RCR: Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

by Crystal Caudill | Aug 31, 2026 | Reading Challenge

It’s another month of our Tackle Your TBR Pile reading challenge. So dig through that stack of books you’ve been meaning to read that’s taller than you and start reading!

Don’t forget to comment at the bottom of the post for your chance to win a book off my prize shelf. *The list of prizes from my shelf can be found here.*

Reading Challenge 2026: Tackle the TBR Pile

This Month: August – Classic Book

Next Month: September – Animal on the Cover

I’ve always loved Treasure Island and almost every movie version I’ve seen. Treasure Planet is my favorite and probably always will be. I haven’t read the original story since middle school, and I was SOOOOO hoping I wouldn’t be disappointed when I finally reread it again. Y’all, I was not. There is a reason why Treasure Island is a timeless story. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Michael Page, and it was every bit as engaging as I remembered. You wouldn’t even think the book was written in the 19th century. It felt as exciting and easy to understand as anything written today. I truly adored it and will probably relisten to it every year. I definitely recommend it, especially if you have kids. It would make a wonderful read-aloud, even if you just have Michael Page do the reading. Truly, it was a thrilling read.

I’m thinking about picking up The Little Princess next. That’s one that I’ve seen the movies for (Shirley Temple ALL THE WAY), but I’ve never read the book for. Then I might reread Dracula, North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell, or Rebecca. I do love the classics.

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

Genre: Classic, Pirates

Peg-legged pirates, colorful parrots, and plundered riches – they’re all here in Robert Louis Stevenson’s original seafaring adventure.

When young Jim Hawkins decides to follow a map to buried treasure, he must befriend or outsmart memorable characters such as pirate Long John Silver, captain Billy Bones, and island man Ben Gunn. Mutinous plans, mysterious deaths, and a tangle of double crosses keep Jim guessing all the way to the prize.

Inspired by real-life seafarers, Stevenson captures the adventurous spirit of the times and the imagination of readers, young and old alike.

Cover or Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

Giveaway Details

Here’s your chance to win a book off my prize shelf. Comment with what YOU read for your chance to win! Entries close on 7th of each month. Open to legal U.S. residents and international residents. *International winners will receive a $10 Amazon gift card in lieu of a book from the prize shelf due to shipping costs.* See Giveaway Policies for more details.

A Brief History of the Secret Service: Part 5 Using Informants

by Crystal Caudill | Aug 23, 2026 | Bonus Content, Counterfeit Faith, Counterfeit Hope, Counterfeit Love, History Facts

A Brief History of the Secret Service

“The detection of crime, when entered upon with an honest purpose to discover the haunts of criminals and protect society from their depredations by bringing them to justice, is held to be an honorable calling and worthy of commendation of all good men.”

– Hiram C. Whitley, Chief of the Secret Service, May 1869 – September 1874

Welcome to my series of blog posts revisiting my research on the Secret Service for my Hidden Hearts of the Gilded Age series. For the next few months, I’ll be posting about their history. At the end of each post, I’ll include my resources and links to the other posts. As each post goes live, the links will be updated.

Part 5: Using Informants

Have you ever been an outsider trying to get into a tight-knit group? Our church has small groups where close-knit relationships develop. While fantastic, being an outsider is initially difficult. You are either joining a new group that takes time to develop trust with, or someone from a tight-knit group invites you in.

Now flip that innocent example on its head and pretend you are a Secret Service operative trying to infiltrate a tight-knit, highly suspicious network of counterfeiters. There is no way you can get in on your own. You are a stranger. They suspect you. They might allow you to have a drink with them, but no vital communication will occur in your presence—unless you have an “in,” someone who can vouch for you.

Enter the informant.

The use of informants was crucial for the success of a Secret Service operative. Thus, an operative’s relationship with his informant was highly personal. They were not friends, but the operative had to know whether they could trust the information, as it dictated their tactics and whether they committed their limited resources to an investigation.

Some informants were voluntary while others were coerced, meaning they were under arrest and possibly facing trial and prison.

