The Traitor's Wife

A Novel

By: Allison Pataki

Narrated by: Madeleine Maby

Length: 16 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

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 André, 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 André. 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.

©2014 Allison Pataki (P)2014 Simon & Schuster

Interesting

The book is interesting and pushes me to search for the true historical thread through the narrative.

The speaker in this audible book has a pleasant speaking voice and very clear diction. However, the use of "voices" for the various characters was distracting and diluted the story to that of a children's book (envision an elementary teacher making up voices for the picture book characters during circle time)

Narrator’s Performance

The story was great! The narrator’s performance left much to be desired. Every time she was reading the quotation of a particular character, she clipped every.single.word! Wow! Loved the story though.

narration detracted

At times the narrator read very fluidly but so often her narration was stilted, pausing. after. each. word. in. the. sentence . I found this very distracting. She also mispronounced several words , including Lancaster.

Great Book, Not so great delivery

The story is very entertaining and enjoyable! The end is quite satisfying! The delivery is quite the opposite. Awkward pauses and sharp delivery make it challenging to listen to. I would have preferred to read this title, versus listen. The delivery definitely took away from the greatness of this story.

Love her books

Would you consider the audio edition of The Traitor's Wife to be better than the print version?

Never read the book

Which character – as performed by Madeleine Maby – was your favorite?

Of course the main character....

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes....I didn't want to quit listening!

Any additional comments?

I love this narrator.....and the author as well.

Good story to know, the best and worst of people.

It is good to know the story about this part of our history. well written and told but Peggy and Benedict were both such deplorable people it is almost hard to listen to!

Very enjoyable

I enjoyed this very much, the only thing I did not care for was the flash forward moments placed throughout the book, especially when they were told again at the end of the book.

Great story!!

I was so interested in this story that I could not stop listening to it...in my car, in my home, after school in my classroom. I am now busy looking up information about Arnold.

Loved the history

Absolutely hated the narrator, such stilted reading, made the book hard to listen to. Narrators make the story, this one did not.

worth a listen

I bought this book because I love the author's books about SiSi. this one was good too, but I didn't think it was as great as her others.