Innocent Deceptions
Gwyneth Atlee
Zebra Books – Kensington Publishing Corp. – 2002

Gwyneth Atlee has chosen the name "Charlotte Randolph" for her heroine of Innocent Deceptions. Charlotte’s story is based on Confederate spies such as Belle Boyd, Lottie and Ginnie Moon, and many others who used their feminine wiles to gain information for their side in the Civil War. Charlotte’s motive for spying is a combination of regaining the respect of her family and saving their beloved home on the edge of Memphis when it is occupied by a group of Union officers. She also feels she is representing the women of the south in the Confederate cause.

In the beginning of Innocent Deceptions we may wonder who the hero will be. Charlotte seduces and becomes engaged to three Union officers before Captain Ben Chandler becomes her valuable friend. Unfortunately, he is from Texas and has decided to fight for the Union which is why Charlotte gives him the name of "Captain Judas." Captain Chandler is not only able to see through her schemes but also wins her heart through young brother, Alexander Randolph. Captain Chandler observes Alexander's desire for a puppy, and he proceeds to fulfill that desire.  

Atlee has woven a mystery of Alexander’s mother, Charlotte’s deceased fiancé and the role of her neighbor, Mrs. Martin. She questions the mental capacity of Union General Branard in the story. She touches on slavery, freed slaves, and the loyalty of some of the slaves to the white confederates.

I like the premise of Innocent Deceptions because women of the South played such a large part in the war. There are even books written about the extent to which they contributed. One of my favorites is The War the Women Lived by Walter Sullivan. It has several chapters on women spies including Rose O'Neal Greenhow and Belle Boyd. Since the war was fought mainly in the south they had little choice but to fight for their children’s lives, their homes and do everything they could to save their existence while battles raged in their on front yards.

Comments from Gwyneth Atlee

My first question to Ms. Atlee was the reason for basing her story in Memphis and her answer was that her inspiration for Charlotte Randoph was confederate spy named Lottie Moon. It was believed that Ms. Moon had between four and six Union officer fiancés during the occupation of Memphis. Another one of my favorite books by Atlee is Against The Odds, a post-Civil War book based on the explosion of the steamboat, the Sultana. She said she learned of Moon when she was doing research for Against the Odds.

I also asked why she chose Texas as Ben Chandler's home state and her response was that there were many Texas ranchers who decided to defend the Union position for personal reasons.

Atlee has previously written two post-Civil War books, Against The Odds which I already mentioned and Trust to Chance. I wondered why she had gone "back in time" to do a book based on the second year of the war. She felt compelled by her fascination with such a brave young woman as well as the many shades of gray with respect to loyalty in this war.

I always like to know what authors are working on when I interview them for this column and the following are Atlee's present projects:

Dangerous Attractions written under the pseudonym of Colleen Easton is a Zebra Historical Romance and due out in February of 2003. It is set in Key West, Florida in 1857. It focuses on the shipwrecks in the dangerous keys and the brave men who saved lives and property.

She is also working on a historical mystery and romance entitled Sisters of the Moon and is set in the Gilded Age of San Francisco.

References

The War the Women Lived, Walter Sullivan
J.S.Sanders & Company; Printed in 1995, 1996, 1999.

Against The Odds
Zebra - Kensington Publishing – May, 2001

Trust to Chance
Zebra – Kensington Publishing – December, 2001

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