Voluntary informants were often self-seeking in their desire to share information. Rewards were given by the Secret Service to any person who gave information “not already in the possession of the chief” that led to the “detection, arrest, and conviction” of counterfeiters or the “capture of their implements and materials.” Counterfeiters offered information as a way to supplement their income when they were down on their luck.

My favorite type of informant was the vengeful one. These informants used the Secret Service to exact revenge on their peers for real or imagined grievances, or to drive competitors out of business. These make the best kind of villain in a story. I read a story that former Chief Andrew Drummond published in the early 1900s about one such Italian counterfeiter. You can read about it here: What Jealousy Did in Little Italy.

A new informant initially had to build a case on his or her own to present his or her results to the operative. Then the Chief of the Secret Service would determine if there should be a reward for their services.

When a rumor was substantiated, the local operative kept the chief informed of developments while simultaneously working with his source to infiltrate the new network. Ideally, the operative sought to identify and arrest all the participants before they could complete and distribute the counterfeited banknotes. However, if it had already entered the distribution network, the chief acted to limit the damage by disrupting the market.

This could be done by providing descriptions of the banknote imperfections to each operative, lawman, and newspaper. Operatives and police officers would spread the word to as many business owners as they could. By spreading the knowledge of the counterfeit to the community, the risk of using the note became too great.

(See links to Resources and previous posts below.)

Check out the Hidden Hearts of the Gilded Age Series

Can these four Secret Service Operatives catch the counterfeiters … without losing their hearts?

A Gilded Age Secret Service historical romance series, with mystery and suspense

Counterfeit Love by Crystal Caudill, a Gilded Age romance and mystery

Resources

While I’m not going to list all the resources I used in research for this story, I will leave you with a few of my favorites in case you want to research further.

Books

Illegal Tender by David R Johnson* (My personal favorite. It gives you a look at counterfeiters AND the Secret Service.)

The United States Secret Service by Walter S. Bowen and Harry Edward Neal

Freedom’s Detective: The Secret Service, the Ku Klux Klan, and the Man Who Masterminded America’s First War on Terror by Charles Lane

True Detective Stories by Andrew L. Drummond (Digital)

Excerpts from the History of the United States Secret Service, 1865-1975 by the United States Secret Service (Digital)

Digital Resources

The Secret Service’s Webiste

Secret Service Museum Tour (Closed to the Public – video)

The U.S. Secret Service: History and Missions by Shawn Reese Analyst in Emergency Management and Homeland Security Policy

Crystal Caudill, author of Gilded Age historical romance and historical romantic suspense

ABOUT CRYSTAL CAUDILL

Crystal Caudill is the author of “dangerously good historical romance.” Her debut novel, Counterfeit Love, was a 2023 Carol Award finalist, and her novella, “Star of Wonder,” won the 2024 Christy Award for short form. She loves history, hot tea, all things bookish, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. She is a stay-at-home mom, caregiver, and chaos organizer. When she isn’t writing, Crystal can be found hanging with her family and playing board games at her home outside Cincinnati, Ohio. Find out more at crystalcaudill.com.

Connect with the author:

A Question for You:

What was your favorite fact shared today?

A Brief History of the Secret Service: Part 4: Bringing Criminals to Justice

by Crystal Caudill | Aug 18, 2026 | Bonus Content, Counterfeit Faith, Counterfeit Hope, Counterfeit Love, History Facts

A Brief History of the Secret Service

– Hiram C. Whitley, Chief of the Secret Service, May 1869 – September 1874

Part 4: Bringing Criminals to Justice

The Secret Service adopted a long-term strategy for suppressing counterfeiting. While the country was split into 11 districts, covering multiple states and territories, the first step of this plan was to concentrate its operatives in the largest urban centers: New York City, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, and St. Louis.

There, they sought to penetrate the criminal networks by starting at the lowest level and gradually working their way upward to identify and arrest the manufacturers. Informants were crucial to their success, providing information and introductions into these secretive gangs of counterfeiters.

