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    The Lincoln Conspiracy: A Novel
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    The Lincoln Conspiracy: A Novel
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    The Lincoln Conspiracy: A Novel
    Audiobook12 hours

    The Lincoln Conspiracy: A Novel

    Written by Timothy L. O'Brien

    Narrated by Paul Boehmer

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    A nation shattered by its president's murder

    Two diaries that reveal the true scope of an American conspiracy

    A detective determined to bring the truth to light, no matter what it costs him

    From award-winning journalist Timothy L. O'Brien comes a gripping historical thriller that poses a provocative question: What if the plot to assassinate President Lincoln was wider and more sinister than we ever imagined?

    In late spring of 1865, as America mourns the death of its leader, Washington, D.C., police detective Temple McFadden makes a startling discovery. Strapped to the body of a dead man at the B&O Railroad station are two diaries, two documents that together reveal the true depth of the Lincoln conspiracy. Securing the diaries will put Temple's life in jeopardy-and will endanger the fragile peace of a nation still torn by war.

    Temple's quest to bring the conspirators to justice takes him on a perilous journey through the gaslit streets of the Civil War-era capital, into bawdy houses and back alleys where ruthless enemies await him in every shadowed corner. Aided by an underground network of friends-and by his wife, Fiona, a nurse who possesses a formidable arsenal of medicinal potions-Temple must stay one step ahead of Lafayette Baker, head of the Union Army's spy service. Along the way, he'll run from or rely on Edwin Stanton, Lincoln's fearsome secretary of war; the legendary Scottish spymaster Allan Pinkerton; abolitionist Sojourner Truth; the photographer Alexander Gardner; and many others.

    Bristling with twists and building to a climax that will leave readers gasping, The Lincoln Conspiracy offers a riveting new account of what truly motivated the assassination of one of America's most beloved presidents-and who participated in the plot to derail the train of liberty that Lincoln set in motion.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateSep 18, 2012
    ISBN9780449012130
    Unavailable
    The Lincoln Conspiracy: A Novel
    Author

    Timothy L. O'Brien

    Timothy L. O’Brien is an award-winning journalist and the publisher of Bloomberg View. He has worked at the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Talk magazine, and the Huffington Post. O’Brien edited a Pulitzer Prize–winning series on wounded war veterans in 2012 and is a recipient of the Gerald Loeb Award for Distinguished Business and Financial Journalism. As an editor at the New York Times, he helped oversee the paper’s Pulitzer Prize–nominated coverage of the 2008 financial crisis. As a writer, O’Brien has covered a wide range of topics, including Wall Street, digital media, Hollywood, geopolitics, terrorism, corporate strategy, innovation, and white-collar fraud. He is the author of two works of nonfiction: TrumpNation: The Art of Being the Donald and Bad Bet: The Inside Story of the Glamour, Glitz, and Danger of America’s Gambling Industry. His debut novel, The Lincoln Conspiracy, was published in 2012. O’Brien is a graduate of Georgetown University and holds three graduate degrees from Columbia University. He lives with his wife and children in Montclair, New Jersey.

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    Reviews for The Lincoln Conspiracy

