Susanna's Midnight Ride: The Girl Who Won the Revolutionary War

by Libby McNamee

The Revolution rests in her hands.

As the former Colonies struggle for freedom, the American Revolution is in the hands of a brave and resourceful teenage girl.

At sixteen, Susanna Bolling is like America in rebellion — she craves independence. While her brothers are off fighting for the Patriots, she longs to do more than tedious household chores and attend spinning bees in sleepy City Point, Virginia.

When British General Cornwallis invades her family’s Bollingbrook Plantation, she overhears his secret plan to defeat the Patriots. Much to her shock, she finds herself at the center of the war. Now America’s fight for liberty hinges on her. But can she overcome her mother’s objections, face her own fears, and outwit the famed General and his entire Army?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Young Adult, American Revolution, American Revolutionary War, Childrens, American History

210 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2018

About the author

Hello! I am an author, historian, and recovering lawyer. I love exploring America’s many historical sites. When a descendant told me the TRUE story of Susanna Bolling from City Point/Hopewell and her heroism during the Revolutionary War, I was determined to share it with the world. “Susanna’s Midnight Ride: The Girl Who Won the Revolutionary War” is my first published novel. Huzzah!

#1 GOLD AWARD from 2020 INDEPENDENT PUBLISHERS BOOK AWARDS ("IPPY AWARD") FOR JUVENILE FICTION
and
#1 IN JUVENILE FICTION BY 2020 PINNACLE BOOK AWARDS

"Dolley Madison & the War of 1812: America's First Lady" will release on August 24, 2021, which is the 207th anniversary of the burning of Washington City. Huzzah!!

I served as a US Army JAG Officer in Korea, Bosnia, Germany, and Washington State. A native of Boston, I graduated from Georgetown University cum laude and Catholic University Law School. I have lived in Richmond since 2000.

Website & Blog - www.LibbyMcNamee.com
Facebook Author Page - www.Facebook.com/LibbyMcNameeAuthor
Instagram - libbymcnameeauthor
LinkedIn - LibbyMcNamee

Reviews

[Susy C. *MotherLambReads* · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5
Loved hearing this story of a brave girl during Revolutionary times!
I got a bit bogged down by all the details and descriptions and kept plugging through at parts.
I always love learning new aspects in history tho.

[mckenna (draco’s version) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. I love History/ Historical Fiction books some of my favorites and this was no exception. I loved the characters Susanna was pretty relatable in my opinion. There were a few typos but I knew what she meant. It was awesome that it was a true story I had forgotten that. Over all really good.

[Libby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recipient of 2020 Independent Publisher Award, #1 in Juvenile Fiction

Recipient of 2020 Pinnacle Award, #1 in Juvenile Fiction

[Joanna Hewitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[AvaReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

About to become a new musical at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront!!

[Avellina Balestri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I met the author of this charming book via Revolutionary War circles on FB, and this led me to pick up a copy on Amazon, since I have been binge-reading revolutionary fiction while writing my own revolutionary trilogy. This particular story deals with wartime experiences on the home front through the eyes of a teenaged girl, Susanna. She is living out the day-to-day of the waiting and watching part of war, as her brothers are off fighting for what often seems to be a lost cause. The author does a very good job dealing with the tension of waiting for the casualty lists to come in, and then even if your own loved ones are not on them, having to face neighbors whose loved ones will never be coming home. There is a particularly realistic scene of Susanna not having the heart to tell a neighbor that she has seen her son listed among the slain, and runs away, leaving the poor woman to find out herself. We also get to see the bitter divides within communities between Patriots and Loyalists, which manifests even at funeral services. The plot picks up pace when Lord Cornwallis and his regulars comes to town, resulting in Susanna finding herself a necessary component to keeping the revolutionary cause afloat by preventing the capture of the Marquis de Lafayette. I appreciated that the author referenced Cornwallis having just lost his beloved wife Jemima, which parallels the loss of Susannah's father. I rather wished this commonality could have been explored further and we could have fleshed out more about Cornwallis, not only in terms of his family life and tragedies, but also the fact that he started out as being quite sympathetic to colonial complaints in parliament and deeply regretted the necessity for the war at all, considering Americans to be his brethren and this entire scenario to be a civil war. It could have been interesting to see Susanna's own reaction to these layers to Cornwallis' character. I also rather wish we got more scenes with Tarleton, who was apparently wounded and staying in a bedroom of their home, which of course would cause quite the stir given his hardcore reputation and massacre potential. But aside from my daydreaming about plot expansion here and there, I quite enjoyed going along for the ride (pun totally intended) with Susanna. It brought back fond memories of growing up with the American Girl series. Felicity was always my favorite character (I still have her doll!), and Susanna's spunk reminded me greatly of her. I am also grateful to have learned about a real historical character who I only had an extremely passing knowledge of. I hope the author writes more books along this line, covering little-known heroic women from history! I know she has already written one on Dolly Madison, which I look forward to reading upcoming!

