Bonus Content | Crystal Caudill

A Brief History of the Secret Service: Part 3 – The Challenges They Faced

Crystal Caudill — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 18:54:32 +0000

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 3: The Challenges They Faced

INTERNAL CHALLENGES:

The Secret Service was a federal organization, meaning its jurisdiction spread across the entire country. However, between 1875 and 1910, the division never employed more than 47 men, and the average was only 25. Between 1878 and 1893, when my stories takes place, the average number of servicemen was well below that.

In addition to being stretched thin, Secret Service operatives were subordinate to policing institutions. They did not have the authority to search for evidence or even arrest criminals without the cooperation of the local police authorities.

These two major issues, along with insufficient funds, could have crippled lesser men, but Secret Service Operatives were resourceful, determined, and loyal to their country.

EXTERNAL CHALLENGES

Counterfeiting was no accidental crime. It was committed purposefully, requiring skill, equipment, and a network of like-minded criminals. Like all criminals, counterfeiters did not want to be caught and did whatever they could to protect their criminal network. It wasn’t uncommon for them to grease the wheels of corrupt police officers, making it difficult as a Secret Service operative to determine who could be trusted.

Counterfeiters had fully developed criminal subcultures that were difficult to break into, and anyone could be a counterfeiter, from the lowly street peddler all the way up to the upper crusts of society. No income level was exempt from potential involvement. Even a sweet old grandma down the street could be the ring leader. Networks could stretch the width of the United States and relied on a decentralized underworld structure that transcended community boundaries.

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

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

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 2 – The Making of an Operative

Crystal Caudill — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 12:00:03 +0000

A Brief History of the Secret Service

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

Part 2: The Making of an Operative

Operatives tended to have military, police, or detective experience and come from a law-abiding middle-class background. These men were successful in life prior to being appointed and often had a job history that indicated an ambition to do more.

Unlike their predecessors, they adapted their behavior to bureaucratic routines, followed orders, and obeyed rules. They were talented detectives, highly tolerant of paperwork, and committed to organizational goals.

They were a tough, capable, and honorable breed, with high standards of personal integrity, who felt it their duty to interact with criminals for the greater good of society.

THE DO’S AND DON’TS OF BEING AN OPERATIVE IN THE 1880S

“Employees will be judged by the character they sustain, by the results they accomplish, and by the manner in which they accomplish them.” – Elmer Washburn, Chief of the Secret Service 1874-1876

Avoid “any appearance of impropriety or disgraceful behavior.”

Criminals are not personal acquaintances; they are enemies of the social order.

Submit weekly reports to the director. They must include accounts of your actions and expenses every hour of every day.

Do not accept gifts or gratuities to perform or forgo official duties.

Do not deliver or give permission to use counterfeit money to any unauthorized person.

All arrests must be in strict conformity to civil law and with the cooperation of the local policing institution.

All financial transactions must be reported, even those involving criminals.

Report all criminal transactions: what was paid for counterfeit money, from whom it was purchased, where the deal was made, the kind of bogus money purchased, and how much counterfeit was obtained.

Record “all charges for information and assistance,” including names and residences of each person receiving these sums.

Purchasing counterfeit money must be done for the smallest, practical amount.

“Authority must be had from this Office before any bargain is made for information or assistance, unless the operative can clearly make it appear that the interest of the service would have suffered materially by the delay necessary, in order to obtain such authority.”

“Operatives will neither promise, either by word or implication, immunity from punishment, nor anything in mitigation of sentence, to any person for any offense he may have committed.”

Suspects must be warned about their rights – everything they say will be documented and used against them in court. Suspects needn’t answer any questions until a lawyer is obtained. (This was long before the Miranda Rights became required in 1966.)

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

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

ABOUT CRYSTAL CAUDILL

Connect with the author:

A Question for You:

What was your favorite fact shared today?

A Brief History of the Secret Service: Part 1 – The Early Days

Crystal Caudill — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 23:25:15 +0000

A Brief History of the Secret Service

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

Part 1: The Early Days

While many people today think of the Secret Service as primarily protecting the President, that duty did not actually become a part of their repertoire until 1894. Until 1902* it was conducted only informally and part-time, and even then, only two operatives were assigned full-time to the White House. So what did they do from their creation in 1865 until 1902, and beyond?

