The Waterman's Widow - by Carol McCabe Booker (Paperback)

About the Book

A true-crime whodunnit set in a Chesapeake Bay oystering village at the turn of the 20th century with a double-barrel focus on crime and its consequents-in the courts of public opinion and of law-and beyond.

Book Synopsis

Who killed Captain Littleton Condiff? The wife who slept by his side? A robber seeking the small fortune under his mattress? A son desperate to escape the drudgery of his father's life as an oysterman? His apparently harmless mother-in-law? Perhaps a conspiracy of his wife, her mother, their son? Into this tale of murder at the turn of the 20th century is woven the tale of the imprisonment and trial of Littleton's wife, Bessie; the history of his Chesapeake Bay fishing village, Solomons Island; the harsh life of a waterman; and the texture of daily life in turn-of-the century Maryland.

Review Quotes

- "Like an old-time, spell-binding, dime store novel, The Waterman's Widow keeps the reader in suspense as it reveals the personal impact of an event that roiled the peaceful Solomons Island community. Well-researched and grounded in Calvert County's past, the tale is spun out in a tapestry chock-full of facts and colorful imagery from neighboring St. Mary's and Charles counties, and all the way to Baltimore. It's a delightful read!"

-John Johnson, Executive Director, Calvert County Historical Society.

- "The story unfolds like a modern-day crime podcast, recreating piece by piece the frenzy around The Waterman's Widow. The historical detail is breathtaking!"

-Eleanor Clift, The Daily Beast

- "In the manner of classic 'whodunits' and murder mysteries on TV, Carol Booker's "The Waterman's Widow" will have you glued to its final page. The tale of the 1900 shooting of Captain Littleton Condiff on Solomons Island is more than just a murder mystery. Against the backdrop of the imprisonment and trial of his wife, Bessie, Ms. Booker deftly weaves together the history of Solomons Island, the harsh life of a waterman, and the texture of daily life in turn-of-the century Maryland. I recommend reading The Waterman's Widow on a cold, rainy day with a couple of fingers of bourbon at your side. You will be amply rewarded!"

-Peter LaPorte, Executive Director, St. Mary's County Historical Society