Chasing Lincoln's Killer

By James L. Swanson

Based on rare archival material, obscure trial manuscripts, and interviews with relatives of the conspirators and the manhunters, Chasing Lincoln’s Killer is a fast-paced thriller about the pursuit and capture of John Wilkes Booth: a wild twelve-day chase through the streets of Washington, D.C., across the swamps of Maryland, and into the forests of Virginia.

 

This is actually a pretty cool read. It’s a book about the events of the assassination of Lincoln, a hot topic right now in media for some reason, and the ensuing manhunt for John Wilkes Booth.  It’s the kid version of the New York Bestseller by the same author, called “Manhunt”, but I really like the young adult version (it’s a lot shorter). Not that I don’t like the long versions, but it can get kind of hard to get through after the first few hundred pages. It has lots of interesting pictures of Booth and the other conspirators, maps, and interesting information I never knew. It’s great for the kid (or adult) that enjoys his history and especially likes Mr. Lincoln.

 

I give it a 3.5 out of 5 Mostly for preference, I don’t usually read this sort of thing, but if you do, I’d give it more like a 4.