Lincoln Conspiracy (Meltzer) - Book Reviews

Book Reviews
[F]ascinating and extremely readable… like an expertly crafted thriller.… [The authors] have clearly done their homework, and they prove to be experts at rendering history in an urgent, exciting way… [Yet] despite its dark subject matter, [The Lincoln Conspiracy is] relentlessly fun to read.… It's an expertly crafted book that seems sure to delight readers with an interest in lesser-known episodes of American history.
Michael Schaub - NPR


[A] solid recounting of the conspiracy to assassinate president-elect Abraham Lincoln…. Meltzer and Mensch maintain suspense despite the known outcome of the story, and convincingly counter claims that Pinkerton made the whole thing up for publicity purposes.
Publishers Weekly


[The] authors follow the trail of intrigue, disguises, deceptions, and countermoves…. [This] instructive accounting of the mentality, movements, and means of Pinkerton and his agents makes for a revealing look inside the world of secessionist fanaticism.  —Randall M. Miller, St. Joseph's Univ., Philadelphia
Library Journal


[The] discussion of how the newly founded Pinkerton Agency infiltrated the conspiracy includes unexpected details of undercover work, 1860s-style—including by pathbreaking women detectives. A delightful addition to popular literature on the Civil War era.–
Booklist


[S]hort, energetic chapters… fashion a brisk political thriller…. [T]he authors vividly convey the virulent racism endemic in the South. A sharply drawn episode from a regrettable part of America's past. (b/w illustrations).
Kirkus Reviews