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The Traitor's Wife

by Kathleen Kent (Goodreads Author)

3.59 of 5 stars 3.59 · rating details · 1,686 ratings · 389 reviews

In the harsh wilderness of colonial Massachusetts, Martha Allen works as a servant in her cousin's household, taking charge and locking wills with everyone. Thomas Carrier labors for the family and is known both for his immense strength and size and mysterious past. The two begin a courtship that suits their independent natures, with Thomas slowly revealing the story of hi...more

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Published January 7th 2011 by Macmillan Publishers Ltd. (first published October 22nd 2010)

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Dec 28, 2010 Jeanette rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: all-fiction, historical-fiction, america, europe-and-british-isles

Boy meets girl, 17th-Century style. This is the story of how Thomas and Martha Carrier met, fell in love, and married. If you've read The Heretic's Daughter, you know they didn't quite live happily ever after, but that's twenty years down the road from The Wolves of Andover.

A little brush-up on English history is nice here, tied in to Thomas's life before he came to America. It's the stuff you learned in public school and then promptly dumped from your memory. When you read it you'll say oh, ye...more

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Sep 24, 2011 Mary (BookHounds) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, from-publisher-author

Originally titled, The Wolves of Andover, The Traitor's Wife is a prequel to The Heretic's Daughter. The new title is more befitting since the wolves are a minor detail throughout the story. This is the story of Martha Allen and her romance with Thomas Carrier during colonial times in the newly colonized America. If you have read the Crucible and know anything about the Salem witch trials, you are already familiar with bits of this tale. The author is a decedent of the Carrier family. Martha is...more

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Jul 22, 2011 Hannah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-reads, historicals

The Wolves of Andover is somewhat of a companion book to Kathleen Kent's: The Heretic's Daughter, although it can be read as a stand alone novel. It traces the relationship of Martha Allen and Thomas Carrier (the parents of Sarah Carrier from The Heretic's Daughter).

Martha, a hard-headed and free-thinking woman of colonial Mass. Bay Colony, is a spinster at the ripe age of 19, and fears the loss of her independent thought through marriage just as much as spinsterhood (if not more). It takes the...more The Wolves of Andover is somewhat of a companion book to Kathleen Kent's: The Heretic's Daughter, although it can be read as a stand alone novel. It traces the relationship of Martha Allen and Thomas Carrier (the parents of Sarah Carrier from The Heretic's Daughter).

Martha, a hard-headed and free-thinking woman of colonial Mass. Bay Colony, is a spinster at the ripe age of 19, and fears the loss of her independent thought through marriage just as much as spinsterhood (if not more). It takes the slow and steady wooing of Thomas Carrier to convince her that a bonding with this man will be a marriage of two equal minds and hearts.

The chapters alternate between Martha's life as a serving woman to her petulant married cousin to the storyline featuring a group of hired assassins sent from King Charles II to hunt down and bring to justice the executioner of his father, King Charles I. The executioner was a member of Cromwell's New Model Army. He was extremely tall and strong. His name was Thomas Morgan, but most believe he changed his name after leaving England and now goes by the name of Thomas Carrier. Is Martha's stoic and soft-spoken suitor really a regicide? What does that mean for their relationship? Can she trust this man with not only her heart, but her life?

Kent's novel explores these and other questions with the same deft hand she used for The Heretic's Daughter. I enjoyed re-entering Kent's colonial world and learning more about Sarah's parents and how they came to be together. However, I didn't find this story as strong or as absorbing as Kent's first novel, for while I liked Martha's plotline very much, the storyline containing the assassins was very distracting and boring IMO. There wasn't a great deal of factual historical "meat" to flavor this offering like The Heretic's Daughter, and it showed. Coming in at only 290 pages (using a large font, to boot), there wasn't a great deal of reading "meat" to savor either.

Overall, a decent read, but not as spectacular as her debut. However, Kent will remain an author to watch.
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Apr 05, 2011 CoffeeBook Chick rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Note: In order to effectively review The Wolves of Andover, I have to discuss Kathleen Kent's incredible debut, The Heretic's Daughter.

There wasn't any doubt I wanted to read Kathleen Kent's The Wolves of Andover since I loved her first book, The Heretic's Daughter, so much. I read and reviewed it and a few other books about Salem in this post here.

