Lincoln’s Lady Spymaster: The Untold Story of the Abolitionist Southern Belle Who Helped Win the Civil War – The Instant New York Times Bestseller About Espionage and Courage

by Gerri Willis

A thrilling, cinematic saga of a Southern belle whose espionage for Abraham Lincoln and the Union helped win the Civil War.

Wealthy Southern belle Elizabeth Van Lew had it all. Money, charm, wit—the biggest mansion in Richmond. So why risk everything to become the Civil War’s most productive Union spy?

The answer was freedom. In this gripping history of a secret espionage genius, Gerri Willis reveals how Elizabeth built a flourishing spy network in the heart of the Confederate Capitol. Flouting society’s expectations for women, Elizabeth infiltrated prisons, defied public opinion, and recruited an underground movement of freed slaves, secret Unionists, and brave captives.

Putting her straitlaced Victorian past behind her, Elizabeth encountered vivid characters—assassins, socialites, escape artists, and cross-dressing spies. From grave robbery to a bold voyage across enemy lines, her escapades grew more and more daring. It paid off. Her agents were so well-placed that she had spies gathering information in both the Confederate War Department and the Richmond White House, and couriers providing General Ulysses S. Grant with crucial, daily intelligence for the war’s final assault.

Deeply researched and rich with detail, Lincoln’s Lady Spymaster is a remarkable true story of courage, ingenuity, and resistance. Gerri Willis pulls back the curtain on one of the most fearless heroes of the Civil War, restoring her to her rightful place as an American icon.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Civil War, Biography, Audiobook, Adult, Espionage

286 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 3, 2025

Reviews

[Elizabeth Eisele · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn’t a bad book but if you’re expecting a story focusing on Lincoln’s lady spymaster, you’ll find this story lacking like I did. I understand that recorded history on women is tough to find. So then write a brilliant historical fiction instead of the bait and switch on a non-fiction story that ends up really being about male soldiers, Grant and Booth instead of the woman in the title.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this book was informative about the Civil War in general, I was disappointed by how little the titular character, Elizabeth Van Lew, actually appeared in the book. Rather than focusing on only her part in the war, the book also covers the lives of John Wilkes Booth, Ulysses S. Grant, and Ulric Dahlgren, so she only appears in about 50% of the book. If you are interested in reading about the Civil War in general, this book was well-written and informative, but if you (like me) were looking for a female-driven book full of intrigue and secrets, you may find this book something of a let-down.

[Dan Lutts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lincoln's Lady Spymaster is the true, but untold story, of a wealthy Southern woman named Elizabeth Van Lew during the Civil War who became a spy for the North. While she portrayed herself as a wealthy Southern lady, she created a secret espionage network consisting of slaves, Union supporters, and Yankee war prisoners. By the end of the war, she had agents in the Confederate War Department and in the Richmond White House. Every day, her agents gave General Ulysses S. Grant information every day, which helped him in his final assault against the Southerners. It's a very interesting book, and if you enjoy Civil War history, it's well worth reading.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a historical novel about Elizabeth Van Lew. She was a Southern abolitionist, a philanthropist who also happened to be a spy! I love reading about women in American history. I had never heard of her and many of the people in this book. I love books that make me do a deep dive into history. We met lots of people from the American Civil war including Abraham Lincoln, John Wilkes Booth, Ulric Dahlgren, Ulysses S. Grant and other key players of the war. It was interesting learning about their backgrounds and how Elizabeth was always working behind the scenes going unnoticed.

I was really impressed with Elizabeth, especially the way she freed so many slaves and fought for their rights. She befriended so many of them and they trusted and respected her. She also freed prisoners and just did some really bad ass things and she never got caught!

Truly an interesting read and something I will remember. I really want to visit the south, I tend to always go North, but I really want to travel south to Virginia to see some of the historical spots.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper for an advanced copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.

[Kayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a nonfiction about Elizabeth Van Lew, a wealthy southern woman who spied for the Union. My issue with this book is that there’s so little surviving evidence about Elizabeth that the book was a civil war history with mentions of her. I enjoyed it, but it was about so many men, when really I picked it up to learn about this brave woman. I’m glad I read it and learned about Elizabeth, I just wanted more of her.