[Scott Stavrou · Rating 5 out of 5]

A compelling, captivating and well-crafted historical novel
In Susanna’s Midnight Ride, McNamee vividly brings to life the little-known true story of a brave teenage girl whose fortitude and fearlessness helped her play a pivotal role in the American Revolution. The story is deftly told in a compelling manner and clearly well-researched and well-written in a way that helps bring the US colonial era and its many struggles to life. A compelling piece of historical writing ideal for teenagers — or anyone with an interest in American history.
(Spoiler Alert: Thanks in no small part to Susanna's courage, the US gets Independence!)

[Deborah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have a hard time with most historical fiction, so if you just love the genre, you'll probably like this book.

Is the event itself fascinating? Yes! Does the author make really heavy dialogue peppered with quotes from prominent figures of the time? Yes! Does the author project heavy misogyny into every male-female conversation? Yes! In virtually every interaction with older men in the community, they insult her for no reason- "you feeble-minded simpleton!" and various iterations of "women are so stupid." Ugh.

[Julie Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the opening sentence of Libby Carty McNamee's Susanna's Midnight Ride: "Tomorrow I'll find out if my brothers are dead.", I found myself swept away, hoisted through the narrative back in time to the Revolutionary War and the life of spirited, restless, sixteen-year-old Susanna Bolling.

As I read, the following three impressions grabbed hold from the first page to the last: (1) the author's extensive research shows in the narrative, creating such a vivid reality, you felt you were there; (2) the page-turning plot won't let go. You must keep reading; (3) this brave heroine's story needs to become part of contemporary discussions about the Revolutionary War.

I cannot praise this novel enough. It is absolutely at the height of its genre.

Enthusiastic five stars!

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It had a lot of information in it that I learned in school too.

[Cruse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the book. Towards the end I was frantically reading to see what happened. I only wish that we had been given some insight into the rest of her life after that ride.

[Mandy Chilcote]

Filled with historical references and jargon--the word choice is my favorite part of this book as it includes exclamations like "Gadzooks!" that are both fun and representative of the time period. At times it reads as if it's an attempt to include as many historical references as possible, to the point that it belabors the plot, in my opinion. Nonetheless, it's a retelling of a true story that's relevant to the greater Richmond area and one girl's role in the Revolutionary War. I most appreciate the portrayal of the women, families, and slaves at home during the War and how they lived during the time period.

[Leslie aka StoreyBook Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't realize this book was based on a true event. It is a little known story during the war about this plucky young woman's ride to save a general. The story was well researched and I was engaged in the story. It was hard when they would call her Susanna, since that was also her mother's name and I, would sometimes get confused as to who they were referring. But when they called her Sukey it was easier to follow along.

