Yellow Wife: A Novel

Sadeqa Johnson

Jan 2021 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this eBook

From the New York Times bestselling author of House of Eve—a 2023 Reese’s Book Club Pick!

*A Best Book of the Year by NPR and Christian Science Monitor*

Called “wholly engrossing” by New York Times bestselling author Kathleen Grissom, this “fully immersive” (Lisa Wingate, #1 bestselling author of Before We Were Yours) story follows an enslaved woman forced to barter love and freedom while living in the most infamous slave jail in Virginia.

Born on a plantation in Charles City, Virginia, Pheby Delores Brown has lived a relatively sheltered life. Shielded by her mother’s position as the estate’s medicine woman and cherished by the Master’s sister, she is set apart from the others on the plantation, belonging to neither world.

She’d been promised freedom on her eighteenth birthday, but instead of the idyllic life she imagined with her true love, Essex Henry, Pheby is forced to leave the only home she has ever known. She unexpectedly finds herself thrust into the bowels of slavery at the infamous Devil’s Half Acre, a jail in Richmond, Virginia, where the enslaved are broken, tortured, and sold every day. There, Pheby is exposed not just to her Jailer’s cruelty but also to his contradictions. To survive, Pheby will have to outwit him, and she soon faces the ultimate sacrifice.

Ratings and reviews

I thought this was a wonderful interpretation of the Antebellum South and the intricacies of racial segregation in regards to Black people and their social class, based upon their skin tones. This drama novel was witty, introspective and captivating. I wouldn't be surprised if a movie would soon follow. Fancy Maids (or House Slaves/Companions) always get a bad rap, but helped AMERICA to survive.

What can I say. This historical piece took me throw a gauntlet of emotions. I was happy, livid, sad, and even overwhelmed. If the life of the enslaved or the actions of the privileged is of interest to you.

I love this story and author. Does not disappoint. I want more.

About the author

Sadeqa Johnson is the New York Times bestselling author of five novels. Her accolades include being the 2022 Hurston/Wright Foundation Legacy finalist, a BCALA Literary Honoree, and the Library of Virginia’s Literary People’s Choice Award winner. She is a Kimbilio Fellow and teaches in the MFA program at Drexel University. Originally from Philadelphia, she currently lives near Richmond, Virginia with her husband and three teens.