Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy

Four Women Undercover in the Civil War

By: Karen Abbott

Narrated by: Karen White

Karen Abbott, the New York Times best-selling author of Sin in the Second City and "pioneer of sizzle history" (USA Today), tells the spellbinding true story of four women who risked everything to become spies during the Civil War.

Karen Abbott illuminates one of the most fascinating yet little-known aspects of the Civil War: The stories of four courageous women - a socialite, a farmgirl, an abolitionist, and a widow - who were spies.

After shooting a Union soldier in her front hall with a pocket pistol, Belle Boyd became a courier and spy for the Confederate army, using her charms to seduce men on both sides. Emma Edmonds cut off her hair and assumed the identity of a man to enlist as a Union private, witnessing the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. The beautiful widow, Rose O'Neale Greenhow, engaged in affairs with powerful Northern politicians to gather intelligence for the Confederacy, and used her young daughter to send information to Southern generals. Elizabeth Van Lew, a wealthy Richmond abolitionist, hid behind her proper Southern manners as she orchestrated a far-reaching espionage ring, right under the noses of suspicious rebel detectives.

Using a wealth of primary source material and interviews with the spies' descendants, Abbott seamlessly weaves the adventures of these four heroines throughout the tumultuous years of the war. With a cast of real-life characters including Walt Whitman, Nathaniel Hawthorne, General Stonewall Jackson, detective Allan Pinkerton, Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln, and Emperor Napoleon III, Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy draws you into the war as these daring women lived it.

©2014 Karen Abbott (P)2014 HarperCollins Publishers

Sensational!

What a freaking thrill ride. Karen Abbott found four of the most interesting and well-documented women in the Civil War and took off like a shot. One narcissist, two socialites, one cross-dresser, all spies.

I'm relatively knowledgeable about the American Civil War thanks to my father and the constant rehashing of the history from 4th grade through high school. Never before have I read something that gets so perfectly in depth about what the hell happened in Richmond. The microfocus on this particular city lends more depth and humanity to each person we meet--whether that's Pinkerton (mhmm, how did you think they started?) or Stonewall Jackson (yeah, he's there, too.)

It was a great look at how thoroughly incompetent some of the Union Generals were. This is less a history-written-by-the-winners... there's a lot of facepalming over McClellan.

Anyway, give it a listen.

The narrator, Karen White, was not great. 3 of 5 stars for her. She has the tendency to read in a stilted, serious "this is nonfiction" pattern, rather give way to the delightful narrative flow Abbott provided.

Good listen

Interesting story, with fantastic narration. Because of its adult content, this book is not appropriate for young ears.

An amazing part of history I did not know

I thought I knew quite a bit about the Civil War. I had no idea there were such brave women as these four. Two from the north, two from the south, all of them dedicated to the cause of their side.

Excellent

Well written. Excellent elocution by the narrator. The research is phenomenal. Easy and fun listening. This is a great history lesson about lesser known facts of the Civil War.

engaging

Love it and I'm usually into history stuff. great story's wonderful arranged. keep my attention from the beginning.

Find a different narrator, but make sure to read

Great story. I think it would make a fantastic popcorn flick. The narrator is indecisive weather to use a character's voice, or her information voice. This was bearable, but annoying. I would recommend this one as a read, not a audio book. I feel that I would have compleated it sooner if there was a different narrator.

Wonderful!!

A fascinating account of women during the civil war on both the Union and Confederate side.

Finally a book Civil War Heroines have long deserve

Wonderful and detailed book that doesn’t go dry with boring details or moves too fast that you can’t keep up. So great to finally find a good book on women’s history on Audible (a rare find with all the male dominated military and political history). If you love women’s history, this is the book for you.

Highly informative!

Well researched and compiled. It’s four stories interwoven. I found myself drifting somewhere else at times, but that is because this is not my favorite genre. It is very well written and performed.

Wonderful Civil War story

I have read several things about the Civil War including the stellar Killer Angels, but I am so grateful to have read this book about for iron women who served their respective countries with gumption and dignity!