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"Set against the backdrop of the Prohibition Rum Wars, Robuck has brought two real-life figures to the page with heartfelt intimacy and crackling suspense. A fascinating read!" — Chanel Cleeton, New York Times bestselling author of The Cuban Heiress
Two real, brilliant women on opposite sides of the law, in a deadly game of cat and mouse…
1926. Washington, D.C.
The Coast Guard is losing the Prohibition Rum War, but they have a new, secret weapon to crack smuggler codes, intercept traffic, and destroy the rum trade one skiff at a time. That secret weapon is a 5'2" mastermind in heels, who also happens to be a wife and mother: Mrs. Elizebeth Smith Friedman, one half of the husband-and-wife pair who invented cryptanalysis.
Bahamas
Cleo Lythogoe, The Bahama Queen, announces her retirement while regaling the thugs at the bar with tales of murder and mayhem on the high seas. Marie Waite, listening in, knows an opportunity when she hears it, and she wants the crown for herself so badly she can taste it. So begins Marie's plan to rise as rumrunner royalty long enough to get her family in the black. But the more sophisticated her operation grows, the more she appears on the radar of the feds.
Meanwhile, Elizebeth is the only codebreaker battling scores of smugglers. Despite the strain of solving thousands of intercepted messages, traveling the country, and testifying in court, Elizabeth's work becomes personal—especially when she discovers the identity of her premier adversary is the notorious Marie Waite.
From the glamorous world of D.C. Intelligence to the sultry shores of the Straits of Florida, The Last Twelve Miles is based on the true story of two women masterminds trying to outwit each other in a dangerous and fascinating high stakes game.
Genre: Historical
Two real, brilliant women on opposite sides of the law, in a deadly game of cat and mouse…
1926. Washington, D.C.
The Coast Guard is losing the Prohibition Rum War, but they have a new, secret weapon to crack smuggler codes, intercept traffic, and destroy the rum trade one skiff at a time. That secret weapon is a 5'2" mastermind in heels, who also happens to be a wife and mother: Mrs. Elizebeth Smith Friedman, one half of the husband-and-wife pair who invented cryptanalysis.
Bahamas
Cleo Lythogoe, The Bahama Queen, announces her retirement while regaling the thugs at the bar with tales of murder and mayhem on the high seas. Marie Waite, listening in, knows an opportunity when she hears it, and she wants the crown for herself so badly she can taste it. So begins Marie's plan to rise as rumrunner royalty long enough to get her family in the black. But the more sophisticated her operation grows, the more she appears on the radar of the feds.
Meanwhile, Elizebeth is the only codebreaker battling scores of smugglers. Despite the strain of solving thousands of intercepted messages, traveling the country, and testifying in court, Elizabeth's work becomes personal—especially when she discovers the identity of her premier adversary is the notorious Marie Waite.
From the glamorous world of D.C. Intelligence to the sultry shores of the Straits of Florida, The Last Twelve Miles is based on the true story of two women masterminds trying to outwit each other in a dangerous and fascinating high stakes game.
Genre: Historical
Praise for this book
"The Last Twelve Miles is a richly detailed portrait of two compelling women on opposite sides of the law. Set against the backdrop of the Prohibition Rum Wars, Robuck has brought two real-life figures to the page with heartfelt intimacy and crackling suspense. A fascinating read!" - Chanel Cleeton
"In this gripping and devilishly exciting Prohibition-era novel, The Last Twelve Miles effortlessly tells the story of two real and brilliant women, one running illegal booze between Miami, the Bahamas and Cuba, and the other, a master codebreaker, hot on her trail. Robuck's meticulous research and impeccable characterization shine through in this fierce, feminist and unforgettable novel." - Nicola Harrison
"Move over Al Capone and Eliot Ness! It's time to make space for Elizabeth Friedman and Marie Waite?a captivating pair of badass women on opposite sides of prohibition law. In her terrific new historical fiction, The Last Twelve Miles, Erika Robuck brings you Elizabeth, the brilliant cryptanalyst who breaks code for the U.S. Coast Guard, and Marie, the equally brilliant rumrunner who plies the waters off the coast of Florida. Never has there been a more fascinating set of rivals and you will find yourself torn over which of them you'd like to see win. Richly drawn characters, a crackerjack plot, and a setting that is equal parts glamorous and deadly make The Last Twelve Miles a must read for 2024." - Deborah Goodrich Royce
"The Last Twelve Miles is the thrilling story of two extraordinary women on opposite sides of the law, but with more in common than they think. Based on a true story, Elizebeth, a meticulous government codebreaker, hunts down Marie, the flamboyant rumrunner who makes and loses fortunes on the waters off the Florida Keys during Prohibition. Both the G-woman and the mobster are also wives and mothers struggling to thrive in men's domains. A breezy and brutal glimpse into the world of Jazz Age gangsters from a fresh angle. Really enjoyable!" - Anika Scott
"In this gripping and devilishly exciting Prohibition-era novel, The Last Twelve Miles effortlessly tells the story of two real and brilliant women, one running illegal booze between Miami, the Bahamas and Cuba, and the other, a master codebreaker, hot on her trail. Robuck's meticulous research and impeccable characterization shine through in this fierce, feminist and unforgettable novel." - Nicola Harrison
"Move over Al Capone and Eliot Ness! It's time to make space for Elizabeth Friedman and Marie Waite?a captivating pair of badass women on opposite sides of prohibition law. In her terrific new historical fiction, The Last Twelve Miles, Erika Robuck brings you Elizabeth, the brilliant cryptanalyst who breaks code for the U.S. Coast Guard, and Marie, the equally brilliant rumrunner who plies the waters off the coast of Florida. Never has there been a more fascinating set of rivals and you will find yourself torn over which of them you'd like to see win. Richly drawn characters, a crackerjack plot, and a setting that is equal parts glamorous and deadly make The Last Twelve Miles a must read for 2024." - Deborah Goodrich Royce
"The Last Twelve Miles is the thrilling story of two extraordinary women on opposite sides of the law, but with more in common than they think. Based on a true story, Elizebeth, a meticulous government codebreaker, hunts down Marie, the flamboyant rumrunner who makes and loses fortunes on the waters off the Florida Keys during Prohibition. Both the G-woman and the mobster are also wives and mothers struggling to thrive in men's domains. A breezy and brutal glimpse into the world of Jazz Age gangsters from a fresh angle. Really enjoyable!" - Anika Scott
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