The Pirate’s Wife

IN PAPERBACK OCTOBER 29, 2024!

The dramatic and deliciously swashbuckling story of Sarah Kidd, the wife of the famous pirate Captain Kidd, charting her transformation from New York socialite to international outlaw during the Golden Age of Piracy by American women’s historian and maritime history expert Dr. Daphne Palmer Geanacopoulos.

Captain Kidd was one of the most notorious pirates to ever prowl the seas. But few know that Kidd had an accomplice, a behind-the-scenes player who enabled his plundering and helped him outpace his enemies.

That accomplice was his wife, Sarah Kidd, a well-to-do woman whose extraordinary life is a lesson in reinvention and resourcefulness. Twice widowed by twenty-one and operating within the strictures of polite society in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century New York, Sarah secretly aided and abetted her husband, fighting alongside him against his accusers. More remarkable still was that Sarah not only survived the tragedy wrought by her infamous husband’s deeds, but went on to live a successful and productive life as one of New York’s most prominent citizens.

Marshaling in newly discovered primary-source documents from archives in London, New York and Boston, women’s historian and maritime history expert Daphne Palmer Geanacopoulos reconstructs the extraordinary life of Sarah Kidd, uncovering a rare example of the kind of life that pirate wives lived during the Golden Age of Piracy. A compelling tale of love, treasure, motherhood and survival, this landmark work of narrative nonfiction weaves together the personal and the epic in a sweeping historical story of romance and adventure.

Praise for The Pirate’s Wife

“Engaging and well-paced. While geared toward a general audience, this work is well-grounded in scholarly research and will likely appeal to many: the armchair historian and those with an interest in the golden age of piracy, colonial New York, and social and women’s histories.”—STARRED Review, Library Journal.

“a striking, thoroughly researched depiction of just how much persistence and inventiveness it took for a woman in Colonial America to retain security and dignity over the course of her life….this work of narrative nonfiction comes to life in startling detail.”THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR

“Geanacopoulos offers a fascinating look at the golden age of piracy while rendering Sarah’s world and her plight in vibrant detail…. An accessible look at an infamous historical era from a feminist perspective.” –BOOKLIST

“[A] colorful biography of Sarah Kidd….Geanacopoulos packs the narrative with intriguing details about piracy and privateering in colonial America. This seafaring tale fascinates.”–PUBLISHERS WEEKLY 

“a solid primer on piracy and privateering” NEW YORK JOURNAL OF BOOKS

“Daphne Palmer Geanacopoulos has done an admirable job of rescuing Sarah Kidd from history’s crowded attic of forgotten figures. “The Pirate’s Wife” adds much well-researched and fascinating information…broadening one’s understanding of [Captain] Kidd. THE EAST HAMPTON STAR 

“Looking for a high-seas adventure and a chance to buckle your swashes? Nope, sorry, “The Pirate’s Wife” isn’t that. It’s better. Toss out all the stereotypes and legends you think you know about pirates, because this book makes short work of that mythology. Instead, author Daphne Palmer Geanacopoulos tells a love story here about a gentleman and his wife, a resourceful, wonderfully intelligent woman who could read but likely could not write….you will be [happy], when you start this absolutely absorbing book. Find “The Pirate’s Wife” and settle in. This book really hits the spot.” -Terri Schlichenmeyer, Syndicated Columnist

“By following pieces of evidence left behind like clues on a faded pirate’s map she’s uncovered a true historical treasure: the life of Sarah Kidd….Sarah emerges from the long shadow cast by her husband’s well-documented escapades as a spunky, loyal, canny, resilient and influential figure in her own right….whatever happened to Sarah Kidd…and what secret shared with her by Captain Kidd did she carry to her grave when she died at 74? The answers to these questions are among the many treasures to be uncovered in Geanacopoulos’ book.” -THE CAPE COD TIMES

“This book is interesting in the detailed descriptions of life at that time and place.” -SEATTLE BOOK REVIEW

“A really well researched book is the highlight of this real-life story of Sarah Kidd.” -RED CARPET CRASH