Part of my desire to read her first book, other than my own interest in the Salem Witch Trials, was because Kathleen Kent is a direct descendant on...more Note: In order to effectively review The Wolves of Andover, I have to discuss Kathleen Kent's incredible debut, The Heretic's Daughter.

There wasn't any doubt I wanted to read Kathleen Kent's The Wolves of Andover since I loved her first book, The Heretic's Daughter, so much. I read and reviewed it and a few other books about Salem in this post here.

Part of my desire to read her first book, other than my own interest in the Salem Witch Trials, was because Kathleen Kent is a direct descendant on her mother's side of Martha Carrier, one of the nineteen victims who was hanged for being pronounced a witch. To some degree, most people are fascinated by this event. A few ill-placed rumors and frenzied actions created one of the most pervasive panics, resulting in innocent men, women, and children to live in deplorable conditions in the town jail, only to be executed because they would never agree that they were witches.

The Heretic's Daughter is told through the young, strong voice of Sarah Carrier, their daughter, as her family deals with the accusations against Martha. Kept in a filthy cell for months, with only a bucket to share with other prisoners for a toilet, their final sentence of death is heart-wrenching to read.

Kent's second book, The Wolves of Andover, takes place well before these fateful events. It's the story of how Martha and Thomas met and the relationship that ultimately secured their friendship and loyalty to each other. When Martha is nineteen-years-old, she goes to help tend the home while her cousin struggles in her final months of pregnancy. Thomas is a man living and working to save for his own plot of land by helping Martha's cousin and her husband on the farm. Initially a quiet existence, it is a peek into the world of 17th century America, the subtle but sweet courtship that occurs, and the secrets that are part of both Martha's and Thomas' pasts. Life during this time is just plain hard. Everything, everyone, could be untrustworthy - they could easily be a wolf to come prey upon your most intimate vulnerabilities.

But this is also about Thomas and the rumors whirling about him. As a Welshman and member of the Royal Guard of the King of England when he was younger, he is rumored to be the executioner of Charles I, and there is a bounty on his head. The colonies are known to have kept quiet the whereabouts of those who contributed to the rebellion against the king, those who followed Oliver Cromwell on the battlefields. But will the town remain quiet when the four thugs who are hired in London make the dangerous journey across the Atlantic to hunt down Thomas?

It's truly amazing how Martha and Thomas are significantly entrenched in two very distinct events in history - a King overthrown in one country, and the mass hysteria of the Salem Witch Trials in another.

Part of the reason why I love Kathleen Kent's books so much is that her work is unbelievably polished. Her scenes are as pure and true to how one might write and read in the 17th century, without losing any sense of its "readability" in our modern times. Each scene smoothly transitions to the next. Character development is such a key strength with her work and while Martha's strength to fight back is documented in history, her famous words confidently spoken during her courtroom trial without fear, "You lie! I am wronged.... It is false and a shame for you to mind what these say, that are out of their wits!" it is the quiet, strong, and unbelievably tall and honorable Thomas who engaged my interest even more so in this book.

While The Heretic's Daughter introduced her to the world, The Wolves of Andover has unquestionably and firmly established Kathleen Kent as an expert author, one whose books should always be kept on your shelf.

Read her work in the order it was published and intended: First, The Heretic's Daughter and then The Wolves of Andover. You know what is going to ultimately happen to these two noble and tough people in the early years, but they don't, and this is where it is so genuinely moving and tragic. Kathleen Kent has such a captivating way of bringing you directly into the heart of the tragedies, and for that I am extremely thankful to read her work, and I look forward to much, much more from her.

If you're interested in the Salem Witch Trials, the people who were part of it, and their story of who they were before the trials, the humanity and the sadness of this terrible time, you should probably go get this book right away.(less)

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Nov 16, 2011 Ashley rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When I saw this as a prequel to The Heritics Daughter I wanted to read it. I enjoyed Kathleens previous novel and was excited to read more from her.

I loved the story, I loved the way it helped me understand the story of Martha from "The Heritics Daughter" and what made Martha the way she was. Kathleen is a descriptive writer, using sight and smell to help you feel what was going on. I really enjoy her writing and the way she plots her story. With that said...

