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A Novel
by Erika Robuck
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.
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (10/23/2025)
I finished The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny this week. It's a long book so give yourself time to read and reflect. My current read is The Last Twelve Miles by Erika Robuck. The setting is the prohibition era with two main female characters; one a Florida rumrunner and the other a cryptologist working for the government....
-NanK
"Danger and intrigue will come to a head as Elizebeth and Marie play a deadly game of cat and mouse along the Florida coast. Fans of Kate Quinn, strong female protagonists, and history-based storytelling will enjoy this read." ―Booklist
"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, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Cuban Heiress
"What a fun and riveting ride! Erika Robuck has unearthed two real-life Prohibition-era heroines―one a savvy rumrunner, the other an ambitious codebreaker―and vividly recreated their adventures, including a tension-packed cat-and-mouse game that threatens to destroy them both. The Last Twelve Miles so immersed me in the wild and raucous world of the Roaring Twenties that I never wanted it to end?even as I furiously turned the pages to see what would happen next." ―Karen Abbott, New York Times bestselling author of The Ghosts of Eden Park
"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, internationally bestselling author of Sinners of Starlight City
This information about The Last Twelve Miles was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Erika Robuck is the national bestselling author of historical fiction including Sisters of Night and Fog, The Invisible Woman, and Hemingway's Girl. Her articles have appeared in Writer Unboxed, Crime Reads, and Writer's Digest, and she has been named a Maryland Writer's Association Notable Writer of 2024.
A boating enthusiast, amateur historian, and teacher, she resides in Annapolis with her husband and three sons.
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