But there was a twist, for Judge and for the Washingtons: laws in Pennsylvania mandated freedom for any slave living in the state for six continuous months, meaning that the Washingtons would shuttle their slaves between Philadelphia and Virginia, to “reset” their status. Judge surely knew what was going on, but when she learned that she would be permanently gifted as a wedding present to Martha’s moody granddaughter, she could stand things no longer.
And so, as the Washingtons dined on a Saturday evening in May, 1796, Oney Judge slipped out the door and ran…
It’s been a long time since I’ve read a thriller as heart-pounding as the one I found in this book. The difference is that “Never Caught” is all true.
But Judge’s astounding, audacious story isn’t the only thing author Dunbar brings to vivid life: she also sets the tone by explaining the times in which Judge lived, and what life was like for slaves and Whites alike.
(“Never Caught” by Erica Armstrong Dunbar, c.2017, Atria, $26/ $35 Canada, 254 pages.)
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