First published 2010
Thomas Jefferson sits in the Virginia governor's mansion as British ships sail up the James River. Benedict Arnold leads the invasion force, and Jefferson faces a crisis that will test everything he believes about leadership and power. Jefferson has spent years arguing for a weak executive branch, fearing the corruption that comes with authority. Now his own weak governorship leaves Virginia defenseless against the British assault. The legislature abandons the capital. Jefferson himself barely escapes capture twice, fleeing toward his beloved Monticello as enemy forces close in. He struggles with military decisions he feels unqualified to make, watching his state fall to a ragtag resistance effort. His family endures turmoil while he grapples with the contradictions between his revolutionary ideals and the harsh demands of wartime leadership. These dark hours will teach Jefferson lessons about power, responsibility, and survival that will shape the rest of his remarkable life.
Genres: historical-fiction, military-fiction, political-thriller, american-history
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water
Setting: James River, Monticello, Virginia
Period: American Revolution
400 pages · Hardcover · Oxford University Press