Reviewed by Keith Mbuya for Readers' Favorite

When Mary ‘M’ Warner visits President Ulysses S. Grant in Washington, D.C, she meets Secret Service agents Giles Argent and Wrenshall Merritt, who are tasked with escorting her to and from the capital. On returning to her family farm in Kentucky, she begins to receive a series of special mourning stationery, which includes black-banded envelopes, letters, and notes, each announcing the demise of either one or both agents in the recent national disasters. However, M becomes suspicious of the letters for various reasons, one being that Merritt writes to her. It turns out the agents are alive and on assignments in the South, Midwest, and Northeast of the US. The mysterious letters continue to stream in, and M launches a clandestine investigation to uncover their source. Instead, her investigation draws her to the two agents, and their assignments may have the answers she seeks. Is there a possibility that the envelopes will arrive bearing real news about the demise of the agents? Find out in The Black-Banded Envelope by G. S. Boarman.

If you are looking for a historical novel flavored with suspense, adventure, and mystery, The Black-Banded Envelope by G. S. Boarman is a must-read. With vivid prose that unfolds through a multi-perspective timeline, Boarman weaved a compelling tale that took me to post-Civil War era America. The story gave me a glimpse into the social situation and unforgiving political and intelligence landscapes of that time. I was hooked as I followed Argent and Merritt, amid national disasters, and railroad and steamboat travel, on dangerous missions to apprehend the bold players in the counterfeit and forgery criminal enterprises. Boarman’s seasoned literary hand beautifully balances the story with M’s investigation into the source of the mysterious letters. The choice of vocabulary, alongside the detailed mid-nineteenth-century backdrop and events, gave the story historical authenticity. The sharp, character-driven conversations, along with the introspective voice, gave me insight into the intricate emotions, complex traits, and conflicts of the cast, making it easy to connect with them. I loved this book.