    3.5/5

    120 ratings46 reviews

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    • 2/5
      I wanted to like this book and did read it to the very end with some reservations along the way. I found that the characters were very hard to differentiate between, especially in the beginning. As the book progressed the characters were whittled down to the few manageable complex characters, this made it much easier to follow. Toward the end it finally felt like a mystery was forming and I looked forward to reaching the end of the book, but that turned out to be disappointing for me, maybe I expected too much. This would have been a great book if only the author had spent more time developing this mystery through history a little bit better based on the information gleaned from the two diaries Temple came to possess.
    • 4/5
      A fun and fascinating twist on a horrifying event in US history. Temple McFadden is an officer with the Metropolitan Police Department in DC and is working and ends up breaking up a gang war between two groups of thugs. He ends up with two diaries. Not realizing what he has he works to decode one - it had been written by John Wilkes Booth and had information about who wanted Lincoln dead. The other had been written by Mrs. Lincoln. The two together could change what the county knew about Lincoln and the country's history.He engages his wife Fiona's help in decoding the one diary and they and some well recognized historical "friends" work to keep the diaries out of the hands of the bad guys. While a bit confusing at times it was a real page turner and the ending was superb. It was a fast and exciting read; perfect for a summer beach read or to keep you up at night!
    • 4/5
      The Lincoln Conspiracy by Timothy O'Brien is a historical fiction novel about the events of President Lincoln's assassination , in Washington, DC. I thought it was well, written, and I enjoyed the story as well as the characters. I received this book as part of the LibraryThing Early Reviewer program.
    • 4/5
      I received thai book through the Library Thing Early reviewers program. A well written historical novel - set in Washington D.C. after the assassination of President Lincoln. Temple McFadden is a Metropolitan Police detective - and gets tangled in events and information relating to the end of Lincoln's life. We see an interesting view of life in D.C. - meet a wide array of characters, some historical (Lincoln's widow, Pinkerton), some fictional. There are interesting views of political and social forces and pressures in a turbulent time of history. I enjoyed it, and have some hope that it may be the first of a series with these characters, though it will be hard to come up with an equivalently engaging set of events for a sequel.
    • 3/5
      Conspiracy theories about the Kennedy assassination abound even more than half a century after the fact. By contrast, the Lincoln assassination seems cut and dried. John Wilkes Booth did it, with a little help from his friends. But novelist Timothy L. O'Brien imagines a conspiracy to kill Abraham Lincoln as wild and outlandish as any of those invented to explain the John F. Kennedy assassination in “The Lincoln Conspiracy” (2012).O'Brien's hero is Temple McFadden, a tall police detective with a bad leg whose cane is his weapon of choice. During a violent encounter at the Washington railroad station soon after the assassination, Temple recovers two diaries someone is willing to kill for and, he soon discovers, he may have to die for. One diary, written partly in code, is that of John Wilkes Booth. The other is that of Mary Todd Lincoln, the dead president's widow. Temple resolves to hide the diaries until he can uncover what makes them so important.Trying to claim them are Allan Pinkerton, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton and, the most ruthless of all, Union spy Lafayette Baker, all real individuals. Mrs. Lincoln, her son Robert and Sojourner Truth are among other real people with important supporting roles in the story.On Temple's side are his wife, Fiona, one of the first female doctors in the country and a woman as resourceful as her husband, and Augustus, a former slave who is his right-hand man and very able in spite of his drug addiction. Temple himself has a gambling addiction, so it falls to Fiona, who appears to be perfect, to keep them straight.In the early going of this novel, I was smitten. I wondered if O'Brien had written a second Temple McFadden novel yet. By the end, I didn't care, for I had no intention of reading it. The promising beginning of this historical thriller turns increasingly preposterous and disappoints in the end.
    • 2/5
      An interesting read about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. By all accounts there was a conspiracy to kill Mr. Lincoln and there is no doubt that John Wilkes Booth was the shooter. This book takes the reader on a chase through the streets of Lincoln’s Washington, after the assassination, to discover what really happened. Intertwining true historical figures and fictional characters the reader is given an “it could have happened this way” scenario.

