![]() Louisa and Ellen are witnesses to real events, from the sinking of the Lusitania and German spy activity in New York City to the complicated story of Irish support for Germany during WWI. The 1910s, particular, are fascinating as society transitions out of the Gilded Age and as women fight for and gain more agency over their own lives. I was fascinated to discover some of the Bohemian attitudes, quite the opposite of the Victorians. It’s just far away enough that it’s safe to take a little creative license with some of the historical figures, but close enough that in many ways the mentality is similar to our own. I love so many historical periods, but I find the early 20th to be particularly appealing. What inspired you to write about the early 20 th century? During my research I came across information about an Irish servant named Ellen McNulty, an alternate spelling of my own last name, so it’s quite possible she’s a long-forgotten relative. And that wealthy grandfather? He came from Irish immigrant stock and, I believe, his father was a street sweeper. Many of Ellen’s attitudes toward the class system come directly from my own value system. I also had two wealthy New York grandparents (Katherine and John Murphy are modeled upon them) who managed to lose their wealth at the end of their lives.Įllen also came naturally. My great grandmother was a society writer in Connecticut, and some of my fondest memories are of my years as a journalist, including as a society writer for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel many years ago. What drew you to create these two amateur sleuths? Secrets and Spies explores some of the little known stories of German saboteurs and their work in America during World War I from the point of view of two women, an American society writer and an Irish immigrant, who love their respective countries but who are conflicted about the best way to serve them. How would you describe this book and its themes in a couple of sentences? She currently lives in Tallahassee with her husband, Joe, their two dogs, and a cat. A former professor of English at Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte, North Carolina, Trish now writes full time. Trish MacEnulty has written novels, short stories, journalism, children’s plays, and memoirs. Launch: Trish MacEnulty’s Secrets and Spies ![]()
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