George Washington, Spymaster by Thomas Allen

This book is a historical novel, and I gave it a rating of four out of five. The plot is based on actual people and events that have been researched by the author. It follows George Washington's life starting at age 21, as a major in the Virginia army, until America's victory in the Revolutionary War. The focus of the story surrounds his use of spies to gain information and guide his strategies. It describes methods used to collect the information, but it also talks about ways that he communicated misinformation to the enemy. The names of spies, moles, and double agents are shared. Secret codes, invisible ink, and other techniques are found in the book. The author shares different examples about how spying had a major influence on the outcome of the war.

History buffs will enjoy the description of different battles in the Revolutionary War and the famous leaders mentioned. I enjoyed the mystery of the codes and the strategies used to share information with fellow soldiers without giving away information to the enemy. I really liked the parts where the British most certainly would have won battles, but they never launhed the attacks due to trickery on the part of Washington and his spies.

The lexile level from lexile.com is 1100.