      Although is has been reported that Mr. O’Brien did use long sealed government documents to do the background work for this book, personally I chose to give more credence to the “fiction” part of this “historical fiction” book. It’s a worthwhile read if you are not expecting a perfect historical account and if you accept it for what it is.
    • 4/5
      I received this as an Early Reviewer and as I enjoy historical fiction and mysteries, it fit the bill. This is the story of the conspiracy surrounding the Lincoln Assassination, although expanded upon for the purposes of the plot. The three primary characters [Temple, his wife Fiona, and their friend Augustus] were drawn true-to-life. Temple is an interesting hero, and I liked him especially because of his character flaws and checkered past. Particularly moving was a scene from his past, when he was in the midst of race riots in New York City and, although knowing he should do something, he looked a dying man in his eyes, failed to act, and cannot forget that failure. Temple’s wife, Fiona, was also well drawn. She’s bright, interesting and assertive, but clearly a woman in that part of the mid-1800’s world. Although her dialogue seems stilted, that’s because there was that quality to the speaking and writing of the 19th century and lends authenticity to her. O’Brien’s development of the relationship between Temple and Fiona is down-to-earth. Clearly, they trust and rely on each other without being cloying.Their friend, Augustus, is a freed slave who is well-educated and talented. He also has character flaws, although they are not displayed until the end of the book. The use of the word “negro” in conversations at first is jarring, but then, it’s accurate to the time and not overused. The other characters, real or imagined, are interesting and suited to the plot, although a bit odd or outlandish in some cases [I’m curious as to whether “Swampdoodle” really existed as described, for instance]. I found the description of Washington DC well-done and, having been there just recently, enjoyed mentally tracing the paths of Temple, Fiona, and Augustus [and their friends and enemies] through its environs. While I found the writing and story line engaging and interesting, some parts [particularly those pieces of poetry or other quotations sprinkled throughout] jarring and pointless. That can be used effectively, but not if the true author remains unknown or the point of it is unclear. With few exceptions, I found the quotes unnecessary.Having enjoyed the book so much through most of its content, I am sad to say I did not find the ending held up. It seemed like finding the right way to wrap things up was a problem and I couldn’t really believe what was the conspiracy as suggested in this book. While it is a work of fiction and imagination, the end was not as satisfying as it could have been. But, I’m willing to engage again with Temple, Fiona and their friends, as I did enjoy the characterization and creation of that long-ago world.
    • 4/5
      On the plus side, vivid historical detail bringing the immediate post-Civil War period in all its messiness and uncertainty to life. On the downside, the characters are a bit thin because so much is just happening that we never find out nearly enough about who they are as people to fully satisfy me, and as consequence also, the numerous plot threads are often somewhat confusing. An interesting premise with something of a mixed bag in terms of execution--still a pretty good read.
    • 3/5
      Historical fiction set in post-Civil War America is far from my forte or an time period I read much about, but when I was offered a chance to read The Lincoln Conspiracy as part of a blog tour, I couldn't resist. From the title to the cover to the blurb, this is a book that seemed right up my alley. Lincoln is one of those Presidents that will always intrigue and interest me and I was curious to see what type of individual spin O'Brien would use for his version of the events around the assassination. Timothy O'Brien proves himself a more than able storyteller in his easy-to-envision version of Lincoln's American. This wasn't a perfect read for me, but I was impressed enough with the author's style and imagination to be more than willing to read another book of his down the road. His obvious enthusiasm for American history and this particular time period shine through the narrative, and is one of the most compelling components to a well-constructed novel. Though I was interested in both the plot and the protagonist of Temple McFadden, the novel started off slowly for me. There's action and adventure and gunfights from the first chapter, but I wasn't fully involved in the plot being unwound until about halfway through the novel, and had a hard time being fully engaged in the story. I think that the introduction is so frenetic and fast-paced, I was left without a firm impression on who the key players were and what their motivations were towards the diaries. The suspense was not as heavy or all encompassing as I would have expected for a thriller novel about uncovering an assassination conspiracy; again I believe that is the result of breakneck speed at which everything happens in Temple's dogged and dangerous investigation. That isn't to say that I wasn't eventually caught up in the plot and reveals, but that it just took a while longer than I would have liked. Once The Lincoln Conspiracy starts hitting on all cylinders, it is an entertaining and vivid look at the fallout from one of America's most shocking events.Coinciding with O'Brien's obvious knowledge and love for the time/area shown, it's easy to get a good feel for postbellum Washington, D.C. The scenery and the various aspects of the city are always described and so easy to imagine. Such detail is worked into the narrative easily, and doesn't distract from the main focus of the momentum that O'Brien started off with. Appearances from well-known historical personages - from Pinkerton to Lafayette Baker to Mary and Robert Todd Lincoln - are fun additions while adding to the overall benefit of the story. The main characters can come across as slightly blasé and flat, but for the most part, they are wildly disparate