1776 New York City
Invasion!
When the British Army lands on Long Island in the summer of 1776, General George Washington faces his greatest challenge: a Loyalist spy’s treachery has sent the Continental Army into panic and near-destruction. During the desperate battle that follows, an obscure Lieutenant Jeremiah Creed leads survivors from the Maryland Continental Line to safety behind the defenses of Brooklyn. Impressed with Creed’s audacity and courage, Washington taps him to lead a handpicked team of men in a critical mission: espionage against the British.
The skeptical young officer wants to return to his regiment but is convinced to forsake the glory of conventional war and continue to serve Washington. So begins an unlikely partnership among Washington, his intelligence advisor, Colonel Robert Fitzgerald, and Creed, who becomes enmeshed in a shadow war against the skillful and experienced dragoon officer Major Sandy Drummond, the newly-appointed chief of British intelligence.
At Washington’s direction, Creed leads his men in a series of patrols, raids, and espionage missions that reduce his unit to a small band of shadow warriors. Along the way, Creed and his men encounter a string of characters caught up in the rebellion: lawyers, hookers, smugglers, and housewives. Creed’s leadership, resourcefulness, and heroism, along with help from Emily Stanley, the beautiful young daughter of a Loyalist doctor, combine in a desperate struggle for intelligence that forces them to learn about secret codes, double agents, and deception. But will The Patriot Spy learn fast enough to save the Army--and the new nation--from destruction?
"The survival of Washington’s army--and the new nation--depends on the success of...The Patriot Spy. S. W. O’Connell’s debut novel is filled with action, intrigue, and adventure as it captures the birth of a nation in a page-turning, exciting read for the reader by an up-and-coming writer who has so much to offer in the area of historical fiction. Buy it; read it; and, enjoy it!" David E. Meadows, author of the Sixth Fleet series.
"James Bond meets George Washington in ’The Patriot Spy, ’ a swashbuckling blend of espionage, intrigue, and military adventure! "Even as Minutemen battled Redcoats during the Revolutionary War, an elite corps of American special operations troops waged a shadow war against the British forces, and episodes from this covert campaign are the thrilling subject of ’The Patriot Spy.’" Michael O. Varhola, author of the new tell all book,"Texas Confidential" and Publisher of "Skirmisher" Magazine