The Whisky Widow cover art

The Whisky Widow

the new 2025 rollicking historical Scottish Highlands adventure from a bestselling, award-winning author

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About this listen

From the bestselling award-winning author of The Good Wife of Bath comes this rollicking historical adventure that celebrates the art of whisky distilling, the defiant spirit of the Scottish Highlanders and a woman's fearless quest.


1780 Scottish Highlands
In every glass of whisky lies a small act of rebellion...

When Greer MacAlister's despised husband dies, she and her young daughter Fen find themselves in a remote whisky smuggling community in the heart of the Highlands. Here, illicit whisky making is a means of survival in a Scotland under occupation by the British, decades after the disastrous Battle of Culloden. The villagers are suspicious of the widow, but when Greer tricks excise officers away from their illegal stills with a courageous and daring act, they warm to her.

But the excise men are out for revenge, smuggling is a dangerous business, and whisky - a drink that has long ignited passions, songs, stories and danger - is at the rebellious heart of it all. Greer and Fen have no choice but to fight for the life they want.

This rollicking story of bravery, adventure, love and murder brings alive the Scottish Highlands of long ago. It is a poem to the art of whisky distilling and a world now lost to us, as well as a eulogy for those who were forced to leave it.

 Action & Adventure Historical Fiction Science Fiction World Literature
All stars
Most relevant
A very good story, informative and paying tribute to the history of scottish whisky and the perils of making and selling it. the narrator voiced the characters well making them believable . I look forward to the next in the series.

A good yarn

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This is a historical story written by an Australian - after a great deal of research - and read by an Australian actor, but you would never know. I am not a Scot and Gaelic is a mystery to me, so this is just my opinion but the narration made this one of the best audiobooks I have listened to. I listened on long walks and late into the night; I didn’t want it to end. Annabelle Thorpe is a very accomplished voice actor and I was amazed when I discovered she was not a Scot. The story is entertaining as well as giving an insight into the harshness of life in the highlands of Scotland in the 18th century.
I will look out for more of Karen Brooks’ stories.

Amazing narration

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This was a historical novel with adventure and a sense of justice. The good characters prevail and the nasty ones get what they deserve, although the road there is certainly not smooth. The insights into whisky distilling and the Scottish history, politics and economics of the time was fascinating.

Felt like it was a movie

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The historical aspect of the book, the divides between central and northern Scotland in living condition, language and perception of one another was well told and the role of women at the time was interesting Please please please use a Scottish narrator though. Not quite getting it right mast the telling of the story grate for me and I did well to hang in there till the end. There are Scots all over the world, I’m sure one could have been found.

Use Scottish Narrator for Scottish Characters

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