Hannah Masury is a teen orphan bound to servitude near the waterfront in 1720s Boston. Her usual patrons at the tavern are port workers and pirates. One day, she witnesses the hanging of notorious pirate William Fly. Later that night, she encounters a young boy who is hiding from vicious men. Unfortunately, while Hannah tries to help, the boy is caught and murdered. And now the vicious men who killed him know Hannah’s name and are pursuing her as well. In order to escape, she disguises herself as a cabin boy to take the place of the now-dead one. And finds herself on the notorious pirate Ned Low’s crew. Fast-forward about 200 years to 1930s Columbia, where Dr. Marian Beresford is reading Hannah’s diary entries. As she progresses through the material, she realizes that a hidden treasure might still be available to discover. A True Account by Katherine Howe is a historical fiction novel that follows two women between two timelines – a terrifying sea adventure amongst the most ruthless pirates, and the academic who risks her reputation to find the possible fortune.
The book’s full title is A True Account: Hannah Masury’s Sojourn Amongst the Pyrates, Written by Herself. This is a nod to the time period in which half of the story takes place – most books had lengthy titles at the time. Once on The Reporter, Hannah gets a crash course in her duties and living among a ship full of men from all over the world. She eventually learns her role and earns respect among her crewmates after discovering another ship and helping to overtake it. But as she continues on the journey, she witnesses how truly barbaric pirate life – and the captain – can be. So she begins to consider her options and plans for escape. And then she learns William Fly stole Ned’s treasure and hid it on a remote island along the East Coast. So she formulates a plan to earn her freedom through any means possible.
Marian had followed her famous explorer father’s footsteps and became the studious professor she is today. So when one of her students, Kay Lonergan, brings an old diary from a young girl who snuck onto a pirate ship and became part of an infamous pirate’s crew, she naturally becomes intrigued. When the pair learn about a stolen treasure that possibly hasn’t been discovered yet, they scrutinize Hannah’s tale to determine the course the ship followed and where it might be hidden. But while on the expedition for the unconfirmed riches, Marian finds that it is more elusive than she thought. And when some of the details don’t quite add up, she struggles to accept the ugly truth of it all.
Howe demonstrates her fondness of historical fiction in A True Account. At first, readers are led to believe that they are reading Hannah’s story. But when we meet Marian, we realize there are two storylines in place, with two women in very different circumstances. And when both characters learn about the treasure, that’s when the real magic begins. I also appreciated the commentary about society’s expectations of women 200 years apart. Both women hide parts of themselves to fit in. Additionally, the descriptive storytelling will launch readers onto the seas themselves. They’ll feel like they are on the adventure and scavenger hunt along with Hannah and Marian, respectively. I couldn’t wait to find out how, if at all, Hannah survives, and if Marian will ever find what she’s looking for.
Katherine Howe joins us for a Cantina Conversation to talk about her shameless obsession with pirates and how she developed this story. Keep an ear out for the interview on the Cantina Book Club Podcast and order A True Account, available November 21.
