The Next Ship Home: A Novel of Ellis Island

Written by Heather Webb

Narrated by Kathryn Markey

A young Italian woman arrives on the shores of America, her sights set on a better life. That same day, a young American woman reports to her first day of work at the immigration center. But Ellis Island isn’t a refuge for Francesca or Alma, not when ships depart every day with those who are refused entry to the country
and when corruption ripples through every corridor. While Francesca resorts to desperate measures to ensure she will make it off the island, Alma fights for her dreams of becoming a translator, even as women are denied the chance.

As the two women face the misdeeds of a system known to manipulate and abuse immigrants searching for new hope in America, they form an unlikely friendship and share a terrible secret—altering their fates and the lives of the immigrants who come after them.

Inspired by true events and for fans of Kristina McMorris and Hazel Gaynor, The Next Ship Home holds up a mirror to our own times, deftly questioning America’s history of prejudice and exclusion while also reminding us of our citizens’ singular
determination. This is a novel of the dark secrets of Ellis Island, when entry to “the land of the free” promised a better life but often delivered something drastically different and when immigrant strength and female friendship found ways to triumph even on the darkest days.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 8, 2022
• ISBN: 9781705060834

Heather Webb

Heather Webb is the award-winning and USA Today bestselling author of ten historical novels, including her most recent The Next Ship Home, Queens of London, and Strangers in the Night. To date, her books have been translated to eighteen languages. She lives in Connecticut with her family and two mischievous cats. 

Reviews for The Next Ship Home

[Marcia Cartie Hron · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very well written and narrated! Lots of historical details and strong character development. Only negative was that I felt this concluded in a highly unlikely manner that leads women to believe they don’t need proof of harassment and that it isn’t “a man’s world”. Sadly, it still IS a man’s world with little foreseeable change.

[Elizabeth Hernandez · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love it. I didn’t know many things about Ellis island.

[jared · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great book. So interesting and much better than I expected.

[Sharon L Chambers · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is so good; one of the best I’ve read this year.

[janarose1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Both Alma and Francesca find themselves at Ellis Island. Alma, a worker, is in charge of translating for the immigrants and running various errands. Francesca and her sister arrive on a boat from Italy, hoping to start a new life in America. However, Francesca's sister falls ill and without a sponsor, both find themselves detained. Alma, conflicted about immigrants, finds herself drawn to Francesca. The two develop an unlikely friendship and find themselves as allies. I enjoyed reading from both Francesca and Alma's points of view. They were both dynamic, well rounded, and very believable characters. I also found it fascinating to read about Ellis Island. I have read few books about Ellis Island and will definitely pick up more in the future. Overall, highly recommended.

[mrs.dubois · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was totally absorbing from page one!America was built on the backs of immigrants and this book hits home on the types of behaviors many endured as they entered America and joined the ranks of common labor. Thank you to Sourcebooks for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

[fredreeca · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Alma is having some tough times at home. Her step father wants her out of his house. He wants her married and gone. So, he gets her a job at Ellis Island for starters. Here, Alma comes across 2 young immigrant sisters from Italy. She becomes fast friends with one of the young ladies, Francesca. When Francesca’s sister dies, it becomes a battle to be able to stay in America.Alma really came into her own in this book. She developed a backbone and stood up for what was right. I found her situation intriguing. Then, there is Francesca. Her life is so totally different from Alma’s and it becomes very complicated the further you move along in the story. You will have to read this to find out!The only reason for the 4 stars is because the book has a very slow start and the conversations are a bit stilted. This part of the book needs a good editor in my opinion. But, I loved the history in this book. I very much enjoyed learning about the process of coming through Ellis Island and the questionable staff with all their corruptions and complications. What these people went through to achieve their dreams…frightening in so many ways!Need a well researched historical fiction…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

[kristyn44 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A beautifully written book about a dark time in New York's and the US' history. If you are looking for a great historical novel about Ellis Island this is it. It does have some hard parts that warrant a few TW: sexual assault, mention of suicide, abuse, and death. This story follows 2 women from opposite sides of the situation, one who is running from an abusive past in Italy, and the other who has recently started working at Ellis Island. Each are fighting for their dreams and secrets will be exposed. Told in alternating perspectives, readers follow the struggles of two women at the height of the immigration wave at Ellis Island. Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark and Heather Webb for the review copy in exchange for an honest review.