We all have different standards. Be i...more

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Jul 28, 2011 Vianh rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really enjoyed "Heretic's Daughter" and looked forward to this prequel coming out so when I received it for Christmas I was excited to get started. I was disappointed however to find that the book had many parts in it that were vulgar and at times even lewd. I do understand that the purpose was to explain what life was like in 17th century London and the kind of people living there, however, I think much of it, including the bad language, could have been omitted without the story suffering at...more

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Mar 13, 2011 Wisteria Leigh rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If you read Heretic� s Daughter and liked it as much as I did, then The Wolves of Andover will be a gratifying encore! Taking place in Massachusetts, during the Colonial time period beginning in 1649, the setting is a personal favorite of mine. As the author states in her author� s notes at the beginning of the novel, the characters are based on actual people. In 1692, Martha Allen Cartier was accused and hanged as a witch in Salem. She was married to Thomas Cartier and had children with him. Ke...more If you read Heretic� s Daughter and liked it as much as I did, then The Wolves of Andover will be a gratifying encore! Taking place in Massachusetts, during the Colonial time period beginning in 1649, the setting is a personal favorite of mine. As the author states in her author� s notes at the beginning of the novel, the characters are based on actual people. In 1692, Martha Allen Cartier was accused and hanged as a witch in Salem. She was married to Thomas Cartier and had children with him. Kent weaves a dramatic story of intrigue around these two characters based on her research and family lore. [return][return]Thomas, in the novel, is pursued by a party of ruthless men, desperate to capture him. Their cold indifference to life and harsh methods of acquiring information are brutal. The action provided by the relentless stalkers is chilling at times reflecting the barbaric and crude methods of punishment and slow painful death and suffering of the condemned typical during this period. Kent holds nothing back in this boldly graphic and haunting tale. [return][return]Martha, comes to live with Patience and husband, Daniel. To date, her woeful nature has discouraged any suitable marital possibilities. She has come to assist her cousin Patience with her pregnancy. Martha is determined to be more than a servant and soon insinuates herself as a strong force in the household. A blooming courtship between the obdurate and wise Martha and the mysteriously silent and serious Thomas is predictable and satisfying. Kent gently teases the reader as their friendship and trust for each other moves forward with just the right sensual tension and sweetness. [return][return]As I read The Wolves of Andover, I became curious about the political and religious climate in England during the reign of King Charles I that led to his execution. I love when historical fiction is an impetus to pursue further study of history. Once again, Kathleen Kent has written an inspiring read that will give you much to ponder and generate inquiry into the past.[return][return]

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Mar 09, 2013 Ricki Treleaven rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This week I read The Wolves of Andover by Kathleen Kent. Last year, my Dixie Diva Book Club read Kent's first book, The Heretic's Daughter. I was not real happy about the selection because I had just finished The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe. Both Howe and Kent are descendants of women hanged during the Salem Witch Trials, and both books are about the authors' ancestors. I enjoyed both books, and I am truly glad I read both because they are nothing alike. When I heard that...more This week I read The Wolves of Andover by Kathleen Kent. Last year, my Dixie Diva Book Club read Kent's first book, The Heretic's Daughter. I was not real happy about the selection because I had just finished The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe. Both Howe and Kent are descendants of women hanged during the Salem Witch Trials, and both books are about the authors' ancestors. I enjoyed both books, and I am truly glad I read both because they are nothing alike. When I heard that Kent had written the prequel to The Heretic's Daughter, I asked my husband to buy it for me for Christmas because I wanted it for our family library.

The Wolves of Andover explains many of the family secrets hinted at in The Heretic's Daughter. Martha Allen, the main character in The Wolves of Andover (and the accused witch in The Heretic's Daughter), is sent to live with her cousin Patience and her husband as a household servant. They have two young children, and Patience is expecting her third. Martha is unmarried, and her shrewish demeanor and independent streak is unlikely to attract a husband. The cousins have also employed a mysterious Welshman named Thomas Carrier and his younger Scottish friend, John. When Martha is attacked by a wolf, horrible memories surface, and Thomas senses that she is hiding secrets. He recognizes a kindred spirit because he is hiding secrets of his own. Thomas fought for Cromwell during the English Civil War, and rumors are whispered that a tall Welshman executed King Charles. As Charles II sends his agents and spies to the colonies in search for those responsible for regicide, will the network of colonial spies alert Thomas before it is too late?

