First published 2013
After Washington's humiliating retreat from New York City in August 1776, the American cause seems lost. The British control Manhattan with overwhelming military force. Washington knows he cannot win through direct confrontation. Instead, he creates something unprecedented: a sophisticated spy network that will penetrate enemy lines and gather the intelligence needed to turn the war around. The Culper Spy Ring operates in absolute secrecy. Robert Townsend, a reserved Quaker merchant, leads the operation while concealing his identity even from Washington himself. Austin Roe risks everything as he carries messages through enemy territory. Caleb Brewster ferries intelligence across Long Island Sound, taunting British forces along the way. Abraham Woodhull, a nervous bachelor, uses family visits as cover for his Manhattan missions. James Rivington runs a coffeehouse where British officers unwittingly reveal their secrets. And Agent 355, a mysterious woman whose name remains unknown, uses charm and wit to extract vital information from enemy commanders. Brian Kilmeade reconstructs how these six individuals operated in the shadows, gathering the intelligence that allowed Washington to outmaneuver a superior enemy and secure American independence.
Genres: historical-fiction, military-history, espionage, american-history
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: based-on-true-events, secret-identity
Setting: Long Island Sound, Manhattan, New York City
Period: 1776
256 pages · ebook · Penguin Group USA, Inc