The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington

The First Conspiracy

by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch

Flatiron Books, 2019. Nonfiction, 413 p.

George Washington was waiting tensely in New York City for the British troops to arrive in June 1776 when John Jay and others of his intelligence officers uncovered a plot to overthrow the army and betray Washington to the British. In a forward Meltzer states that he saw the plot mentioned in a footnote of a history he was reading. He was intrigued and went to talk with a Washington historian about it.  The historian said that it was an interesting side note, but that, because of its clandestine nature, there were probably not enough original sources about it to put together a clear picture of what really happened.  Meltzer and Mensch were determined to prove him wrong.

The result is a fast paced story that feels like one of Meltzer's action adventure novels but is based on historical evidence.  As the authors tell the story of the one specific plot, they also recount how Washington, a new commander of the Continental Army, learns the importance of military intelligence and counter-intelligence and develops the framework of operatives that are the forerunners of the modern CIA.  Meltzer and Mensch don't hesitate to add a little extra drama here and there, but are careful to explain which of there assertions are based on primary sources, and which are his own educated suppositions. This is a great choice for both history buffs and those who like Meltzer's fiction but want to take a bite out of a more meaty, nonfiction topic.