‘Conspiracy’ unravels plot to kill George Washington

Thriller writer Brad Meltzer is hoping his first nonfiction book, “The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington” (Flatiron, $30), does for the first U.S. president what LinManuel Miranda has done for Alexander Hamilton.

No, Meltzer isn’t looking for another musical about a Founding Father. “Washington’s story doesn’t really lend itself to a musical,” he said. Nor would he ever see himself portraying Washington on any theater stage as Miranda did with Hamilton. “My kids would be mortified,” Meltzer said with a laugh.

History in a new light

Instead, he hopes “The First Conspiracy” similarly gives readers a fresh view of history and the people behind historical facts.

“I want people to look at a side of history they’ve never known about and in a way they’ve never seen. We all know about the Revolution and George Washington, but I personally never knew about a plot to kill him,” Meltzer said.

“We’re a country founded on legends and myths, and the ones we love the most are about our history. We love the idea that we were this ragtag group that came together and held hands and defeated the British ... . That’s a great story. But the truth is we were far more divided as a country. The (different) … regiments hated each other. We didn’t even have the same uniforms.”

He cites a favorite story featured in “The First “The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington” By Brad Meltzer (Flatiron, $30)

Conspiracy” in which the American troops were losing the Battle of Brooklyn.

“Washington was outgeneraled, he didn’t have the experience that the British generals had and we were about to lose,” Meltzer said. “He could have easily said the (American troops) would take as many of the (enemy) as possible and go out in a blaze of glory. Instead he adapts, and plans a daring escape for his military.

“In the middle of the night he brings all these boats to the East River for his troops. But he won’t get on the boat until all those under him get on the boat first, even the lowest ranking soldier. He risked his life to save others. All the regiments see him. And that is one of the moments when we all came together. That showed real leadership.”

Uncovering a conspiracy

Meltzer’s fascination with history has been the basis of his 12 best-selling, highconcept thrillers, the latest of which was “The Escape Artist,” and his successful string of “Heroes” picture books for kids ages 5 to 8 depicting American icons when they were children.

His fiction focuses on arcane facts that Meltzer weaves into his actionpacked plots. “The First Conspiracy” is chock with those unbelievable realities. Add in betrayals on the highest levels, liars, counterfeiters and jailhouse confessors, and “The First Conspiracy” fits comfortably in Meltzer’s storytelling wheelhouse.

Set in 1776, “The First Conspiracy” concerns a handpicked group of soldiers who served as George Washington’s bodyguards. They had earned Washington’s unwavering trust as the new country was being formed. But unknown to Washington, some members had switched sides.

In the months before the Revolutionary War, these traitorous soldiers, as well as the governor of New York and mayor of New York City, hatched an assassination plot against Washington. When the plot was uncovered, Washington arrested the guilty parties and hanged one of the conspirators in front of 20,000 troops and citizens in an open field, days before the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Meltzer said he stumbled across the assassination plot about a decade ago when he was doing research for one of his thrillers. “It was where one finds the best details — in a footnote,” he quipped.

Plunging into research, Meltzer teamed up with his friend and colleague Josh Mensch. They had an ah-ha moment when they found the transcripts from the secret tribunal.

“It was amazing to see it all written down. It wasn’t like Indiana Jones running through the jungle … this is all digitized; it’s just that no one wants to read it. We read it,” Meltzer said. “We figured at best we would get a book, and, at worst, we’d have a little adventure.”

This week’s new fiction releases include “The Dreamers” by “Age of Miracles” author Karen Thompson Walker. A mysterious illness strikes a college town in Southern California, plunging its victims into perpetual sleep.

Fiction

■ “No Exit” Taylor Adams

■ “Rewrite” Gregory Benford

■ “The Gilded Wolves” Roshani Chokshi

■ “No Sunscreen for the Dead” Tim Dorsey

■ “Stain” A.G. Howard

■ “The Accidental Further Adventures of the 100-Year-Old Man “Jonas Jonasson

■ “Liar Liar” James Patterson

■ “Tear It Down” Nick Petrie

■ “The Flimflam Affair” Bill Pronzini

■ “Firestarter”

Tara Sim

Nonfiction

■ “On Thomas Merton”

Mary Gordon

■ “Millionaire Success Habits” Dean Graziosi

■ “Positively Unstoppable” Diamond Dallas Page

■ “My Life Among the Underdogs” Tia Torres

■ “Inheritance” Dani Shapiro

“Our deeds determine us, as much as we determine our deeds.”

George Eliot,

1859 “Adam Bede,”