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The Final Witness: A Kennedy Secret Service Agent Breaks His Silence After Sixty Years
Dallas, Texas. November 22, 1963. Shots ring out at Dealey Plaza. The president is struck in the head by a rifle bullet. Confusion reigns.
Special Agent Paul Landis is in the follow-up car directly behind JFK’s and is at the president’s limo as soon as it stops at Parkland Memorial Hospital. He is inside Trauma Room #1, where the president is pronounced dead. He is on Air Force One with the president’s casket on the flight back to Washington, DC; an eyewitness to Lyndon Johnson taking the oath of office.
What he saw is indelibly imprinted upon his psyche. He writes and files his report. And yet . . . Agent Landis is never called to testify to the Warren Commission. The one person who could have supplied key answers is never asked questions.
By mid-1964, the nightmares from Dallas remain, and he resigns. It isn’t until the fiftieth anniversary that he begins to talk about it, and he reads his first books on the assassination.
Landis learns about the raging conspiracy theories—and realizes where they all go wrong.
Special Agent Paul Landis is in the follow-up car directly behind JFK’s and is at the president’s limo as soon as it stops at Parkland Memorial Hospital. He is inside Trauma Room #1, where the president is pronounced dead. He is on Air Force One with the president’s casket on the flight back to Washington, DC; an eyewitness to Lyndon Johnson taking the oath of office.
What he saw is indelibly imprinted upon his psyche. He writes and files his report. And yet . . . Agent Landis is never called to testify to the Warren Commission. The one person who could have supplied key answers is never asked questions.
By mid-1964, the nightmares from Dallas remain, and he resigns. It isn’t until the fiftieth anniversary that he begins to talk about it, and he reads his first books on the assassination.
Landis learns about the raging conspiracy theories—and realizes where they all go wrong.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published October 10, 2023
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May 27, 2024
"Until a few moments ago I had been living my dream, but now my dream had turned into a living nightmare." -- U.S. Secret Service agent Paul Landis (retired), on working through 22 November 1963
Forget that hyperbolic title & subtitle combo - this is more of a memoir of a former agent's five-year hitch (1959-1964) with the Secret Service. Author Landis was an Ohio native and recent college graduate with geology degree when - in a situation that wouldn't quite happen these days - applied to the growing agency and was fast-tracked into becoming a special agent. After some incredibly brief field training - again, in a situation that wouldn't quite happen these days - he is speedily assigned to the Eisenhower family farm in Gettysburg in the waning days of that president's term. Thereafter he is then assigned to Jacqueline Kennedy and her children's protection squad for the duration of JFK's 'Camelot' era. To no one's surprise the narrative climaxes with that dark day in Dallas in late 1963, as Landis was riding on the sedan trailing the presidential limousine and he directly witnessed the confusing events in Dealey Plaza and afterwards at Parkland Hospital. It was understandably such a traumatic day that Landis cannot always recall details, and he resigned from the agency during the next year. This book should not really be marketed as some sort of revelation about the assassination, but works best when Landis recalls quieter moments, such as Eisenhower's keen grandson clueing him in to proper radio etiquette or JFK's gentlemanly habit of learning all of the agents' names on his family's detail so he could properly address them on their shifts.
Forget that hyperbolic title & subtitle combo - this is more of a memoir of a former agent's five-year hitch (1959-1964) with the Secret Service. Author Landis was an Ohio native and recent college graduate with geology degree when - in a situation that wouldn't quite happen these days - applied to the growing agency and was fast-tracked into becoming a special agent. After some incredibly brief field training - again, in a situation that wouldn't quite happen these days - he is speedily assigned to the Eisenhower family farm in Gettysburg in the waning days of that president's term. Thereafter he is then assigned to Jacqueline Kennedy and her children's protection squad for the duration of JFK's 'Camelot' era. To no one's surprise the narrative climaxes with that dark day in Dallas in late 1963, as Landis was riding on the sedan trailing the presidential limousine and he directly witnessed the confusing events in Dealey Plaza and afterwards at Parkland Hospital. It was understandably such a traumatic day that Landis cannot always recall details, and he resigned from the agency during the next year. This book should not really be marketed as some sort of revelation about the assassination, but works best when Landis recalls quieter moments, such as Eisenhower's keen grandson clueing him in to proper radio etiquette or JFK's gentlemanly habit of learning all of the agents' names on his family's detail so he could properly address them on their shifts.
