THE TURNCOAT'S WIDOW

A romance-tinged espionage adventure set during the American Revolutionary War.

Philip Parcell was spying for England before he realized that he could make more money selling the names of his fellow spies to Gen. George Washington of the colonial army. Caught by British soldiers in the middle of this endeavor, Philip dies aboard the British ship Jersey, but not before he beseeches fellow prisoner Daniel Alloway to locate Philip’s wife, Becca, and the list of spies’ names. Daniel cleverly escapes the Jersey and heads to Morristown, New Jersey, in search of Becca—more out of a desire for money than any moral obligation. Becca, meanwhile, is living with her mother-in-law, Lady Augusta, when rumors that she ratted out her husband begin to spread through town. This, in turn, leads Washington to ask her to spy for him in New York in exchange for protection. Soon, Daniel agrees to help under the condition that he receive free passage to make “a fresh start somewhere far from here.” Becca and Daniel travel to New York City, where they resume their search for the list—and maybe find some romance along the way; they’re accompanied by Lady Augusta and Annie, the Parcells’ servant. In her debut novel, Becker’s shining prose (“The skulls of the ship’s dead lined the beaches as thick as pumpkins in an autumn field”) pairs well with historical details, such as how New York City became an epicenter for Loyalists due to its British occupation. Familiar figures, such as Washington and Alexander Hamilton, appear alongside fictional players. The relationship between Daniel and Becca has plenty of charm; Becca is shown to be a fierce, smart, and often brave woman who never fit into the society into which she married, while Daniel is painted as clever and humorous even as he grapples with a traumatic past. Becker’s secondary characters are also distinctively portrayed, such as gang leader John Mason, who has ears “shaped like pitcher handles.” Overall, Becker’s thrilling, romantic story will appeal to lovers of early American history.

A compelling tale of revolutionary times with charming main characters.