In-Store Book Signing: Lincoln's Lady Spymaster
with author Gerri Willis
Join us in the Spy Museum Store for a special book signing event for Lincoln's Lady Spymaster: The Untold Story of the Abolitionist Southern Belle Who Helped Win the Civil War with author Gerri Willis.
A thrilling, cinematic saga of a Southern belle whose espionage for Abraham Lincoln and the Union helped win the Civil War.
Wealthy Southern belle Elizabeth Van Lew had it all. Money, charm, wit—the biggest mansion in Richmond. So why risk everything to become the Civil War’s most productive Union spy?
The answer was simple: freedom. In this gripping history of a secret espionage genius, Gerri Willis reveals how Elizabeth built a flourishing spy network in the heart of the Confederate Capitol. Flouting society’s expectations for women, Elizabeth infiltrated prisons, defied public opinion, and recruited an underground movement of freed slaves, secret Unionists, and brave captives.
Putting her straitlaced Victorian past behind her, Elizabeth encountered vivid characters—assassins, socialites, escape artists, and cross-dressing spies. From grave robbery to a bold voyage across enemy lines, her escapades grew more and more daring. It paid off. Her agents were so well-placed that she had spies gathering information in both the Confederate War Department and the Richmond White House, and couriers providing General Ulysses S. Grant with crucial, daily intelligence for the war’s final assault.
About the Author
Gerri Willis is an award-winning journalist, television personality, podcast host, and author. Currently a correspondent and anchor for Fox Business, she was the host of two long-running shows for CNN, and an editor and reporter for SmartMoney, Crain's New York Business, and others. Her journalism earned the prestigious midcareer Knight-Bagehot Fellowship from the Columbia Journalism School. A breast cancer survivor, Gerri received the Susan G. Komen Image Award for her efforts in supporting cancer research. Gerri, her husband David Evans (a fellow Bagehot alumnus), and their poodle puppy, Rufus, divide their time among NY, MA, and SC.
The Spy Museum does not endorse, approve, or support the opinions stated by guest speakers. Statements made by speakers do not represent the position or opinion of the International Spy Museum.