October 13, 2023
As other reviewers have noted, there is little in this book about the Kennedy assassination. In the few pages that describe the events of that day, Mr. Landis's admission that he not only came into the possession of key evidence, but then mishandled it - despite his training as a Secret Service agent - is astounding. As is his claim that he never said anything because no one ever asked - again, despite his duty to report his actions and the events to his superiors. Moreover, despite myriad information that the public has come to know by osmosis over the many years since then, he claims to be completely unaware of the Warren Commission's conclusions and the controversies that this particular piece of evidence has caused. One is left with the impression that Mr. Landis is merely trying to justify and rationalize his actions, and that he royally fails to do so.
October 6, 2023
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Paul Landis,, and Dreamscape Audio for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
A long-time fan of all things Kennedy assassination related, I was intrigued when I came across this book by Paul Landis. Telling of being a member of the Secret Service, Landis explores his time on the presidential detail, including some important years with First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. Landis was one of the agent who saw President Kennedy get shot, though he admits that things were going much too quickly. Filled with nightmares for years thereafter, Special Agent Landis shares some of his most personal moments to an event whose ultimate truth remains a mystery to the general public.
Paul Landis loved all things American. When he finished high school and would be faced with joining the military draft, he turned to government work to keep him stateside. After being accepted into the Treasury Department’s training program, Landis soon found himself within the Secret Service, where he would be charged with helping protect some of the most important people in the country. Landis worked alongside the Eisenhower grandchildren , keeping them safe and learning the ropes in a job that requires precision and attention to detail.
Landis was able to move up the ranks and eventually was assigned a position on the presidential detail when the Kennedys took over in the White House. He spoke of greeting President Kennedy every morning and remained baffled that Kennedy would return the greeting by name. Landis fills the pages of the book with stories about protecting the First Family, though never deigns to smear them or tell salacious details.
When the Kennedys made their way to Texas on a junket ahead of the 1964 presidential election, Landis was among the agents tasked with protecting the family, specifically Jacqueline Kennedy, who was as friendly as she was elegant. Landis speaks of the whirlwind time spent in the state, including luncheons and various events, all of which would require a great attention to he surroundings.
When the presidential limousine passed through Dealey Plaza in Dallas on November 22nd, 1963, Special Agent Landis remembers the event clearly, though admits that things were a blur as they passed so quickly. Kennedy came around the corner, was shot, and all hell broke loose, leaving people scrambling and Landis rushing to protect the First Lady as they rushed off to the hospital. Landis speaks of the stoic nature of Mrs. Kennedy and how she would not leave her husband’s side, even when death was imminent.
In the aftermath, Landis remained on her detail and kept an eye on her for months to come, revisited by horribly haunting nightmares related to the assassination. It was all too much for him, forcing Landis to resign soon thereafter and live a quieter life. This is his breaking the silence and sharing what he knew about those fast moments, many of which he documented clearly in his reports and journals.
While I had been hoping for something more assassination focussed, Paul Landis does a great job at exploring his entire time as a member of the Secret Service. The wonderful narrative style found within the pages of this book help to provide a great memoir for everyone to enjoy with ease. Succinct and yet full of detail, Landis speaks clearly, keeping things humorous as he details the events working within the Kennedy White House, including that fateful day in Dallas. That he was plagued with regrets, confusion, and nightmares is no shock, as Landis details through the latter portion of the book. Short chapters keep the reader pushing forward and a great sense of patriotism keeps Landis from seeming to be just another agent wanting his time in the limelight. While the book was not what I fully expected, I was pleasantly surprised by the detail offered and would love to her more about Landis’ time on the front lines, protecting the First Family.
Kudos, Mr. Landis, for a wonderful perspective here, told with such relaxed nature.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A long-time fan of all things Kennedy assassination related, I was intrigued when I came across this book by Paul Landis. Telling of being a member of the Secret Service, Landis explores his time on the presidential detail, including some important years with First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. Landis was one of the agent who saw President Kennedy get shot, though he admits that things were going much too quickly. Filled with nightmares for years thereafter, Special Agent Landis shares some of his most personal moments to an event whose ultimate truth remains a mystery to the general public.
