The Last Twelve Miles

Set against the backdrop of the Prohibition Rum War, Robuck’s (Sisters of Night and Fog) latest historical novel is the riveting story of two determined women on opposite sides of the law. Elizebeth Smith Friedman is a crack Coast Guard cryptanalysis expert whose codebreaking prowess is the bane of rumrunners smuggling liquor into the U.S. from the Caribbean. Marie Waite is making her mark as a successful rumrunner and is a mere hair away from becoming the undisputed queen of smugglers. The two engage in a harrowing game of cat and mouse, circling the 12-mile Coast Guard–controlled perimeter the smugglers have to cross before reaching U.S. waters. Romy Nordlinger dynamically narrates the two women, bringing them to life with evocative characterizations. Listeners may even find themselves drawn to ambitious, cutthroat Marie, who is no caricature but a layered character with complex motivations. Historical fiction fans should enjoy the glamorous locales and will be carried away by the plot and fast-paced action.