Book Review: The Lincoln Conspiracy by Timothy L. O'Brien

Synopsis

A nation shattered by its president’s murder. Two diaries that reveal the true scope of an American conspiracy. A detective determined to bring the truth to light, no matter what it costs him

.

From award-winning journalist Timothy L. O’Brien comes a gripping historical thriller that poses a provocative question: What if the plot to assassinate President Lincoln was wider and more sinister than we ever imagined?



In late spring of 1865, as America mourns the death of its leader, Washington, D.C., police detective Temple McFadden makes a startling discovery. Strapped to the body of a dead man at the B&O Railroad station are two diaries, two documents that together reveal the true depth of the Lincoln conspiracy. Securing the diaries will put Temple’s life in jeopardy—and will endanger the fragile peace of a nation still torn by war.



Temple’s quest to bring the conspirators to justice takes him on a perilous journey through the gaslit streets of the Civil War–era capital, into bawdy houses and back alleys where ruthless enemies await him in every shadowed corner. Aided by an underground network of friends—and by his wife, Fiona, a nurse who possesses a formidable arsenal of medicinal potions—Temple must stay one step ahead of Lafayette Baker, head of the Union Army’s spy service. Along the way, he’ll run from or rely on Edwin Stanton, Lincoln’s fearsome secretary of war; the legendary Scottish spymaster Allan Pinkerton; abolitionist Sojourner Truth; the photographer Alexander Gardner; and many others.



Bristling with twists and building to a climax that will leave readers gasping, The Lincoln Conspiracy offers a riveting new account of what truly motivated the assassination of one of America’s most beloved presidents—and who participated in the plot to derail the train of liberty that Lincoln set in motion.


Ballantine Books | September 2012

My Review

3.5 Stars

When Washington D.C. detective Temple McFadden arrives at the B&O railroad station to meet an associate, he has no idea that he is about to become embroiled in a conspiracy surrounding the death of President Lincoln.  After witnessing the murder of his associate, Detective McFadden makes a quick search of his body and uncovers a set of diaries related to Abraham Lincoln.  These diaries, which are sought by two rival factions who will do anything to retrieve them, contain information that indicate that there was more to President Lincoln's assassination than meets the eye.  Although holding onto the diaries puts Temple's life, as well as the lives of his wife and friends, in jeopardy, he boldly commits himself to finding out the truth behind the President's death.  

The greatest strength of The Lincoln Conspiracy is its diverse cast of characters, although it is, at times, a bit of a challenge keeping everyone straight.  The novel's principal characters, Temple McFadden and his wife Fiona, are well-drawn and easy to like.  Many of the book's supporting characters, whether they be fictional or straight from the pages of history, prove to be memorable.  I particularly enjoyed the scenes featuring Mary Todd Lincoln.  Although the unraveling of the conspiracy theory underlying this novel's plot isn't as thrilling as it could have been, Timothy L. O'Brien has done a masterful job of bringing post-Civil War era Washington D.C. and its residents to life.  As a result, it has sparked an interest in me to read more about this particular era, which is one that prior to reading this novel held little appeal to me. 

While I don't know if Timothy L. O'Brien intends this book to be the first in a series or if he has written it as a stand alone, I would be interested in reading another novel that features Temple and Fiona McFadden. 

The Lincoln Conspiracy should appeal to fans of historical thrillers, as well as to readers of historical fiction interested in novels about President Lincoln and/or the post-Civil War era. 

Note: An e-copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review as part of the novel's Virtual Book Tour. 