and well-rounded people with unique motivations and personalities. I thought the secondary and tertiary characters were great additions - and ones that often stole the show from Temple and his various antagonists.I did have some issues with dialogue and vocabulary of the novel. Sometimes the interactions between characters and how they talked felt just off to me, but it was an intermittent problem and so small of a one that didn't distract me too much from the story itself. I also felt very uncomfortable with how many times the n-word was used - authentic or not. While that may be how the populace talked and addressed other races at the time, I will never be okay with reading it. A personal issue, to be quite honest, and one I don't begrudge the author for using. O'Brien is authentic to history in so many ways over the course of the novel, and my personal attitudes didn't drastically impact my reaction to the novel. Just be warned, it is used frequently.The twist at the end is a good one, if not a wholly unexpected turn of events. Those familiar with conspiracies about Lincoln's death will half-expect how things turn out with the conspiracy, but O'Brien is more than capable of managing to manipulate a different ending than the one I assumed it would be. If The Lincoln Conspiracy ends with less solid resolution than I think it deserved, it is still a rewarding, engaging and creative novel about an interesting time, peopled with well-drawn characters.
    • 4/5
      A great deal of research went into 'The Lincoln Conspiracy' by Timothy O'Brien. I did enjoy learning about Mr. Pinkerton and the amazing Mary Edwards Walker, the only woman to ever receive the Congressional Medal of Honor. I was very disappointed the lack of mystery and suspense in this book. I would have greatly preferred that the author had written a historical fiction book about Mary Edwards Walker. I did love the quirky characters in this book. Temple McFadden, a Washington D.C. detective was unique because he did not carry a gun and walked with a limp. I loved his witty responses to the other characters like his wife. His wife, Fiona was my favorite character. It seems that she was properly trained as a doctor but society, including her own father would not accept her as that. She was forced to take the role of a nurse. She loved Temple fiercely and often nursed him through the wounds of attacks on him. Fiona was the author's stage to give us insight into Civil Medicine.Also Augustus, an unusually educated “negro” for the time added his anger and wisdom to this book.The second greatest asset to this book is the incredible focus on the time and place. It was so easy to slide into the time after Lincoln’s assassination and to picture, smell and hear the Washington DC of that era. You could see the pigs in the streets and smell the odors coming from the swamps. The lack of suspense seemed to slow down the pace of this book. If you want mystery, this book is not the place to go, if you want historical fiction then this book is for you.
    • 4/5
      Temple McFadden, a Met detective, mistakenly comes into possession of two valuable diaries days after Lincoln is assassinated. The two diaries belong to Mary Todd Lincoln and James Wilkes Booth. These diaries reveal the sinister plots of those who wanted to assassinate the President and how much the government was involved. But Temple isn't the only one who wants these diaries. The Union Spy Network, the Pinkertons and others want to these diaries for their own sinister purposes, and they are willing to kill to obtain these diaries. With the help of his nurse wife, Fiona, and their famous friends, Temple tries to stay alive and in possession of the diaries.This detective book weaves readers in and out of the Capitol in precarious days. With danger all around and coming from all directions, Temple McFadden becomes a hero. Carrying a cane instead of a gun, quick-thinking Temple makes for a fun adventure. Fiona and the other characters round out the story. The plot was full of twists and turns, but somehow Temple always manages (more or less) to stay one step ahead of the others. Thought I'm not a huge mystery fan, I really enjoyed this book. The historical accurate characters and exciting plot make this book a great read!!
    • 5/5
      Did John Wilkes Booth act alone? Who was really behind Lincoln’s assassination? What about Mary Lincoln’s supposed “madness”? These questions and more are what set Temple McFadden and friends on what may well be a life-ending quest for some of them. The Lincoln Conspiracy is a very well-researched book that throws up a few theories to make us think in a year when there seems to be a much-renewed interest in Abraham Lincoln and his life. In this novel he doesn’t really appear as this is after the assassination. Temple, a police detective, acquires two small books: One is Mary Lincoln’s diary and one is mostly in code. Mrs. Lincoln’s diary is interesting and reveals more about her husband than was previously known. The other book? Well, that’s the one that is causing Temple all his problems.Temple’s friends and his wife decide to act. Fiona is to return the personal diary to Mrs. Lincoln. Temple, his friend Augustus (a freed slave) and more work to decipher the code using a system called the Vigenere table. What they find is most troubling.This book would make an excellent gift for the Lincoln fan. It shows a lot about post-Lincoln Washington and it’s surrounding area. It also shows the character of the people living there, which is more important. If you’re a history buff at all, you’ve got to read this.
    • 4/5
