Plot/Summary:
Once a valued Revolutionary War spy, Ethan Saunders now spends his days drinking in the many taverns of Philadelphia. Unexpectedly, his ex-fiancée seeks his assistance in locating her missing husband. To help her, Saunders must match wits with his old enemy, Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton and several other deceitful businessmen, wealthy financial traders and evil scoundrels. Meanwhile, Joan Maycott and her war veteran husband hope for a better life in the hills of Pennsylvania but initially only find hardship and treachery. Eventually, these two story lines intertwine in this novel that is part historical fiction, part mystery and part espionage. This tale depicts how money, the establishment of a central bank, the buying and selling of securities and shady transactions help shape the American financial landscape. 

Comments:
Liss includes many colorful characters in this appealing and at times thrilling novel. The story incorporates such historical luminaries as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr. The chapters alternate between the mischievous Ethan Saunders and the resilient Joan Maycott. Liss provides a great sense of place as the reader is transported to the time when the country was just establishing itself after the Revolutionary War. Vivid descriptions are provided for the bustling cities of Philadelphia and New York as well as the isolated and adverse conditions of the western frontier.

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Reviewed by bb, 11/10. Other reviews by bb. Have you read this book? Tell us what you think!