| "Hornblower and the Widow McCool" | |
|---|---|
| Short story by C. S. Forester | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Historical fiction |
| Publication | |
| Published in | Hornblower and the Crisis |
| Publisher | Michael Joseph, London |
| Media type | Hardcover and paperback |
| Publication date | 1967 |
| Series | Horatio Hornblower |
"Hornblower and the Widow McCool" is a short story by C. S. Forester featuring his fictional naval hero Horatio Hornblower. It was first published in the 9 December 1950 issue of The Saturday Evening Post as "Hornblower's Temptation" and then in the UK in the April 1951 Argosy as "Hornblower and the Big Decision." It was published as "Hornblower and the Widow McCool" along with the unfinished novel Hornblower and the Crisis and the short story "The Last Encounter" in 1967, after Forester's death. The story is set after Mr. Midshipman Hornblower and before Lieutenant Hornblower.