The
Governor, His Wife
And his Mistress
The convict mistress of the man who becomes the most powerful figure in the new colony is hit hard by a shocking secret he brings back from Britain.
The
This is Sue’s third historical novel, which follows on as the prequel to the best-sellers Elizabeth & Elizabeth and That Bligh Girl.
It’s the tale of Philip Gidley King, the third Governor of what would later become Australia, and his amazingly tangled love life, with two incredible women.
When he sailed with the First Fleet to the new colony, he had his pick of the convict women to look after him. He chose one, Ann Inett, to be his housekeeper and, in time, she also became his lover.
Two years later, and with a young son and another child on the way, he was sent back to England to provide a report on Sydney and its newly tamed Norfolk Island. HIS mistress Ann Inett made him promise to return to her and their children.
After a year and a half he did – but bringing with him a shocking secret that would cut her to the core, and change all their lives forevermore.
This is a story of snarled love affairs, female friendship, twisted loyalties, betrayals, hardship, male infidelity, and the tragedies and triumphs of life in a new land.
The Governor, His Wife and His Mistress was published by Allen & Unwin in January 2025 as a print book, e-book and audio book
Reviews
“The very best historical fiction … Williams’ novel gives voice in a page-turning narrative to the compelling lives and experiences of two forgotten women of early colonial Australia”
Melissa Ashley
Author of The Birdman’s Wife and The Naturalist of Amsterdam
“Sue has such a talent for finding the forgotten yet captivating stories of the women of the early colony and fictionalising them in such a wonderful way that she brings the past to life in vivid colour. While we can never know the secret conversations that took place, she bases her fictional scenes on fact … I once read a quote to describe fictionalised history that said something like ‘a historian will tell you what happened, a novelist will tell you what it felt like’ and I really think this describes Sue’s approach perfectly. The streets of colonial Sydney, Norfolk Island and Parramatta come to life in this book.”
Mercedes Maguire
Books editor Daily Telegraph
“Using extensive research to vividly portray 1770s England and the tumultuous days of early white settlement in Australia, Williams convincingly demonstrates the impact of political, economic and social conditions to explain how the lives of these three very different people intersected … Fans of historical fiction by authors such as Kate Grenville should be delighted by Williams’s meticulous recreation of a past world and of three fascinating people swept up in events of their time.”
Katy Briggs
Books & Publishing
“This is another riveting colonial historical novel from Sue Williams. She has such a gift in turning details from the past into powerful dramatic fiction. Always at the core are resilient women who fought their way to recognition, overcame tremendous trials and built successful lives. 5 stars.”
Cindy L. Spear
“Absolutely the best historical novel I have ever read. So well researched. Such a real insight into the journey of the First Fleet and the colonisation of Port Jackson and Norfolk Island. I couldn’t put the book down.”
Rolo Wilkinson
“At the heart of the story is the deliciously dysfunctional triangle between the self-important Governor Gidley King, his coolly calculating wife Anna, and the fiery, impulsive mistress, Ann. A great period of time to see the gender dynamics.”
Michelle M
NetGalley
