Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy follows four women's stories throughout the American Civil War era - Rose O'Neal Greenhow, Belle Boyd, Emma Edmondson, Elizabeth Van Lew.[4][2] Rose is a D.C.socialite who used her social standing to spy for the confederacy.[2][1] Rose Belle Boyd freelanced as a spy for the confederacy as well.[2] Rose was known "La Belle Rebelle" and the "Secesh Cleopatra".[5] Emma Edmondson was brought up by a father who wished for a son instead of a daughter.[2] To escape an arranged marriage to an older neighbor, Emma fled and joined the Union Army under an alias as a man - Private Frank Thompson.[2] Elizabeth Van Lew is an unmarried women from a family of good social standing family in Virginia. Elizabeth's family had educated and freed their slaves and when the war broke out she became a spy for the Union and operated an extensive spy ring.[2]