[Ashley Lacy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was the book interesting? At times. Did I read a whole book about Lincoln’s lady spymaster? No - only about 20-30% of this book is about her. The rest of the book is some basic civil war information and some random fun facts about other well known leaders in the civil war. This was probably a best seller simply because the title draws you in - however, you won’t find what you’re looking for in this book.

[Hilary · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gerri Willis' Lincoln’s Lady Spymaster: The Untold Story of the Abolitionist Southern Belle Who Helped Win the Civil War reads like a rough draft. It is unorganized and unfocused, contains multiple typos and far too few footnotes, and contains no maps or illustrations. The book's ostensible subject, Elizabeth Van Lew, plays almost a bit part. Whole chapters of this fairly slim book are devoted to other figures whose stories are minimally related to hers. Her 'story' consists in bits and pieces of at times substantiated fact or atmospheric but unverified descriptions scattered throughout the text, but the author has not come close to creating a compelling narrative. Infuriatingly, when she does come up with a fascinating anecdote -- for example, a Confederate jailer abetting the escape of Union officers undetected -- Ms. Willis gives it a few sentences, never situating it in the context of her primary subject, and only tying it to her in the vaguest way. The book is subtitled "the untold story" while the acknowledgements say, "I gleaned every possible fact from Elizabeth R. Varon's authoritative and excellent biography of Van Lew, Southern Lady, Yankee Spy." Varon's book was published in 2003 and Willis makes no case for how her book increases knowledge or understanding of Elizabeth Van Lew. I don't know anything about Gerri Willis beyond the book flap and the list of her other books. My sense is that Elizabeth Van Lew captured Ms. Willis' imagination and she had the ear of someone at HarperCollins who was willing to publish whatever she produced on her pet subject. The fact that she calls her editor "smart beyond her years" makes me think she had an inexperienced editor who did not yet have the confidence or competence to successfully critique her privileged client's drafts. What rankles is that the Wall Street Journal reviewed this book and did not say any of this, leading my mother-in-law to buy it for my birthday!

[Christi Leaverton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave Lincoln’s Lady Spymaster four ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Thank you Harper Collins Publishers, Gerri Wills and Net Galley for the ARC. These are my honest opinions.

I enjoyed reading this book. It is not really a novel though. It’s more a non fiction memoir.

I enjoyed the writing and learning some things that I didn’t yet know. My only criticism is that the book wasn’t so much about Elizabeth Van Lew (the Lady Spymaster), but about other people who rose to importance at the time, like John Wilkes Booth, Ulysses S Grant and Ulric Dahlgren. I enjoyed reading about them, but found myself wanting to know more about Elizabeth, the Lady Spymaster.

If you want to learn more, overall, about the Civil War and you like non fiction, you will enjoy this book!

[Tracy Telle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this! So interesting to learn about events and people in history and additional details of how things came to be. (But so sad that such an important couple of women didn't get the acknowledgement or recognition--and financial support --that they deserved for their actions.)

[Lily St · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lincoln's Lady Spymaster is a nonfiction account of American figures amidst the Civil War. Supposedly, it was to follow Elizabeth Van Lew (1818-1900), a wealthy Southern woman who risked everything to become a Union spy during the Civil War. She was born in Richmond, Virginia, one of the more industrialized cities in the South, to a slave owning family. But following her fathers' death in 1843, Elizabeth and her mother aided escaping slaves to the north.
As the Civil War approached in the 1860s, she risked herself to help Union Prisoners kept in inhumane conditions, even helping some escape. They passed on to her information, and her ring was important in gathering crucial intelligence for General Ulysses S. Grant. The book starts to focus on other characters, detailing raids and battles plus the rise of important people like Lincoln, U. S . Grant, and even J. W. Booth. It was well researched, with both primary and secondary sources included with footnotes.
I've always loved American History, and was interested to learn about a figure I would never of seen referenced otherwise. I do think Elizabeth's influence was exaggerated based on the book's synopsis. She did start as the main focus, but by the end we focused more on other aspects of how the war progressed as a Union victory. The title was misleading; this was simply a non-fiction textbook on the war itself. Historical accounts of this format are hard to rate because you are not able to evaluate if the story was interesting or not. When the author is limited to factual events, you cannot really expect to fall into a chronological story with first person or much dialogue. In terms of research, I would consider it done well. However, it was falsely attributed to what the main focus would be.