A great story to teach a little bit of history and engage a young mind

[Michael T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

While “Susanna's Midnight Ride: The Girl Who Won the Revolutionary War” is a novel, it puts flesh on the available information of Susanna Bolling's historic act. I am familiar with the history of City Point and Central Virginia, as I was raised in Hopewell (which now includes the former town of City Point). Mrs. McNamee has accurately captured the people of the time. I throughly enjoyed this book.

[Anne Counoupas · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this exciting and page turning tale, McNamee shares the true tale of Susanna Bolling and her contribution to the American revolution. With constant action and rich vocabulary, this story keeps the reader engaged while sharing some of the lesser known or discussed elements of our history. This would make a great class read aloud to discuss alongside the history we teach of this time period.

[Donna Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this historical novel with Susanna as a strong female character and all of the connections that can be used with our 6th grade history classes! The use of words and vocabulary from the time period make it feel like you are a part of the story. Can’t wait to share this with students and adults!

[Cathy McCormack · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this historical novel! It is based on the true story of Susanna Bolling, a 14 year old girl, whose courage and determination influenced the course of the Revolutionary War. This book held my attention from beginning to end. Couldn’t put it down!

[Angie Sherwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful read. Great for history buffs of all ages.

[Ted Mccormack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and well researched and written.

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well told story made all the better because it's a true story. My 12 year-old daughters loved this book!

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Susanna’s Midnight Ride is a suspenseful, well-written book based on the little-known story of a teenage girl who was a hero in the Revolutionary War. The protagonist, Susanna, is sixteen years old at the time of this story, and she has two brothers who both are enlisted in the War on the patriots side, and she, herself dreams of glory and heroism, but is not allowed to join, because she is a girl. The fighting soon reaches her plantation, Bollingbrook, and when she gets caught up in the plans of the General Cornwallis and his men, who are on the British side, when they invade and quarter at her home, the success of the enemy is in her hands.
I liked this story because It was wonderfully written and focused in on the details. I would give this book 3-4 stars because while I enjoyed the book, it focused on too many little details in my opinion, and it took awhile to get started. However, once it got to the thrilling climax, I couldn’t put this book down! I personally think it is geared towards the younger crowd, maybe kids a little bit younger than myself, perhaps 11-year-olds. The themes of bravery and perseverance are strong in this delightful true story, and I’d say that I quite enjoyed it!

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve finished “Susanna’s Midnight Ride” by Libby Carty McNamee. I bought this book and got to meet the lovely author at last year’s #RVABLF18, and I finally picked this one off my TBR shelf last week and cracked it open. It was an adventure from the start. Susanna lives in Revolutionary-era Virginia, and her everyday life is plagued with news of the war. Her two brothers are off fighting, and the British could kind of be anywhere, wreaking havoc. My favorite thing about this book were the secondary characters. While I loved and enjoyed Susanna, our heroine who makes the long midnight ride, the other characters shine in this book. Her mother is severe but full of love and courage; her house slave, Penny, is a steadfast friend; the foxy Lafayette is a fun culmination. The pacing in this book was perfect, slowly building us toward the journey we all know Susanna is bound to take. For a thrilling middle grade historical fiction, I highly recommend “Susanna’s Midnight Ride.”
.
Also, just saying – isn’t the cover art wonderful? Shoutout to Susanna’s mother for telling Susanna to take off her dress and wear some damn pants for her midnight ride.

[Emma Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

Libby Carty McNamee does an excellent job of bring the life of the Bolling Family and the town of City Point, Virginia front and center during the Revolutionary War. McNamee has a way of painting pictures with words so the reader can experience this terrible time period in America’s history as the men and women fight for their freedom from King George and England.

Susanna’s Midnight Ride tells of the struggles and the horrible nightmares that sixteen-year-old Susanna goes through while her two brothers are off fighting in the war.

Susanna wants to help but she is only a girl. She is determined to do her part in the fight for the freedom of her nation.

Boys and girls will read this informative account of how one spirited young lady made a difference in the Revolutionary War.

