Rebel Spy

Spying for General Washington

Born in the Bahamas of English parents, Frannie Tasker is a plucky young woman who has endured her family’s gradual slide into poverty until finally hitting rock bottom after the death of her beloved mother, leaving her at the mercy of a brutal and lecherous stepfather.  With no way out, Frannie takes on the persona of a young heiress whose body has washed ashore after a shipwreck.  Thanks to this new identity, she travels to New York where she is accepted as a wealthy society girl.  And even though the American Revolutionary War is heating up, Frannie’s social position insulates her from the deprivations and losses experienced by poor people.  At least at first. 

As the story progresses, however, Frannie is nagged by her innate sense of justice and adventurous spirit into finding a role for herself beyond attending tea parties and flirting with potential suitors.  She is gradually drawn to the rebel cause and subsequently becomes active in a spy ring dedicated to the overthrow of British rule in the 13 colonies.

Readers who enjoyed Brad Meltzer’s “The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington” will happily welcome this young adult novel about a character whose exploits are based on a real-life spy.