*Taken from the Secret Service’s website, as there are conflicting dates.

Counterfeiters Beware

It is estimated that one-third of the circulating U.S. currency was counterfeit during the Civil War. Until 1863, there was no national currency. Each state and bank had its own banknote design, making it an easy world for counterfeiters to thrive. Public confidence in a nation’s currency is critical to the health of the country’s economy, and the United States was in serious trouble. Even after the installation of a national currency in 1863, counterfeiters thrived. Only local police and occasional investigations by the War Department hampered counterfeiters.

On April 14th, 1865, Secretary of the Treasury Hugh McCullough brought attention to the growing trouble of counterfeiting and insisted that a permanent, continuous, aggressive, organized effort was needed to thwart this menace to the economy. Abraham Lincoln agreed and authorized him to move forward. That same night, Abraham Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth. Despite the turmoil in the government that followed, on July 5, 1865, William P. Wood was sworn in as the first Chief of the U.S. Secret Service.

About 30 men made up this first group of Secret Service operatives. Headquarters were set up in Washington, and 11 field offices were established in cities throughout the country. A guide list of six “general orders” was issued*:

Each man must recognize that his service belongs to the government through 24 hours of every day.
All must agree to assignment to the locations chosen by the Chief and respond to whatever mobility of movement the work might require.
All must exercise such careful saving of money spent for travel, subsistence, and payments for information as can be self-evidently justified.
Continuing employment in the Service will depend upon demonstrated fitness, ability as investigators, and honesty and fidelity in all transactions.
The title of regular employees will be Operative, Secret Service. Temporary employees will be Assistant Operatives or Informants.
All employment will be at a daily pay rate; accounts submitted monthly. Each operative will be expected to keep on hand enough personal reserve funds to carry on Service business between paydays.

Taken from The United States Secret Service* by Warren S. Bowen and Harry Edward Neal.

Credentials were handwritten letters of appointment until an incident in 1871 forced them to reconsider an alternative. Ira W. Raymond waltzed into a field office posing as an operative and demanded all contraband be turned over to him. The operative on duty felt it odd that he wasn’t notified, and he telegrammed headquarters. Raymond was arrested, but this prompted Chief Whitley (the second Chief) to design and issue distinctive badges and printed credentials to all members of the Secret Service.

These badges were five-pointed, silver stars with lacework engraved into each point. “U.S. Secret Service” was stamped into the center of each. Operatives had $25 deducted from their paycheck for the badges, with the promise that it would be returned upon retirement when they turned in their badge. Each operative carried engraved and printed credentials called commissions from that point forward.

Unfortunately, the first two administrations of the Secret Service were fraught with scandal. As a result, a cloud hung over the division’s public image. Chief Washburn made some repairs to their reputation, but it was Chief James J. Brooks who really turned things around.

One of Chief Brooks’s first acts was to compile and issue the first formal manual of instructions for operatives. These were called “General Orders No. 4.” Under his reformation, the Secret Service was officially recognized as a division of the Treasury Department with its own budget, as limited as it was. Chief Brooks was a hard man and did not believe in vacations for his men. Any leave of absence was given without pay. But through his leadership, public opinion began to shift in a positive direction toward the Secret Service.

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

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

ABOUT CRYSTAL CAUDILL

Connect with the author:

A Question for You:

What was your favorite fact shared today?

Bonus Content: Playbill for The Insurrectionist’s Masquerade

Crystal Caudill — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 09:00:08 +0000

If you’ve read Sung in the Shadows, then have I got a treat for you! (And if not, you can still read this and enjoy it, and it might even make your reading of Sung in the Shadows a little richer!)

Remember how Ezekiel was commissioned to write the music for an opera? The storyline was vaguely referenced, and so I decided that what could be more fun than to have the actual playbill from the final production? So without further ado, settle in for a peek at Ezekiel’s opera. (Unfortunately, I have no music. How sad.)