Paul Landis loved all things American. When he finished high school and would be faced with joining the military draft, he turned to government work to keep him stateside. After being accepted into the Treasury Department’s training program, Landis soon found himself within the Secret Service, where he would be charged with helping protect some of the most important people in the country. Landis worked alongside the Eisenhower grandchildren , keeping them safe and learning the ropes in a job that requires precision and attention to detail.
Landis was able to move up the ranks and eventually was assigned a position on the presidential detail when the Kennedys took over in the White House. He spoke of greeting President Kennedy every morning and remained baffled that Kennedy would return the greeting by name. Landis fills the pages of the book with stories about protecting the First Family, though never deigns to smear them or tell salacious details.
When the Kennedys made their way to Texas on a junket ahead of the 1964 presidential election, Landis was among the agents tasked with protecting the family, specifically Jacqueline Kennedy, who was as friendly as she was elegant. Landis speaks of the whirlwind time spent in the state, including luncheons and various events, all of which would require a great attention to he surroundings.
When the presidential limousine passed through Dealey Plaza in Dallas on November 22nd, 1963, Special Agent Landis remembers the event clearly, though admits that things were a blur as they passed so quickly. Kennedy came around the corner, was shot, and all hell broke loose, leaving people scrambling and Landis rushing to protect the First Lady as they rushed off to the hospital. Landis speaks of the stoic nature of Mrs. Kennedy and how she would not leave her husband’s side, even when death was imminent.
In the aftermath, Landis remained on her detail and kept an eye on her for months to come, revisited by horribly haunting nightmares related to the assassination. It was all too much for him, forcing Landis to resign soon thereafter and live a quieter life. This is his breaking the silence and sharing what he knew about those fast moments, many of which he documented clearly in his reports and journals.
While I had been hoping for something more assassination focussed, Paul Landis does a great job at exploring his entire time as a member of the Secret Service. The wonderful narrative style found within the pages of this book help to provide a great memoir for everyone to enjoy with ease. Succinct and yet full of detail, Landis speaks clearly, keeping things humorous as he details the events working within the Kennedy White House, including that fateful day in Dallas. That he was plagued with regrets, confusion, and nightmares is no shock, as Landis details through the latter portion of the book. Short chapters keep the reader pushing forward and a great sense of patriotism keeps Landis from seeming to be just another agent wanting his time in the limelight. While the book was not what I fully expected, I was pleasantly surprised by the detail offered and would love to her more about Landis’ time on the front lines, protecting the First Family.
Kudos, Mr. Landis, for a wonderful perspective here, told with such relaxed nature.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
October 13, 2023
This book was very disappointing. Landis fails to mention that he stated that a shot came from the front in his two Secret Service reports! Also, he never said a thing about this bullet until now, 60 years later...suuuuuuuuuuure! A massive amount of hype for nada.
November 17, 2023
I rated this book a “5.” It matters not to me that the book was not totally about JFK’s assassination, that the bullet he discovered could have been handled more appropriately, or that he waited so long to reveal the information. The first part of the book needed to be written in order to reveal the lack of training given to secret service agents. That reveals why the bullet was mishandled. If Mr. Landis had any knowledge of the mysterious deaths following the assassination, it is perfectly understandable why he remained silent; he did not want to become a statistic.
The value of this book is what it reveals in relation to the Warren Report. That report states that three shots were fired. One shot missed. One blew President Kennedy’s head open. One went in JFK’s back, existed his throat, and then entered Governor Connelly, causing all his wounds. That third bullet, known as CE399, was allegedly found on Connelly’s stretcher. If Mr. Landis found this bullet in the back seat of that car, then the Warren Commission is wrong. If their conclusions are wrong, then there was more than one shooter. More than one shooter reveals a conspiracy to kill our thirty fifth president.
The value of this book is what it reveals in relation to the Warren Report. That report states that three shots were fired. One shot missed. One blew President Kennedy’s head open. One went in JFK’s back, existed his throat, and then entered Governor Connelly, causing all his wounds. That third bullet, known as CE399, was allegedly found on Connelly’s stretcher. If Mr. Landis found this bullet in the back seat of that car, then the Warren Commission is wrong. If their conclusions are wrong, then there was more than one shooter. More than one shooter reveals a conspiracy to kill our thirty fifth president.