Kathleen Kent does an incredible job researching Colonial America. She is one of my favorite historical fiction writers. In both books you see, hear, taste, feel, and smell the harsh, day-to-day living conditions. I enjoyed learning so much more about Martha and her character; how she met Thomas; their secrets; and how they both fell in love with each other. I also noticed Martha's intuitive gifts a few times. Please do not mistake this book as simply a romance. It is not for the squeamish, and Kent does not shy away from writing extremely violent scenes. She also has a gift for poetic justice that will make you smile.

I love this book, and now I want to go back and re-read The Heretic's Daughter.
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Jan 13, 2013 Emily rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Overall I thought this book was boring and confusing. Chapters often started in the point of view of some new character and it took two or more pages of the chapter just to figure out what was going on and where it was happening. It was really confusing. There were two story lines happening n the book, and both left me unfulfilled. The first one was about the English Civil war in the 1600s-- a topic I'm willing to bet not a lot of readers have a great knowledge about. However the author didn't g...more

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Aug 30, 2012 Booknblues rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Wolves of Andover is the prequel to Katherine Kent's The Heretic's Daughter. In the Wolves we get to know Martha Allen as a young woman. She is sent to help her cousin Patience during a difficult pregnancy.

We soon get a picture of Martha Allen, a young woman who is sure of herself and who has the ways and means to let it be know. Martha is prickly by nature and won't be cowed or submit. In her early twenties she is old to be unmarried, but has no desire to enter into a marriage except on her...more

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Mar 26, 2012 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Wolves of Andover is a historical fiction treat. Its compelling action and mystery complement the author’s ability to subtly uncover the tender layers of her characters.

In the novel, rough-hewn Martha, with her quick tongue, severe facial expression, and ropy black hair, joins her cousin’s Massachusetts household in 1673. Her straight-forward and hardworking ways quickly become the backbone of the family and frame this tense page- turner.

As she prepares for the birth of her cousin’s third...more

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Dec 28, 2011 Anne Broyles rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I didn’t know much about England’s Civil War (mid 1600s), Charles I, or how he was tried for treason and beheaded. I probably wouldn’t have picked up a work of nonfiction to learn about this period, but this novel was a perfect introduction because that history is background to an intriguing New World story that takes place in the Massachusetts wilderness.

Martha Allen is a prickly character who only softens slightly with time. Her personality comes from her past experiences, and as the story is...more

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Sep 27, 2011 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Just before I started to read this, I'd been working on documenting my family's ancestry. It's a project I've worked on off and on for quite sometime. I'd just been going through my colonial ancestors the day before I picked this up so the subject matter drew me in immediately. I love history. My husband doesn't believe that because he tends to focus on the wars, impersonal details and technical advances part of history and I don't like that stuff. I prefer people. I love to learn about how peop...more

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Apr 20, 2011 Susan rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'd give this book 2.5 to 3 stars, actually . . . uneven pacing keeps it from being a strong "like" for me. I found this an interesting blend of some strong characters in a time period (colonial America) I had not read a great deal about since high school. Gripping as I found "The Crucible" and "The Scarlet Letter" back in English class, I also found them bleak and depressing; and yes, life for our heroine Martha Allen, 19-year-old spinster forced to work in her cousin's household, is full of dr...more

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Apr 17, 2011 Brenda Rupp rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I had read the first book by Kathleen Kent who is directly related to Martha Carrier who died during the Salem witch trials. This is the story of Martha and Thomas Kent who was, in his younger days a executioner, and was said to have executed Charles I and had a bounty on his head. I was less happy with the book about 1/3 in as there were so many people introduced with their story's and opinions and I just got lost as I grappled wiht trying to finish this book. It was not as polished as the firs...more I had read the first book by Kathleen Kent who is directly related to Martha Carrier who died during the Salem witch trials. This is the story of Martha and Thomas Kent who was, in his younger days a executioner, and was said to have executed Charles I and had a bounty on his head. I was less happy with the book about 1/3 in as there were so many people introduced with their story's and opinions and I just got lost as I grappled wiht trying to finish this book. It was not as polished as the first book by Kathleen Kent, The Heretics Daughter, and was confusing at times to keep reading. I did finally finish the book, and the addition of characters stopped and their additions to the story were told, but by then was reading for the sake of the author as I hate to say I did not finish the book, and couldn't give it a good rating at all. It was interesting in parts, as she told of early America, and the story of the meeting and marrying of Martha and Thomas. It was just a little too much of a wind for me to keep up.

