The Traitor

by Dan Sherman

One of Washington’s spies hunts a murderous turncoat in this “fascinating [and] most satisfying” novel of the American Revolution (Publishers Weekly). In a quiet room in the White Swan Inn, sunlight slowly breaks through the curtains revealing two young lovers—an American seamstress and an English officer. They have been brutally, ritualistically murdered in their sleep. It is a grisly scene that can only mean one There is a traitor within the American Revolution. The year is 1779. General Washington, struggling to keep his army together, sends his best spymaster, Matty Grove, to investigate the killings. As Matty follows the trail of clues, he comes up against more questions. Who gave the killer his orders? How much does the mole know of the Revolution’s plans? Is this treason a matter of principle or simply profit? With The Traitor, author Dan Sherman brings the political and economic maneuverings of the Revolution into vivid detail. The rising pace and complex characters in this stunning work of historical fiction will have history buffs and fans of modern espionage alike clamoring for more.

228 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 5, 1987

About the author

Dan Sherman is author of 14 internationally published novels, including The Traitor, The White Mandarin and the Man Who Loved Mata Hari – all of which have been recently republished in both paperbook and ebook form. Dan's first published novel was The Glory Trap, co-written with poet and musician Robin Williamson of The Incredible String Band, set in Morocco and loosely based on the escapades of Rolling Stones' Brian Jones. The Mole was Dan Sherman's first breakaway novel, reviewed in the New York Times and considered the first "hip" American novel of espionage.

Dan continues to write novels, short stories and poetry. He makes his home in Los Angeles.

Reviews

[Adelyne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars.

It really didn’t help the cause of this book that I was, at the same time, listening to another spy espionage book that I found more thoughtful and well plotted. This one isn’t necessarily poor, and maybe the style is testament to the time when it was written, but it didn’t really work for me. I thought the “say it as it is” style of writing didn’t suit a spy story, it felt almost too easy for the reader and that didn’t give the vibes that it probably should have. The pacing I also found a bit on the slow side, though to be fair it doesn’t promise to be a thriller.

It was an easy read though, and an enjoyable enough story about spies and deceit within armies. Set during the American Revolution, we’re pretty much told what the outcome was – and the story itself basically just expands on the blurb and provides more details into the exactly who and the how. I did like the Matty Grove character though, and his interactions at the inn showed a different side to him – a more human side as opposed to his official spymaster role.

[Doug · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the premise of the story except it is a little shallow.