Feelings were tense in the winter bound Massachusetts Colony in 1774 as the colonists and British troops waited for the ships to arrive from England with the reaction of the Crown to the colonists dumping tea in Boston harbor.

Abigail Adams, wife of attorney John Adams, is a very intelligent woman with a keen intuitive ability. Puzzling over the disappearance of a woman slave from a family she knows, she just could not fathom that the woman would have left on her own accord as the Negro slave had two small children she loved. So when the sharp knock pounded on their door, she was rightfully concerned as to whether it was friend or foe as both her and John were committed to the cause of the Sons of Liberty.

More shocking than the knock was that the news that their friend, Harry Knox, the 24-year-old Bookseller and printer of the seditious press, was arrested - not for treason, but for murder!

Soon after, when the lovely young Lucy Fluckner, daughter of a rich and well known Loyalist, begged Abigail to help poor Harry, she readily agreed despite the dangers to her own family, especially when the murdered man turned out to be Sir Jonathan Cottrell, the man that Lucy's father had said was going to marry Lucy and have the engagement announced at the Governor's Ball.

Was this crime a paroxysm of politics or passion? As circumstances continued to point to Harry, Abigail is relentless in pursuing the truth, but can she find out more before the killer turns on her? Meanwhile, she begins to suspect some of her informants are not entirely truthful.

Barbara Hamilton has crafted a very historically accurate tale, filled with suspense and intrigue that captures the mood and concerns of this interesting time. The characters, both main and secondary, are well drawn and believable in their actions and roles. While the author's sympathies are clearly on the side of the Sons of Liberty, I was impressed with her careful balancing and portrayal of the British, especially Lieutenant Coldstone and Sergeant Muldoon. This is a treat for any historical mystery lover! Enjoy the sleuthing!