Unveiling Secrets: The Untold Saga of Alias Agnes, a Gilded Age Spy Who Defied All Odds
DeWolfe’s crisp writing takes readers by the hand and guides them through situations that, given pseudonyms and lots of little lies, could be confusing were it narrated by a less capable author. Also, to accurately report a trial requires sedulous attention to details, lest the reader lose track of what happened. DeWolfe manages this task. What’s more, she lights up the culture of the time, not only its strict moral codes, but its women’s gut fear of childbirth. She touches on the racial attitudes and the vestiges of slavery (a former slave testified in the trial.)