Good cases took weeks, even months, to develop and required enormous amounts of patience and dedication. Although not usually dangerous (the first operative to lose their life on the job was not until 1907), operatives stayed in peak condition to contend with criminals who did not wish to be caught.

Operatives were scrutinized by their superiors and were required to write extensive daily reports. Expenses were itemized, including the purchase of counterfeit notes, travel expenses, and personal expenses. In 1875, Chief Washburn demanded that field operative Andrew Drummond obtain a refund from a Philadelphia telegraph operator who had overcharged him one cent. Ever dutiful, he obtained the refund.

Not only were their expenditures itemized, but their days were also detailed from waking moment until slumber. A typical report might say: “I got up at 5:30 AM, ate my breakfast, left home at 7 AM, arrived at the office at 8 AM, at 8:30 I went to First National Bank…., I returned home at 10 PM and went to bed at 11 PM.”

Though they faced internal and external challenges, through the use of informants, undercover work, and both investigative and instigative techniques, the Secret Service reduced counterfeiting from the most prominent criminal activity in the pre-Civil War United States to a spattering of successful occurrences by 1900.

Fun Fact:

Long before the Miranda Rights were established in 1966, the Secret Service had its own version. It was common practice for law enforcement agencies to grant freedom to criminals who spouted information at their arrests. However, Chief of the Secret Service Elmer Washburn (1874–1876) enacted a policy for the Secret Service which required operatives to inform arrested criminals that anything they did must be done “voluntarily and without any promises whatever.” (See reports by Secret Service operatives as quoted in Illegal Tender by David R. Johnson [1995]). This policy was further emphasized by Chief James Brooks (1876–1888) in 1879. Operatives were instructed to warn suspects of their rights. Everything a suspect said would be documented and used against them in court, and they did not have to answer any questions until they had consulted a lawyer. Nearly ninety years before the rest of law enforcement agencies required it, Secret Service operatives were reading suspects their rights.

Resources

While I’m not going to list all the resources I used in research for this story, I will leave you with a few of my favorites in case you want to research further.

Books

Illegal Tender by David R Johnson* (My personal favorite. It gives you a look at counterfeiters AND the Secret Service.)

The United States Secret Service by Walter S. Bowen and Harry Edward Neal

Freedom’s Detective: The Secret Service, the Ku Klux Klan, and the Man Who Masterminded America’s First War on Terror by Charles Lane

True Detective Stories by Andrew L. Drummond (Digital)

Excerpts from the History of the United States Secret Service, 1865-1975 by the United States Secret Service (Digital)

Digital Resources

The Secret Service’s Webiste

Secret Service Museum Tour (Closed to the Public – video)

The U.S. Secret Service: History and Missions by Shawn Reese Analyst in Emergency Management and Homeland Security Policy

Check out the Hidden Hearts of the Gilded Age Series

Can these four Secret Service Operatives catch the counterfeiters … without losing their hearts?

A Gilded Age Secret Service historical romance series, with mystery and suspense

ABOUT CRYSTAL CAUDILL

Connect with the author:

A Question for You:

What was your favorite fact shared today?

Romance Tropes Bracket – August Matchup

by Crystal Caudill | Aug 13, 2026 | Romance Trope Bracket

Welcome to my Romance Trope Bracket Tournament. Once a month, I’m going to post a new matchup.

Comment with YOUR vote for which trope YOU prefer to read.

Then visit the tropes below to see my book recommendations for each trope.

Opposites Attract

The hero and heroine, who are opposites in temperament, personality, or other characteristics, end up falling for one another despite those differences.

Here are four of my favorite opposites-attract stories!

A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure by Angela Bell

Beyond These War Torn Lands by Cynthia Roemer

Christmas at Whitefriars by Elizabeth Camden

The Convicts Courtship by KyLee Woodley

Anonymous Love & Secret Admirer

Involves characters who fall in love without knowing each other’s true identities, or a character who has romantic feelings for another person but keeps their identity hidden, often expressing their affection through anonymous gifts or letters.

