The Widow Spy

Campisi’s (Sin Eater) latest historical fiction traces the stories of real-life women spies from the American Civil War. Kate Warne, the first woman Pinkerton detective, receives a new assignment in August 1861: to convince captured Confederate spy, widow, and gentlewoman Rose Greenhow to give up her well-kept secrets. Kate must gain the widow’s trust, but spending time with Rose and her young daughter unearths painful memories from her past. While Campisi’s premise is intriguing, the plot is muddied by frequent flashbacks to Kate’s earlier life, which stall the story’s arc and impede the building momentum. Even so, fans of historical fiction featuring daring and determined women will find much to love in this thoughtful reimagining of Kate’s life. Narrator Carlotta Brentan occasionally strikes a discordant note with her dialogue, but her Southern drawl is delicious and will draw listeners into the thick of the novel’s plot. Despite some issues with pacing, historical fiction fans should enjoy this account of women spies during the Civil War.