The First Conspiracy (Young Reader's Edition): The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington

by Brad Meltzer, Josh Mensch

Overview

#1 New York Times bestselling author Brad Meltzer unravels the truth behind the secret assassination attempt on George Washington and how the plot helped create the CIA and the FBI in this young reader's adaptation for younger audiences.

1776.
The early days of the Revolutionary War.

It supposedly began with Thomas Hickey, a private in the Continental Army, and New York governor William Tryon. In an astonishing power grab, they plotted to kill Hickey's boss: a man by the name of George Washington.

In the end, Hickey was caught, brought to trial, and found guilty. It would seem he became the first person in the new nation to be executed for treason.

But to this day, nobody knows for sure if this story is true. In The First Conspiracy, Brad Meltzer sheds light on the close-kept secrets and compelling details surrounding this story and exposes the history of how the assassination plot catalyzed the creation of the CIA and FBI.

This page-turning investigation offers young readers an in-depth look at the facts and remaining questions that surround this contested historical event.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250244833
Publisher:	Roaring Brook Press
Publication date:	01/07/2020
Edition description:	Young Reader's ed.
Pages:	368
Sales rank:	206,772
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.30(d)
Lexile:	1180L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Brad Meltzer is the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of The Inner Circle, The Book of Fate, Heroes for my Son, and Heroes for My Daughter as well as several other bestselling thrillers. He is also the author of the phenomenally popular I Am series for young readers. He lives in Florida with his wife and three children.

Hometown:

Florida

Date of Birth:

1970

Place of Birth:

New York, New York

Education:

B.A., University of Michigan; J.D., Columbia University

Website:

http://www.bradmeltzer.com

Table of Contents

Author's Note vi

Notes on the Text viii

Prologue-New York, New York, April 1776 1

Part I The Commander 5

Part II Spies in Boston 36

Part III A Bloody Summer 100

Part IV A Most Infernal Plot 175

Part V Sacricide 245

Part VI Aftermath 288

Acknowledgments 314

Cast of Characters 318

Notes 320

Selected Bibliography 341

Index 347

Editorial Reviews

★ 01/01/2020

Gr 5–8—During the year between Washington's appointment as commander of the Continental Army and the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the young general matured rapidly from a stately landowner and former soldier to the revered leader of a ragtag and still unproven military force. Meltzer and Mensch, in this young reader's edition of their best-selling book, trace a shadowy plot that may have originated with New York's royal governor, William Tryon. The narrative shifts between various cities and jumps forward and backward in time. Context is provided and gaps in understanding are filled, though the overall arc of the story is maintained. The sometimes disorienting structure contributes to the portrayal of constantly shifting allegiances and intrigue: "Intelligence. Cunning. Secrecy. These are the tools of war." The text has few illustrations and no sidebars or graphic elements to break up long blocks of text, making it more suitable for stronger readers. The images included, however, support the narrative and typically include substantial captions. Chapters are mostly short, and the language is simple and clear. A lengthy bibliography, including references to many primary sources, as well as 30 pages of detailed source notes, organized by chapter and page number, conclude the volume. VERDICT This title, amply researched, well documented, and as engagingly written as a spy thriller, is highly recommended for middle grade libraries.—Bob Hassett, Luther Jackson Middle School, Falls Church, VA

School Library Journal

2019-10-28
Meltzer and Mensch's melodramatic 2018 account of a plot that would have definitely changed the outcome of the Revolutionary War, reissued in modestly tightened form for younger audiences.

In dozens of short chapters featuring barrages of orotund, present-tense prose, the authors spin a scanty web of evidence into a whirl of conspiracy. First, though, come paeans to George Washington's sterling character and irreplaceability along with an extended overview of the war's run-up from the occupation and abandonment of Boston to the British fleet's arrival in New York harbor. It's in the stews of New York ("Drinking. Disease. Filth. Secret plots"—but the syphilis and prostitutes to be found there in the adult edition seem to be absent) that ousted Loyalist governor William Tryon hatches a scheme to commit widespread sabotage and, as a hyperventilating contemporary dubs it, "SACRICIDE," and also there that the conspirators give themselves away just prior to the disastrous Battle of Long Island. Though most escape punishment, one prisoner is hanged on the very day that the Continental Congress sees the first draft of the Declaration of Independence. Further chapters on Washington's own spycraft, on his changing attitude toward allowing free blacks to enlist, and other conspiracies real or drummed up serve to enrich the page count as well as, sometimes, the content. Massive sections of endnotes and scholarly sources are carried over from the original.

Not much to choose between the two editions, for readers adult or otherwise. (index) (Nonfiction. 12-15)

Kirkus Reviews