About the Author

Timothy L. O’Brien is the Executive Editor of The Huffington Post, where he edited the 2012 Pulitzer Prize–winning series about wounded war veterans, “Beyond the Battlefield.” Previously, he was an editor and reporter at The New York Times. There, he helped to lead a team of Times reporters that was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize in Public Service in 2009 for coverage of the financial crisis. O’Brien, a graduate of Georgetown University, holds three master's degrees -- in US History, Business and Journalism -- all from Columbia University. He lives in Montclair, New Jersey, with his wife and two children.

www.timothylobrien.com

Mailbox Monday

It's time once again for Mailbox Monday, a weekly meme created for bloggers to share the books that arrived in their home over the previous week.  Mailbox Monday is a travelling meme and is being hosted in the month of November by Bermuda Onion

I've received quite a few books in my mailbox over the past couple of weeks, here is a sample:




Received for Review

City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte

Once a city of enormous wealth and culture, Prague was home to emperors, alchemists, astronomers, and, as it's whispered, hell portals. When music student Sarah Weston lands a summer job at Prague Castle cataloging Beethoven's manuscripts, she has no idea how dangerous her life is about to become. Prague is a threshold, Sarah is warned, and it is steeped in blood.

Soon after Sarah arrives, strange things begin to happen. She learns that her mentor, who was working at the castle, may not have committed suicide after all. Could his cryptic notes be warnings? As Sarah parses his clues about Beethoven's "Immortal Beloved," she manages to get arrested, to have tantric sex in a public fountain, and to discover a time-warping drug. She also catches the attention of a four-hundred-year-old dwarf, the handsome Prince Max, and a powerful U.S. senator with secrets she will do anything to hide.

City of Dark Magic could be called a rom-com paranormal suspense novel-or it could simply be called one of the most entertaining novels of the year.

Penguin | November 27, 2012

The Raven's Heart by Jesse Blackadder

Scotland, 1561, and a ship comes across the North Sea carrying home Mary, the young, charismatic Queen of Scots, returning after 13 years in the French court to wrest back control of her throne.

The Blackadder family has long awaited for the Queen’s return to bring them justice. Alison Blackadder, disguised as a boy from childhood to protect her from the murderous clan that stole their lands, must learn to be a lady-in-waiting to the Queen, building a web of dependence and reward.
Just as the Queen can trust nobody, Alison discovers lies, danger and treachery at every turn.

This sweeping, imaginative and original tale of political intrigue, misplaced loyalty, secret passion, and implacable revenge is based on real characters and events from the reign of Mary Queen of Scots.

Bywater Books | September 11, 2012

Summerset Abbey by T.J. Brown

1913: In a sprawling manor on the outskirts of London, three young women seek to fulfill their destinies and desires amidst the unspoken rules of society and the distant rumblings of war. . . .

Rowena Buxton - Sir Philip Buxton raised three girls into beautiful and capable young women in a bohemian household that defied Edwardian tradition. Eldest sister Rowena was taught to value people, not wealth or status. But everything she believes will be tested when Sir Philip dies, and the girls must live under their uncle's guardianship at the vast family estate, Summerset Abbey. Standing up for a beloved family member sequestered to the "underclass" in this privileged new world, and drawn into the Cunning Coterie, an exclusive social circle of aristocratic "rebels," Rowena must decide where her true passions-and loyalties-lie.

Victoria Buxton - Frail in body but filled with an audacious spirit, Victoria secretly dreams of attending university to become a botanist like her father. But this most unladylike wish is not her only secret-Victoria has stumbled upon a family scandal that, if revealed, has the potential to change lives forever. . .

Prudence Tate - Prudence was lovingly brought up alongside Victoria and Rowena, and their bond is as strong as blood. But by birth she is a governess's daughter, and to the lord of Summerset Abbey, that makes her a commoner who must take her true place in society-as lady's maid to her beloved "sisters." But Pru doesn't belong in the downstairs world of the household staff any more than she belongs upstairs with the Buxton girls. And when a young lord catches her eye, she begins to wonder if she'll ever truly carve out a place for herself at Summerset Abbey.

Gallery Books | January 15, 2013

The Water Witch by Juliet Dark

Perfect for fans of Deborah Harkness and Elizabeth Kostova, The Water Watch is a breathtakingly sexy and atmospheric new novel of ancient folklore, passionate love, and thrilling magic.

After casting out a dark spirit, Callie McFay, a professor of gothic literature, has at last restored a semblance of calm to her rambling Victorian house. But in the nearby thicket of the honeysuckle forest, and in the currents of the rushing Undine stream, more trouble is stirring. . . .

