THE TRIAL AND EXECUTION OF THE TRAITOR GEORGE WASHINGTON

By Charles Rosenberg

Alternate history novels almost always are intriguing just for the possibilities of what might have happened if things occurred differently. Rosenberg takes the historical fact of a kidnapping plot involving General George Washington during the Revolutionary War and crafts a historical novel that takes it a step further. What if Washington was captured and forced back to London to stand trial for his crimes? What would have happened with the war effort? Would Washington have been more successful as a martyr?

Jeremiah Black, a colonel in the King’s Guard, is given the task of kidnapping Washington. What happens next and the changes that occur is fascinating and a look at another side of the man who became the first President of the United States.

The ambiguous ending is a bit disappointing, but it might just be evidence that a sequel is coming. This is a fun novel for thriller and history buffs.