#17 The River Wife by Jonis Agee

This is not a particularly big book, but there is a whole lot of story packed into the pages!

The River Wife tells the tale of four women. Annie Lark, a young handicapped wife in the 1800's.Her life is filled with tragedy and heartbreak. She marrys a french fur trader, Jacques Ducharme who seems to be her savior. However, she quickly learns of his greedy side and discovers his pirating schemes and greed. Her life is ended early, but she continues to haunt her husband and future inhabitants of their home.

Omah, a freed slave , soon becomes Jacques partner and "right hand woman." She builds a fortune off of other people's treasures and has to fight her own conscience as often as she fights off her enemies.

Litte Maddie, is Jacques daughter. She finds herself alone at 17 and learns to take care of herself and her father's farm when he goes missing. She is a young woman on her own in the 1800's and is not respected or even expected to survive.
To everyone's surprise, she proves herself and then some. But when it comes time to collect her father's fortune, she learns that her father set quite a few traps for her.

And lastly, Hedie Rails, marries Jacques great-grandson, Clement, in the 1930's. He seems to have inherited his ancestor's greedy nature and makes a living as a gangster and booze runner during Prohibition. Hedie now lives in the house where
the three previous women inhabited and finds the "family book". She reads their stories and is shocked at how similar her own life is. Is there a Ducharme curse? And did the old river pirate, Jacques Ducharme, try and save the future generations?
Will Annie Lark ever rest in peace? And will the family curse finally end with Hedie and Clement or will the past repeat itself?


This book truly felt like four novels in one. I am amazed at Joni Agee's ability to intertwine all these stories and still maintain a real storyline. I loved the book, and though it was truly heartbreaking, it did end with a little light of hope.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good story, whether you like historical fiction or mysteries. (cause everyone loves a treasure hunt!). Romance lovers will rejoice in the love stories and heartache.