The enchanted town of Fairwick's dazzling mix of mythical creatures has come under siege from the Grove: a sinister group of witches determined to banish the fey back to their ancestral land. With factions turning on one another, all are cruelly forced to take sides. Callie's grandmother, a prominent Grove member, demands her granddaughter's compliance, but half-witch/half-fey Callie can hardly betray her friends and colleagues at the college. To stave off disaster, Callie enlists Duncan Laird, an alluring seductive academic who cultivates her vast magical potential, but to what end? Deeply conflicted, Callie struggles to save her beloved Fairwick, dangerously pushing her extraordinary powers to the limit-risking all, even the needs of her own passionate heart.

Random House Publishing Group | February 12, 2013

Purchased

The Shadow Prince by Terence Morgan

Perkin Warbeck is an ordinary young man in fifteenth-century Tournai. The son of a port official, he loves nothing more than swimming, singing and fishing with his father. But Perkin has a secret. His real name is Richard, and he is the rightful Prince of England. Thought to have been murdered with his brother, Edward, in the Tower of London, he was covertly taken to the continent. But when his enemies seek him out he must flee, and embarks on a new life of derring-do, sailing the high seas with the era's greatest adventurers. But Richard cannot avoid his fate forever. Based on painstaking research, and peopled by some of the most extraordinary characters of an extraordinary period, Perkin's tale is a vivid, authentic, and hugely entertaining historical adventure.

The Year After by Martin Davis

DECEMBER 1919. Tom Allen, uncomfortable in London after five years in uniform, receives an invitation to spend Christmas at Hannesford Court.

It's almost as if nothing has changed. Cards in the library after dinner. The Boxing Day shoot. The New Year ball. Margot.

But Tom hasn't forgotten the professor. A strange meeting in Germany has raised a question in his mind: in all his visits to Hannesford before the War, all those years observing the glittering life of its owners, how much did he ever really see?


The Malice of Fortune by Michael Ennis

A sweeping, intense historical thriller starring two of the great minds of Renaissance Italy: Niccolò Machiavelli and Leonardo da Vinci. Based on a real historical mystery, and involving serial murder and a gruesome cat and mouse game at the highest levels of the Church -- it was the era of the infamous Borgias -- The Malice of Fortune  is a delicious treat for fans of Umberto Eco, Sarah Dunant, and Elizabeth Kostova.

This brilliant novel is an epic tale exploring the backdrop of the most controversial work of the Italian Renaissance, The Prince. Here, Niccolò Machiavelli, the great "scientist" of human behaviour becomes, in effect, the first criminal profiler, while his contemporary and sometime colleague, the erratic genius Leonardo da Vinci, brings his observational powers to the increasingly desperate hunt for a brilliant, terrifying serial murderer. Their foil and partner is the exquisite Damiata, scholar and courtesan. All three know their quarry is someone who holds enormous power, both to tear Italy apart, and destroy each of their most beloved dreams. And every thrilling step is based on historical fact.

That's it for me.  What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Book Review: A Dangerous Inheritance by Alison Weir

Synopsis

In this engrossing novel of historical suspense, New York Times bestselling author Alison Weir tells the dramatic intertwined stories of two women—Katherine Grey and Kate Plantagenet—separated by time but linked by twin destinies . . . . involving the mysterious tragic fate of the young Princes in the Tower.

When her older sister, Lady Jane Grey, the Nine Days’ Queen, is executed in 1554 for unlawfully accepting the English crown, Lady Katherine Grey’s world falls apart. Barely recovered from this tragic loss she risks all for love, only to incur the wrath of her formidable cousin Queen Elizabeth I, who sees Katherine as a rival for her insecure throne.

Interlaced with Katherine’s story is that of her distant kinswoman Kate Plantagenet, the bastard daughter of Richard III, the last Plantagenet king. In 1483, Kate travels to London for Richard’s coronation, and her world changes forever.

Kate loves her father, but before long she hears terrible rumors about him that threaten all she holds dear. Like Katherine Grey, she falls in love with a man who is forbidden to her. Then Kate embarks on what will become a perilous quest, covertly seeking the truth about what befell her cousins the Princes in the Tower, who may have been victims of Richard III’s lust for power. But time is not on Kate’s side, or on Katherine’s.

