The Silent Widow By Natasha Vale

Published 4th of February 2026

Black Swan Digital 

242 pages

5.0

This is a historical thriller based on true events. It centres around the crimes of Darya Nikolayevna Saltykova an notorious female serial killer that was compared to Elizabeth Bathory, but was not as widely known only in recent times has she had recognition, I only heard of her in year or so as she was featured in the book Lady Killers by Tori Telfer, there was also a Amazon prime show based on her.

The story follows mostly the POV of Anya a young maid that has come to the Saltykov estate in Ivanovo to replace another maid that and no gives a clear answer to what happened to her. Anya soon notices many strange things and how maids seem to just disappear with explanations of being disobedient or just having abandoned their posts. Anya tries to keep her head down and do her work but finds she can't ignore the obvious fear and mistreatment of her fellow serfs. We also get a glimpse of Darya's psyche when we get a sense of her motivations she prays it seems constantly for sins her own as well as other's sins she also worries about her son Alexi who spends most of his time in Moscow but has come back just as things at the estate are cracking, two serfs escape to get word to Empress Catherine the Great of awful events happening at Ivanovo. We do get a scene of Catherine getting this letter about the deaths and deciding to make a example of Darya to show that Russia is changing even though Serfdom would still continue til 1861. The investigation, trial and punishment of Darya Nikolayevna Saltykova gives the people a monster but the scars that linger in the lives of Anya, Alexi and Darya. 

This was a gripping and intriguing tale which takes creative twist in the story of Darya Nikolayevna Saltykova and her crimes such as how guilty was she or if she was covering for her son interestingly both Darya and her son died in 1801 and the story gives a reason to that. We also see Anya who even after Darya is locked away can't seem to let go of her time at the estate even when she gets married, has kids and grandkids finally getting a chance to faced the duchess but still finds a lack of satisfactory closure. Alexi changes his name to escape the stain of his mother's crimes dying in exile. Darya becomes mute in imprisonment while also praying only making what seems like a confession of her guilt when she hears of her son's death. Sorry for the rambling but this was so good and tried not to spoil but if I did sorry but its so good.