First published 1936
Stolen weapons disappear from Boston armories in the early 1800s, launching a pursuit that stretches across the young American republic. The theft sets off a chain of events that pulls characters from the bustling streets of Boston through the corridors of power in Washington and out to the rough settlements of the western frontier. Trading posts and wilderness camps become staging grounds for deals involving the missing firearms. The protagonist must navigate a world where fortunes are made through questionable commerce and territorial expansion creates new opportunities for both legitimate business and criminal enterprise. As the stolen muskets change hands, the story reveals how weapons meant to defend the nation instead fuel a shadowy network of traders who profit from conflict and chaos. The chase across three distinct American landscapes shows how crime and commerce intertwine in a nation still defining its borders and its values.
Genres: american-fiction, historical-fiction, american, adventure, mystery, crime, action, 19th-century
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: cat-and-mouse, chase, corruption
Setting: Boston, Washington, Western Frontier
Period: Early 1800s
390 pages · Hardcover · Doubleday, Doran & Co., inc.