Katherine finds herself a prisoner in the Tower of London, the sinister fortress that overshadowed the lives of so many royal figures, including the boy princes. Will Elizabeth demand the full penalty for treason? And what secrets will Katherine find hidden within the Tower walls?

Alison Weir’s new novel is a page-turning story set within a framework of fascinating historical authenticity. In this rich and layered tapestry, Katherine and Kate discover that possessing royal blood can prove to be a dangerous inheritance.

Ballantine Books (Random House Publishing Group) | October 2012

My Review

3.5 Stars 

Alison Weir's latest work of historical fiction, A Dangerous Inheritance, chronicles the lives of two young woman - Katherine 'Kate' Plantagenet, illegitimate daughter of Richard III, and Katherine Grey, younger sister of Lady Jane Grey.  Although they lived in different eras, the lives of both Katherines share several similarities.  Not only must they both survive in royal courts where enemies intent on bringing down either them or their families lurk around every corner, but they are also denied the opportunity to be with the men they love.  

In the case of Kate Plantagenet, once her father comes to England's throne rumours begin to swirl about the evil deeds he undertook or supported in order to attain and keep the crown, including those that claim he had his two nephews - the Princes in the Tower - killed.   Kate has trouble believing that her beloved father, who has always been kind to her, could possibly be responsible for such a  reprehensible act.  When she is forced to marry one of her father's most ardent supporters and move to Wales, Kate decides to investigate the mystery surrounding the young princes, hoping to prove once and for all that her father is innocent of having them killed. 

For Katherine Grey having royal blood proves to be more of a curse than a blessing.   By converting back to the Catholic faith, Katherine is able to successfully navigate through the court of her cousin, Queen Mary, without drawing too much attention to herself.   But when Queen Elizabeth I comes to the throne many of her opponents covertly rally around Katherine, seeking to depose Elizabeth and install Katherine on the throne in her place.  Although Katherine sees herself as the logical successor to Elizabeth, she recognizes that with the monarch keeping close watch over her actions one wrong move could place her very life in jeopardy.   Despite the risk, Katherine secretly weds Edward Seymour without Elizabeth's consent.  When the truth of the marriage comes out, Katherine is separated from her husband and imprisoned in the Tower where she begins to hear voices calling out for help.  Convinced that the voices are those of the two princes imprisoned by their Uncle Richard, Katherine joins forces with her kindly jailer to discover the truth about what happened to them.

Overall, A Dangerous Inheritance is an enjoyable and interesting novel.  While very little is known about the life of Kate Plantagenet, Weir does a good job of plausibly bringing this young woman sympathetically to life.  Weir's characterization of Katherine Grey, whose history is better known, is also well done, although given many of the ordeals faced by Katherine under Elizabeth I were caused by her own poor decisions, readers may understandably find it difficult to feel sorry for her.  Although I do not believe Richard III to be the evil king history has made him out to be, the fact that he comes across negatively in this book didn't diminish my overall enjoyment of the story.  While I enjoyed both Kate and Katherine's story lines in and of themselves, the constant switch in narrative from one Katherine to the other does interrupt the book's flow.  In addition, the common thread linking the two story lines together, the women's investigation of the fate of the princes in the tower, seemed forced.  As a result, I would have preferred their stories to have been told in separate novels.  

Note: An e-copy of this novel was provided to me by the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for a fair and honest review.  

Book Review: The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

Synopsis:

From the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of The Distant Hours, The Forgotten Garden, and The House at Riverton, a spellbinding new novel filled with mystery, thievery, murder, and enduring love.

During a summer party at the family farm in the English countryside, sixteen-year-old Laurel Nicolson has escaped to her childhood tree house and is happily dreaming of the future. She spies a stranger coming up the long road to the farm and watches as her mother speaks to him. Before the afternoon is over, Laurel will witness a shocking crime. A crime that challenges everything she knows about her family and especially her mother, Dorothy-her vivacious, loving, nearly perfect mother.

