Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War by Karen Abbott
Reviewed by: Melissa Friedlund, Reference Specialist
Genre: Civil War, Historical Nonfiction
Suggested Age: Adult
What is the book about? During the Civil War, many women took action to further the interests of the side they favored. This is an account of four such women, two for the Confederates, and two for the Union. Belle Boyd gained notoriety by killing a Union soldier in her home as a teenager. She built upon her dangerous reputation to become a renowned Confederate spy. Emma Edmonds, originally from Canada, began living as a male a couple years before war broke out. She took a stand by joining the Union Army as soldier Frank Thompson. Rose O’Neale Greenhow was a widowed woman of means in Washington D.C. who worked to gather intelligence for Southern military leaders. And finally, Elizabeth Van Lew, from Richmond, Virginia, was a wealthy abolitionist who headed up a large network of pro-Union spies all while constantly being under suspicion by Confederate officials. No matter their political alignment, these women acted with conviction and tenacity.
My Review: I listened to the audiobook on Axis360 and was hooked in the narrative very early on. Secret communiques, undercover missions in disguise, gritty battlefields, jail time, and even a meeting with Emperor Napoleon III are all detailed in this book that reads like a spy novel and not a dry recounting of history. The title, reminiscent of the of John LeCarré’s spy thriller Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, does not seem accidental. This is an engaging story about danger, intrigue, lies, and secrets. These four women working on opposite sides of the Civil War were incredibly brave to defy cultural conventions and do what they felt was needed during a time of extreme political turmoil.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Absorbing, Detailed, Intriguing
Give This a Try if You Like… They Fought Like Demons: Women Soldiers in the Civil War by DeAnne Blanton & Lauren M. Cook, The Lincoln Conspiracy by Brad Meltzer, and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John LeCarré
Rating: 5/5
