Abigail Trench: A Novel of Washington’s Spy Ring
Abigail Trench immigrates to New York colony after her mother’s death in London. She is a loyal British subject, educated and employed as a schoolmistress. But in 1776, the clouds of war gather right over her. In rapid order, she loses her home, her job, and her virtue to renegade British soldiers. Thrust onto the streets of a fledgling New York City to earn a living, she suffers more loss until she finds a way to fight back. This novel creates an identity and life for the historic but anonymous Agent 355 of George Washington’s Culper Spy Ring.
Tight storytelling and short chapters propel the action. Readers will quickly sympathize with Abigail’s character and plight. Overbeck starts the story well after the inciting incident which changes Abigail’s life and puts her on a collision course with history. A compassionate British officer provides an additional point of view.
The story develops slowly through flashbacks and foreshadowing. Historical and fiction characters blend seamlessly into the narrative as the pace and danger accelerate. The excellent, well-foreshadowed climax renders subsequent action hurried—almost like an afterthought.
Unfortunately, behavioral, geographical, and historical errors pull the reader out of the atmosphere of the story. Modern American vernacular phrases detract from the 18th-century ambiance: “flipped a switch,” “bowler hat,” “do our thing,” and “second-class citizens.” Many mistakes in deportment and dress—especially describing uniforms—likewise spoil the atmosphere. A huge improbability in the epilogue closes the story on an upbeat but unlikely note.