Now, fifty years later, Laurel is a successful and well-regarded actress living in London. The family is gathering at Greenacres farm for Dorothy's ninetieth birthday. Realizing that this may be her last chance, Laurel searches for answers to the questions that still haunt her from that long-ago day, answers that can only be found in Dorothy's past.

Dorothy's story takes the reader from pre-WWII England through the blitz, to the '60s and beyond. It is the secret history of three strangers from vastly different worlds-Dorothy, Vivien, and Jimmy-who meet by chance in wartime London and whose lives are forever entwined. The Secret Keeper explores longings and dreams and the unexpected consequences they sometimes bring. It is an unforgettable story of lovers and friends, deception and passion that is told-in Morton's signature style-against a backdrop of events that changed the world. 

Atria Books | October 2012

My Review

4.5 Stars

Kate Morton's latest novel, The Secret Keeper, is a richly imagined tale of love. lies and long-buried secrets.   After bearing witness to a horrific crime involving her mother, Laurel Nicolson's view of her beloved parent was forever changed.   Now, many years later, gathering together with her sisters and brother to celebrate what will likely be their dying mother's final birthday, Laurel decides it's time to delve deeper into Dorothy Nicolson's past in an effort to uncover the truth behind her mother's actions on that day.

Morton's narrative unfolds in a deliberately measured manner, taking the reader on a journey back in time to pre-World War II England, through to the Blitz and the early 1960s, revealing in bits and pieces Dorothy's early life and the decisions and events that shaped the woman she was to become.   Through her always eloquent prose, Morton is able to effectively convey the hopes, fears and overall emotions of each of her characters, successfully drawing the reader completely into their stories.  She is also able to evoke a strong sense of time and at no point is this more evident than when the narrative is set during the Blitz.   Much like she has done in her other novels, Kate Morton has once again created a memorable cast of characters that readers can empathize with and become invested in.  

Although I found the opening of this novel to be somewhat slow, once the narrative starts to focus on Dorothy's life I found The Secret Keeper difficult to put down.  Although this book does not feature the Gothic elements that are a hallmark of Morton's previous releases, I nevertheless found this story to be every bit as captivating.  

The Secret Keeper is a must read for every Kate Morton fan.  

Note: The novel comes from my own personal collection.

Back to Blogging

As you may have noticed from the date of my last post, I've neglected my blog over the past few weeks.   In an effort to get myself back into the blogging swing of things, I've decided to set some mostly self-imposed deadlines to force myself to sit down and write  reviews.   While I enjoy writing reviews, lately I've focused more on reading books rather than writing reviews of them.  My backlog of unwritten reviews suggests that it is time for this focus to change.    As such, over the next few weeks you'll see reviews for the following:

(1) The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton (14 November)

(2) A Dangerous Inheritance by Alison Weir (16 November)

(3) The Lincoln Conspiracy by Timothy L. O'Brien (19 November)

(4) Mistress of the Sea by Jenny Barden (23 November)

(5) At the Sign of the Jack O'Lantern by Myrtle Reed (25 November)

Top Ten Tuesday: Kick-Ass Heroines

It's time for Top Ten Tuesdays, a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and Bookish that features a different book/reading theme each week.   This week's topic is:

Top Ten Kick-Ass Heroines

(1) Hermione Granger from J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series.   I think this one is pretty self-explanatory since Hermione is one kick-ass witch.  










(2) Karigan G'ladheon from Kristen Britain's Green Rider series.  Karigan is smart, feisty, loyal and committed to doing whatever it takes to rid Sacoridia of evil, even if the cost is her own happiness. 







(3) Yelena from Maria V. Snyder's Study trilogy.  











(4) Vin from Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn trilogy.  At the outset of this trilogy Vin is a shy, self-conscious young woman who knows nothing about the Mistborn power that resides within her.   As the trilogy progresses Vin becomes not only more self-assured, but she also masters allomancy, a set of supernatural powers that allows her to take on the Lord Ruler. 