Here are three of my favorite anonymous love / secret admirer stories.

Letters for Phoebe by Sally Britton

A Secret Correspondence by Kasey Stockton

An Agreeable Alliance by Kasey Stockton

Comment below with YOUR vote for favorite trope!

Meet Amos Ravensworth of The Sovereign Liberty series by T. Elizabeth Renich

by Crystal Caudill | Aug 12, 2026 | Uncategorized

Teatime with Amos Ravensworth,

from The Sovereign Liberty series

by T. Elizabeth Renich

I’m so glad you’ve joined me today for a special afternoon tea. I’ve got a cup of Darjeeling Autumnal, a tray full of shortbread cookies, cucumber sandwiches, and scones with the requisite clotted cream and jam. Help yourself to anything you like and whatever beverage makes the day perfect.

Today, it is my personal joy to introduce you to Amos Ravenscroft. I always enjoy getting to know characters outside of the books they’re in, and Amos is no exception.

In addition to getting to know the character, T. Elizabeth Renich is giving away a print copy of A Declaration of Hope to one lucky U.S. resident. You’ll find the details at the end of this post, but don’t miss the interview!

Let’s dive in!

Let’s dive into our Speedy Six

Teacup #1

CC: What are you drinking during the interview?

AMOS: Coffee—ever since the Destruction of the Tea in Boston Harbor and nonimportation agreements, we don’t routinely drink that any longer. Unless you’ve an affinity for the Loyalists.

CC: City, Suburb, or country?

AMOS: I divide my time between Virginia’s capital city of Williamsburg and Philadelphia, where the Continental Congress meets.

Teacup #3

CC: Reading a new book or rereading an old favorite?

AMOS: Serenity used to read to me, pirate stories were my favorites.

CC: Invisible or read minds?

AMOS: Invisible. It’s my job to stay out of sight, especially when carrying dispatches.

CC: Carriage trip or ship?

AMOS: Because I’ll inherit a shipping company one day, I’ve spent a fair amount of time on schooners and have crossed the Atlantic multiple times.

Teacup #6

CC: Fancy restaurant or home-cooked meal?

AMOS: Serenity makes the best Chelsea-style buns as a sweet treat. Mostly when she needs something from me.

A Taste of A Declaration of Hope

A Declaration of Hope by T. Elizabeth Renich

Genre: Historical Fiction / Historical Romance, American Revolution

Serenity Ravensworth hastens from the American Colonies to England, braving the ocean crossing to return to her ailing beloved Grandee—still lacking a formal understanding with Marcus St. James. Living in the Colonies influences Serenity more profoundly than she realizes, and homesickness shadows her on both sides of the Atlantic.

Once the border survey by Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon is complete, St. James follows his heart back to England to offer for Miss Ravensworth’s hand. When a dormant threat resurrects danger, St. James parlays his noble peerage to advantage. Marrying Miss Ravensworth is the best way to protect her—and overcome his dread of losing her.

Returning to Williamsburg and Philadelphia means forfeiting title and estates, though St. James yet clings to the promise of attaining his awarded land in the Ohio River Valley. Together, he and Serenity learn to navigate the perils of married life, privately and publicly. Their wedding trip to the Warm Springs on Virginia’s frontier leads them to cross paths with retired Colonel George Washington and his wife, Martha, but the rustic mountain retreat also reveals an unexpected tie to Fort Michilimackinac and St. James’s missing memories.

Dissent intensifies between Loyalists and Patriots. Royal governors command the seizure of arms and ammunition, sparking Williamsburg’s gunpowder incident as well as bloodshed between British regulars and Massachusetts militia at Lexington and Concord. In the wake of battle, beliefs are challenged, sides are chosen. Amidst disease, disaster, death, and dreams, how will Serenity and Marcus contend with the hope that declared Independence is worth the cost?

