The Seeds of Love and War

The year is 1769 in Boston, as the Sons of Liberty, led by John Hancock and Samuel Adams, press for the departure of the unwanted redcoats from the colony. The Crown catches wind of patriot schemes for insurrection, thanks to the reports from Tory and trollop spies known as the Omega. The patriots find fertile soil to plant the seeds of rebellion among the dirty denizens of the Boston waterfront. Snug Harbor Tavern, a cozy den of ill-reputed located on the harbor near Hancock’s Wharf, provides a haven for the patriots. What happens at the Snug Harbor stays at the Snug Harbor. Tapping historically documented resources, Johnson reconstructs a panoramic chronicle of the events leading up to the Boston Massacre, fleshing out a story teeming with secretive meetings, political intrigue, hidden identities, renegades, and sex scandals. It all begins with the celebrated departure of loyalist Gov. Bernard. Shortly after he flees for the safety of British soil, the conspiracy among the patriots intensifies. Hancock and Adams find themselves immersed in a daring scheme to recruit support for the Sons of Liberty among a scabrous group of commoners who buy their shaggin’ for a shillin’. The radical Boston Gazette and the loyalist’s Boston Chronicle duel for the allegiance of the people as they publicize the ploys and betrayals of both parties. Disquiet and suspicion pervade the town, and it’s only just begun. On a monumental day, March 5, 1770, tension finally snaps. In a brief yet bloody the assault, Crispus Attucks, a runaway slave, ends up a martyr in one of history’s most pivotal moments: the Boston Massacre. Sit back in the Snug Harbor Tavern with a mug of rum and savor the sex, scandal, and heroics of our Founding Fathers as they struggle for liberty…theirs and ours.