The Turning of Anne Merrick by Christine Blevins

". . . a fantastic read . . .

This is truly a lovely work of historical fiction that features Anne Merrick, a spy who worked diligently for General George Washington during the Revolutionary War. From deceiving Redcoats to doing her best to help fight for America’s independence, Anne Merrick did it all!

It is the year 1777, when an extremely new country is in the midst of struggling against the enormity and might of the British Empire to become a place of freedom. Anne Merrick and Jack Hampton, who were brought together in a previous novel by this author, are sincerely devoted to each other. They are also humbly devoted to this fledgling country called America, and are an integral part of a spy network run by General Washington. They and their compatriots are ready to devote their lives to keep their new country free from tyranny.

As readers are brought into some of the most famous locations that America has to offer, they begin to feel what it was like – the fear and excitement – for these brave patriots as they moved from the battlefields along the Hudson River to the near-death winter of 1777-1778, spent at the horrific camp, Valley Forge. Delving into the dangerous goings-on in the British-occupied city of Philadelphia, Anne and Jack find themselves separated by the War many times as they deal with an enemy who gets more ruthless by the day.

If there is a definition of the word patriot, this romantic couple is it. Calling on their crafty ways and high intelligence, they do ‘magic’ to fool the enemy. Both Anne and Jack provide in-depth looks at what they went through – their lives filled with moments of humor and happiness – and this second novel has certainly done the characters justice once again at the hands of a beautiful writer.

Many of the characters in this novel were plucked from history, including the military (good and bad), from Washington to Benedict Arnold. Even a lovely dog called, Azor, owned by Major General von Steuben, a Prussian volunteer who wrote a manual on military regulations, is part of the story. This was a fantastic read and the author made sure to never downplay the role of the fearless women in the spy business! Enjoy!

Reviewer: Amy E. Lignor