Purchase Links:

A Declaration of Hope (book 2) – Amazon

A Worthy Risk (book 1) – Amazon

Let’s Get to Know Amos Ravenscroft

CC: Before we start diving too deep…

Please introduce yourself to our guests.

AMOS: I’m my mother’s fourth son, and being the youngest, my father’s estate would by law go to the eldest brother, leaving me with nothing but what I could earn through trade. A long-time family friend who sired no son of his own decided to adopt me when I was eight years old, and one day I will inherit his business interests. I am closest to my sister, Serenity, and I love horses—almost as much as I love Jessa Northcraft. I once played a fiddle duet with a well-known Virginia burgess in Williamsburg, at Christiana Campbell’s Tavern—he had a way with words. When I was young, my brother-in-law used to tease me that I was no good at keeping secrets, but as I’ve grown into my majority, I have become one of the most trustworthy couriers the Virginia Committee of Correspondence and delegates rely upon to carry important information to General Washington’s encampments. With the war on, every day holds a new challenge. We have a Declaration of Independence, but the fight with the British to gain our freedom still rages.

CC: That sounds like an interesting and dangerous job you have… and a very important one.

What do you want and what is standing in your way?

AMOS: I want Jessa to hurry up and get older. You see, she’s a bit younger than I am, and her mama wants us to wait before entering into any kind of betrothal. Every time I get sent with orders to ride, it gives me room to breathe—I can hardly breathe when she’s about—and I don’t like being separated from her so often. I think it scares her, because she knows what could happen if I were captured. Her brother, my friend Asher, has no objection to the match and insists it will be inevitable. I confess, the impatience is starting to wear thin.

CC: Ah. The passions and impatience of young love.

If you had time to read a book, what would you pick?

AMOS: After I finished my general education at William & Mary, Mr. Wythe became my tutor. I spent long hours studying both volumes of Blackstone’s Commentaries on the Laws of England—because we have a similar legal system here in Virginia. Serenity used to read to me, but my escape and enjoyment came more from playing fiddle tunes or carving trinkets for Jessa than reading books.

CC: Sounds like you might make a good lawyer in Virginia, and a great leader as the new country forms itself.

As the fourth son, what was your childhood like?

AMOS: My mother died shortly after she gave birth to me. Serenity took over mothering duties and kept on even after Grandee came to live with us. My father was ill, and he went away to Italy for a climate less damp than England’s. Becoming the heir to Kerrigan Shipping changed what my life could have been, and for that, I am grateful.

CC: It sounds like you had a very difficult family situation. You and your sister must be very close.

Doing what you do must come with many difficulties. Who or what scares you the most?

AMOS: I am going to have to confront Serenity’s husband for choices he has made. He claims he loves her and never wanted to hurt her. He broke her heart, and if I ever find him again, well, the Almighty just might have to send some heavenly intervention.

CC: Yikes. I’m glad she has you to protect her, but how sad that you feel you must intervene.

How do you think others view you?

AMOS: I am tallest of all the Ravensworth brothers, so the older ones can’t look down on me anymore. Serenity was slow to accept I had grown beyond the little boy years, even after my voice changed and she had to crane her neck to meet my eyes. She wanted very much to keep our family all together, but instead it scattered. She didn’t want me to come to America by myself, and we learned to love the Colonies. Now, she and Jessa see me as reliable and dependable, and both of them are quite proud of me. But it pains me to have to withhold information from them on occasion. Military secrets, or otherwise.

CC: It sounds like they really are the two most important women in your life. I’m glad they have you.

A Sweet Finish

CC: Unfortunately, it is time to wrap up our interview. I always love finishing with a fun question.

What is the weirdest thing on your bucket list?

AMOS: I have yet to earn the title of “Uncle Amos” —if that happens, it means Sis has a child, and that would mean a dream come true for her—and a miracle has taken place.

CC: I’ve just recently become an aunt after thinking my brother would never get that blessing. I understand what you mean and hope she gets her miracle baby…and it sounds like reconciliation with her husband.