[jhscolloquium · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Author Heather Webb's main characters, Anna Brauer and Francesca Ricci, are entirely fictional. Alma, age twenty-one and unmarried, lives in a tenement in Kleindeutschland (Little Germany), one of many communities within New York City situated within just a few blocks that remained separate, the inhabitants understanding their respective roles within the strictures of society. Alma's family and friends steer clear of the Irish, Italian, Russian, and Jewish neighborhoods, and "the squalor the newly arrived immigrants bring to the city." Her stepfather, Robert, and mother, Johanna, run a bierhaus in the basement where they serve German customers. "Alma had never questioned her parents' views. In fact, they'd instilled their own unease" about people unlike them in her. To disarm her anxiety, she learned other languages in order to understand people different from her and her family. Learning of her activities, her stepfather has forbidden Alma and her older brother, Fritz, from continuing to study Italian, demanding that they remain steeped in German tradition, "a known aspect of their lives, comforting in its predictability." But Alma will not be dissuaded, sneaking away whenever possible to learn more.Alma's parents are anxious to move to a better neighborhood and Robert, who constantly refers to Alma as a burden, announces that he has arranged with John Lambert, the chief inspector at Ellis Island, for Alma to begin work there as a matron. She is to contribute her wages to the household and continue working in the bierhaus in the evenings and on weekends. Alma is mortified at the thought of being sent off to work among "a horde of unruly, dirty immigrants," convinced it will ruin her reputation and dissuade any possible suitors. After all, Ellis Island, the immigration station, is called Tranen Insel -- Island of Tears.Meanwhile, Francesca and her sister, Maria, abandoned by their mother years ago, have run away from their abusive alcoholic father in Italy, crossing the Atlantic in steerage where passengers are crammed together in the filthy bowels of the ship with little food or water. Francesca has already sacrificed a great deal in order to get herself and Maria aboard the ship, proving that she will do whatever it takes to survive and protect her beloved sister. But Maria has grown increasingly ill and they have used up their water rations. Desperate to help her sister and aided by her compassionate fellow passengers, Francesca bluffs her way up to first-class in search of water. There, she encounters the benevolent Marshall Lancaster and his haughty mother. Not only does Marshall give Francesca water, he also offers her his card, telling her, "I hope you will consider me your first friend in America." His address is Park Avenue. Francesca is resolved that once she reaches America, she will never have to steal or "beg for charity again."From 1892 to 1954, Ellis Island served as the immigration station for millions of immigrants escaping war, drought, famine, and religious persecution for the promise of a better life in the United States. All arriving immigrants were tagged with information gleaned from their ship’s registry. They were funneled into long lines in which they waited to undergo medical and legal inspections before being admitted into the country. Some were detained on the island for days or even weeks until their suitability to enter the United States was confirmed. Others were deemed ineligible and sent back to the country from which they had traveled, their hopes dashed. Webb convincingly takes readers to the island with Alma, describing the ferry trip, the sounds and smells, and the sea of confused, frightened immigrants with whom Alma must contend, along with Mrs. Keller, the head matron and her supervisor. From the outset, Mrs. Keller seems determined to give Alma the most challenging and taxing assignments. "The guards and inspectors do the sorting" of the immigrants as they arrive, while the matrons are specifically charged with helping the female immigrants and their children. Mrs. Keller makes clear that the questions asked by the inspectors are designed to "find reasons to deport the immigrants" in order to "keep our country safe from the worst kinds of people." She also warns Alma to stay out of the way of Commissioner Fitchie (a scandalous actual historical figure) and that "there are a few others you should avoid, but you'll learn that in time on your own." Alma soon puts her study of other languages, particularly Italian and Russian, to good use in an effort to explain to the immigrants what will be required of them and what their futures hold.Alma soon encounters Francesca and Maria, and even though she has been warned not to become personally involved in the immigrants' lives and plights, she cannot help but take the sisters into her heart. She risks a job she is learning to love in order to assist Francesca. With