I read some of the other ratings and saw that the story went from 2 to 5 stars based on how well the reader was able to keep up with Kathleens story and characters. I really didn't understand why the wolves were introduced, unless it was not only the furry kind but the two legged kind that she was using to name her story. Using the two legged kind as the wolves that were always nipping at Thomas's leggs trying to prove he was the one they were looking for who had the bounty on his head for executing Charles I.

I was traveling part of the time while reading this book, and needed to constantly pick up and put down the book, which may be why I lost some of the meaning of the characters in the book and their stories as they were introduced.

I liked her book, but can not say I loved the book. This is a book I believe that you need to have read her first book, and have time to sit and fly through it wihout constantly being interrupted. At least until you get past the parts where she was adding so many new characters and stories into the plot. I believe there are some out there that will give this book a strong five stars. Read the other reviews before you buy and see if you think this book is for you.

Here is the verbage from the inside cover: In the harsh wilderness of colonial Massachusetts, Martha Allen works as a servant in her cousin's household, taking charge and locking wills with everyone. Thomas Carrier labors for the family and is known both for his immense strength and size and mysterious past. The two begin a courtship that suits their independent natures, with Thomas slowly revealing the story of his part in the English Civil War. But in the rugged new world they inhabit, danger is ever present, whether it be from the assassins sent from London to kill the executioner of Charles I or the wolves-in many forms-who hunt for blood. A love story and a tale of courage, The Wolves of Andover confirms Kathleen Kent's ability to craft powerful stories of family from colonial history.(less)

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Feb 14, 2011 Leah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reagan-arthur, hachette

The Wolves of Andover is another gem of historical fiction from Kathleen Kent. A prequel to The Heretic's Daughter, Kent's fictional account of her ancestors' experiences during the Salem Witch Trials, The Wolves of Andover recounts colonial life in the years following the English Civil War. The war may be over, but there are far-reaching repercussions, threats that cross oceans.

Martha Allen is young woman forced to work for cousins until a suitable husband comes along. But with a fiery temper a...more

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Feb 13, 2011 Maria Headley rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I just reviewed this book's sequel, The Heretic's Daughter - and I should say that it is perfectly reasonable to read them out of order. The events in this book actually take place before those in Heretic's Daughter,though this book came out as a sequel. The Wolves of Andover is the story of Thomas Carrier and Martha Carrier, historic figures who are also ancestors to Kathleen Kent, the author. Martha Carrier was one of 19 people hung as witches in Salem. Thomas was her husband, and he had a fas...more

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Feb 13, 2011 Deborah rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: award-winning-author, hardback-i-own, latest-reads, reviewer-book

"The Wolves of Andover," by Kathleen Kent is a book that is a literary triumph. It's not for lazy readers or those who expect pablum. That being said, intelligent readers will be absorbed by many points of history, symbolism, love and betrayal, and ancestrial links of this fine book. You may remember Ms Kent as the author of "Heretic's Daughter."

Kathleen Kent is an academic and accomplished woman. She shares her knowledge not just of her link to one of the witches tried in the historical Salem W...more

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Jan 15, 2011 Anne Gustke rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audio

This book is a historical novel by Kathleen Kent, who wrote the very popular novel The Heretic’s Daughter. I haven’t had a chance to read that book, but this one is actually a prequel to it, so knowing what happened in that book is unnecessary. This book is set in the mid 1600s in Colonial Massachusetts and England. The main characters is Martha Allen, a 23 year old spinster who is sent to work as a servant on her cousin’s farm. She meets and eventually falls in love with one of the hired hands...more

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Jan 14, 2011 April rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

THE WOLVES OF ANDOVER by Kathleen Kent is a gripping historical romance set in 1649 London, England and 1673 Billerica, Massachusetts. It is well written with great details,depth,and history.It has intrigue,love,hope,wolves,revenge,danger,turbulent times in the wilderness of America and England, betrayal,sacrifice,Puritans,secrets,political times,and it is thought provoking. The characters and plot come off the page,will keep you turning the page for this is a heartwretching story of the everyda...more

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Dec 29, 2010 Pam rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

At nineteen, “old maid” Martha is becoming a bit of a burden on her family. Her looks aren’t lacking but neither are her quick wit or her ability to question every and all authority figures. It is with this sentiment that she is shipped from Andover to Billerica in order, in guise, to aid her cousin with the birth of her third child and, in reality, to get her out of her parents’ house, already. Talented as she is with housework and midwifery, Martha is not at all pleased to be at her cousin’s e...more At nineteen, “old maid” Martha is becoming a bit of a burden on her family. Her looks aren’t lacking but neither are her quick wit or her ability to question every and all authority figures. It is with this sentiment that she is shipped from Andover to Billerica in order, in guise, to aid her cousin with the birth of her third child and, in reality, to get her out of her parents’ house, already. Talented as she is with housework and midwifery, Martha is not at all pleased to be at her cousin’s every beck and call. The dull New England wilderness and her cousin’s sharp tongue aren’t exactly the things dreams are made of.