That’s it for now. If you enjoyed getting to know Amos Ravenscroft and are curious about their journey, I highly recommend you check out A Devoted Hope. Before we clear the table and pack away the tea stuff, I have a question for you.

What do you think would have been the hardest part of living during the American Revolution?

Leave your comment below and join the teatime fun. Until next time, may your days be filled with good books and cups of tea (or your favorite beverage)!

T. Elizabeth Renich is the author of six historical novels set against America’s Revolution and Civil War. She worked for two NFL teams and has visited all fifty United States of America. International travels have taken her to Germany, Japan, Ireland, Israel, Scotland, and England. She hunts historical markers and shares hope as an ovarian cancer survivor. Her love of photography is evident in albums documenting research trips and life in general, illustrating how she gives glory to God for the great things He has done.

Connect with the author:

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Instagram | Gorgeous Georgians Group

Giveaway Details

Here’s your chance to win a copy of A Devoted Hope. Comment on the blog and enter using the Google Form below for your chance to win! Entries close at 11:59 EST on 8/20. Open to legal U.S. residents. see Giveaway Policies for more details.

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RCR: Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

Reading Challenge 2026: Tackle the TBR Pile

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

Giveaway Details

A Brief History of the Secret Service: Part 5 Using Informants

A Brief History of the Secret Service

Part 5: Using Informants

Check out the Hidden Hearts of the Gilded Age Series

Can these four Secret Service Operatives catch the counterfeiters … without losing their hearts?

Read more about the Secret Service’s History

Resources

Books

Digital Resources

ABOUT CRYSTAL CAUDILL

A Question for You:

What was your favorite fact shared today?

A Brief History of the Secret Service: Part 4: Bringing Criminals to Justice

A Brief History of the Secret Service

Part 4: Bringing Criminals to Justice

Read more about the Secret Service’s History

Resources

Books

Digital Resources

Check out the Hidden Hearts of the Gilded Age Series

Can these four Secret Service Operatives catch the counterfeiters … without losing their hearts?

ABOUT CRYSTAL CAUDILL

A Question for You:

What was your favorite fact shared today?

Romance Tropes Bracket – August Matchup

Opposites Attract

Anonymous Love & Secret Admirer

Comment below with YOUR vote for favorite trope!

Meet Amos Ravensworth of The Sovereign Liberty series by T. Elizabeth Renich

Teatime with Amos Ravensworth,

from The Sovereign Liberty series

by T. Elizabeth Renich

Let’s dive into our Speedy Six

CC: What are you drinking during the interview?

CC: City, Suburb, or country?

CC: Reading a new book or rereading an old favorite?

CC: Invisible or read minds?

CC: Carriage trip or ship?

CC: Fancy restaurant or home-cooked meal?

A Taste of A Declaration of Hope

A Declaration of Hope by T. Elizabeth Renich

Let’s Get to Know Amos Ravenscroft

CC: Before we start diving too deep…

Please introduce yourself to our guests.

CC: That sounds like an interesting and dangerous job you have… and a very important one.

What do you want and what is standing in your way?

CC: Ah. The passions and impatience of young love.

If you had time to read a book, what would you pick?

CC: Sounds like you might make a good lawyer in Virginia, and a great leader as the new country forms itself.

As the fourth son, what was your childhood like?

CC: It sounds like you had a very difficult family situation. You and your sister must be very close.

Doing what you do must come with many difficulties. Who or what scares you the most?

CC: Yikes. I’m glad she has you to protect her, but how sad that you feel you must intervene.

How do you think others view you?

CC: It sounds like they really are the two most important women in your life. I’m glad they have you.

A Sweet Finish

CC: Unfortunately, it is time to wrap up our interview. I always love finishing with a fun question.

What is the weirdest thing on your bucket list?

CC: I’ve just recently become an aunt after thinking my brother would never get that blessing. I understand what you mean and hope she gets her miracle baby…and it sounds like reconciliation with her husband.

What do you think would have been the hardest part of living during the American Revolution?

Giveaway Details

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