The Turncoat

April 29, 2013
Through a quick turn of events, rebel Kate Grey's calm village life becomes enveloped by deceit, espionage, and violence. Worse still, she is in love with a loyal British soldier. As the British occupy Philadelphia and look to make advances on George Washington's army, Kate increasingly finds herself balancing duty and desire, all the while working to evade capture. For most of this audio edition, Madeleine Lambert offers up narration that feels aloof and distantâthough her performance is more nuanced during romantic scenes. And while the voices she lends the characters are unique and vivid, at times they don't ring true. But, despite these flaws, the overall production will be an entertaining listen for fans of period romance. A NAL trade paperback.

February 15, 2013
For Kate Grey, a sensible Quaker woman living with her father, talk of rebels and Tories and battles and brigades all seemed to be taking place comfortingly far away from her home in rural Pennsylvania. When the British mount a new campaign outside Philadelphia, a dashingly handsome viscount commandeers the Grey estate to house himself and his soldiers for the evening, and Kate comes face-to-face with the realities of war. Kate, her father, and a mysterious Aunt Angela set a plan in motion to deliver information to the rebel army, and Kate is quickly swept up in a sea of espionage, secret codes, and false identities. When the handsome viscount resurfaces, Kate has to decide whose loyalty is worth favoring and whose favor is worth dying for. A combination of historical espionage and smoldering romance, Thorland's first novel is a surprising and engrossing tale. Immersing the reader in 1777 Philadelphia, sweeping from decadent high-society balls to the filth of battlefield infirmaries, Thorland exhibits real passion for the time period. Fans of Philippa Gregory and Loretta Chase will find The Turncoat a thrilling read.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)