I would recommend this book as a historical supplement in classes where students are learning about the brave and courageous citizens of early America and how they fought for their independence and liberty from a country across the ocean.

[Bobbie Today · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed reading the account of Susanna Bolling, and her courageous & patriotic contributions during the American Revolutionary War. The characters in this book were well developed, and I especially loved the fact that we are reading about a real historical figure, with fictional embellishments and creative license taken due to lack of recorded historical facts. I felt the author did a wonderful job portraying Susanna and giving us all a realistic historical review about the time period and the area in which the story takes place.
It was a very enjoyable read, and I finished it in two short sittings because I simply could not put it down.
This delightful and inspirational story was a lighthearted yet important account of important events in American history- a pleasure for the intended age group, and adults alike… Huzzah to author Libby Carty McNamee on your first published book! Looking forward to reading Dolley Madison next.

[Kenna]

Please note I received this book for free from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. :-)

Susanna's Midnight Ride is a unique story covering a little known revolutionary war hero. The writing is a bit chaotic (in my opinion), but it definitely made me curious about Susanna Bolling and the part she played in the Revolutionary War.

The story discusses the war in a very real way, and doesn't shy away from many of the hardships endured by those waiting at home (and a few from those away fighting).

Though there are definitely some minor content concerns in the story to be aware of, it's an interesting story about Susanna Bolling and her heroic ride to warn Lafayette about a kidnapping plot.

Check out the full review at goodcleanreads.com --> https://goodcleanreads.com/susannas-m...

[Chip Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Susanna’s Midnight Ride: The Girl Who Won the Revolutionary War” is an important and astonishing event of the American Revolutionary War that is on par with “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere” that belatedly has its storyteller, and a highly capable one.

It’s bound to be a favorite for many children who crave for adventures, who love it when a child achieves a “grown-up” heroic status, and perhaps especially for girls who want a sister-heroine. The book was riveting for my ten-year-old boy. He asked so many questions, which is my measure of how much he is invested.

To the parent: place this with the set of books you are hopefully compiling in order to tell your children the story of America.

[Mary Sheriff · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I especially enjoyed about Susanna's Midnight Ride is that it gave insight into what the lives of the women and girls were like during the time of the Revolutionary War. The book is a well-researched tale of girl-power based on a little known true story. In another life, I was a social studies teacher and I couldn't help reading this book through that lens and wishing it had been available when I taught because it adds such a unique lens to the time period. The accompanying study guide makes this book even better for the classroom. I live in Virginia, and so it is also neat to have such a familiar landscape within the book.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding story!

I knew nothing about Susanna's story until I was recommended this book. Why are children not exposed to more heroines and heroes in school?? Especially ones so young and brave! Of course, this is historical fiction because not all details were recorded, but the mere existence of this deed should be known far and wide. Ms. McNamee has written an engaging book. I did not want to put it down. I hope to get this into the hands of my own children to read this summer. Everyone should have multiple role models from all walks of life and time periods. Susanna is certainly a new one for me.

[Alyssa Daly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel tells an important part of the Revolution that often gets overlooked: the role that Patriot women played in the continued pursuit of freedom. While much of the first half of the book is spent building the scenario to come, McNamee does a great job of hiding tidbits of the "big takeaways" throughout the book. Written well for junior high students, and worth discussing as a group to let them realize that women had just as big of a role as the men throughout the Revolution; while Hamilton gets the hype for being generally exciting and high energy, Susanna deserves praise for her humility and dedication to the cause, above all else.

[Toby Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ride of Courage

In this historical novel of Susanna Bolling, a truly brave Petticoat Patriot, her lone ride one turning-point evening proves to be a life-saving event for General Lafayette. Her quest to deliver an important message she overheard from the Redcoats, allows the rebels sufficient time to prepare for the impending attack. Epilogue provides a summary of the role women played in the American Revolution.

Great depiction of an era in American history warmly written for middle graders through high school kids alike.