Alma's help, Francesca reaches out to the man who promised to be her first friend and secures her future in New York City. Or at least it appears that way. But John Lambert, a fictional character loosely based on John Legerhilder, an inspector who was described as "dictatorial and cruel," threatens the independence and freedom that both Alma and Francesca are working hard to attain. Francesca finds herself choosing between acceding to the inspector's repugnant demands or being deported back to Italy and her abhorrent father. With an iron will and unwavering determination to find her way in America, free from her father's domination and physical abuse, Francesca does not regret her choice. Alma, deemed plain by her overbearing stepfather, is informed that he has promised Alma will marry Lambert without her knowledge or consent. Alma is appalled and angered at being treated like chattel, and feels further betrayed as her mother silently goes along with her stepfather's machinations. Alma is painfully aware she will disgrace her family and herself if she refuses to marry Lambert. But she neither knows nor loves him, and with each passing day she learns more about him and the disturbing way business is conducted on Ellis Island. She must find a way to break off the engagement.Webb cleverly includes fictionalized newspaper accounts of ongoing investigations into employees and vendors, ordered by President Roosevelt. Eventually Commissioner Fitchie was replaced by Commissioner William Williams, as recounted in the book. He was dispatched to determine the source and nature of the corruption, and clean up the island's operations. His arrival shakes up the employees, who are interviewed individually and warned that they must report wrongdoing. Alma witnesses misconduct and hears about more, but in a story that could appear in the headlines in any city in America today, her supervisor refuses to take action, leaving Alma to risk retaliation if she goes over Mrs. Keller's head. Webb's characters are fully developed and empathetic. In Webb's skilled telling of her story, Alma, who is naive, sheltered, and obedient at the outset, transforms into a strong young woman who rejects her parents' view of the world and the "others" who inhabit it with her. She develops a genuine friendship with Francesca and learns a great deal from her about self-worth and self-assurance. She discovers strength that she never knew she possessed and needs it when she decides that she must do the right thing -- in the workplace and her personal life. Francesca settles into her role as a live-in cook for the Lancasters, even winning over Mrs. Lancaster with the delicious dishes she prepares. She also develops warm relationships with most of her coworkers and savors sleeping in the most comfortable bed she has even known, grateful that her days of stealing and scrapping in order to survive are behind her. She even grows close to Fritz, who flirts with danger and the possibility of losing his job with the railway by serving as a leader in the anarchist movement. But Francesca's new-found security is soon threatened and she learns that the price of her hard-won freedom may be giving up everything she has worked for, along with her new home.Both Alma and Francesca defy convention, refusing to be subjugated and minimized, constrained by the roles they are expected to play within the social structures of their time. Webb aptly observes that their stories "highlight the vulnerabilities of women in the early twentieth century." But they also effectively illustrate how some aspects of women's lives haven't changed at all in the past hundred years. Women who are sexually harassed and manipulated in the workplace still face retribution and ostracism for standing up for their rights, as the #MeToo movement demonstrated. Moreover, Webb hopes readers appreciate that "many of the challenges Francesca faces are still issues for immigrants around the globe."The Next Ship Home succeeds on two levels. It is an illuminating look at Ellis Island's purpose and operations, and the unique and important role it played in shaping the immigrant experience and history. It is estimated that nearly forty percent of all current United States citizens can trace at least one of their ancestors to Ellis Island. Part of the National Park Service since 1965, Ellis Island has been open to the public since 1976. Thus, it remains a destination for the millions of Americans who visit, hoping for a glimpse into their own family history. And The Next Ship Home is an absorbing and relatable story of two young women from completely different backgrounds who come to understand and care for each other, establishing a friendship that strengthens, empowers, and forever changes both of them. Their story is as relevant today as it was more than a century ago. The Next Ship Home is a must-read selection for fans of American historical fiction.Thanks to NetGalley for an Advance Reader's Copy of the book.