[David Kent · Rating 3 out of 5]

No doubt this will read and enjoyed by many because of the light writing style and the celebrity of the author. The title is misleading as Lincoln rarely appears and only in passing. The spymaster, Richmond's Elizabeth Van Lew, has more of a role, but the majority of the book is taken up with events and people not really part of Van Lew's circle of influence. The "untold" part of the title is hard to fathom given that the book relies largely on the more scholarly work of others, including, e.g., Elizabeth Varon's excellent book on Van Lew's spy network and Terry Alford's equally expansive book on John Wilkes Booth. Willis has, however, successfully extracted an informative and entertaining tale often ignored.

The general public may not read the scholarly books, so there is certainly a place for well-written, story-telling books such as this one by Willis about lesser known, but critically important, people like Van Lew.

David J. Kent
Past President, Lincoln Group of DC
Author, Lincoln in New England: In Search of His Forgotten Tours

[Robert Melnyk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting book about Elizabeth Van Lew who was a Union spy during the Civil War. Elizabeth was a "Southern Belle" living in Richmond, Virginia. Although she lived in the south, she was pro Union. She developed and organized a ring of spies to help Lincoln, Grant, and the Union in defeating the Confederacy. I have read many book on the Civil War, and Van Lew was talked about many times, so it was interesting to read a book based on her involvement. Gerri Willis does a nice job in describing the life of Van Lew and her involvement as a spy during the Civil War, but also provides some excellent insight into the war itself. She also gives some good insight into some key characters during this time, such as Lincoln, Grant, Lee, and also John Wilkes Booth. If you are into the Civil War, you should enjoy this book.

[Star Gater · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Harper for allowing me to read and review Lincoln’s Lady Spymaster: The Untold Story of the Abolitionist Southern Belle Who Helped Win the Civil War by Gerri Willis on NetGalley.

Published: 06/03/25

Stars: 3

The book is primarily written about the civil war. Elizabeth Van Lew is mentioned; however, disappointingly, she is not the focus of the book. This appears to be well- researched and written. I would suggest a title change.

[Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ms. Willis writes a well researched historical novel of a wealthy southern belle who gave up her fortune to help the Union win the Civil War and free the slaves, as the title proclaims! A lot of facts with a little assumption here and there. A good read if you enjoy the time period.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the most part, learning about the life of a female spy I had never heard of before and about other important people during the civil war was interesting.

[Robert Alexander Johnson · Rating 1 out of 5]

⭐ Deeply Misleading and Painfully Under-Researched

This was an incredibly disappointing read and absolutely deserving of one star. It feels like a classic bait and switch because the book claims to be about Elizabeth Van Lew yet barely spends any meaningful time on her life or her espionage work. I expected a focused biography about a remarkable spymaster, but what I got instead was a wandering, unfocused narrative that hardly touches her actual contributions.

The writing style is dull and textbook-like. The book spends maybe ten percent of its pages on espionage, and even when it does, nothing of substance is explained. We are told that Grant reviewed information from Van Lew every morning, but we never learn what that information was or how she gathered it. There is no real discussion of spycraft, no codes, no methods, no tension. Other spy biographies delve deeply into technique and risk. This one does not. Van Lew becomes a background character in her own story, overshadowed by endless pages about Grant, Lincoln, Lee, Booth, and general Civil War events that add almost nothing to understanding her role.

It honestly feels as though the author realized there wasn’t enough material for the book she wanted to write and padded it with unrelated historical filler. The tragedies of the war and the politics of the era dominate the narrative, while Van Lew’s actual actions remain frustratingly vague. Other spies mentioned in passing were far more interesting, yet they each received only a handful of pages. Van Lew’s presence is faint, unfocused, and unengaging.

I hoped for a serious, well-researched biography. Instead, I got a scattered recounting of a Northerner living in Richmond during the Civil War with almost no depth, insight, or new scholarship. It did nothing to change my perception of the era or of Van Lew’s legacy. Historians should expect better research, better focus, and better storytelling than what this book offers. Its only redeeming qualities were a few isolated historical facts like the St. Albans Raid or Confederates fleeing to Montreal. Otherwise, it was thoroughly disappointing.