*I do confess, I did use AI to help create the story, then I edited it to make it fit what I wanted it to be. There are only so many hours in a day and only so much creativity in the midst of life. Plus, writing an opera plot is WAY out of my wheelhouse. So I pray you will give me grace for using AI to help me create a bonus material item. The playbill is my design.*

The Grand Opera House
Presents
A Graham Linville Production
Composed by Ezekiel Beaumont

On Tuesday, February 28, 1882
and following evenings at 8

The Insurrectionist’s Masquerade

A gripping journey into a world of secrets and masquerades

Featuring Eleonora Beaumont
as Princess Seraphina

A New Operetta in 3 Acts

The Insurrectionist’s Masquerade

Libretto Written by Graham Linville
Score Composed by Ezekiel Beaumont

King Leontius (corrupt leader) . . . Alessio Marelli
Severin (king’s spy) . . . Matthias Draegor
Princess Seraphina (king’s betrothed) . . . Eleonora Beaumont
Anneliese (princess’s maid) . . . Lucinda Veralli
Captain Alaric (insurrection leader) . . . Ottavio Vescari
Valenin (Alaric’s second in command) . . . Vicktor Torien

New Scenery by Ms. Theresa Plane

The Setting
A lavish masquerade ball at King Leonitius’s countryside palace. It’s the eve of a royal wedding between the king and Princess Seraphina. The ball is filled with noble guests, all masked to preserve their identities and add to the air of mystery.

Act I . . . A Masquerade Begins

Act II . . . A Dangerous Attraction

Act III . . . The Unmasking

Summary

ACT 1: THE MASQUERADE BEGINS

The grand ballroom of the palace is alive with music and revelry. King Leontius is celebrating his victory in unifying two kingdoms and subduing an enemy. Princess Seraphina, however, is troubled. She feels no passion for King Leontius. Her heart already belongs to another dashing and mysterious man in a dark mask, whom she met at a previous ball under a false identity. Little does she know that this mysterious man is Captain Alaric, the rebellious leader of a resistance group plotting to overthrow King Leontius’s corrupt rule.

Unbeknownst to the princess, the masquerade is not just a celebration, but a secret meeting point for conspirators. Two factions are vying for power: Severin’s spies seek to protect the monarchy while Captain Alraic and his men seek revolution. Tensions bubble beneath the festive atmosphere, and a dangerous game of deception begins.

ACT II: A DANGEROUS ATTRACTION

Seraphina and Alaric share a passionate duet, “Whispers in the Dark,” where they confess their love for each other, though neither knows the true identity of the other. As they grow closer, the danger mounts. Severin’s spies have uncovered the plot to assassinate the king and are seeking to capture the conspirators.

Meanwhile, King Leontius grows suspicious of the princess’s behavior, noticing her distancing herself from him and her mysterious conversations. He’s not as naive as he appears and is determined to uncover the truth, even if it means exposing the conspirators and ruining his wedding.

" title="4" srcset="https://crystalcaudill.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/4-1.png 1728w, https://crystalcaudill.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/4-1-1280x1707.png 1280w, https://crystalcaudill.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/4-1-980x1307.png 980w, https://crystalcaudill.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/4-1-480x640.png 480w" sizes="(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) and (max-width: 1280px) 1280px, (min-width: 1281px) 1728px, 100vw" class="wp-image-19622" />

Summary

ACT III: THE UNMASKING

The night reaches its climax as the clock strikes midnight. The guests are urged to unmask themselves, and chaos erupts. King Leonitus confronts the princess, demanding an explanation, while Alaric is exposed as the leader of the rebel group. King Leonitus orders Captain Alaric’s immediate execution.

In a dramatic confrontation, Seraphina must choose between her duty to the crown and her love for Alaric. The rebel forces break into the ballroom, leading to a violent stand-off.

In the final moments, Seraphina chooses to join Alaric and the fight for revolution. King Leonitus is fatally wounded, and the rebels escape with guards chasing them. Seraphina and Alaric escape singing the final duet, “Freedom’s Kiss.”

