the door wide open. Going back to the bedroom she finds Joseph has been murdered. The story jumps to present day with newlyweds Kate and Joe on their way to his farm in the country. She's excited about having a place of their own but upon arriving at the farm she learns her domineering mother in law will be living them, something Joe neglected to mention. The very first night strange things begin to happen and as the days pass Kate realizes she doesn't really know her jerk of a husband at all. The book shifts back and forth from 1890 to present revealing the tumultuous relationship of Hannah and Joseph. With each page the story gets more suspenseful keeping me glued to the book, it flows smoothly back and forth in time. McConkey gives us mystery, romance, and lots of suspense, the characters are realistic, some you will like and others you will totally hate. A haunting tale of family secrets. I loved this book and highly recommend it! 5 out of 5 stars! I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[tmtrvlr · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Widows of Braxton County by Jess McConkey is a multi-generational story about the sins of the father. Kate marries Joseph Krause and moves to his family farm in Iowa. She has high hopes of a peaceful idyllic life, but the Krause family secrets creep into their lives.This book was a little different from the books I normally read, but I really did enjoy it. I appreciated the way the true meaning of "sins of the father" was presented and how it can be passed from generation to generation. It also has a message of hope of how the pattern can be changed.The book was well written and held my interest till the very end. I liked the characters, the friendships, and the amazing emotional growth of the main character.

[beamis12 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This story takes place on a farm in Iowa, 140 yrs. apart, with two similar deaths of two men. In the present day, Kate newly married, gets the shock of her young life when she arrives on the farm and finds her new mother-in-law in residence. Her husband just neglected to mention that part. She quickly learns and becomes part of small town gossip, family feuds and many family secrets. Can a family really be cursed? Can injustices ever be corrected? Can a ghost from the past reach out and calm with her presence? When history appears to repeat itself, Kate must use all her strength to decide who she trusts, and what she wants for her future. This is a light read, there is not much depth to the characters or the story. Despite this, however, I did like the mystery, the setting of a small town, and the characters. Kate especially seemed to grow stronger as the story progressed, changing from a naive young woman to a self realized person. Rose, is the type of feisty person I love in a story. So an enjoyable, light read.

[casmith4 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A nice easy summer read about a double mystery/murder. One occurred in the 1890's and the other in the present, but they are intertwined. Characters were quite predictable but there is an unexpected twist at the end.

[bjmitch_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Just finished this stunning mystery yesterday. It is set in rural Iowa in two time periods. The first is 1890 on the Krause farm where we meet Hannah Krause, wife of Jacob. Jacob is a brutish lout who beats her and has practically imprisoned her on the farm. Her teenage stepson lives in a cabin near the house because he hates Hannah. Her only purpose and joy in life is her nine year old son Willie. He's also Jacob's son but bears no resemblance to his father. Second, in 2012 we meet Kate, bride of Joseph Krause. He is bringing her home from the city to live on the farm. She doesn't know until they arrive that her crabby, nit-picking mother-in-law will be living there too. At the farm she gradually learns that Joseph has inherited some of Jacob's less than endearing qualities, and he and his mother live by 1890 rules as far as a woman's place is concerned.The Krause family split in half after Jacob's murder in 1890 and Kate's new family is ensnared in the hate they have nurtured in their hearts ever since, even though they kept the farm. Kate has to learn to stand up for herself and find friends she can trust as the continuing feud threatens to destroy her. I found myself wanting to grab Kate and implant some spine when she doubted herself and refused to speak up against what was happening, but reading on I discovered why she was that way.This is a riveting family saga involving women's rights, or lack thereof, and how hatred eats a person alive. Those of us who live in rural areas have known people who are incapable of changing with the times. We can relate to some of the characters in this story, but it still got my blood pressure up because the women were treated so unfairly. As you can imagine, gossip played a big part in what happened too.Highly recommendedSource: LibraryThing win

[kibosa_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed the parallel stories of murder and divided families from the 1890's and 2012. The information from the past was disclosed a little at a time and kept me guessing. I thought the ending was a little abrupt and would have liked more of Hannah and Willie's later life described in flashback chapters rather than explained in the present. Overall worth the read.

[tymfos · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I'm trying to read this, but I just can't stand it. It's the first ER book I've gotten that I just could not bear to finish. The protagonist comes across to me as a foolish, wimpy, whiny woman with no backbone, and I really can't say I care one bit what happens to her.OK, to be fair, maybe it's less a matter of the quality of the book as it is of my reaction to the protagonist and her incredibly poor judgment. But I don't feel the author doing much in her writing to make me understand and empathize with the character. At least in the opening third of the book, the characters in the book come across to me as shallow stereotypes, so it's hard to muster any interest in what will follow for these people.

[lajordan-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I received this title through the early reviewers program. I found it to be a quick read. The author goes back and forth between 1890 and current day with parallel events. Not much depth to the characters, but good story with an unexpected twist at the end. Perfect for a summer beach book or rainy day.

[bookaholicgirl · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I received this book through the Early Reviewers program.Kate moves with her new husband to his family farm looking forward to a wonderful life together. Unfortunately, life is not what she thought it would be and she discovers that her husband's family has many long-kept secrets.This book was not the book I thought it would be based on its description. It read as more of a romance novel than a mystery. Romance is not a genre I enjoy. That being said, the book was well written, the story was interesting and the family secrets did keep my interest. The book was a quick read and the characters were well developed. Readers who enjoy romantic mysteries would most likely enjoy this book.

[txwildflower_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

A quick read for your summer reading list which takes place in modern day 2012 and goes back to events that took place in the same house, the Krause homestead, in 1890. Two murders of two different men from different generations but all very similar in the way they happened. Two women were blamed for the crime. A little slow in places but an ending you don't see coming.

[coho8 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The two story lines in this book take place on an Iowa farm and its surrounding community in 1890 and 2012 and involve multiple generations of the same family. The author does a nice job switching smoothly between time periods. I don’t want to spoil the story by telling much about the intertwining plots except to say that incidents from the earlier time loom over the lives of many contemporary characters. It is difficult to categorize this book. There are mysterious goings-on in the farmhouse. Included are some aspects of the paranormal with whispers, screams and a refrain from an ominous music box, all of which provide a melodramatic sound track to the story. I thought that many of these peculiar elements were thrown in somewhat randomly throughout the book so that is not fully a “ghost story”, rather more a light mystery. Neither the plot nor the writing style (especially the dialog) is complex but this was a quick read that pulled me along to the end with some nice twists and turns along the way.

[jjnaaucoin · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I personally LOVED this book, couldn't put in down. The author switched time so easily and that is usually a big deal in a book, not this one. I wasn't the biggest fan of the main character, she seemed inconstantly flaky but I didn't have to like her to enjoy the tale this author spun. I will definitively be on the look out for this author.