[Beverly Reidy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a lot about the Civil War and some about the Lady Spymaster. I expected it to be much more about the Lady Spymaster and less about the Civil War in general.

[Diane Edgar · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are looking for a book that introduces some lesser known events and people that had an impact on the Civil War, this book is for you.

If you are looking for a book on how women impacted the Civil War, how the war changed women or a biography of Elizabeth… this isn’t the book.

The title, introduction and Chapter 1 appear to be apart of a book that was started and then tacked onto a completely different book. Lincoln’s Lady Spymaster sets lofty goals for itself, then begins with a chapter that reads like historical fiction, introducing “facts” that are contradicted at the end of the book and setting a tone that is dropped like a hot potato.

While the protagonist, Elizabeth, appears throughout…her appearances are like a tidbit..enticing but superfluous to the story with little detail beyond implied and stated facts. The book actually reads like a non-fiction book but deals primarily with the exploits of several Union soldiers fighting in Virginia. Interesting but totally unrelated to the title or the stated goals of the book.

[Michael Leonard · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank God I finally mustered up the effort to finish this book. BLUF: Do not read. It should be a master class on how to falsely advertise; I would say less than 5% of this book is factual information on the title character. Such a disappointment.

[Eliza · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF
Pushed through five chapters. There was hardly any information about Elizabeth Van Lew - two or three paragraphs from her diary thrown in as an afterthought. Bait and switch. 👎

[Judi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Based on the true life adventures of a brave and influential woman and spy during the Civil War. Elizabeth Van Lew was an abolitionist and Union sympathizer in Richmond, VA , the capital of the Confederacy during the Civil War. It was also the 2 nd largest slave trading market in the country. Due to modernized and sophisticated manufacturing and mill operations, Richmond would become an important powerhouse to the south in the Civil War.

From a wealthy family in this highly industrialized town, Elizabeth locked horns with her own father who owned many slaves. After his death in 1843, Elizabeth and her mother aided escaping slaves to the north by way of her contacts with safe houses. The slaves she retained, she paid them for their work or set them free. A favorite former slave, Mary, was sent to the north to be educated. In the coming years she would become an important and daring operative of Elizabeth in her ring of spies. In her growing network of operatives, Elizabeth felt that some of her most loyal and committed partners were blacks working as slaves and freemen, not just in her own home, but throughout the region. All those who participated took enormous risks and gambled on their own lives every day. The details of many of the spies exploits are recounted here in the story which makes for fascinating , edge-of-your-seat-reading.

What makes this book so interesting is that it is so much more than the story of the spies and their successes. It was interesting to read about raids and battles as well as the rise of important people like Lincoln, U. S . Grant, and even J. W. Booth, and Elizabeth Van Lew. The author provides great details of setting so that you can easily imagine the events.

Additionally, I read details of the inhumane treatment of captured Union soldiers. They were put in horrendous prisons which became hells on earth. One such place, Libby Prison was only blocks from where Elizabeth lived. She could see the notorious prison in the distance, from her home. In the early years of the war, she began her adventures in espionage by helping some Union prisoners to escape, with her own home used as a quick hiding place on their way back north. One prisoner was an editor from the New York Times. She helped him escape with his first hand accounts of the prison system which were then published.

Eventually, assisting escapees as her priority, gave way to the military's increasing need for reliable first hand intel of enemy movements and operations. By setting up a network of ordinary people to do the intel gathering, Van Lew analyzed and organized the information into weekly reports. The spy ring was eventually to become quite important to General George Sharpe, head of the Bureau of Military Intelligence. Additionally, Sharpe became a senior advisor to Ulysses S. Grant.

( Interesting to note that during WW II, General George Sharpe's techniques were copied in the formation of the OSS, which eventually would become the CIA. He got the credit for being the father of modern intelligence. However this was in no small part due to Van Lew's extraordinary work with her contacts, network of spies, and organizational skills in her intelligence reports which at times even ended up on the desk of President Lincoln.)

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher , Harper Collins, for the opportunity to read this book in advance of publishing, in exchange for my honest review. This book is well researched, footnoted, and well written. Highly recommended.

[Angelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lincoln's Lady Spymaster by Gerri Willis is a fascinating look at one of the unsung heroes of the Civil War.