MUSICAL HIGHLIGHTS

“Whispers in the Dark” . . . a soaring love aria for Seraphina and Alaric

“The Prince’s Command” . . . a duet of conflict between Seraphina and Leonitus

“Revolutions Cry” . . . a rousing ensemble number as rebel forces make their move

“Freedom’s Kiss” . . . a dramatic, bittersweet finale duet as Seraphina and Alaric escape

If you haven’t read Sung in the Shadows yet, you can learn more about it here.

My question for YOU:

What did you think of the operetta?

I modeled the design after playbills of the time, so I hope it felt like a night at the theater for you. I loved how there were parallels to The Insurrectionist’s Masquerade and Sung in the Shadows. (Yes, I purposely built those in and tweaked AI’s story to do what I wanted for the operetta.)

ABOUT CRYSTAL CAUDILL

Connect with the author:

Meet the Cast of Sung in the Shadows

Crystal Caudill — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 09:00:45 +0000

Continuing in my series of post about Sung in the Shadows, I want to introduce the characters. If you’ve seen the social media posts, you’ll recongize some of the information, but blog posts allow for a little more space to add more information. For each character I’ve shared a bit about their creation, a favorite quote from them or scene in Tristan’s case, and the pictures I used for inspiration while writing.

Ezekiel Beaumont

Inspiration: A bit of my husband shows up in every hero, but especially his steadiness when Nora’s sanity was in question. My husband and I have been through some serious family stuff where I thought I would lose my mind. He was the steady rock I needed to remind me of THE ROCK when I was drowning and fearful.

A bit about him:

composer & stage manager at Pike’s Opera House
Visits his mother at Longview Asylum every week
Determined to win Nora over with his wit and steadiness
Protective and faithful
Believes Nora’s mother is the famed opera singer who disappeared mid-performance

Favorite Quote from him:

“God never promised to remove the burdens of our lives, but to bear that burden with us and to help guide and direct us through it. Maybe Jesus has paired us under the same yoke so we can share each other’s burdens as He guides us through this mess of life.”

Nora (Brisbane) Davis

Inspiration: Each of the Guardians reflects one of my “Mayhemmer” friends. Nora best reflects Angela Carlisle (who is an amazing contemporary romantic suspense writer). Both are incredible knitters, absolutely terrifying in their ability to protect themselves, but are quiet and keep most of their thoughts to themselves. And if you don’t know her, Angela can sometimes be hard to read. But both women have incredible faith despite what they have walked through.

A bit about her:

Kidnapped as a child, but escaped
quiet, independent, a knitter, harbors secrets from her friends, The Guardians
trained by her opera-singing mother, but the music/theater world is forbidden
Afraid of trusting the man who’s taken an interest in her
sees her kidnappers everywhere and fears she is going mad like her mum

Favorite Quote from her:

“If there is one thing I’ve learned through Mum’s illness, it’s that her choices are hers alone. We can do everything in the world to protect our loved ones—put rules in place, hide them from the dangers posed, shield them from pain—but we were never meant to bear the burden of saving them from themselves. We cannot even save ourselves.”

Tristan Beaumont

Inspiration: Tristan was actually suggested by my friend’s daughters, and then I took inspiration from the ONE cat I had who lived to be 18. His thing was shrimp. You couldn’t say or spell the word without him attacking you until he got his piece. He was also an indoor/outdoor cat who would catch the mockingbirds that divebombed him and eat them until all that was left were their beaks and feet.

A bit about him:

Wrestled with a dog and lost his eye and had his ear torn
Cat with a bad attitude
Views Ezekiel as the enemy
loves F-I-S-H
Brings Nora and Ezekiel together
Causes LOTS of trouble and mayhem

Favorite Scene with Tristan:

Don’t believe the worst. That’s thinking too much like Mum. Tristan must have gotten away. Look around and think like a cat.

Nora widened her search. There were plenty of leafless trees and bushes scattered along the road. He could be hiding in the brush, or maybe he’d climbed a tree. She didn’t see any gray balls of fur, but everything about the day was gray and brown.