November 11, 2023
Five stars. No question. Highly recommend for conspiracy fans, and for fans of Jackie O.
Don’t let the low rating keep you from reading this book.
*After my brief review, I couldn’t help but wonder why this book hasn’t been reviewed more favorably. So I went back and read a number of the one-Star reviews to see if a pattern emerged.
From what I read, it appears that most of the one-star reviews fall into one of three categories:
1. They are more concerned with what’s not in the book
2. The author doesn’t tell you who is responsible
3. It doesn’t offer anything new with regards to the assassination
To these I would say:
1. This is like going to the theater to see Avatar and then complaining that Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet aren’t in it
2. Nobody knows who’s responsible, except me
3. Um… it’s the JFK assassination, happened 60 years ago, not much has changed, though I hear that Duke University offers an excellent course on the subject
https://courses.learnmore.duke.edu/se...
Don’t let the low rating keep you from reading this book.
*After my brief review, I couldn’t help but wonder why this book hasn’t been reviewed more favorably. So I went back and read a number of the one-Star reviews to see if a pattern emerged.
From what I read, it appears that most of the one-star reviews fall into one of three categories:
1. They are more concerned with what’s not in the book
2. The author doesn’t tell you who is responsible
3. It doesn’t offer anything new with regards to the assassination
To these I would say:
1. This is like going to the theater to see Avatar and then complaining that Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet aren’t in it
2. Nobody knows who’s responsible, except me
3. Um… it’s the JFK assassination, happened 60 years ago, not much has changed, though I hear that Duke University offers an excellent course on the subject
https://courses.learnmore.duke.edu/se...
October 7, 2023
I’ve always been fascinated by anything to do with the Kennedy assassination. When I found out this book was written by an eye witness and someone who knew and protected the Kennedy’s I knew I needed to listen to it. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced audio copy. I listened to it in two days and was really wrapped up in Paul Landis story. If you like history and especially like reading about the Kennedys you definitely need to read this book.
October 22, 2023
Paul Landis quietly left the Secret Service six months after the assassination of JFK. Although he tried to move on from that terrible time in his career, he did keep his notes and other personal momentos from that time. He never read the Warren Commission Report and rarely talked about his time on Jacqueline Kennedy's detail. Other books released about that time in our history caused him to question his own recollections. He spoke to others who told him to preserve his memory of the events. So Landis reread his notes and wrote this book. It is basically a memoir of his time in the Secret Service which include details of protecting Eisenhower's grandchildren, the Kennedy children and finally Jacqueline Kennedy. His memory of and his interaction with those he swore to protect is heartfelt. His chapters detailing November 22, 1963 are heartbreaking. His depiction of the occurrences of the day do not match those of other authors or of the Warren Commission report, but they are his detailed memories of that day.
March 3, 2024
So fascinating!
Going into I was expecting this book to be focused on the assassination, but it was more of a memoir of Landis' entire time as a secret service agent. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but it would have been helpful to be told that we wouldn't get to the assassination until the last couple of chapters.
Such exciting and intriguing stories! Landis begins his service by protecting Eisenhower's grandkids, and then with the change of presidency, is assigned to the kiddie detail - protecting 0r maybe more like babysitting, the Kennedy children, 3-year-old Caroline, and baby John Jr. Sometimes called the diaper detail, he says it's more like glorified babysitting. XD
I would recommend this book just for the stories! I don't think we imagine correctly what a job like this looks like. We think just about what their job involves on a day like November 22, 1963, and not so much about the day to day. Leading Caroline's pony Macaroni around on the White House lawn, taking the first lady and her daughter on a fishing excursion, and racing down windy roads with the first lady in the back seat - IN LABOR!
Landis is moved from the kiddie detail to the Lace detail, protecting Jacqueline Kennedy, the first lady. Or as it more likely seems, a free ticket to all the most exotic and exciting places you might ever want to visit! ;)
I don't know much about the details, conspiracies, and witnesses surrounding the Kennedy assassination. I think I'm going to have to read a couple more books/memoirs about it. I'm struggling to understand the huge bombshell of missing evidence that Landis is offering us. It seems that he simply had found a fully intact bullet that then got misplaced, mishandled, and was thought to be the bullet that hit Connelly, while it really one that had missed entirely (there were three bullets, one hit Kennedy, then Connelly, one missed, and one blew Kennedy's head - the fatal shot). But I'm trying figure out how this evidence means anything. I don't see how it changes the story. I don't feel like this book gave me a clear picture of "what" the conspiracies are, or how this story changes everyone else's. Landis says that all three shots came from behind him.
