Review: Circle of Spies by Roseanna M. White

June 21, 2014

Title: Circle of Spies
Author: Roseanna M. White
Publisher: Harvest House
Pages: 361
ISBN: 978-0-7369-5103-6
Publication Date: April 1st, 2014

Synopsis:
1865—Marietta Hughes never wanted to be a spy, but the family legacy of espionage is thrust upon her as the War Between the States rolls on. Unknown to her, the Knights of the Golden Circle—a Confederate secret society bent on destroying the Union her brother died for—has been meeting in a hidden lair beneath her home. Faced with the secrets of her late husband and his brother, whom she thought she could trust with anything, Marietta’s world tilts out of control. Can she right it by protecting a Union agent infiltrating the KGC?

Slade Osborne, an undercover Pinkerton agent, is determined to do whatever is necessary to end the conflict between the North and the South. When he infiltrates this secret cell, it isn’t just their inner workings that baffle him—it’s the beautiful woman who seems to be a puppet for the new leader and yet…so much more.

Do they dare trust each other in this circle of intrigue? Will their shared faith sustain them? And can Mari and Slade stymie the enemy long enough to see their beloved country reunited?
Review:
I've probably have mention this a time or two before, but I'll say it again, I love books based around the Civil War. I love that era. There is so much that happened during that time. So, it is safe to say that if there is a book set in that time, I'm going to do my level headed best to read it!

Circle of Spies did no disappoint. This book brings your right into the story with out any preamble. Gettysburg is over but the nation still battles, families all over the nation are in mourning, and our heroine, Mari is brought into her families business when she discovers something about her deceased husband and his brother, who is trying to court her, from her grandfather that is dark and disturbing.

Intriguing right?

I enjoyed this story right from the start. Mari is handed some staggering information, and in her stubborn style, she has to verify the information herself. In doing so reveals to everyone the secret underground society in the northern boarder states, that her deceased husband was in charge of and now her brother-in-law has taken over, for southern sympathizers who want to find a way to win for the South through spying. However, the Culper Ring isn't the only agency on to this group, the Pinkerton agents have infiltrated with a mole. A cool and closed off individual, Slade, who knows he has to walk a fine line showing is support for the group, while gaining the information he needs.

The setting was fantastic, each of the characters were unique and played off of each other well. I also enjoyed seeing Mari's grandparents in this story, they were the focus in Whispers from the Shadows, Thad and Gwyn. They were spunkier in this story and offered a bit of a laugh.

The nation collides it seems in this story not only on the battlefield but in the homes as each group of spies is doing their best to help their side in secret. The story also makes you question, how well do you really know the people around you? Mari is surrounded by people she believes thinks the same way she does, but that isn't the case. It's interesting how material possessions and connections can play such a big role in perception, especially in Mari's case.

Too Read!
5 out of 5

About the Author:
Roseanna M. White pens her novels under the Betsy Ross flag hanging above her desk, with her Jane Austen action figure watching over her. When she isn’t writing fiction, she’s editing it for WhiteFire Publishing or reviewing it for the Christian Review of Books, both of which she cofounded with her husband. www.roseannawhite.com







Thank you to Harvest House, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

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