“Tristan! Here, kitty, kitty!”

“You’re much more likely to get his attention by calling out ‘fish,'” Mr. Beaumont said. “It’s even better if you spell it because then he thinks you’re trying to not share, and he’ll have none of that.”

“Do you have any fish to give him?”

“No, but he already hates me. If it brings him back, I’ll gladly face his displeasure.” He raised his voice. “I say, Miss Davis, would you care for a bite of f-i-s-h?”

Nora held her breath as they waited for any indication Tristan was coming. The only rustling came from the rain hitting the bushes.

Mr. Beaumont tried again. “This fish is so good. I’m glad Tristan isn’t here to have any.”

If she weren’t so worried about Tristan, she’d find it amusing that Mr. Beaumont spoke of and treated the cat more like an unruly toddler than an animal.

Constanza Brisbane

Inspiration: While researching the opera, I read the biography of Emily Soldene (The Improbably Adventures of Miss Emily Soldene). The details of her life and the commentary on other opera singers of the time largely shaped the life and personality of Constanza. While I don’t want to give too much away, in case you haven’t read the story, you can find bits and pieces of the life Constanza tried to keep secret within the pages of that biography.

A bit about her:

Refuses to keep hiding her past as a former famous opera singer, but no one at the asylum believes her
committed to an asylum for paranoia
fears her daughter being kidnapped again
has secrets that could destroy her family

Favorite Quote from Her:

Whack! “Speak as you write.”

An absolute must for this ridiculous exercise to work, because speaking and writing meant you had no space in your mind to argue with the words being committed to paper. She rolled her eyes, but did as commanded.

“I am Josephine Davis.” Not that I want to be. “Wife of Mark Davis.” Marcellus, not Mark. “Mother of Nora Davis.” Eleonora is prettier. “I am not an opera singer.” Not anymore. “I am not a thief.” Unless you count the extra biscuit I stole from the dessert tray at lunch. “There is nothing special about me or my past.” Except I have three lives and a past that will kill my daughter and me if it catches up to us.

There is just something about her defiance that I love. That and the real quote I wanted to use would give too much away if you haven’t read the book yet.

Mrs. Beaumont

Inspiration: Mrs. Beaumont’s faith and struggles largely came from Sara Turnquist, an author who graciously shared about her battle with depression. The battle of darkness and light, and not believing God’s promises for herself came from her experiences.

A bit about her:

Suffers from depression and attempted suicide (off-page)
Is a Christian and did everything everyone told her, but she’s still not healed
Speaks truth to Constanza even when she struggles to believe them herself
Doesn’t want to be a burden to the son she loves

Favorite Quote from Her:

“It’s not about what you confess, but to whom you confess.”

Even in the midst of her own depression and struggles, Mrs. Beaumont spoke the truth of the Gospel to others. It was a beautiful thing to watch and know that two things can be true at once: 1) You can share about the Gospel and believe it’s true, 2) but you can wrestle with believing it applies to you.

Bonus: Mrs. Jerden

I have no images for her, or even inspiration. She sort of developed as her own character that I absolutely adored. She was a wonderful neighbor and calculating chaperone. I couldn’t end this post without sharing this quote from her:

“Ah, young love. It is as wild as it is beautiful. I’m happy to be the chaperone who’s tardy enough to allow the kiss but timely enough to keep it short.”

If you haven’t checked out Sung in the Shadows yet, I encourage you to do so. This book didn’t start out as the book of my heart, but it has certainly ended up becoming one.

When past darkness prowls, will stepping into the light lead to a brighter future?

~ Composer Hero
~ Opera Singer Heroine
~ Family Secrets
~ Secret Identity
~ Opera / Theater Life
~ Asylum
~ Mental Illness Representation
~ Suspense / Mystery
~ Love that Overcomes
~ Forbidden Love
~ Hope in the Darkness
~ Strong Female Friends

My question for YOU:

Which character is YOUR favorite? Or even, which character are you most glad makes an appearance in the story?