Ah, but of course, this is the New World, we’re in and there has to be some adventure to be found. How about that handsome Welsh servant with the rather clouded military background? What about the men who keep showing up at the doorstep asking for said hired help?

Well, Martha, my dear, just stay tuned and you might find that Billerica isn’t all that dull, after all.

I was so excited to win this from Wonders and Marvels and wasn’t totally disappointed. The writing is great, if gory at times, and Martha is just fabulous.

I loved the depiction of the pre-revolutionary New England, especially because the region is so near and dear to my heart. It was fun to live through the towns of my childhood about three hundred years before I was there. I grew up in the town next to Billerica and spent my weekends in Andover, making this story neat in a more personal way.

My biggest and perhaps only, criticism was that it seemed a little bit disjointed in many places. I often had to flip back through after reading a chapter and make sure that I was literally on the right page with the rest of the story. I think, rather than bad storytelling or bad writing, it came from interweaving too many different threads together. Not an unworthy attempt but it needed to be a little bit firmed up or fleshed out or, maybe both.

That should have deterred me from closing this with a positive finish but it had enough positives, and no, no0t just the location, to keep it afloat. It also became more cohesive and suddenly stronger about halfway through. I didn’t realize that this was a companion or prequel to The Heretic’s Daughter (now, I get that it’s pretty hard not to, well, get it). Despite the arguments I had with the rambling, holy plot line, I would try Kent’s first book, if only for the word weaving.(less)

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Dec 17, 2010 Alan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

There are two main story lines in this book. The one starts in England where King Charles II set's about to send a group of men to the Colonies in order to bring back one of the men responsible for the death of his father. It follows the groups formations, it's being shipped to the Colonies and finally finding Thomas and the plans to kill him.
The second follows Martha, a woman who is beyond the normal age for being married, who's father regularly ships her out, for money, to help work in someone...more

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Dec 16, 2010 Katie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Historical Fiction Lovers

Shelves: blog-reviews

This book was wonderful for me to read...I mean it was right up my alley! I've been doing family genealogy and many of my relatives were the original settlers in this country. My family started a few towns in MA and in NJ. The funny thing is that I can relate to Kathleen Kent because one of my family members was accused of being a witch and moved up to Canada. He wasn't obviously a witch, however, he refused to try a case against one of the "witches" and ended up being accused because of it!
Anyw...more

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Nov 23, 2010 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It’s 1692 and the United States as we know it does not exist. We were still a group of colonies and young Martha Allen had just arrived at her cousin’s home in Billerica, Massachusetts. Martha is not a guest. She’s expected to help her cousin Patience through her pregnancy and also do the work of a servant around the house and the farm. Nineteen-year-old Martha is strong willed and has a sharp tongue, and will soon be an “old maid.” She knows only too well the fate awaits a single woman with no...more It’s 1692 and the United States as we know it does not exist. We were still a group of colonies and young Martha Allen had just arrived at her cousin’s home in Billerica, Massachusetts. Martha is not a guest. She’s expected to help her cousin Patience through her pregnancy and also do the work of a servant around the house and the farm. Nineteen-year-old Martha is strong willed and has a sharp tongue, and will soon be an “old maid.” She knows only too well the fate awaits a single woman with no place to call her own. Also working on the property is Thomas Carrier, a man rumored to be a regicide hiding in plain site in Billerica. Thomas fits the physical description of supposed executioner of Charles I.

In Kathleen Kent’s second book, The Wolves of Andover, we meet the young Martha whose later life story was told to us in Kent’s first book, The Heretic’s Daughter, which follows Martha as she stood trial at the Salem witch hunts.

