Dreams of Glory
Thomas Fleming has written a wonderfully spellbinding novel of suspense and intrigue set during the climax of the Revolutionary War. British and American secret agents clash as the war reaches a critical point in 1780.
The men in George Washington’s rebel army are nearing a revolt. They are cold, hungry and are starting to resent fighting the war. The British soldiers visit New York’s brothels and attempt to plot a maneuver that will turn the war in their favor, thus ending the stalemate that could bankrupt the Empire.
The story starts as the lives of a number of vastly different people collide on a path of espionage that started before the war began. Fleming uses flashbacks to draw the reader deeper into the minds of the main characters and their lives. As each character’s past is revealed, it is clearly easy to see how such outwardly different individuals all ended up on the same path of espionage.
Hugh Stapleton is considered to be a distinguished member of the Continental Congress and family man when he is drawn into the web of the British spy Walter Beckford. Caleb Chandler, a chaplain in the Revolutionary army, is also ensnared in Beckford’s plots to bring down the American army, drawn into this web of deceit by a dalliance with the mysterious Flora Kuyper. Her secrets are the catalyst for the events that are about to change the lives of both men.
As Hugh and Caleb traverse this rocky road of treachery, both men encounter more then they bargained for as acts of love, possible treason, and their own convictions lead them down unexpected paths. The plot twist and turns will keep readers captivated for hours. A great book to read on a long winter’s night.