ABOUT CRYSTAL CAUDILL

Connect with the author:

You’re invited to join the Written in Secret Book Club and the First 50 Pages Giveaway

Crystal Caudill — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:00:09 +0000

Hi all! I wanted to invite you to join a Facebook group I created JUST for Written in Secret discussion! I know how exciting it can be to read a book and then disappointing to have no one to talk about it with. That’s why I created the Written in Secret Book Club group. Who knows, if it goes well, I might do it for every book!

I’ve already listed all the discussion questions from the back of the book (plus a couple extra) into individual discussion posts and an ask-the-author post. If we get enough people discussing the book, I’ll probably pull together a Facebook live or Zoom, along with some special giveaways.

I’m also hosting a giveaway for EVERYONE, regardless of whether you are on Facebook or not, called The First 50 Pages giveaway. All it requires is for you to find the answer to the question found in the first 50 pages of the book Written in Secret and fill out this Google Form. From there, you’ll be entered for a chance to win a $25 Amazon or Baker Book House gift card.

I hope to see you at the discussion group!!

In the heart of nineteenth-century Cincinnati one woman holds the power to rewrite history.

What happens when fiction becomes reality? In the corruption-infested Queen City, danger lurks in every shadow, but Lydia Pelton refuses to stay silent. She writes under a pseudonym, E. A. Dupin, crafting crime novels to exact justice and right the wrongs she sees in society. When a serial killer decides to be the sword to her pen, Lydia is confronted with the consequences of her words. Four men are dead, and the city blames her.

With murders on the rise, Officer Abraham Hall’s only lead is Lydia’s fiction, and he is thrust into an investigation with the “Killer Queen of Romance.” Despite his misgivings about the woman, he realizes that even with his reputation for catching elusive criminals, he needs her help. But his unexpected attraction to Lydia proves as difficult to manage as the woman herself.

As the mystery unfolds, Abraham and Lydia race to rewrite the ending, not only for Cincinnati’s citizens, but for their own hearts too.

Print Links:

Ebook Links:

If requesting from your library, this information may be helpful:

Title: Written In Secret
Author: Crystal Caudill
Publisher: Kregel Publishing
ISBN: 9780825449079
Release Date: March 11, 2025

FIRST FIFTY PAGES Giveaway

Loading…

We Three Kings: German Traditions

Crystal Caudill — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 09:00:31 +0000

In part 2 of my We Three Kings release blog posts, we will look at some of the German traditions that take place in our novellas–and I’ve linked to how you can do one of your own traditional German Christmas crafts.

German Christmas Traditions

Cara wanted to connect her story to her WWII novels, so it only made sense that the family line would be of German heritage. Not only did that give us some fun historical scenarios to work with, but it also gave us a rich and deep well of Christmas traditions to incorporate into our stories. Each of the below traditions can be found in some form in our novellas.

Nikolaustag

All over the world, December 6 is known as St. Nikolaus Day and is a celebration of Saint Nikolaus, the Bishop of Myra and the patron saint of seafarers and children. Children leave shoes outside their door in order for Saint Nikolaus to deposit a sweet treat for their year of good behavior. However, in Germany, Saint Nikolaus is accompanied by a more sinister figure who carries a sack and switch. Children who were bad could be given a switch or taken away in the sack. This assistant has various names based on the region, the two most familiar being Krampus and Knecht Ruprecht. I chose to use Knecht Ruprecht, as he first appeared in a seventeenth-century Nuremberg Christmas procession, and Krampus appears to be used more often in the Alpine Region.

Weihnachtsmarkt—German Christmas Markets

These open-air markets are a German Christmas tradition that signal the beginning of the Advent season and date back to the Middle Ages. Traditionally, the stalls are made from timber, and everything sold must be locally produced and handmade. Twinkling lights, music, and the scent of traditional German foods mixed with the scent of a hot mulled wine called Glühwein set the atmosphere for this unique experience. If you ever get the chance to go, be sure to check out the hand-carved ornaments, Advent calendar wreaths, and my favorite, Quetschemännchen—the little figurines made from dried fruit and walnuts.

