Spy in the Shadows

Deborah Fisher is a medical doctor associated with Mount Sinai Hospital
in Toronto.

This wonderful historical novel for 8- to 14-year-olds is filled with
suspense and ethical dilemmas.

The tale is set in 1864, on the verge of Confederation, in a small
Ontario town near the American border. Liam, a young adolescent, is an
Irish orphan. Prior to his father’s death he had been apprenticed to
work in the bell foundry owned by Gottlieb Hahn, a German. The boy
resides with Hahn’s children—Rebecca, who is Liam’s age, and
Isaac, her older brother.

Early in the plot Liam becomes discouraged and lonely in his work with
the critical and obsessive Gottlieb. In his attempt to run away, Liam
encounters his cousin Patrick. His relative, a Fenian playing on
Liam’s vulnerability and Irish patriotism, recruits him as a spy for
the cause. At this point Liam does not comprehend the difference between
a Fenian and a Young Irelander like his own dad. Hence our hero gets
entangled in a dangerous and ethically troublesome situation.

As Isaac joins other Canadians to defend the border against the
Fenian-American raid, our hero learns that he has made a grave mistake.
He discovers that the Fenians are Irish rebels, recruited and supported
by the Americans during their Civil War to assist them in annexing
Canada. To Liam’s shock, their cause is vastly different from that
supported by his “da,” who fought British exploitation in Ireland
during the potato famine of 1846. Liam’s oath to Patrick has placed
his adoptive family and country in jeopardy.

Assuming the child reading this book is as naive as Liam about the
political situation, he or she will be wrapped in the same fear and
anticipation as our protagonist. Due to Greenwood’s deft ability in
weaving a story and her captivating vocabulary, suspense escalates.
Liam’s decision about his allegiance is not a facile one. Yet as the
plot progresses, the young lad develops a level of sophistication and
motivation that enables him to make a commitment and suffer the
consequences. The book ends on a strong note of Canadian patriotism, as
it culminates with Confederation.