The Cranberry Family Saga: Book 2
Publication Date: September 19, 2025
The town labeled her the Widow Murderess, believing she killed her husband. There was no proof, no witnesses, only her dead husband’s bastard child with the daughter of a slave. The two women survive by teaching slaves to read and write.
Set in Connecticut in 1833, The Widow Murderess by Bill Cusano is the second book in The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club series.
This historical novel seeks to uncover the truth about who killed Chester Cranberry. The listing of the cast of characters, with information on each, was extremely helpful.
I found it interesting that the first book in the series had a dual timeline, and also sought to solve Chester’s murder while his wife’s ghost was woven throughout. The title of the second book refers to the fact that his wife, Elcira, was the main suspect in his death. What happens when there is another death? The story covers about a year, and the alternating chapters are told by the various characters. The chapters were very short, and then we would hear from the next character, which often made it choppy.
Elcira has several plans and wants the farm to be self-sufficient and sustainable. She has seven children and others who depend on her. She’s a strong woman who’s been betrayed before and definitely has a mind of her own. The farm is one of the stops on the Underground Railroad, which brings other challenges. There are vivid descriptions throughout, and some of them evoke strong feelings. There was the feeling of good versus evil, but also of caring amidst some of the chaos. There are injuries, injustices, crimes, and mysteries to be solved. There is closure, and I look forward to seeing where the next book takes us.
The Widow Murderess is a historical novel that transported me to a turbulent time when courage is needed just to survive.
Bill Cusano is an author, a retired deacon in the Episcopal Church and a believer that it is the process rather than the outcomes that matter most in our lives. Retired from the corporate world and an eight-year stint running a non-profit feeding program, Bill attacks every project as a ministry, giving it his full commitment. Needing to readjust to life after losing the love of his life to leukemia in April of 2024, Bill returned to writing full-time, resulting in The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club series, the motivation and inspiration for which came from his wife’s voracious appetite for reading historical fiction. While this is Bill’s debut novel, he has always been a writer, publishing short stories and poems early on, and then beginning a daily spiritual blog in 2008. You can follow Bill’s Reflections From The Garden Bench along with other writings on his Substack account.
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11/12/2025 Partners in Crime Presents: THE OLD CRANBERRY LADIES GARDEN CLUB Author Interview
Thanks for reviewing! This series sounds fun and interesting. I love the historical aspect. Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres.,
Joanne, thank you so much for this review. Yes, the chapters are short and there are many points of view. I will work to make future books in the series feel less choppy. I am working on book 4 now. I hope you enjoy The Sparrow and The Crow.