Epiphany

January 6 is the religious feast day known as Epiphany or das Dreikönigsfest (“three kings festival”) in Germany and some other locations. Epiphany commemorates the journey of the wise men who traveled to seek the Christ child. Often, the letters CMB can be found written in chalk on the doors to welcome and commemorate these men. According to German-way.com, “Traditionally, the three letters in the inscription stand for the names of the three Wise Men (Magi): Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar (German spelling). Another possible explanation is that “C+M+B” stands for the Latin phrase: Christus mansionem benedicat, which translates into “Christ bless this house.” The inscription is usually made with chalk that has been blessed by a local Catholic priest.” While there are variations in how it is done, in Cara’s story, three men travel from door to door, offering blessings to those at home. Often, the children would also dress up, and sometimes, a leader of the procession would carry a star. Small gifts are given to the children, just as the wise men gave their gifts to the Christ child.

Martinstag

Martinstag, or St. Martin’s Day, is celebrated on November 11 with a lantern parade. Tradition says St. Martin was a soldier who had given away his last cent when he spied a man shivering in the cold. Out of compassion he took off his cloak and cut it in half with his sword to share. The whole town heard of his generosity and wanted to praise him. Embarrassed by the attention, St. Martin hid in a goose house, so the townsfolk had to use lanterns to search for him. Today, that search for him is mimicked through a lantern parade complete with song and, depending on where you are, candy.

Make Your Own German Paper Star

There is a reason why Celestia struggled to make her star . . . There are a LOT of steps. Depending on whether you are a video tutorial person or a printed instructions person, I’ve given you the link to two great options below:

About We Three Kings

Purchase Links

IN THIS CHRISTMAS COLLECTION, WEISE MEN STILL SEEK JESUS–AND LOVE

Best-selling romance authors Caudill, Putman, and Strong follow three generations of the Weise family in this third collection of Christmas novellas from Kregel that will prove just as popular as the previous award-winning volumes.

“Star of Wonder” by Crystal Caudill
The Christmas-themed maiden voyage of his family’s grand steamer ship was supposed to be Aldrich Weise’s chance both to instill investor confidence and to romance Celestia Isaacs. Instead, he must foil a criminal and leave his lady love behind forever.

“Beauty Bright” by Cara Putman
Lieutenant Charles Weise served as a Monuments Man after World War II and now works to restore stolen art to rightful owners. Captain Lillian Thorsen pairs up with him not only to return treasures but also to fix the war-torn lives around them.

“Perfect Light” by Angela Ruth Strong
Essential oils mogul Brendon Wise is drawn to Lacey Foster, the event planner for his huge Christmas lights festival. But when he inadvertently makes a spectacle of her on television, Lacey wants nothing to do with him. Will a chance to give gifts to those in need at Christmas be the key to discovering common ground–and maybe love?

A Tour of Counterfeit Hope’s Story World

Crystal Caudill — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 11:00:38 +0000

Why would I set a counterfeiting romantic suspense story in rural Indiana? As usual, research is the answer.

I discovered an article from 1883 describing the successful arrest of the Honchins (or Houchins, depending on the resource) gang by a joint effort of the Secret Service and US Marshals. The gang was responsible for not only counterfeiting but killing stock, stealing, and terrorizing the citizens with threats, insults, and violence. Even the local police were afraid to stand up against them. Stendal was the original town I was going to use, but I ended up creating a sister town next to Stendal so that I could set up the building locations and population to better suit my needs. While the original undercover Secret Service operatives spent months covering three or more counties, I needed to focus my area a little more confined for the sake of plotting. Below you can find information on two real locations from the story, including pictures of my visit to the real Stendal.

Stendal, IN

Stendal owes its beginnings to the St. Peter’s Lutheran Church which was formed in 1861. Services were held in members’ homes until 1864, when a church was built. In 1867, Reverend William G.C. Bauermeister became the first resident pastor. Land was donated to form the town, and he named it Stendal after his birthplace in Saxony.

As is usually the case with rural locations, modern-day Stendal is a shadow of the town it once was. While it was always small compared to other areas, it was once a booming little town. This was largely due to Stendal being many miles from any railroad or waterway with nearly impassible roads and trails, making it necessary to be a self-contained town.

