Here was this young woman, who looked so tough yet so tender, who became sheriff after losing her husband in a brutal shooting. Perhaps that’s why the first photo I saw of Maude so fascinated me. At the time, I was sorrowful over a fracturing in the extended portion of my maternal family of origin. I came across Maude in researching the southeastern corner of Ohio for a quick trip to visit our daughter.

But it was the vivid voices of Lily Ross and Marvena Whitcomb that completely captivated my heart and kept me reading long into the night.Most simply, Kinship is the name I assigned to the county seat at the heart of fictional Bronwyn County in which Lily Ross- inspired by Maude Collins, Ohio’s true first female county sheriff in 1925-investigates the murder of her husband.īut just as Kinship is the heart of the beautiful yet challenging Appalachian county that serves as the setting for The Widows, kinship is the thematic heart of my novel and of future novels in the series.

Rich with historical details, yet fast paced, The Widows revolves around a murder investigation. 'With compassion and skill, Jess Montgomery deftly smashes stereotypes and puts a human face on the cost of coal mining in 1924 Appalachian Ohio. This is a novel about courage and the good hearts of women, and it builds, almost unbearably, to its stunning end.” - Lee Martin, Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of The Bright Forever 'Set when coal was king and the Pinkertons its strikebreakers, The Widows is a gripping, beautifully written novel about two women avenging the murder of the man they both loved.'-Hallie Ephron, New York Times bestselling author of You'll Never Know, Dear Jess Montgomery is a masterful storyteller. Praise for The Widows: “ The Widows kept me on the edge of my seat. From miles away but worlds apart, Lily and Marvena’s lives collide as they realize that Daniel was not the man that either of them believed him to be-and that his murder is far more complex than either of them could have imagined. Marvena Whitcomb, a coal miner’s widow, is unaware that Daniel has died, and begs to speak with him about her missing daughter. Hours after his funeral, a stranger appears at her door. Kinship, Ohio, 1924: When Lily Ross learns that her husband, Daniel Ross, the town’s widely respected sheriff, is killed while transporting a prisoner, she is devastated and vows to avenge his death. Inspired by the true story of Ohio’s first female sheriff, The Widows by Jess Montgomery is a powerful debut about two women’s search for justice as they take on the corruption at the heart of their community.

The widows a novel jess montgomery