The Widow Spy - by Megan Campisi

About the Book

"Kate Warner is many things: the country's first female detective, a Pinkerton agent, and a Union spy. It's August 1863, and her latest assignment could finally end the bloody war and bring the fractured United States together again. All she has to do is win the trust of her captive: Confederate spy and socialite Rose Greenhow. But with Rose well aware of Kate's working-class background and belief in abolitionism, it seems an impossible task. Worse, Kate has secrets that make her vulnerable, such as her forbidden love affair with a colleague. With time running out, Kate faces not only the moral and political divides between herself and Rose but also the ones she made in her own heart and life. Can she make the difficult decision over which divides are worth crossing? Or will she fail the most important assignment of her career?"--

Book Synopsis

The author of the Sin Eater returns with a rousing and propulsive novel based on the astonishing true story of the first female Pinkerton detective whose next assignment could end the Civil War in this "must-read" (Publishers Weekly, starred review) for Amy Stewart and Sarah Waters fans.

Kate Warne is many things: the country's first female detective, a Pinkerton agent, and a Union spy.

It's August 1861, and her latest assignment could end the bloody Civil War and bring the fractured United States together again. All she must do is win the trust of her captive: Confederate spy and socialite Rose Greenhow. But with Rose well aware of Kate's working-class background and belief in abolitionism, it seems an impossible task. Worse, Kate has secrets that make her vulnerable, such as her forbidden love affair with a colleague.

With time running out, Kate faces not only the moral and political divides between herself and Rose but also the ones she's made in her own heart. She must decide which divides are worth crossing and how far she's willing to go to defeat the Confederacy in this spellbinding and moving new novel from Megan Campisi.

Review Quotes

"The characters are richly layered and the mid-nineteenth century atmosphere is completely tangible. Campisi makes an exciting return to historical fiction with a new tale of moral quandaries and the hidden talents of women as Kate revisits episodes from her traumatic past and ponders what type of person she wants to become."--Booklist

"Campisi follows up Sin Eater with a gripping and richly imagined mystery...With piercing prose and a nimble balance of emotion and suspense, Campisi expertly melds the best of historical mystery with top-shelf literary fiction. Amy Stewart and Sarah Waters fans, take note: this is a must-read."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Praise for Sin Eater

"A riveting description of hardwon female empowerment that weaves together meticulous research, unsolved murder--and an unforgettable heroine. Exhilarating...great storytelling...reminiscent of The Handmaid's Tale or Russell Hoban's great sui-generis sci-fi novel Riddley Walker."-- "The Washington Post"

"Sin Eater is a dark and thrilling page turner that turns a dystopian eye on the past in an unnervingly contemporary way. All hail Megan Campisi and her smashing novel." --Emma Donoghue, New York Times bestselling author of Room and Akin

"The Name of the Rose meets Wolf Hall in this brilliant, bewitching novel. Megan Campisi conjures a deliciously warped version of sixteenth-century Britain: Tudor England in a funhouse mirror. Her heroine, a young girl cruelly rendered pariah, is ingeniously sketched and achingly real. Ms. Campisi has created a dark, rich story replete with humor, unforgettable characters, and arcane mysteries. It casts a spell on your heart and mind until the final page." --Jennie Melamed, author of Gather the Daughters

"[A] rousing, impressive debut... Campisi's stirring portrait of injustice is deepened by May's cleverness, frustration, and grief. This spellbinding novel is a treat for fans of feminist speculative fiction." -- "Publishers Weekly"

"A dark, propulsive novel that twists your stomach in all the right ways." -- "Lit Hub"

"Magnificent...complex, vivid... This vision of Renaissance outsiders is exactly what historical fiction lovers have unknowingly craved."-- "New York Journal of Books"

About the Author

Megan Campisi is a playwright, novelist, and teacher. She has been a forest ranger, a sous-chef in Paris, and a physical theater specialist around the world. She attended Yale University and l'École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq. In 2019 she received a Fulbright Specialist award to travel to Turkey and give master classes at Tatbikat Theater. Her first novel, Sin Eater, received the Debut Crown Award from the Historical Writers' Association. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Megan lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her family.