New York Times bestselling authors Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch turn a little known piece of history into a gripping story in The First Conspiracy, blending real-life events with a bit of drama, intrigue and mystery.
Taking place during the most critical period of our nation’s birth, The First Conspiracy tells a remarkable and previously untold piece of American history that not only reveals George Washington’s character, but also illuminates the origins of America’s counterintelligence movement that led to the modern day CIA.
In 1776, an elite group of soldiers were handpicked to serve as George Washington’s bodyguards. Washington trusted them; relied on them. But unbeknownst to Washington, some of them were part of a treasonous plan. In the months leading up to the Revolutionary War, these traitorous soldiers, along with the Governor of New York, William Tryon, and Mayor David Mathews, launched a deadly plot against the most important member of the military: George Washington himself.
This is the story of the secret plot and how it was revealed. It is a story of leaders, liars, counterfeiters, and jailhouse confessors. It also shows just how hard the battle was for George Washington and how close America was to losing the Revolutionary War.
I read the Conspiracy series in reverse order, beginning with The JFK Conspiracy, followed by The Lincoln Conspiracy. I still have The Nazi Conspiracy on my reading list. The order I consumed these novels in was purely baed on my interest in the story, and while I enjoyed the JFK and Lincoln books, The First Conspiracy didn’t quite hold my attention in the same way. This was likely because I found the plots in the other books much more compelling.
Like the other Conspiracy novels, The First Conspiracy offers a fascinating and teachable story for me. It was more than just a story–it’s a learning experience filled with historical context and intrigue. That said, the book did feel a bit overstuffed and drawn out at times. Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch might have been able to conveyed the story and its key moments with a fewer pages. Even so, the story of secret plots in 1775–1776 was still exciting.
The First Conspiracy felt well-researched and like the others in the series was well-written. The authors write these tales in a way that makes it accessible to those looking to learn a bit more while also not wanting to pickup a textbook. It’s presented dramatically, adding suspense and mystery that kept me hooked into the story.
While The First Conspiracy wasn’t my favorite in the series–so far, it still managed to deliver a dramatic look at a set of crazy events surrounding one of the most famous US Presidents. Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch were laying the foundation for the series of conspiracy novels with this book, and it shows some room for refinement. The future novels are far more entertaining for me, but again could be just the subject matter. Either way, The First Conspiracy was worth the read.
The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington is available at bookstores everywhere from Flatiron Books. The audiobook, narrated by Scott Brick, is available at Libro.fm!
