The Jackal’s Mistress

Bohjalian (The Princess of Las Vegas) unspools a tense tale about a Confederate soldier’s wife who treats a wounded Union captain in 1864 Virginia. Libby Steadman, 24, operates a mill in the Shenandoah Valley with Joseph, who was formerly enslaved by the family of her husband, Peter, a Confederate soldier held captive in a Union prison. When an armed marauder tries to rape Libby, Joseph kills him with a shovel. A parallel narrative follows Union Cpt. Jonathan Weybridge, a college professor from Vermont, who is charging a hillside near Libby’s home with his regiment when he’s struck by cannon fire. He’s taken to a hospital tent, where his leg is partially amputated and his mangled hand is bandaged. Later, he awakes to find he’s been left behind. While Joseph’s wife is out foraging, she hears Jonathan’s yells and reports him to Libby, who’s furious the Union Army has left him to die and secretly takes him in. Though Jonathan is severely weak, Libby tries to heal him, and eventually bribes a doctor to treat him with medicine that she and Joseph plan to get from the Union garrison at Harper’s Ferry some 20 miles north. 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. Agent: Deborah Schneider, Gelfman Schneider Literary. (Mar.)