SAMSON AND THE CHARLESTON SPY

The protagonist of Samson and the Charleston Spy may be the definitive underrepresented voice in middle-grade fiction today: he’s a boy and a Southerner, confronting the Civil War from the Confederate perspective.

When Samson Collier and three sixth-grade friends witness the bombardment of Ft. Sumter offshore from their homes, they decide that the Yankee soldiers at the fort must have been forewarned about the attack—since no one was killed although the structure appeared to be wrecked. They set off to find the spy who told secrets.

During their escapades, they confront slavery (one of the four is the son of a freedman), nativism (another of them is the daughter of a prominent Catholic family), zealotry (a man forming a brigade to fight the North appropriates Sam’s beloved horse) and evil (they are attacked by a highwayman in The Devil’s Hole). Eventually, the children discover a shocking plan to undermine their homeland.

The book is an historically accurate and action-packed adventure/mystery.

. . .

“What a great historical mystery/thriller book for kids! I was impressed by how author Paul Barra managed to bring history to life without slowing down the plot. Kids will love the thriller/adventure and friendship between Samson and his friends; educators will appreciate the curriculum tie-in of the Civil War. If you’re looking for an action-packed historical mystery for kids, add Samson and the Charleston Spy to your list…!” 

~ Fleur Bradley, award-winning author of Midnight at the Barclay Hotel 

and Daybreak on Raven Island

“Samson and the Charleston Spy will warm your heart and make you laugh with delight at the antics of four fierce friends determined to find a spy in their midst. Someone forewarned soldiers at Fort Sumter about the first shots to be fired in the American Civil War—and The Fearless Four has a far-ranging list of suspects. One by one, the group led by Samson Collier, bravely eliminates names. What they discover is that life is never as simple as it seems. Even if you’re only eleven years old.”  

~ donalee Moulton, author of Conflagration!, 

winner of the 2024 Daphne du Maurier Award

for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense