Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch have found ways to tell lesser-known true stories surrounding some pretty famous people that both teach us while simultaneously taking us a gripping thrill ride like The Lincoln Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill America’s 16th President–and Why It Failed.
Everyone knows the story of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination in 1865, but few are aware of the original conspiracy to kill him four years earlier in 1861, literally on his way to Washington, D.C., for his first inauguration.
The conspirators were part of a white supremacist secret society that didn’t want an abolitionist in the White House. They planned an elaborate scheme to assassinate the President-elect in Baltimore as Lincoln’s inauguration train passed through, en route to the nation’s capital. The plot was investigated by famed detective Allan Pinkerton, who infiltrated the group with undercover agents, including Kate Warne, one of the first female private detectives in America.
Had the assassination succeeded, there would have been no Lincoln Presidency and the course of the Civil War and American history would have forever been altered.
Not that there is a particular order, but I have read these books by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch out of order as I started with The JFK Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Kennedy―and Why It Failed before reading The Lincoln Conspiracy, but I was still astonished to learn that there was an attempt on Abraham Lincoln prior to his inauguration. It is extremely possible I was taught this in school, but was just not paying attention. However, I can guarantee the way Meltzer and Mensch present this story is far better than any teacher could’ve have in my younger years.
Meltzer and Mensch use a storytelling approach that almost reads as a straight ahead political thriller, maintaining suspense despite knowing that there will be an attempt on Lincoln’s life and that it failed. Their use of concise chapters keeps the story engaging which makes the complex historical events more accessible to a broader audience–including myself.
The dramatization of the historical nonfiction might turn some real history buffs off, those more akin to the traditional historical analysis of events such as these. However, the authors get all the facts–which can be hard in a story this old and with little documentation still existing–into the story which adds credibility to the book. I would dive head first into more historical tales such as this if they were told in this format as I learned a lot while also enjoying the experience.
The Lincoln Conspiracy does focus on the attempt on Lincolns life prior to his inauguration, but it’s also a reminder of the divisions that have shaped American democracy and the people who worked to protect it. The book serves a reminder of how far we have come in this country, while also shedding light on the fact we still have work to be done.
Brad Metlzer and Josh Mensch’s The Lincoln Conspiracy is a compelling and entertaining look into a pivotal moment in United States history. The authors use a unique storytelling approach to both teach us and engage us in a thrilling story about a lesser-known true story. This read felt like a great use of my valuable time and enjoy the experience greatly.
The Lincoln Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill America’s 16th President–and Why It Failed is available at bookstores everywhere from Flatiron Books. The audiobook, narrated by Scott Brick, is available at Libro.fm!
