The author gifted me an ARC of this book for a fair and honest review from a member of Rosie’s Book Review Team.
I must admit I’d not previously read a book by this author, but I have an intense interest in the Revolutionary War from a Bostonian’s point of view. Since this novel is centered on New York City during that time, I was anxious to add some depth to my admittedly scanty knowledge of what happened there and especially to learn about the Culper Ring. This network of spies, active during the Revolution, was organized by Major Benjamin Tallmadge and General George Washington during the British occupation of New York City. One woman is reportedly a member of that ring, although she has never been identified. She is known as 355.
The main character, Abigail Trench, is a young woman who emigrates from England with her father and younger brother. Her father establishes a farm on Long Island and Abigail teaches at a small school, until British soldiers take their livestock and one of them rapes Abigail. With their farm ruined, they leave for New York City, where Abigail’s father hopes to find work and Abigail, some children to tutor. Her brother, only 16, joins the Continental Army.
The author does a superlative job weaving the history of the Revolution into this book. Abigail meets Nathan Hale, who finds her a job as a tutor, and they become friends. She is present when he is caught as a spy by the British and hanged. His death leads General Washington to establish a more sophisticated organization of spies, known as the Culper Ring. Also interwoven is the Great Fire of 1776, which destroyed a quarter of the city, leaving people without their homes and employment and leading to the starvation and misery of many of the city’s residents.
The treatment of the people of New York by the British has a profound effect on Abigail, who is already traumatized by the so-called Red Coats. Then she meets and is eventually courted by a young haberdasher, Robert Townsend, who is part of the Culper ring. She is driven to do something, anything, for the Continental Army — a decision solidified after finding her brother dead of starvation and his wounds on a prisoner ship in New York harbor. Her position as tutor to the boisterous children of a British major allows her to observe members of the British army as well as their spies and to overhear conversations of their plans, because she is thought of as an ignorant servant. So she is positioned perfectly to acquire information and serve as a courier for the Culper Ring.
The author also develops a counter narrative following British major Parker Monteith, who employs Abigail. The description of his role as a major, and the conflict within him from his orders by his superiors, brings into play the moral gray area that is part of every war.
The author’s world building of the city – its taverns, shanties, waterfront, areas of prostitution, muddy streets and wooden sidewalks, and the grand homes of the wealthy – makes it come to life, with sights, sounds and smells. There are a number of main characters, and all of them are distinctively and colorfully drawn in flawless fashion. Abigail in particular comes across as a principled, fearless, intelligent and deeply thoughtful person, whose willingness to face danger on a daily basis is admirable. She makes the reader wonder if they could be that brave. As Abigail’s romance with Robert grows side by side with the danger and tension in her hidden life as a spy, I kept turning pages late into the night.
I am a huge fan of good historical fiction, particularly of the colonial era, and this book proved immensely satisfying on many different levels: historical fiction, historical thriller, and historical spy craft. It’s a great way to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with a story about the fearless and dedicated men and women, many of whom are not known, who birthed this country. This book is definitely worth 5 stars!
About the author:
Dr. Randy Overbeck is an award-winning educator, bestselling author, and popular podcaster and speaker. After serving children for almost four decades as teacher, college professor and school leader, he used those experiences and skills to craft captivating mysteries, thrillers and historical suspense.
His novels have earned more than a dozen national awards and have garnered hundreds of five-star reviews on Amazon, Goodreads and BookBub. Dr. Overbeck is also the host of the popular podcast, Great Stories about Great Storytellers, which reveals the little known backstories of famous authors, directors and poets and ranks among the top 50% of all podcasts in the US.
You can find the author:
https://www.authorrandyoverbeck.com
https://www.authorrandyoverbeck.com/blog
https://www.facebook.com/authorrandyoverbeck
Abigail Trench: A Novel of Washington’s Spy Ring will be available on Amazon on June 9th.
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