From: A History of Lockhart Township by McKinley Hagemeyer

“Stendal at one time had a tobacco barn, a cooper’s shop, cobbler’s shop, two furniture and casket factories, two blacksmith shops, a millinery, a wagon works, a brickyard, a livery stable, a gristmill, a sawmill, a creamery, a flour mill, a canning factory, three churches, three doctors, an undertaker, a barber shop, a saddle and harness shop, and, of course, few towns would be self-contained without a saloon and hotel. Stendal had those too. The same causes which brought these industries drove them away: bad roads, poor transportation, plus another, automation. When the need for them passed, they too surrendered to progress.”

Photos of my trip to Stendal and photos of Stendal’s glory days.

Boonville, IN

One of my favorite parts of the Boonville setting was visiting the Boonville Jail. Well, visit it in fiction. I never had the pleasure of visiting it in real life. I know there was a big push to have the building restored in 2019, but there have been no more posts from the group pushing for it since then.

The Boonville Jail

The Warrick County Jail was built in 1876 and was state-of-the-art for its time. I had running water for sinks, toilets, and showers. The cells were made of straight and corrugated iron bars. The building had a large yard surrounding it and large windows with glazed glass. The jail was built in two sections. The main level of the front part held a food pantry, kitchen, parlor, and main hall. The upstairs was used as living quarters for the sheriff and his family and space to hold female prisoners. From my understanding, the kitchen had a steel door barrier to the prisoners, and it was the responsibility of the sheriff and his family to cook and serve meals to the prisoners. Meals were cooked for the prisoners and delivered to their cells.

The back half was one and a half stories tall with 12 prison cells. It had high arched ceilings for airflow and to prevent escape attempts. In each lighted and ventilated cell, there were two bunks, a sink, and a toilet. The walls were 22 inches thick and plated on the inside with boiler iron. Below are a few pictures of the jail.

Here are some pictures of Boonville back in the 19th century.

Bonus Content | Crystal Caudill

A Brief History of the Secret Service: Part 3 – The Challenges They Faced

A Brief History of the Secret Service

Part 3: The Challenges They Faced

INTERNAL CHALLENGES:

EXTERNAL CHALLENGES

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 2 – The Making of an Operative

A Brief History of the Secret Service

Part 2: The Making of an Operative

THE DO’S AND DON’TS OF BEING AN OPERATIVE IN THE 1880S

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 1 – The Early Days

A Brief History of the Secret Service

Part 1: The Early Days

*Taken from the Secret Service’s website, as there are conflicting dates.

Counterfeiters Beware

*Taken from The United States Secret Service by Warren S. Bowen and Harry Edward Neal.

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?

Bonus Content: Playbill for The Insurrectionist’s Masquerade

The Insurrectionist’s Masquerade

The Insurrectionist’s Masquerade

My question for YOU:

ABOUT CRYSTAL CAUDILL

Meet the Cast of Sung in the Shadows

Ezekiel Beaumont

Nora (Brisbane) Davis

Tristan Beaumont

Constanza Brisbane

Mrs. Beaumont

Bonus: Mrs. Jerden

My question for YOU:

ABOUT CRYSTAL CAUDILL

You’re invited to join the Written in Secret Book Club and the First 50 Pages Giveaway

FIRST FIFTY PAGES Giveaway

We Three Kings: German Traditions

In part 2 of my We Three Kings release blog posts, we will look at some of the German traditions that take place in our novellas–and I’ve linked to how you can do one of your own traditional German Christmas crafts.

German Christmas Traditions

About We Three Kings

IN THIS CHRISTMAS COLLECTION, WEISE MEN STILL SEEK JESUS–AND LOVE

A Tour of Counterfeit Hope’s Story World

Why would I set a counterfeiting romantic suspense story in rural Indiana? As usual, research is the answer.

Stendal, IN

Boonville, IN

Taken from The United States Secret Service* by Warren S. Bowen and Harry Edward Neal.