It is the summer of 1862 and the northern army is threatening to capture Richmond, the Confederate capital.
Captain Nathaniel Starbuck, born in Boston, but a Confederate hero at Manassas, is again in the thick of Civil War action. Bloodied but victorious at the battles of Balls Bluff and Seven Pines, Nate suddenly finds himself accused of being a Yankee spy. Proving his innocence and finding the real spy will require courage and endurance rarely seen even in the brutal fog of war. Failure could mean the fall of Richmond and a career-ending defeat for Robert E. Lee.

Bernard Cornwell was born in London. He worked for the BBC and Thames Television before coming to the United States to write full time. He lives with his wife on Cape Cod.

Tom Parker, recipient of the Golden Voice award, records a remarkable variety of books while pursuing his love of theater by directing two or three professional stage productions a year in the Washington, D.C., area.