      SummaryThe Civil War is over and President Lincoln has been assassinated.Temple McFadden - Washington D.C. police detective, amidst a rendezvous to transfer the spoils of war...stumbles upon secret documents, coded communication between John Wilkes Booth and others, conspiring to kill the president as well as Mrs. Lincoln's personal diary. Immediately, powerful men from all directions begin to demand the diaries, which stirs Temple's curiosity about what (or who) might actually be hidden therein. He disappears and keeps those who would just as well kill him than to see him escape with the evidence continuously guessing about what Temple's next move will be.With the help of his medically trained wife Fiona, his friends, including some well known abolitionists and former government spies, Temple is determined to get to the bottom of the deep well of lies that insinuates a cover-up of epic proportions surrounding the murder of President Abraham Lincoln.What I LikedThe time Fiona spends with Mrs. Lincoln and Lizzy Keckly - there's so much story here and just enough teasing to whet my appetite for more.Depth - oh boy...this is the kind of historical fiction that I like best...the kind that keeps me hopping between the book and Google, my old history books and American Literature anthologies to establish timelines in my mind. The Lincoln Conspiracy covers a myriad of individuals and issues all tied together through actions and events before during and after the Civil War. Some of those characters and events include:Allan Pinkerton,Lafayette Baker,Alexander Gardner - Gardner's Photographic Sketch Book of the Civil War, Secretary of War, Edwin StantonIrish immigrants in DC after fleeing the potato famine in IrelandRobert Lincoln's divided loyalties between the railroad and his father The PresidentThomas Scott (head honcho railroad man)Isabella Baumfree (Sojourner Truth)Treatment of African Americans after the Civil WarLucy Hale - Senator John Hale's daughter who was romantically involved with "Johnny Booth"Generals Grant, Sherman, and McClellanSwampoodleKate Warne of the PinkertonsThe 2nd wave of photography...from the daguerreotype to the stereotype used by some of the first American photo-journalists to record history and keep the public informed, but to also spy and spread propaganda.Railroad expansion plans and how they affected the Civil WarDorthea Dixactual excerpts from diaries, letters, etc.The friendship between Augustus and Temple - based on mutual respect - and a willingness to lay down one's life for another regardless of race.The marriage of Temple and Fiona - also based on mutual love and respect...a man who appreciates his wife as an equal, one worthy of her own history, with or without his. And, a woman who doesn't try to make her husband into something he is not.Historical facts to dispel some of the commonly held but fabricated beliefs of today's citizenry - Civil War "ended" slavery. Use of old spiritual and/or patriotic songs scattered through out the text - to pull the reader in with emotional punch - it works :) What I Didn't LikeTemple's history is embedded within action of the story and it works well for me...except for the part where he actually dreams of where his strength comes from. I wish this had come a little earlier for me because without this piece of information, Temple seems a little like a Superhero at first. Nothing to do with the story itself, but I always breathe a heavy sigh when I leave a book with more questions than I had when I began. There's so much more to learn and so much more to consider. We probably won't ever have all the answers about President Lincoln's assassination, or many other historical events, but we can keep our minds open and look to the evidence for continuous analysis and application for future reference. Overall RecommendationIf you like American history, Abraham Lincoln, stories about Civil War era Washington D.C., the early police force in D.C. and conspiracy theories, this is your book. This is not a fast read by any stretch of the imagination, but why would you want to do that anyway?
    • 2/5
      I wanted to like this book and did read it to the very end with some reservations along the way. I found that the characters were very hard to differentiate between, especially in the beginning. As the book progressed the characters were whittled down to the few manageable complex characters, this made it much easier to follow. Toward the end it finally felt like a mystery was forming and I looked forward to reaching the end of the book, but that turned out to be disappointing for me, maybe I expected too much. This would have been a great book if only the author had spent more time developing this mystery through history a little bit better based on the information gleaned from the two diaries Temple came to possess.
    • 4/5
      I received a free copy of this book through the LibraryThing “Member Giveaway” program.THE LINCOLN CONSPIRACY by Timothy L. O’BrienI wanted to read this book because I am very interested in historical mysteries and Allan Pinkerton (My bachelor’s is in criminal justice) and I am very glad I did! I was interested in the story through out the entire book. Don’t get me wrong, there were a few slow spots (almost every book has them) but they did not detract from the overall experience.I will break down my review into sections. PLEASE keep in mind, this review is written by my “taste in books”/my opinion. You may have an opposite opinion…each section is rated 1 to 5 stars. (Check out my library ratings of other books to see if your tastes are the same as mine before judging this book by my review)The Cover: I really liked the artwork on the cover (from Librarything/Amazon websites…the book I received just had the “this is a preview copy” cover on it). It was nicely done and matched the contents of the book. 4/5 starsThe “Idea”: I really liked the idea of this story. Lincoln’s assassination has a lot of questions marks around it and this book did a good job of playing towards some of those questions marks. I like that the author tied in many historical figures.4/5 starsThe story: The story was excellent. As stated above, there were a few slow spots but they did not detract from the overall presentation. I thought the author, Mr. O’Brien, did an excellent job of taking historical figures and bringing them to back to life. The story starts out with the “good” guy (a police detective – Temple McFadden) participating in some illegal dealings. These dealings (used to finance his bad habit) are what bring him into the main flow of the story. From there the story builds adding multiple historical figures all tied together by two diaries/journals. As you can probably guess from the title, these journals/diaries contain information about Lincoln’s death/assassin, etc. You have to read the book to find out more…4/5 starsThe writing: The authors writing style in this book is very fluid and for the most part, transparent. When I say this I mean that the book had a good “speed” to it (I could read at a nice pace) and the writing style didn’t slow me down or cause a distraction from the story itself. It wasn’t perfect, anyone can find things about a writer’s work they don’t like, but I have few if any complaints about the writing style in this book. Character development was also well done and really added to the story and the enjoyment of the read.4/5 starsThe Author: The author, Timothy L. O’Brien, is a very well accomplished writer and literary professional (he was once an editor at the New York Times). Aside from that, he gave me this book for FREE!5/5 starsFINAL WORD: Outstanding story and writing. I enjoyed the characters and the time period of the story. If Mr.