It seemed like a lot of hype for something other than what's in here...
So don't read this for the assassination. Read it for the fascinating and captivating exploration of what it looks like to be a Special Agent on the protection detail for the First Family. Truly and intriguing read!
CONTENT WARNING: Some swearing and taking the Lord's name in vain.
Going into I was expecting this book to be focused on the assassination, but it was more of a memoir of Landis' entire time as a secret service agent. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but it would have been helpful to be told that we wouldn't get to the assassination until the last couple of chapters.
Such exciting and intriguing stories! Landis begins his service by protecting Eisenhower's grandkids, and then with the change of presidency, is assigned to the kiddie detail - protecting 0r maybe more like babysitting, the Kennedy children, 3-year-old Caroline, and baby John Jr. Sometimes called the diaper detail, he says it's more like glorified babysitting. XD
I would recommend this book just for the stories! I don't think we imagine correctly what a job like this looks like. We think just about what their job involves on a day like November 22, 1963, and not so much about the day to day. Leading Caroline's pony Macaroni around on the White House lawn, taking the first lady and her daughter on a fishing excursion, and racing down windy roads with the first lady in the back seat - IN LABOR!
Landis is moved from the kiddie detail to the Lace detail, protecting Jacqueline Kennedy, the first lady. Or as it more likely seems, a free ticket to all the most exotic and exciting places you might ever want to visit! ;)
I don't know much about the details, conspiracies, and witnesses surrounding the Kennedy assassination. I think I'm going to have to read a couple more books/memoirs about it. I'm struggling to understand the huge bombshell of missing evidence that Landis is offering us. It seems that he simply had found a fully intact bullet that then got misplaced, mishandled, and was thought to be the bullet that hit Connelly, while it really one that had missed entirely (there were three bullets, one hit Kennedy, then Connelly, one missed, and one blew Kennedy's head - the fatal shot). But I'm trying figure out how this evidence means anything. I don't see how it changes the story. I don't feel like this book gave me a clear picture of "what" the conspiracies are, or how this story changes everyone else's. Landis says that all three shots came from behind him.
It seemed like a lot of hype for something other than what's in here...
So don't read this for the assassination. Read it for the fascinating and captivating exploration of what it looks like to be a Special Agent on the protection detail for the First Family. Truly and intriguing read!
CONTENT WARNING: Some swearing and taking the Lord's name in vain.
February 3, 2024
I enjoyed Landis describing his daily interactions with the Eisenhowers and Kennedys. I believe all of that to be true, and some of his hijinks with the kids are hilarious. He also traveled to some amazing locales with Mrs. Kennedy.
As far as the assassination goes, I have a hard time believing everything he says in detail. George Carlin did a stand up at the Cellar that night and reported that the secret service members were completely hammered drinking white lightning (moonshine), some lost their badges and some lost their guns! They essentially went straight to work at 8 am.
He may have found the ‘magic bullet’ if you believe that theory, but I find it hard to believe that the bullet went from the middle of the car to the top of the back seat after hitting Connelly. Another Secret Service agent reported that he found the bullet ten years ago but is no longer alive to dispute the claim.
What is really hard to believe is that after all of the multiple trainings Landis went through, he knew enough to leave bullet casings in the back seat but take this other bullet with him. Huh? I just don’t buy it.
The ghostwriter also did a poor job of using slang of the 60s. I don’t think anyone in the 60s said “duh,” for example. Otherwise a quick read.
One thing I believe he got right: Clint Hill is a stand up guy IMHO.
As far as the assassination goes, I have a hard time believing everything he says in detail. George Carlin did a stand up at the Cellar that night and reported that the secret service members were completely hammered drinking white lightning (moonshine), some lost their badges and some lost their guns! They essentially went straight to work at 8 am.
