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Killing Lincoln
324 pages
A cinematic, present-tense plunge into one of history's darkest moments that reads with the breathless urgency of a ticking-clock thriller.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels less like studying history and more like watching a high-stakes political thriller unfold in real time. The narrative is engineered for pure momentum, utilizing a punchy, present-tense delivery that strips away academic distance and plunges you directly into the muddy, tense streets of 1865 Washington. There is a palpable sense of foreboding that hangs over the early chapters, contrasting the hopeful relief of the Civil War's end with the creeping, inevitable dread of the conspiracy taking shape. It is a deeply cinematic experience, focusing heavily on the sensory details of the manhunt and the psychological unraveling of its players. This is the perfect read for those who crave historical non-fiction that prioritizes adrenaline, dramatic irony, and a relentlessly propulsive pace over dry, exhaustive analysis.
- Mood
- tense
- foreboding
- cinematic
- gripping
- Tone
- urgent
- dramatic
- authoritative
- suspenseful
- Pace
- propulsive
- Themes
- anatomy of a conspiracy · fragility of peace · weight of leadership · national trauma
- The writing
- Punchy, present-tense, and highly cinematic, the sentences are engineered for maximum momentum rather than academic nuance.
- The arc
- The narrative shifts from the triumphant relief of a war's end into a tightening spiral of dread, culminating in a grim, relentless pursuit.
- Who it's for
- Readers who want their history served with the adrenaline and pacing of a blockbuster thriller.
Content notes
- assassination
- gun violence
- execution
- historical racism
About the book
This book is a riveting historical narrative of the heart-stopping events surrounding the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, and the first work of history from mega-bestselling author Bill O'Reilly. The anchor of The O'Reilly Factor recounts one of the most dramatic stories in American history -- how one gunshot changed the country forever. In the spring of 1865, the bloody saga of America's Civil War finally comes to an end after a series of increasingly harrowing battles. President Abraham Lincoln's generous terms for Robert E. Lee's surrender are devised to fulfill Lincoln's dream of healing a divided nation, with the former Confederates allowed to reintegrate into American society. But one man and his band of murderous accomplices, perhaps reaching into the highest ranks of the U.S. government, are not appeased. In the midst of the patriotic celebrations in Washington D.C., John Wilkes Booth -- charismatic ladies' man and impenitent racist -- murders Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theatre. A furious manhunt ensues and Booth immediately becomes the country's most wanted fugitive. Lafayette C. Baker, a smart but shifty New York detective and former Union spy, unravels the string of clues leading to Booth, while federal forces track his accomplices. The thrilling chase ends in a fiery shootout and a series of court-ordered executions -- including that of the first woman ever executed by the U.S. government, Mary Surratt. Featuring some of history's most remarkable figures, vivid detail, and page-turning action, Killing Lincoln is history that reads like a thriller. - Publisher.
Description from Open Library.
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