Washington City, 1862: The United States lies in tatters, and there seems no end to the war. Abraham Lincoln, the legitimate President of the United States, is using all his will to keep his beloved land together. But Lincoln's will and soul are tested when tragedy strikes the White House as Willie Lincoln, the love and shining light in the president's heart, is taken by typhoid fever.
But was this really the cause of his death? A message arrives, suggesting otherwise. Lincoln asks John Hay, his trusted aide—and almost a son—to investigate Willie's death. Some see Hay as a gadfly—adventurous, incisive, lusty, reflective, skeptical, even cynical—but he loves the president and so seeks the truth behind the boy's death.
And so, as we follow Hay in his investigation, we are shown the loftiest and lowest corners of Washington City, from the president's office and the gentleman's dining room at Willard's Hotel to the alley hovels, wartime hospitals, and the dome-less Capitol's vermin-infested subbasement. We see the unfamiliar sides of a grief-stricken president, his hellcat of a wife, and their two surviving and suffering sons, and Hay matches wits with such luminaries as General McClellan, William Seward, and the indomitable detective Allan Pinkerton.
What Hay discovers has the potential of not only destroying Lincoln, but a nation.
The Murder of Willie Lincoln is an exciting historical fiction debut by award-winning political journalist and Washington insider Burt Solomon.
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Wait time: About 2 weeks
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Creators
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Series
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Publisher
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Release date
February 21, 2017 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9781427288363
- File size: 326713 KB
- Duration: 11:20:39
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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December 12, 2016
An original plot, plausible characterizations of historical figures, and solid prose combine to make this historical fiction debut, from a contributing editor for the Atlantic, a winner. In 1862, early on in the Civil War, President Lincoln is devastated by the death, apparently from typhoid fever, of his 11-year-old son, Willie. Hay, the president’s assistant private secretary, finds he must compound Lincoln’s grief when he gets an indication that Willie may actually have been murdered. Someone managed to get access to Hay’s office to insert an anonymous note in his satchel, which references the biblical figure of Barabbas having “committed murder in the insurrection.” The president authorizes Hay to conduct a secret investigation, and the aide soon discovers evidence that typhus was not the cause of Willie’s death. Solomon incorporates obscure but relevant facts—such as the fraud scheme Mary Todd Lincoln got involved with—and deftly makes well-known figures such as General George McClellan and Allan Pinkerton come to life, before building to a surprising final reveal. Solomon’s storytelling abilities will make fans of the genre hope for a John Hay sequel. -
When President Lincoln's son Willie died in 1862, the reported cause of death was typhoid fever. This captivating audiobook, narrated eloquently by Holter Graham, imagines that Willie was actually murdered, a victim of an opponent of his father's controversial policies. Graham particularly excels when he provides the characters with distinct personas. His portrayal of John Hay, who is charged with investigating and solving the crime, is especially memorable. As Hay investigates, he discovers many suspects within the dark underbelly of the White House. As the intensity of the search increases, so do Graham's tone, inflection, and display of emotions. While the ending requires listeners to have a scorecard, Graham's presentation never falters, making this a satisfying audiobook from beginning to end. D.J.S. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
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