> O’Brien writes future stories using Detective McFadden I will definitely be interested in reading them.OVERALL: 4/5 stars
    • 3/5
      I received this book through Library Thing's Early Reviewer program and was excited to dig right in. Several weeks later, I find myself struggling to read a few pages before nodding off. I cheated and looked at other LT reviews, trying to figure out what I'd missed. It appears - NOTHING! While some reviews seemed pathetically pandering and others overtly mean, a great number of reviewers had reactions much like my own: it had some good historical information but the plot was never fully developed and suffered from literary hooks that were unnecessary and distracting. It was jerky and at times, slower than molasses. It also never seemed to 'get' anywhere. The elaborate descriptions of surroundings were nothing short of spectacular but the story itself didn't hold a candle to some of those.All of that having been said, I'd certainly consider buying Mr. O'Brien's next book, hoping he doesn't try so hard and can elaborate on his literary strengths which are quite intriguing and worth further development!
    • 2/5
      i was half way through the book when I lost interest. Not even a hint why the diaris were so important and why is everybody cahsing after them. and so far, they are only trying to hide it, so there is a lot of chasing going on between the characters but it is without substance.
    • 4/5
      Full of expertly-written, suspense-driven narrative, with a distinct emphasis on historical fact and the potential of what yet remains unknown about the assassination of President Lincoln. As O’Brien tells it, this was a brilliantly devised conspiracy, but the novel reads more like a movie script than a murder mystery/conspiracy. The characters are constantly running from place to place, leading the plot by actions and the characters’ discoveries rather than by dialogue. It is very slow to start and often veers off course into unrelated dialogue (as if the characters must say something because it is expected for characters to speak in a novel that is not about mimes). The majority of the story, when not describing a gun fight or flashback to the main characters past, is detailed description of the history of Lincoln’s assassination and the time period in which it occurred. The historical focus is highly accurate and enlightening on topics ranging from The Civil War and Abolition to the Pinkerton Detective Agency and the development of D.C. as the capital. But for all the focus on historical accuracy, this novel doesn’t read like non-fiction. It is not a textbook analysis but rather an intriguing look behind the scenes into the lives of post-Civil War Americans in the aftermath of Lincoln’s assassination. The original characters (few and far between, given O’Brien’s penchant for utilizing historical figures in fictitious situations) are outrageously clever, lucky and quick with a gun, and the conspiracy theory is backed up by thorough research but is, again, original.At times O’Brien lacks fictional creativity - so much attention to detail is given towards describing historical facts and figures - that when it comes to O’Brien’s creations, his own characters and plot choices, the details are left out and the reader only gets the barest information. The characters are enigmatic enough, but the reader is literally told how brave and clever they are. In the end, though, it is an enjoyable read. Well-paced (probably because it is so action-oriented) and at times exciting, it is a thrilling new take on a national mystery.
    • 4/5
      The premise behind the Lincoln Conspiracy is interesting, but the book somehow never fully comes together. There is lots of action, starting on the first pages, the characters are engaging and I’m interested in their lives, but the settings seem too contrived. Unless I am mistaken, O’Brien is setting up a series similar to Victoria Thompson’s Gaslight Mystery (Murder In . . .) series.Good historical research for the feel of Washington right after Lincoln’s death plus mediocre plot devices equals a moderately exciting read with a truly good mystery.
    • 5/5
      When Temple McFadden ends up with some rather odd diaries, he is immediately thrown into a series of (mis)adaventurs that will take him to, and through, some of the most notorious people of the 19th century, and surrounding the assassintion of one of America's most beloved presidents.Just who really was behind the murder of the man known as "Honest Abe"?McFadden is the man, with a little help from his wife and many friends, that is going to find out.I found this book a joy to read, if one can see uncovering the plot to kill a president a joy to read! But O'Brien's writing is definitely a treat! I found this work of fiction one that kept me wanting to hurry and get to the next street corner, through the next corridor, beyond the next door, to see what lay beyond.And most importantly, when the book came to a rousing climax and completion, I simply didn't want it to end!****DISCLOSURE: This book was provided through the Early Reviewers of the Library Thing in exchange for an independent and non-biased revew.
    • 1/5
