"Richly detailed setting, heart-stopping plot, and unforgettable characters."
--Deanna Raybourn, New York Times bestselling author

The first of award-winning author Alyssa Cole's highly-acclaimed Loyal League series! As the Civil War rages between the states, a courageous pair of spies plunge fearlessly into a maelstrom of ignorance, deceit, and danger, combining their unique skills to alter the course of history and break the chains of the past . . .

Elle Burns is a former slave with a passion for justice and an eidetic memory. Trading in her life of freedom in Massachusetts, she returns to the indignity of slavery in the South--to spy for the Union Army.

Malcolm McCall is a detective for Pinkerton's Secret Service. Subterfuge is his calling, but he's facing his deadliest mission yet--risking his life to infiltrate a Rebel enclave in Virginia.

Two undercover agents who share a common cause--and an undeniable attraction--Malcolm and Elle join forces when they discover a plot that could turn the tide of the war in the Confederacy's favor. Caught in a tightening web of wartime intrigue, and fighting a fiery and forbidden love, Malcolm and Elle must make their boldest move to preserve the Union at any cost--even if it means losing each other . . .

Praise for the novels of Alyssa Cole:

"Rich in atmospheric details and rife with unexpected dangers."
--RT Book Reviews

"Sweet, sensual, and suspenseful . . . rousing and entertaining."
--Publishers Weekly