(5) Katniss Everdeen from Suzanne Collins Hunger Games trilogy.   She's great with a bow and arrow, and won the Hunger Games not once, but twice.  Katniss rocks!









(6) Alexia Tarabotti from Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series.   Alexia lacks a soul and, as such, is able to defeat supernatural powers. 








(7) Thursday Next from Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next series.  Thursday is a spunky literary detective who gets to hide in books! 









(8) Scarlett O'Hara from Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind. 









(9) Elizabeth Bennet from Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice.   Although not a traditional kick-ass heroine in that her exploits aren't of the action-adventure nature, Lizzie Bennet makes my list for being her own person and not letting society dictate her behaviour. 








(10) Bess Crawford from Charles Todd's Bess Crawford historical mystery series.   A battlefield nurse who continually finds herself embroiled in murder mysteries, Bess is an intelligent and resourceful young woman who uses these traits to get herself out of sticky situations. 

Book Review: Days of Splendor, Days of Sorrow by Juliet Grey

SYNOPSIS

A captivating novel of rich spectacle and royal scandal, Days of Splendor, Days of Sorrow spans fifteen years in the fateful reign of Marie Antoinette, France’s most legendary and notorious queen.

Paris, 1774. At the tender age of eighteen, Marie Antoinette ascends to the French throne alongside her husband, Louis XVI. But behind the extravagance of the young queen’s elaborate silk gowns and dizzyingly high coiffures, she harbors deeper fears for her future and that of the Bourbon dynasty.

From the early growing pains of marriage to the joy of conceiving a child, from her passion for Swedish military attaché Axel von Fersen to the devastating Affair of the Diamond Necklace, Marie Antoinette tries to rise above the gossip and rivalries that encircle her. But as revolution blossoms in America, a much larger threat looms beyond the gilded gates of Versailles—one that could sweep away the French monarchy forever.

Publication Date: May 15, 2012 | Ballantine Books | 448p

My Review

4 Stars

Days of Splendor, Days of Sorrow is the second novel in Juliet Grey's Marie Antoinette trilogy.   While the first novel in the trilogy, Becoming Marie Antoinette, follows Marie's early life from her late childhood in Austria to her days as Dauphine of France, this latest novel focuses on Marie's reign as Louis XVI's Queen.

Much like the first novel in the trilogy, Days of Splendor, Days of Sorrow is full of rich historical detail.   This detail brings the French court and all of its magnificence vividly to life.   It also showcases just how much of Marie Antoinette's daily life was governed by strict and often stifling protocol.  Although the historical detail was, at times, somewhat overdone in the trilogy's first installment, this isn't the case with the second novel.  It is apparent that Grey undertook a great deal of research while writing this book, but rather than overpowering the narrative, the information gleaned from this research is used to complement it.  As a result, the story flows smoothly and moves quickly.    

Told from Marie Antoinette's perspective, one of this novel's greatest strengths is the characterization of Marie herself.   History has not been kind to Marie Antoinette, and it is not difficult to understand why considering much of the French court and citizenry were against her.  Highlighting Marie's strengths and her weaknesses, Grey paints a sympathetic portrait of France's last queen, successfully  showcasing how she matured as both a person and a monarch.  Grey's characterization of Louis XVI is also well-drawn, showing an uncertain monarch who very much wanted to do what was right for his people but who lacked the respect and support needed to bring about change. 

Although this novel is the second in a trilogy, it can be read as a stand-alone.  Recommended to fans of historical fiction interested in French history. 

Marie Antoinette's story continues in The Last October Sky, which will be released in 2013.  

Note: The novel comes from my own collection as I had purchased the book prior to agreeing to take part in the tour.

About the Author

Juliet Grey is the author of Becoming Marie Antoinette. She has extensively researched European royalty and is a particular devotee of Marie Antoinette, as well as a classically trained professional actress with numerous portrayals of virgins, vixens, and villainesses to her credit. She and her husband divide their time between New York City and southern Vermont.  






Days of Splendor, Days of Sorrow is currently on tour.   You can check out all the tour stops here: http://www.hfvirtualbooktours.com/2012/09/juliet-grey-on-tour-for-days-of.html