by Paul Collins
First published 2014
In December 1799, the body of Elma Sands, a young Quaker woman, is discovered at the bottom of Aaron Burr's Manhattan Well. The shocking crime divides New York City along political lines, with Federalists led by Alexander Hamilton battling Republicans under Burr's leadership. When authorities arrest Levi Weeks, a carpenter who courted Elma, the case becomes a sensation. Weeks faces an angry mob calling for his execution. His only chance for survival lies in securing the best legal representation money can buy. In an unprecedented move, Hamilton and Burr put aside their bitter political rivalry to defend the accused man together. The two most skilled attorneys in New York must navigate public outrage, political pressure, and a complex web of evidence to save their client's life. Paul Collins uncovers new evidence in this centuries-old cold case while recreating the dramatic courtroom battle that tested the young nation's commitment to justice.
Genres: historical-fiction, mystery, crime, thriller, 19th-century, american-history
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: based-on-true-events, enemies-to-allies
Setting: Manhattan, New York City
Period: 1799
305 pages · Paperback · Crown