Elizabeth Van Lew was a daughter of the South, where women were to be seen as decorative armpieces and not heard. Slavery was the basis of their economy, and no one who was anyone spoke out against it. Miss Van Lew, however, wasn't just anybody. She was a woman of wealth and privilege who could have sat back and done nothing, but that wasn't the way she was made. She was a fervent abolitionist and supporter of the union who gave her whole life to the cause. She ran a spy ring out of her home under the constant threat of danger and death. She gave away her family fortune to escaping slaves and any soldiers who were in need. By the end of the war, she was ostracized by her community and referred to as "Crazy Bet." Children who misbehaved were threatened with being sent to her for punishment.

Her story is at once inspirational and tragic. Miss Willis maintains a balance of showing Miss Van Lew's strength without pitying her for her losses. The book is meticulously researched, and Ms. Willis' details add to the feel of being right there with Elizabeth as she was fighting the war. If you enjoy reading about strong women, the Civil War or just want to read a really good history book, I highly recommend Lincoln's Lady Spymaster.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and am leaving a voluntary and unbiased review.

[bup · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd call this "history-lite," as her sources are primarily other books about van Lew and other people and the events of the Civil War.

But it's a good read, and learned me pretty good about this woman I'd never even heard of before. It's also not intimidating, at 244 short pages, with all the context one needs provided, if one isn't well-versed in the Civil War.

I decided not to label this biography, since, as far as van Lew goes, it really only covers the 4 years of the war. Also, I'd wag at least half the book isn't about Elizabeth van Lew, including chapters devoted to John Brown's raid and the assassin John Wilkes Booth. I'd say that's not surprising, given that she was a spy, and spies cover their tracks well, and you have to fill your book out somehow. But one of her sources, by Elizabeth Varon, is a more typical history book, and probably a true biography: Southern Lady, Yankee Spy: The True Story of Elizabeth Van Lew, a Union Agent in the Heart of the Confederacy. Given my experience reading Varon, I can't wait to get my hands on it.

[Bethany Swafford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wealthy Southern belle Elizabeth Van Lew risked everything to support the Union when all her neighbors supported the Confederacy. She became the Civil War’s most effective Union spy, building a covert intelligence network in the heart of the Confederate capital. Defying social norms, she recruited any person, man or woman, who sympathized with the Union to help learn all she could. With daily intelligence reaching General Grant, Elizabeth’s bold and unconventional efforts played a crucial role in shaping the war’s final outcome.


I’ve read about Elizabeth Van Lew before and admired her ingenuity in a stressful time. I always appreciated her discretion: remaining true to her convictions, but being careful about how she expressed them. As I was reading this book, I kept thinking that her story wasn’t unknown. I came away feeling as though I didn’t learn anything new.

There were times the author brought in the life of other notable people of the time, and at first it was interesting to see how Elizabeth Van Lew’s life intersected with them. However, by the end, it felt as though half the book was about other people.

If you have never heard about Elizabeth Van Lew, you may find this an interesting read. If you’ve already read about her, this may not be for you. I received an advance reader copy and all opinions expressed are my own.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Narrated by Nan McNamara, who uncannily captured the vocal nuances of the players, Lincoln's Lady Spymaster tells the heretofore unknown story of Elizabeth Van Lew. A belle in Richmond whose family had been transplanted from the North, Elizabeth sacrificed her fortune and reputation to help slaves, the U.S. government, and the northern army during the Civil War. Little known stories of others who performed bravely during the war to aid the North are included in the book as well as background information on assassin John Wilkes Booth.

Undercover, Elizabeth and her spy ring sought out information which they passed to Union authorities to help win the war. In addition she hid numerous Union soldiers to help them escape back to the North. While we've heard of Southern spies such as Rose O'Neal Greenhow, tales of spies for the Union are few and far between, an indication of their success.

Elizabeth entertained Southern government officials, helped relay information, and even masterminded a grave robbery to return a Union officer to his family. When the Union Army took Richmond, she took down the large Confederate flag in her foyer and posted an even larger United States flag in her front garden. History buffs and women's advocates alike will enjoy this forgotten saga of Elizabeth Van Lew.

Note: I listened to an advance audio copy, courtesy of Netflix.

