To look at Elizebeth Smith Friedman one would never guess that she and her husband William had developed cryptanalysis. During WWI they had cracked codes and trained others to do the same. Now, in 1925 Elizebeth had a different assignment. Prohibition had created a new industry, that of rum-running. She was in Washington, D.C. working as the only codebreaker assigned to the Coast Guard. Her job was to break the codes of the smugglers so that their boats and cargo could be intercepted. It was a position she excelled at. However, she had a nemesis by the name of Marie Waite, the wife of a rumrunner. Ambitious, ruthless and clever she became obsessed with starting her own smuggling empire. It was just a matter of time before the two women became aware of each other. Elizebeth's prime focus became capturing the elusive Marie. Could Marie continue to stay just one step ahead of Elizebeth?
THE LAST TWELVE MILES, by Erika Robuck, tells the true story of two actual women. The narrative is vividly brought to life as it is narrated in the women's voices. They stood on opposite sides of the law. Even so, they shared commonalities. Both were mothers of young children who they wanted to protect. Both were intelligent and whip-smart, but this was where the similarities end. The author expertly reveals the essence of each woman. Readers will have no doubt as to what made them tick. THE LAST TWELVE MILES is an exciting story as it follows the smuggler's routes from D.C. to Miami to the Bahamas and Cuba and brings to light the roles Elizebeth and Marie had. There is a colorful cast of secondary characters and their antics and experiences keep the story lively.
I found THE LAST TWELVE MILES to be a skillfully crafted and engrossing story. Highly recommended.
Two real, brilliant women on two sides of the law, in a daring game of cat and mouse…
1926, Washington, D. C.
In the Prohibition Rum Wars, the Coast Guard is losing. Eleven million gallons of illegal liquor a year have created a booming smuggling economy, with criminals wreaking havoc on American cities, and everyday citizens thumbing their noses at Uncle Sam. But the Coast Guard has a new, secret weapon—one of the husband-and-wife pair who invented cryptanalysis and trained Great War soldiers—to crack smuggler codes, intercept traffic, and destroy the trade, one skiff at a time. That secret weapon is a 5'2 mastermind in heels, who also happens to be a wife and mother: Mrs. Elizebeth Smith Friedman.
Bahamas
When Marie Waite—wife of a rumrunner and mother of two little ones—notices discrepancies in cargo, she insists on accompanying her husband, Charlie, on a run from their home in Miami to Nassau. There, not only does Marie witness her husband's shortcomings, but she becomes enthralled by Cleo Lythgoe, "The Bahama Queen," who announces her retirement while regaling the thugs at the bar with tales of murder and mayhem on the high seas. In spite of Cleo's warnings about a "new man in the government" who seems to know where they are before they get there, Marie knows an opportunity when she sees it, and she wants the crown for herself so badly she can taste it.
So begins Marie's plan to rise as rumrunner royalty long enough to get her family in the black. What she didn't count on was that the more sophisticated her operation grows, the more she comes on the radar of the feds, nabbing criminals by the daily dozen. Once Marie knows who she's up against, she's more determined than ever to triumph.
On the other side of the law, Elizebeth is the only codebreaker battling scores of smugglers. From solving thousands of intercepted codes and ciphers, to riding along on Coast Guard patrols, to national travel, to testifying in court rooms—all while managing her household—the strain begins to wear on her. Once the work becomes personal, and she discovers Marie as a premier adversary, Elizebeth's desire to catch the woman becomes almost obsessive.
From the glamorous world of D. C. Intelligence to the sultry shores of the Straits of Florida, The Last Twelve Miles—a tale of ambition and envy—is based on the true story of two women masterminds trying to outwit each other in a dangerous and fascinating game of high stakes.
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