He may have found the ‘magic bullet’ if you believe that theory, but I find it hard to believe that the bullet went from the middle of the car to the top of the back seat after hitting Connelly. Another Secret Service agent reported that he found the bullet ten years ago but is no longer alive to dispute the claim.
What is really hard to believe is that after all of the multiple trainings Landis went through, he knew enough to leave bullet casings in the back seat but take this other bullet with him. Huh? I just don’t buy it.
The ghostwriter also did a poor job of using slang of the 60s. I don’t think anyone in the 60s said “duh,” for example. Otherwise a quick read.
One thing I believe he got right: Clint Hill is a stand up guy IMHO.
September 30, 2023
Hello, this book has nothing to do with conspiracy theories so I have no clue where the so called reviewer came up with that information.
This is a memoir written by Secret Service Agent Landis who witnessed JFK’s assasination.
It’s his story of being a SA under Eisenhower and then Kennedy, what he remembered of that day, and how it affected him so badly that he resigned 6 months later.
He never read the Warren Commission Report nor was he ever interviewed so there is no way he contributed to any theory of any kind.
I am not sure what living in Dallas for 10 years has to do with anything nor how reading 3 “stories” about the book means you have any right to draw any conclusions about the actual book you never read.
This is not as deep as Clint Hill’s books, but it is heartfelt and more importantly, he was actually there when it happened so I’d say he has a right to that opinion
This is a memoir written by Secret Service Agent Landis who witnessed JFK’s assasination.
It’s his story of being a SA under Eisenhower and then Kennedy, what he remembered of that day, and how it affected him so badly that he resigned 6 months later.
He never read the Warren Commission Report nor was he ever interviewed so there is no way he contributed to any theory of any kind.
I am not sure what living in Dallas for 10 years has to do with anything nor how reading 3 “stories” about the book means you have any right to draw any conclusions about the actual book you never read.
This is not as deep as Clint Hill’s books, but it is heartfelt and more importantly, he was actually there when it happened so I’d say he has a right to that opinion
November 8, 2023
the description of this book goes beyond misleading. if you want to know about the JFK assassination all you need to read is in the last 3 chapters. the entirety of the book is an autobiography ab Paul and his time as a 26 year old bachelor. the only thing that got us through listening to the end was making fun of just how bad the book was. all in all, paul landis was a geology major who clearly wished he’d been an english writing major and now we know why it didn’t work out.
January 16, 2024
Most people in my age group remember the day President Kennedy was assassinated. I was in 5th grade waiting in the lunch line at school when a teacher shared the incident in Dallas. I recall not believing him at first until we got back to the classroom to talk about it.
Secret Service Special Agent Paul Landis will never forget November 22, 1963. He was in the car behind the President's limo when shots rang out. He was in the trauma room at Parkland Hospital when the President was declared dead. But Paul carried this trauma into 1964 and eventually resigned from the Secret Service. It wasn't until 2013 that he could even talk about that day. After 60 years he breaks his silence by releasing this book of his first-hand account of that tragic day.
I enjoyed this read and found it hard to put down. It was fascinating learning about Paul's assignments to the Eisenhower and Kennedy children and The First Lady. I will be putting more books on this subject on my TBR list.
Secret Service Special Agent Paul Landis will never forget November 22, 1963. He was in the car behind the President's limo when shots rang out. He was in the trauma room at Parkland Hospital when the President was declared dead. But Paul carried this trauma into 1964 and eventually resigned from the Secret Service. It wasn't until 2013 that he could even talk about that day. After 60 years he breaks his silence by releasing this book of his first-hand account of that tragic day.
I enjoyed this read and found it hard to put down. It was fascinating learning about Paul's assignments to the Eisenhower and Kennedy children and The First Lady. I will be putting more books on this subject on my TBR list.
December 31, 2023
The Final witness was a very eye opening experience on the subject of the presidential protection of the Eisenhower administration and the Kennedy administration. It went into detail about what happened on November 22,1963 and how he handled the situation and the aftermath of what occurred.
January 23, 2025
Not necessarily what I expected, but an enjoyable story nonetheless. I appreciated hearing Landis’ story and experiencing a secret service officer’s life. Go into it expecting parts of it to read like a bit more like a report.