Author Kathleen Kent is a direct descendant of the real life Martha Allen Carrier and I believe she does her family well. These books are technically described as historical fiction, however I think that is a disservice to Kent’s work. She tells a story that pays homage not only to Kent’s nine times great grand-mother, Martha, but also to all of our ancestors who lived in those dangerous times and places. They knew no modern conveniences and considered surviving a tough winter or childbirth to be good fortune.

The book’s title, The Wolves of Andover, not only refers to the wild wolves that circle the settlements to stalk and prey on whatever they can kill, but to the wolves who walk on two feet who also stalk their unfortunate prey.

Told against the background of the wilderness of “new” England, Kent spins a very readable tale of survival of the fittest, survival of the smartest, and survival of those who will not be beaten.

I highly recommend The Wolves of Andover! I encourage you to get past the idea that you don’t like historical fiction. This book won’t disappoint. The story of Martha Allen and Thomas Carrier is in many ways the same struggle men and women face with today: how to find a place in the world in which to be happy and safe. I loved this book and these people.

If I gave a star rating, I’d give this book a very strong 4 ½ stars.

Source: This book was provided to me by the publisher at my request and in no way affected by review. (less)

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Oct 31, 2010 Jacqie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

After reading Kathleen Kent's first book, I had to read this one, a prequel to her first book that explains how Martha Carrier met her husband. I enjoyed the story of Martha gradually becoming aware of the big manservant working for her cousin's family, where she has been sent to widen the pool of marriage possibilities. Martha is very self-aware. She knows her shortcomings of tart tongue and impatience, and is doubtful that she will ever make a good match.
However, this book is NOT a romance. T...more

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Nov 30, 2010 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

There is a brutish energy in Kathleen Kent’s prequel to her well-received Heretic’s Daughter, a comingling of harsh animalistic dangers with politics, power and passion. The howling wolves that come for their prey are both the two-legged and the four-legged kind, and each will stop at nothing to prevail.

The book opens with the introduction of Martha Allen, a resourceful and sharp-tongued young woman who is forced to take the position of glorified servant to her weak-willed cousin Patience, who i...more There is a brutish energy in Kathleen Kent’s prequel to her well-received Heretic’s Daughter, a comingling of harsh animalistic dangers with politics, power and passion. The howling wolves that come for their prey are both the two-legged and the four-legged kind, and each will stop at nothing to prevail.

The book opens with the introduction of Martha Allen, a resourceful and sharp-tongued young woman who is forced to take the position of glorified servant to her weak-willed cousin Patience, who is expecting her third child in colonial Massachusetts. There she meets a giant of a man, the Welshman Thomas Carrier, a hired worker with an air of mystery. It is rumored that for the love of Oliver Cromwell’s cause, he took an axe to the head of King Charles I and now has a bounty on his own head.

For Martha, Patience, Thomas and the other characters, life in the colonies is not easy. They must deal daily with threats of the plague, famished and hostile Indians, hard toil, and of course, the ever-present danger of the wolves. And the dangers lurk not in the community, but from overseas. Unbeknownst to Thomas, King Charles II has ordered a group of brutal Royalist minions to cross the ocean and bring Thomas back to be drawn and quartered for killing his father.

The two stories – that of Martha and Thomas in the colonies and the expertly trained and thuggish killers who are determined to capture Thomas – are juxtaposed, each highlighting the same theme: the courage and independence that are demanded in a time of danger and change.

Kathleen Kent does not shy away from darkness. She depicts everyday life in all its gore: an injured and frightened lamb being used as bait, a horrific recounting of a pit bull dog fight, the impressments of a young lad who is destined to be thrown overboard, the capture and burning of conspirators at the hands of some Indians. Those who have read Heretic’s Daughter know that this is not an author who will whitewash the quest for survival or the challenges of day-to-day existence in an often-unfair world.

Even the progression of the love between Martha and Thomas is tempered by harshness dashed with a dollop of sweetness. At one point, Thomas pauses to tell her, “You are the deer shot through with arrows whose heart grows cold for want of being taken.” And eventually: “But for this day, we live. So bide with me. Bide with me and take from me what you can, as I will from you. And however long we walk this earth, we can stand for one another…”

The book falters a bit when it takes the reader away from the main action to the back streets of London or the tempestuous times aboard a creaky merchant ship. Knowing that this is a prequel, the suspense of the hunt for Thomas is stunted. But then Wolves of Andover always rights itself and shines, capturing – through Thomas’s telling – the turbulent times and battle between Charles I and Cromwell and focusing on life in the plucky colonies and the budding romance of Martha and Thomas.

