The Murder of Abraham Lincoln

Another entry in the Treasury of Victorian Murder series, The Murder of Abraham Lincoln details a 62 day period in US history, from March 4 to May 4, 1865. In that time, famed actor John Wilkes Booth would take part in a last gasp Confederate plot to kidnap the US president and turn the tide of the US Civil War. Because of circumstances, this plan changed quickly and he and his co-conspirators embarked on one of the most infamous assassinations ever. As with other books in this series, a meticulous sense of detail exists, from the maps of Washington DC, Wilkes' escape route, and Lincoln's funeral procession to quotations from major figures to the depictions of personality quirks. In particular, Mary Todd Lincoln's histrionics are not to be missed.

Rick Geary once again proves his artistic and story-telling chops in this volume. He packs an amazing number of historical references into this beautifully rendered tale while also making it compelling and suspenseful, even to readers familiar with the facts. This Inkpot Award and Book and Magazine Illustration Award winning creator is at the top of his game here.

The Murder of Abraham Lincoln has been a well received book. Mark S. wrote that the black and white illustrations perfectly suited the story in this "suspenseful, entertaining narrative." Elizabeth Kiem found that Geary "has done a fine job in turning out these villainous portraits." Nate Stearns praises the book and only find a slight fault concerning its mythologizing of Lincoln. If you scroll down this page, there are a number of other positive blurbs from prestigious publications like Publishers Weekly and the School Library Journal.

A preview is available from the book's publisher NBM.