October 21, 2023
Despite the title, the author spends most of the book detailing things that have nothing to do with the Kennedy Assassination. For example, there’s a thrilling two hundred word paragraph about the parking lot where he had to park his first day as a Secret Service agent. Truly riveting stuff.
And then, when it actually gets to the assassination, it’s covered so briefly it’s almost comical. This was barely worth the time it took to read, and that’s accounting for the fact that I did so at work and was paid for all of it.
And then, when it actually gets to the assassination, it’s covered so briefly it’s almost comical. This was barely worth the time it took to read, and that’s accounting for the fact that I did so at work and was paid for all of it.
November 20, 2023
Interesting and highly emotional read. Like many who were alive that day where I was, what I heard and the television coverage is forever embedded in my mind. What Mr. Landis shares is heart wrenching. I hope by writing his book he has found some peace. Some of the news items made it sound like there were heavily dramatic reveals in the book -- I didn't find that to be so, but his story is compelling. It is cleanly written and tells readers of a very different time than what we have today.
October 19, 2023
I may be biased since I've known the author for several years, but this was so good! I read it in Paul's voice, and I learned so many secrets that he had about the assassination of JFK. I suggest anyone who is into history and nonfiction to give it a read.
May 15, 2024
Wow! What an emotional ride. Mr Landis is an excellent story teller and you, the reader, felt like you were there with him. I know that others that have read this book gave a less than glowing review because they want "answers." Mr Landis is only human and it has taken him a very time to open up and tell his story. I have read Clint Hill's book as well. Please honor President and Mrs Kennedy's memories and let their remaining daughter Caroline live in peace too.
November 25, 2023
Excellent story of life on the Kennedy detail but very Disappointing at the Reveal ....not to mention the same bullshit theory of a lone Gunman...otherwise well written but "Don't spend the 30.00 dollars like I did ....pick it up in the bargain bin where I'm sure there will be plenty of copies soon .
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 30, 2024
I remember how profoundly the Kennedy Assination affected me. This book brought back all the memories.
December 14, 2023
Audio book It has a lot of Paul's life story which isn't what I was expecting, so took me a bit to relax into the story. The book definitely listens like one of his reports. But much of it was interesting in a historical sense.
April 15, 2024
Personal reflections of a secret service agent assigned to the First Lady during the Kennedy White House years and following the death of the president.
November 3, 2023
a story worth telling
Actual secret service agent who was in Dallas during President Kennedy’s assassination.
While he could not have prevented it, he is a valid witness.
Kennedy was campaigning and wanted to be close to the people. In hind sight he should have allowed agents on back of his vehicle snd allowed a cover to have been placed which would have prevented this tragedy.
The assassination was a game changer as it was the end of innocence for ALL of us. It saddens me to this day.
Actual secret service agent who was in Dallas during President Kennedy’s assassination.
While he could not have prevented it, he is a valid witness.
Kennedy was campaigning and wanted to be close to the people. In hind sight he should have allowed agents on back of his vehicle snd allowed a cover to have been placed which would have prevented this tragedy.
The assassination was a game changer as it was the end of innocence for ALL of us. It saddens me to this day.
October 11, 2023
This book's title is extremely misleading. You think you're getting a deep dive into the Kennedy assassination through the eyes of a secret service agent. This is merely a memoir by the author of his life up to his retirement from the secret service. I personally found the first 60% to be very boring, and once we got to the Kennedy assassination, it was just a recounting of a traumatic experience for the author. This would have been more interesting had he explored his trauma further and discussed his healing process, but he basically said, "It was very difficult, and I had to step down from the secret service because of it." While he's allowed to not talk about it, maybe don't publish a book about a traumatic event you witnessed if you don't want to discuss the trauma surrounding it.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for this audio ARC in exchange for this audio ARC.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for this audio ARC in exchange for this audio ARC.
March 26, 2024
The book turned out quite differently from my initial expectations. It unfolded an intriguing story that ultimately led to the familiar, yet melancholic ending we're all aware of.
January 9, 2024
THE FINAL WITNESS was not at all what I expected. The part of the story about the Texas and the Kennedy assassination does not begin until page 131.
The book is a rather detailed story of Paul Landis’s life and work. He became a Secret Service Agent in 1959 at age 24. His first major assignment was covering the Eisenhower grandchildren. After that he worked with the Kennedy children and later with Jackie Kennedy.