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic look at different events in the Civil War, and the woman who, with her hand-picked spy ring, helped bring information [as well as set up a network to help jailed northerners] that ultimately would help end the war. Oh, did I forget to mention that she was one of Richmond's high society women and a true Southern Belle and that doing all she did not only risked her own life, but those around her? My bad. She was and did and I loved reading about her.

Filled with fascinating history [some I knew, some I did not - the prison break section was very good and previously unknown to me], this book just added to what I had already learned in Abbott Kahler [formerly Karen Abbott]'s amazing book "Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy" [which I HIGHLY recommend], and by the end of this book, just made me respect these women and their strength and tenacity even more.

Well-written and well-researched, this book taps into little known history and both expands on it and shines a light on the bravery of the women who also "fought" for their country and against the evils of slavery.

Thank you to NetGalley, Gerri Willis, and Harper for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Nicholas (was Allison) · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.64 Stars
Notes: I really appreciated getting to read this book. I could properly understand what it was written about. The writing style that the novel contained was readable enough that I understood most of what happened in the 19 chapters this book has in its pages.

I really have read the entirety of this novel. I was interested in getting to know more about what Elizabeth Van Lew did to help the Union for the Civil War and escaped slaves. Elizabeth was very smart and ingenious for memorizing and learning stuff fast. She was talented and just simply very fascinating to get to read more about.

I had read this novel as soon as I found a copy of it. My rating is due to the fact that I found this book enjoyable and distracting. I liked getting to know more actual facts about the Civil War and to read about how much Elizabeth tried to help other people. I really just admired Elizabeth Van Lew for how brave she was in defending her own opinions.

I would recommend this novel to those who are interested in learning more about a feminine spy during the Civil War. Elizabeth Van Lew was ahead of her time for how much she valued freedom and other similar values.

[Deb Quinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had seen an interview with the author and was immediately engaged with the story. I'd learned about Rose Greenhow years ago, and knew she was not the only woman spy, but didn't know Elizabeth Van Lew's story. In addition to telling Elizabeth's story, Ms. Willis went in depth regarding others involved in the Civil War. Much of what she told I was already familiar with, but her telling shared details I didn't always know. One person Ms. Willis spoke of was Ulrich Dahlgren, who somehow never appeared in any of the other books I've read on the Civil War, except perhaps in passing. His story, and the plot that was uncovered after his death was gripping. Elizabeth's daring, and often dangerous exploits were well-told, and I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Civil War or interested in how women were able to work under the radar for the benefit of our country. Elizabeth Van Lew, until now, was a lesser-known figure in history. I'm glad I was able to learn about her.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating historical account about petite, wealthy Southern belle Elizabeth Van Lew, who became the spymaster of a sophisticated ring of Union loyalists in Richmond, Virginia during the Civil War. First she gave aid and comfort to Union prisoners housed in the horrible prisons around the city, assisted both prisoners and slaves in sometimes daring escapes, all the while building a network of trusted sympathizers until she ultimately provided critical information about the Confederate government in the city and, more importantly, about the state of and movement of rebel troops, in her detailed, encrypted reports. Rich with detail about her operations, this history also provides background information on John Wilkes Booth, Ulysses Grant, and other key figures at that time.

I did find the shift in focus to others at times jarring because it was unclear what they had to do with the story of this remarkable woman, so perhaps the transitions could have been smoother. Despite that, it was an enjoyable, well-researched book. Solid four stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper for the ARC of this book.

[Sandra Pratt · Rating 5 out of 5]

If like me, you’re drawn to stories of women who quietly reshaped history, Lincoln’s Lady Spymaster is a must read. Gerri Willis resurrects the astonishing life of Elizabeth Van Lew—a Southern belle turned Union spy during the Civil War from within the heart of the Confederacy.

Elizabeth’s transformation from Richmond aristocrat to abolitionist operative is fascinating. She built a network that infiltrated prisons, the Confederate War Department, and even Jefferson Davis’s own household. Her collaborators included enslaved people, Union sympathizers, and Mary Bowser, a Black spy whose proximity to power made her intelligence invaluable.

What makes this book especially powerful is its reclamation of a woman history tried to forget. Van Lew’s story was buried by the Lost Cause narrative but Willis restores her with grace and grit. Elizabeth Van Lew may not be a household name, but thanks to this compelling account, she’s finally getting the recognition she deserves.