Hope's Crossing

Book excerpt: They came from across Long Island Sound, Tories in search of plunder and ransom, bringing terror to Hope Wakeman's Connecticut home. The family is defenseless now that Father is away serving in General Washington's army. They can only watch as Noah Thomas and his crew strip the house of treasured belongings. And before she realizes what is happening, Hope finds herself a captive and a slave to Thomas's ill-tempered wife. Hope has one unlikely ally: Thomas's plucky mother is a different sort of Tory, one who sees beyond partisan divisions. Together the frail old woman and the girl set off in search of safety, on a journey that takes them from the tiny villages of Long Island to the bustling Tory stronghold of Manhattan. A map helps readers follow along on this journey, during which many astonishing things are revealed to Hope about herself and her companion.