Join us for a reading of The Loyalist’s Wife by Deirdre Sinnott in conversation with Karen Pavelka!

About the book: It’s 1777 in New York’s fertile Mohawk Valley, and tenant farmers Jane and Philip Hopper have very different ideas about the war for independence that has consumed the 13 colonies. To Philip, rebellion against the king is appalling. But Jane, recovering from the death of a newborn son, has taken solace from the hope embedded in the simple phrase “the pursuit of happiness.”

The war comes home when Philip is arrested for his Loyalist views and then escapes, leaving Jane to fend for herself. She is brought before the Patriot’s Commission to Detect and Defeat Conspiracies. One wrong move could land her in the Watchhouse. Help comes in the form of Lady Prudence Safford who puts Jane under her protection. However, it is not without cost.

With its rich panorama of characters, including a Hessian deserter, Jane’s alcoholic brother, and his wife, a member of the Oneida Indian Nation, The Loyalist’s Wife presents a unique perspective on America’s War of Independence. It is a timely and thrilling tale of American history and personal integrity.

About the author: Deirdre Sinnott (she, her, they, them) is the author of the novel “The Loyalist’s Wife: A Novel of the American Revolution” as well as “The Third Mrs. Galway” (Akashic Press, 2021) She is a researcher and activist for social change. She grew up in Utica, New York, and graduated from Syracuse University. Sinnott speaks nationally about the role of Central New York’s residents in the abolition of slavery. She was the originator of Utica’s Abolition History Day Celebration and has directed two award-winning documentaries on mass incarceration and prison issues. She was a historical consultant for the Fort Stanwix Underground Railroad History Project, funded by the National Park Service. She lives in New York City with her husband and also spends time in the Catskills.