Killing Lincoln

Featuring some of history's most remarkable figures, vivid detail, and page-turning action, Killing Lincoln is a history that reads like a thriller. It's a fast read filled with little known information. While I knew most of the information about Lincoln already, I really enjoyed the insight into Booth and General Grant. And no matter how much you know about the events centered around Lincoln's assassination you can't help but hope that this time he makes it through. I have to admit that some aspects of the book I did find very disturbing, like the outcome for Mary Surratt. 

I particularly liked this passage found right before his death at Ford's Theater:

"The crowd can see him only if he leans forward and pokes his head over the ledge; otherwise he is entirely invisible to everyone in the theater, except for those in the state box and the actors onstage. Lincoln takes advantage of the privacy, reaching out for Mary's hand and holding it lovingly. She blushes at such scandalous behavior. 'What will Miss Harris make of my hanging on to you so?' she giggles to her husband. 'She will think nothing about it,' he replies, squeezing her hand but not letting go."

This passage makes Mary's despair even more heartbreaking in the coming chapters. You could tell they really loved each other despite their faults.