A riveting historical novel about Peggy Shippen Arnold, the cunning wife of Benedict Arnold and mastermind behind America s most infamous act of treason... Everyone knows Benedict Arnold the Revolutionary War general who betrayed America and fled to the British as history s most notorious turncoat. Many know Arnold s co-conspirator, Major John Andre, who was apprehended with Arnold's documents in his boots and hanged at the orders of General George Washington. But few know of the integral third character in the plot: a charming young woman who not only contributed to the betrayal but orchestrated it. Socialite Peggy Shippen is half Benedict Arnold s age when she seduces the war hero during his stint as Military Commander of Philadelphia. Blinded by his young bride s beauty and wit, Arnold does not realize that she harbors a secret: loyalty to the British. Nor does he know that she hides a past romance with the handsome British spy John Andre. Peggy watches as her husband, crippled from battle wounds and in debt from years of service to the colonies, grows ever more disillusioned with his hero, Washington, and the American cause. Together with her former love and her disaffected husband, Peggy hatches the plot to deliver West Point to the British and, in exchange, win fame and fortune for herself and Arnold. Told from the perspective of Peggy s maid, whose faith in the new nation inspires her to intervene in her mistress s affairs even when it could cost her everything, The Traitor s Wife brings these infamous figures to life, illuminating the sordid details and the love triangle that nearly destroyed the American fight for freedom.

這是一個關於佩奇阿諾德的故事，一段令人屏息的歷史傳奇。佩奇不但是班乃迪克阿諾德精明的妻子，更是美國史上最惡名昭彰之叛國罪的主導者。世人皆知班乃迪克身為美國獨立戰爭的將軍，卻背叛美國，叛逃至英國，落得史上留下臭名的變節者。許多人也知曉當班乃迪克的共謀──約翰安德烈少校遭到逮捕時，他的軍靴裡還藏有班乃迪克的文件；大陸軍總司令喬治華盛頓下令把約翰處以絞刑。但是，鮮少有人知道這段陰謀中的第三位核心主謀──佩奇阿諾德，她是一位迷人的年輕女性，精心策劃了這場叛變。佩奇是一位迷人的社交名媛，年紀僅有班乃迪克的一半；在班乃迪克還是費城軍事統領時，她以美貌勾引這位戰爭英雄。班乃迪克被妻子的美貌和才智所蒙蔽，他全然不知妻子藏著一個秘密──對英國的忠誠，也不知道她和俊美的英國間諜約翰少校有過一段情。佩奇看著丈夫因為戰爭受傷，又因為奉獻殖民地而債台高築，甚至對於自己的英雄華盛頓和美好美國的理想逐漸幻滅。最後，她決定夥同舊情人和心有不平的丈夫，密謀將西點軍事要塞獻給英國，以換來她和丈夫的名聲和財富。本書以佩奇女佣人的口吻敘事，她懷著新國家誕生的信念，決定要干預女主人的計劃，即使這麼做很可能讓她失去一切。本書生動地帶出這些惡名留史的角色，揭發他們不堪的真相，述說著那段幾乎毀掉美國獨立戰爭的三角戀情。