He writes about the relationship among the agents and the requirements of the job. At that time the major focus was for the treasury department. When he moved to the security section, the hours were long and the agents usually roomed together. They traveled a lot. They were responsible for paying for their lodging and food. The per-diem was $12 a day. If they were lucky, they would get very much reduced rates for their hotel rooms. When they worked in the White House, the night shifts were very boring. Quite often they were seated in an empty hallway and were not able to read to fill the time.
Landis was the Secret Agent who let Caroline Kennedy ride her horse, Macaroni, into the Oval Office to see her father.
He was with Jackie in early August 1963 when she went into to early labor with her son, Patrick, who died next morning.
In October, Jackie and her sister spent a month in Greece at the invitation of Aristotle Onassis.
A few weeks later, Landis was in the Dallas motorcade, right behind the convertible carrying the Kennedys and Texas Governor and Mrs. John, Connally. He heard three shots fired at the motorcade and immediately ran to the vehicle. He remained with Jackie until she returned to DC.
He was never questioned by investigators about what he had seen and heard. The memory of the nightmare remained with him and he resigned six months later.
Landis provides a lot slight details about the places he got to visit while he was on duty as well as some information about the activities that were going on.
I found some of the information in the book rather surprising. I didn’t realize how much time the First Families spent way from DC. I was also surprised by what Jackie did while she was gone, a lot of shopping, especially when she went to Greece after after Patrick’s death,. While she was mourning the loss of her son, she abandoned her husband and children for a month.
It took decades for Landis to talk about his experiences. While the book hypes the third bullet, it really doesn’t answer any questions.
Most of the book is an autobiography of Landis‘s life. While there are many long descriptions of many minor encounters and activities early on, they could have been omitted without losing anything.
March 12, 2025
A well written book by a former Secret Service Special Agent who was present at this tragic event.
November 13, 2024
Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for providing me with a free digital copy in exchange for my honest rating and review.
4/5
I found this book to be incredibly interesting. As somebody who was born well after the Kennedy assassination, I don’t have the emotional ties to the event that I hear when people who lived through the event talk about it. I also just know/knew the bare minimum facts about the situation.
This book covers a lot of the early adult life of the author prior to becoming a secret service agent. These stories were captivating and really a lot of fun! I enjoyed reading about his adventures hitchhiking across the country and his mischievous pranks gone wrong.
The stories about his early days of working as a secret service agent included great deal of humor and sometimes left me wondering how he didn’t get fired! (To be fair, it seems he wondered the same thing at times.)
He really doesn’t get into the assassination until about 70% into the book. If you’re looking for a deep dive into just that tragedy, this isn’t it. If you want a nice memoir about the life of a secret service agent who worked under three presidents, this is it!
4/5
I found this book to be incredibly interesting. As somebody who was born well after the Kennedy assassination, I don’t have the emotional ties to the event that I hear when people who lived through the event talk about it. I also just know/knew the bare minimum facts about the situation.
This book covers a lot of the early adult life of the author prior to becoming a secret service agent. These stories were captivating and really a lot of fun! I enjoyed reading about his adventures hitchhiking across the country and his mischievous pranks gone wrong.
The stories about his early days of working as a secret service agent included great deal of humor and sometimes left me wondering how he didn’t get fired! (To be fair, it seems he wondered the same thing at times.)
He really doesn’t get into the assassination until about 70% into the book. If you’re looking for a deep dive into just that tragedy, this isn’t it. If you want a nice memoir about the life of a secret service agent who worked under three presidents, this is it!
October 9, 2023
For this to be a book regarding the Kennedy assassination, there was not a lot of talk regarding the topic.
Where this was an interesting and informative book, much of the book was spent discussing his life and or experiences with the Secret Service. When the assassination does occur the author does give some conspiracy theories as to the events of the day.
Overall this was just an okay read for me but I thought that the main focus on the book would be the assassination as opposed to what the majority of the book discussed.
Where this was an interesting and informative book, much of the book was spent discussing his life and or experiences with the Secret Service. When the assassination does occur the author does give some conspiracy theories as to the events of the day.
Overall this was just an okay read for me but I thought that the main focus on the book would be the assassination as opposed to what the majority of the book discussed.
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