Flatiron Books
432 Pages
Brad Meltzer is one of my favorite authors. He writes thrillers in the vein of Steve Berry and James Rollins. So when I found out that Meltzer was the author of one of the George Washington biographers, I was extremely excited. Could he bring the same ease of writing and engaging thrills when it came to George Washington? I had to grab this book and find out. The First Conspiracy by Brad Meltzer was high on my list of books to read in my Presidential Biographies Project.
During the Revolutionary War, George Washington was a high stakes target for the British to capture. His life was in constant danger. If the red coats had captured him, he would have been hanged for treason and the fledgling nation would have crumbled back into English servitude. To keep him safe, guards were assigned to protect the life of the Father of our country. They were called “Life Guards” and were a very early precursor to the Pinkerton Guards or the Secret Service. However, there were nefarious notions simmering among some of them.
Loyalists hid among the general population throughout the entirety of the Revolutionary War. They preferred to stay under control of the king of England. While hidden behind their veils, the conspired to bring down the head of the colonial army, George Washington. These traitorous folks, along with the governor of New York as well as other leading Loyalist politicians, worked feverishly to bring about a hasty end to the rebellion and bring back the stability they had known under English rule.
The story of the cabal to bring about the end of both George Washington and the colonial uprising has been brought to life under the pen of Brad Meltzer. First and foremost, was the conspiracy to capture Washington a true one? The facts remain elusive, but it would definitely have been in the realm of possibility. A pompous English king and his Parliament were embarrassed that a group of upstart colonists would dare to question their authority. It had never happened to the mighty British to this scale. Obviously, every avenue to quash the rebels would be explored. What better way to nip it in the bud than to cut it off at the head? Between Washington and members of Congress, they were surely targets of capture and execution.
Brad Meltzer explores the possibilities and the rumors of such a plot. His writing leave the reader wondering what happened next. Each chapter seems to end on a cliffhanger, much like his fictional thriller writing does. This lends to the ease with which this book can be read. Meltzer extrapolates some of the rumors and facts into a narrative that showcases the fragility that this country persevered through during its birth.
Honestly, this subject could have been told over a shorter amount of time, but the author brings his craft to bear with thrilling prose. This book, as I see it, is a fantastic gateway into wanting the reader to turn to other books about Washington to learn more. Again, like the last few books, this books tends to be an addendum to the main reading project, but it sure was fun to read. Some reviews that I’ve seen have been negative in that the story could have been told in less words and pages. In my opinion, they’re probably correct, but what we get surpasses most of the drier books I’ve read on the life of George Washington. This one will engage you. And it will make you think a little more about the early days of our Republic and how easily it could have all fallen apart.
I highly recommend The First Conspiracy by Brad Meltzer. Even if you just want to learn something interesting about one tiny aspect of George Washington’s life, this book will pull you in and keep you entertained. It was a refreshing read after reading a couple of books in a row by Nathanial Philbrick (who has his own strengths). For even the most casual of Washington buffs, this one is a winner.
Craig Bacon loves history books that engage the reader like a novel. That’s why he loves this book as well as the books by David McCullough.
UP NEXT: Cabal! By Mark Edward Lender