      The Lincoln Conspiracy centers around two diaries discovered in the days immediately following the Lincoln assassination. One is the property of the late President's wife; the other belongs to his assassin, John Wilkes Booth.An intriguing premise for an historical thriller, no? Well, perhaps but this is certainly not it. O'Brien has clearly done his research but this falls far short as a thriller. O'Brien's characters fail to engage us or elicit our sympathy and, far too often he rounds out the cast of characters with two dimensional stereotypes and historical figures as convincing as those in a living history museum. In one jaw-droppingly memorable moment Sojourner Truth is asked to do her famous "Ain't I A Woman" speech as if it were request night at the local karaoke bar. People do incredibly stupid things merely to advance the plot. and that at a snail's pace. And, as if the death of a President coming hard on the heels of the most deadly conflict in American history weren't enough, O'Brien insists on murdering half of Washington just to - well, what was that all about, anyway? His protagonist, Temple, gets it into his head that he wants to hang on to the diaries for reasons that are still unclear to me and seems content to let the majority of his associates suffer the ultimate fate for his caprice. Why? And why did I not abandon this when it became clear to me - along about, oh, page 10 - that it was never going to get any better? Dreadful, just dreadful.
    • 4/5
      With conspiracy theories on the death of President Lincoln still swirling around, I guess I should not have been surprised by the idea behind the Lincoln Conspiracy. But, I was. Apparently I never fully questioned the account we were taught. A fan of historical novels, I find that I still cannot summon the enthusiasm I experienced upon learning that I would be receiving this book. O"Brien is a well known and recognized writer, but apparently there is enough of a gap between journalist and novelist that he could not breach the divide. Having said that, parts of the book charmed me including a memorable Underground Railroad song about The Little Dipper. " The riverbed makes a mighty fine road. Dead trees to show you the way. And, it's left foot, peg foot traveling on. Follow the drinking gourd........" This and the inclusion of various poems throughout added much to the real period feel of the book. Unfortunaltely I got mired down halfway through the novel and it became a real force fo rme to finish. It didn't help that the diaries key to so much mayhem and murder failed to live up to their promise. But, the ending of the book was startling and well written. For me, the good characterization, captivatling setting and complicated plot never came together to create a unified whole. It's a shame that a book so well researched failed to reach its full potential. I often raise the question and this is certainly true here, " Where was the editor?'
    • 3/5
      Interesting historical thriller with quirky characters, some of whom were real. I enjoyed the well-researched setting (time and place), but had trouble buying the far-fetched plot and dealing with all the violence.
    • 3/5
      I wanted to give this book the benefit of a doubt, but it just doesn't work for me. I do admire his attempts at historical accuracy, but the dialect was just too distracting. While the characters seemed almost too good to be true the one I found the most interesting and realistic appeared toward the end of the book, Kate Warne, Pinkerton agent. Another small, but irritating detail was when the priest and Fona quoted the Bible verses. It seems that the KJV should have been used and not a modern translation. In addition, I failed to find the diaries important enough to cause all this death and destruction. While I appreciate the opportunity to read this book, it will not be a keeper and is earmarked for donation.
    • 3/5
      What is so important about two diaries? What secrets are worth killing a man in cold blood on a train platform? May 1865: The War Between the States may be over but people are still dying; Temple is a DC Police detective yet he finds he is wanted after he discovers a package on a murdered man. Two diaries: one belongs to a well known (living) famous figure and the other belonged to a notorious dead man; what do they have in common and how did they end up together. To find the answer to the mystery Temple will risk his life and the lives of his wife, Fiona, and two best friends, Augustus and Pint.I enjoyed this book… right up until the end. There is so much about each diary owner, the crime described within the pages, the true identity of the accomplices to the crime but in the end I feel it was contrived. The book was well researched- people, locations, events were spot on- but I feel the writer was making a political statement about 1865 but using current emotions. All that time wondering who conspired to kill Lincoln and at the end you are like --- really? That is what killed Lincoln!?! C’mon give me a name not a concept.
    • 5/5
      It is so nice to settle into a book written by an experienced and skillful writer. Timothy L. O’Brien is the National Editor for the Huffington Post and was an editor at THE NEW YORK TIMES. THE LINCOLN CONSPIRACY is handily crafted. For this reader, it all begins with the titled chapters. I love a chapter book that has titles for each chapter instead of just a number. Don’t ask me why, I just do. The characters are well developed and dimensional, from Temple McFadden, the DC police detective with the gimpy leg, his medically trained and savvy wife, Fiona, to their close friend, Augustus, in addition to “Pint”, former spy and cypher; Lafayette Baker, ruthless killer; Allan Pinkerton, P.I.; and the photographer, Alexander Gardner.The setting is post-Civil War Washington, D.C. The action starts suddenly and immediately, with little exposition; so for a few chapters, the reader is scrambling to catch up to the story. The effect is to engage one fully and from the onset. Temple is at the railroad station to receive booty from the defeated South, to assist in its sale in order to support his barely controlled gambling habit. While waiting there, he is witness to, and inadvertent participant in, an attack on a man bearing two documents that turn out to