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

In 1902, Francesca Ricci and her sister, Maria are leaving their only home they've ever known and their abusive father in Sicily aboard a ship to the USA.  With no one to meet them and no jobs lined up, the Ricci sisters are hoping for a miracle upon their arrival.  Alma Bauer works at her family bierhaus, but her stepfather wants her to bring in more income.  He finds Alma a job at Ellis Island with the matrons.  At first, Alma does not want to help the immigrants, but she finds purpose in translating and helping people.  Alma is taken by the Ricci sister's cause, especially after Francesca helps her.  Alma decides to help Francesca stay in the USA and not have to go home on the next ship home.   As Alma and Francesca's lives intertwine, they help each other more than they could imagine.  The Next Ship Home is a sweeping historical fiction novel of Ellis Island.  Webb's beautiful writing sets the scene of chaos, confusion, hope, sadness and enchantment that makes up Ellis Island.  Francesca and Alma came alive as their stories unfolded. They saw themselves as very different but found strength in their friendship and were both able to learn and grow as people and women in America.  I was amazed at their ability to overcome a series of situations that seemed impossible and loved the way that their stories were linked together.  Through Francesca and Alma, the many types of oppression of women were explored: from exploitation, abuse, rape, non-consensual marriages, and reliance upon men for basic needs. I have always adored Webb's writing and the way that real historical information is weaved in throughout.  Through the story, I learned of the drama of the commissioners of Ellis Island and the rampant mistreatment of immigrants that came through.  With that, I also learned of the movements that immigrants and the people of New York were able to create from their struggles including the labor movement, the subway system, and women's rights.  This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

[susan0316 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

his wonderful new book of historical fiction by Heather Webb is a look at Ellis Island in 1902. At this time there were as many as 5,000 people per day coming to America on ships from other countries who wanted to start a new life here. They had to be processed, medically checked and they needed to have a sponsor before they were accepted. These people who were yearning for freedom had come in steerage from their countries and arrived at Ellis Island hungry and sick, poorly clothed and confused with the process. When they arrived at Ellis Island it took several hours to stand in line to be processed and medically cleared. Most didn't speak English and needed an interpreter. There was also a lot of corruption at Ellis Island from the people who were working there who took bribes and harassed the immigrants.Francesca and her sister Maria escaped Sicily to get away from their abusive father. Marie has been sick most of the trip and Francesca worries that her sister may not get approval to stay in the United States and they will both be sent back to Sicily. She speaks minimal English and is helped by an interpreter, Alma on her first day working on Ellis Island. As she feared, Maria was not healthy enough to pass the medical assessment so she was sent to the hospital. Plus Francesca didn't have a sponsor so it began to look like they may be sent back to Sicily. Alma takes a personal interest in these two women and does what she can to help them.Alma lives in the German section of NYC and helps her parents and family with their restaurant. She is content to help her family and take care of her sisters but her step-father has decided that she's not really helping the family plus she's too ugly for anyone to want to marry her so he gets her a job at Ellis Island as a matron. Their main jobs are helping the doctors, working with registration and basically doing everything that no one else wants to do. When they find out that she can speak several languages, she also gets called when an interpreter is needed. After being taught that anyone but Germans are dirty and lazy and less than....she quickly learns that that they are all people just like her looking for a better life.Alma becomes interested in Francesca's life and works to keep her from being deported. Once Francesca finds a job, the two women become friends despite their differences. When Alma has to make some decisions about reporting corruption at Ellis Island, she relies on help from Francesca. Both of them work to have a better life and to be able to make their own decisions about their future.It's apparent that the author has done considerable research into Ellis Island and the way the immigrants were treated. She created two wonderful, real characters in Francesca and Alma and I quickly cared about both women and them being successful in life despite continued problems.

[lorikboyd · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” This is inscription on the Statue of Liberty that welcomed immigrants to our country. Immigrants looking for a better life for themselves and their family….just like Francesca, our first voice, and her sister Maria, from Italy. After a trip wrought with illness, hunger and deplorable conditions, one can only imagine the relief and hope they felt while landing on Ellis Island. But, looks can be deceiving as Francesca learns of the dark side of this island very early. And she, like so many others, will do anything to stay.Alma, our second voice, is a German American living with her parents and work in the family business. She is made to work as a Matron at Ellis Island. Due to her ability to pick up languages, she becomes an asset and a calming influence to many immigrants. She has aspirations, but is forced with roadblocks due to her sex. Fate brings her and Francesca together and an unusual bond is formed. Well written and researched, Ms. Webb opens the door to the dark side of Ellis Island, which I knew nothing about. My heart went out to both women in tough situations and having to make hard decisions. The story is engaging, grabbing me at the beginning, then slowing down slightly, only to reel me in till I could finish it in a sitting. I found the pecking order of the immigrants interesting, wishing my own sets of grandparents were around to talk to about this. Such a heartfelt, enlightening read. Thanks to Ms. Webb, Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.