It bears mentioning that Kathleen Kent is a descendant of the real Martha Allen Carrier, who was hung as a witch during the Salem trials of 1692. She does her ancestor proud with a book that is admittedly not an historical recreation, but rather a page-turning book of historical fiction (emphasis on the fiction) that, once started, is impossible to put down.

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Apr 05, 2013 Penny rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical

This is a story about a young woman on a farm in the US in the period following the English Civil War. Rather obviously - I never really got this before - those who sided with Cromwell fled upon the Restoration and the obvious place to go was the settlements of the US. This story is from the point of view of a young woman who is on a cousin's farm and one of the labourers is the man who beheaded Charles I. Several of the regicides have taken refuge in the New World and many of the population car...more

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Apr 16, 2012 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

When I found out there was a prequel to The Heretic's Daughter, I was so excited. Kathleen Kent had swept me back to the 1600s, in the midst of the horrific witch trials and the Carrier family. I found myself absorbed and surprisingly attached to these complex people. After a glimpse of the strong love between Martha and Thomas Carrier, I wanted to know about their early lives, how they met, etc. And then, I learned about this prequel telling just that - yay!

In The Heretic's Daughter, I learned...more

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Apr 14, 2013 Emmy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: colonial-america, english-civil-war

I generally liked this book, but there were a few things that bothered me.

First was that every chapter switched back and forth between two stories. It all came together in the end and I knew the stories would eventually intertwine, but the frequent back and forth meant that as I got wrapped up in one of the stories, the focus would switch to the other and I would have to reorient myself to the new scene. The sensation I ended up with (for the first half of the book anyway) was that every new ch...more

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Nov 07, 2010 Holly Weiss rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: american-historical-fiction

Contentious Martha is sharp-tongued spinster who falls in love with mysterious hired-hand Thomas Carrier after he saves her from a wolf attack. Safety is not, however, prevalent in the 17th century rugged wilderness of colonial Massachusetts. Human wolves cloaked as people living in plain sight in the surrounding area arrive in the New World to hunt the assassins of King Charles I during the Cromwell years in England. The author deftly crafted this intrigue into this historical fiction novel whi...more Contentious Martha is sharp-tongued spinster who falls in love with mysterious hired-hand Thomas Carrier after he saves her from a wolf attack. Safety is not, however, prevalent in the 17th century rugged wilderness of colonial Massachusetts. Human wolves cloaked as people living in plain sight in the surrounding area arrive in the New World to hunt the assassins of King Charles I during the Cromwell years in England. The author deftly crafted this intrigue into this historical fiction novel while Martha navigates the difficulty of being a servant her cousin’s home.

The author’s intention to show the brutality and volatile nature of the early colonies is admirable, but the novel is dark. Depictions of everyday life such as using an injured lamb for bait and detailed descriptions of dog fighting are chilling. I respect the integration of the political ramifications brought on by the assassination of King Charles I, however felt tossed to and fro from scenes which did not exactly hang together set in England and on shipboard to colonial America. A firmer hand in editing would have benefitted the writing. Secondary characters called by various names such as “Duchess" and "Keeper of the Privy Council” forced me to turn back to previous mentions to determine to whom the author referred. Editing the many sentences beginning with “it” would have been helpful. Most enjoyable and clearly set forth are the scenes at the Massachusetts farm with Martha and Thomas.

Author Kent is a tenth generation descendent of the Carrier family. She grew up listening to stories of the Salem witch trials and reading Poe, which may explain the darkness of her writing. She calls her book a love story to her family and a tribute to those accused as being witches. Ms. Kent plays well with literary genre by mixing and morphing romance, political intrigue and historical fiction. The Wolves of Andover aroused my interest to read Ms. Kent’s first novel, the Heretic’s Daughter, told from the perspective of a ten-year-old daughter witnessing the witch trial of her mother.
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About Kathleen Kent

Kathleen Kent is a tenth-generation descendant of Martha Carrier. She is also a masterful storyteller, and in her first novel, The Heretic's Daughter, she paints a haunting portrait, not just of Puritan New England but also of one family's deep and abiding love in the face of fear and persecution. A New York Times bestseller, the novel is based in part on family stories passed down through 10 gene...more

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