Read my review of Peggy Wirgau’s riveting historical fiction spy novel.
About To Outwit Them All
by Peggy Wirgau
“Into the Lions’ den I go…”
Betty Floyd’s uncle risked his life when he signed the Declaration of Independence, yet she is the epitome of British loyalty and social grace in 1779. Attempting to ignore the war, she attends New York’s balls and soirees with the Crown’s officers, but the city is a dangerous place for someone with Patriot ties. When a soldier she has befriended is murdered at a British prison, Betty is driven to choose sides and join General Washington’s covert spy group, the Culper Ring.
Her social calendar provides the perfect backdrop to dance with the enemy, and she catches the eye of the charming Major John André, Britain’s Director of Intelligence. Garnering timely information for the Patriots becomes a never-ending balancing act, amid heightened collision between duty to her country and deepening feelings for André. When the slightest misstep could expose her and the entire Ring, a traitorous plot conducted by Benedict Arnold unfolds, and Betty is led to the very brink of death. Will she outwit the enemy, or will her flirtations with danger cost her everything?
Memoir Historical Fiction
Setting – New York, Revolutionary War
Publisher : Iron Stream Media
Publication date : October 14, 2025
Print length: 362 pages
Storybook Lady
Review
To Outwit Them All
by Peggy Wirgau
The Lady in General Washington’s Spy Ring
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Author Peggy Wirgau has crafted a captivating historical fiction that will keep entertain and enlighten the reader. The author spins a tale about a woman who many experts believe may have been the elusive lady in the Washington’s Culper Ring spy network known only as 335. Betty Floyd’s uncle may have signed the declaration of Independence, but she was a loyalist socialite who often mixed with British military elite. Assuming that Betty was the elusive spy who managed to provide important information for General Washington, Wirgau fills in the blanks and writes both a story of a woman who becomes a spy but is torn by her growing affection for the very man who she is the British spy master.
The author leads the reader from Betty’s loyalist beginnings to the events which cause her to change sides and on through her attempts to learn important information. Betty is an empathetic character, brave yet naive. I loved watching her battle her heart with her politics. Not being a student of history beyond my school days, I knew nothing of the Culper Ring or most of the people portrayed. Therefore, I could enjoy this story fully with almost no spoiler in the plot line. A few history aficionados have mentioned in their reviews that Wirgau’s writing kept them riveted despite knowing what will happen.
I received an advance reading copy from Books Forward PR and the publisher. However this review is voluntary and I can honestly recommend this novel to anyone who loves historical fiction.
About Peggy Wirgau
A Michigan native, Peggy Wirgau now lives in Arvada, Colorado. She loves bringing history to life for readers, writing about real unsung women who faced extraordinary challenges and became heroes. Her debut novel, The Stars in April, is based on the true story of a twelve-year-old Titanic survivor.
Her second novel, To Outwit Them All is based on the true story of the only female member of George Washington’s Culper Ring.
Peggy has also written for Appleseeds, Insight, Learning Through History, and contributed to Why? Titanic Moments by Yvonne Lehman. Her blog features in-depth Titanic stories, and her followers include descendants of the ship’s real-life victims and survivors. See Blog for more details.
A graduate of Michigan State University and George Mason University, Peggy is an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Historical Novel Society, and Colorado Authors League. She loves to travel and explore historical sites. She and her husband have two adult children and three grandchildren.
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Thank you Books Forward and Iron Stream Media for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.