be diaries, one belonging to Mary Todd Lincoln, and the other to none other than John Wilkes Booth. Everybody seems to want to get their hands on these diaries and will do anything to get them. What follows is a wild game of “Button,button” while Temple slips the diaries from one sympathetic contact to another while he figures out what should be done with the documents and the scandal they reveal.There are gems throughout. At one point, Temple’s delirium takes him back to his childhood in a Dublin orphanage. This is very skillfully done. By the time Temple fully awakens, we care deeply about these people and are completely hooked. There are beautiful descriptions of post-Civil War, D.C. from Tiber Island, including the partially constructed Washington Monument. It makes you realize that D.C. really wasn’t always as we know it today, and we are transported to a different time in a place that bears profound significant to all of us. From time to time, O’Brien creates moments of eye-opening reality for us, depicting just how constricted life was for women at the time, as well as, the newly freed blacks.The action never flags, and the story intrigues and captivates to the very end.
    • 4/5
      The Lincoln Conspiracy starts off with a bang, a good old fashioned chase, and doesn’t let up from there.One thing that really struck me while reading this book was how realistic it was in terms of my expectations for what things were like during this time in our history. For those of you who are TV junkies like I am, this novel reminded me a lot of the new BBC America show Copper: both are set during the 1860s and are about detectives in major metropolitan areas. In fact, our main character in this novel, Temple McFadden, worked in New York before transferring to Washington DC. So in my head, Temple and Corky (the main character in Copper) are friends and colleagues, because I like to merge my fictional worlds.Anyway, watching Copper feels a bit like what it would be to watch The Lincoln Conspiracy were it on the screen. This novel is really violent and bloody, which bothered me until I thought about it a bit and realized that’s probably really what things were like. Life during the 1860s wasn’t easy. There was no indoor plumbing, electricity, or any of the other modern conveniences we’re accustomed to. Law enforcement was a relatively new thing in our country, and the questionable loyalties of the citizens in general post of the Civil War undoubtedly made investigative work even more difficult. When you live in a society where no one really thinks twice about killing a detective, your detectives are bound to be more violent towards their suspects in general. Racial tensions are high, there’s a lot of division between Catholics and Protestants, and being Irish certainly doesn’t help a guy like Temple. Add the first presidential assassination into the mix and you’ve got a pot ready to boil over.The mystery in this book is really unraveling a deeper conspiracy behind the Lincoln assassination, a speculation about what else might have been going on during this tumultuous time in US history. When people are willing to be bought for the right price, it’s hard to know who is really a friend or an enemy. The fact that many of the characters were actual historical figures makes it all the more interesting to think about the motivations and goals that could have gone into this tragic event.I quite enjoyed this book, and I would like to see more of Temple and his wife Fiona in the future, so it would be excellent if this ended up being a series. I felt the end left it open for a possible sequel, or at the very least a continuation of some of our characters, so I’m crossing my fingers that the author will revisit these people later on.
    • 2/5
      I came in hoping to like this -- who can say no to a historical conspiracy? Unfortunately the writing was uneven and frequently under-edited, leading to boring passages that could not get to their point on time. This was also the problem with the main character, Temple: I didn't like him because his characterization was simultaneously boring but not thorough. I liked the other characters, such as Augustus and Fiona, much more. (I should say, though, I found it very odd how progressive everyone's attitudes toward both freed black men like Augustus and women like Fiona were. It seemed odd given the time period. It seemed that this occurred in the book solely so that we wouldn't be distracted by the nasty racist/sexist attitudes that people back then did have, and not for some wider social observation, which I found difficult to get through.) I cannot speak highly enough about the research that went into this book. The geography and historical events were impeccably done, totally accurate to my eyes, and I loved learning about what the Washington D.C. area looked like at that time. If only the attention paid to those details had also been paid to the pacing and characterization of Temple...
    • 5/5
      An enjoyable read covering the immediate aftermath of the assassination of President Lincoln. Characters, real and imagined, work to uncover the depth of the plot to destroy the United States as it was post-war. Leaders of pro-Lincoln faction include Temple, a detective, and his wife Fiona, who, along with other imaginary characters work to help undo the conspiracy. The characters are well integrated with the actual history, creating a story that is mostly believable. I look forward to reading more by author O'Brien.
    • 4/5
      I wasn't sure I'd like this book, at first, and I'm still not sure that I actually did. O'Brien posits that Lincoln's assassination is part of a conspiracy between government and private interests, and his novel tasks a somewhat disreputable D.C. detective with a bad leg and his precocious (and rather precious) wife with unraveling the mystery and exposing the conspirators. What follows is an entertaining but surprisingly violent tale, and for me a fair bit of the violence - and in particular the rather explicitly sexual violence - seemed intended less to serve the narrative than to shock. But if you're not bothered by that, it's an interesting yarn and a curious take on the event and the time.