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No Certain Rest: A Novel
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First published January 1, 2002
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About the author
Jim Lehrer
43 books39 followersJames Charles Lehrer was an American journalist and the news anchor for The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer on PBS, known for his role as a frequent debate moderator during elections. Lehrer was an author of non-fiction and fiction, drawing from his experiences and interests in history and politics.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
May 31, 2013
To posit the matter as a cliche: As a novelist, Jim Lehrer makes an excellent journalist. In No Certain Rest, he sets out to create a modern conflict with the 130-year-old battle of Antietam as the centerpiece. National Park Service Archeologist Don Spaniel uncovers the remains of a union soldier on private land on a hill somewhat removed from the battlefield and on private land, which explains why it’s lain so long undiscovered. The bones and certain artifacts in the grave lead him on a quest to find the identity of the body and clear up certain irregularities in the apparent manner of death. The search leads him to a small town in Connecticut where the soldier in question has been lionized ever since the war and where families of the man and his cohorts have maintained a solid prominence.
It’s a nice setup, and Lehrer does a superb job of dissecting the battle. He invents a amateur historian/military guy who walks us through the whole awful battle minute by minute. It’s a horrible story, the worst one day slaughter–some 75,000 me–in the war and in American history. It’s the story of a bumbling union general (Burnside) who sent men over a narrow bridge into fusillades from a promontory above them when they could have waded across the creek. Burnside’s was just the worst of the errors made that day that allowed Lee to escape and the war to continue for three more years. A stirring tale, but it reads like a text.
The same is true of the forensics involved in identifying the remains. We find ourselves looking over Spaniel’s shoulder as he copies or reads notes from forensic texts. Clinical, yes. Dramatic, no.
The problem throughout is that there is nothing much at stake. What if we don’t find out the body’s identity? Well, Don will be disappointed. What if we do? Well, Don will be pleased and no doubt honored. There’s a document that we peek at from time to time, an account of one of the people who was present at the death, but we don’t find out what’s at the core of that until way late to have built any emotional tension, so it really seems no more than notes about the battle as we proceed along our way to the end.
Thus, with so little that matters happening, we’re left with a nicely detailed history of Antietam and a look at what people in the soldier’s home town think. There’s a powerful, if not fully earned, ending, But it comes so suddenly and with such little preparation that it falls pretty flat and appears contrived.
It’s a nice setup, and Lehrer does a superb job of dissecting the battle. He invents a amateur historian/military guy who walks us through the whole awful battle minute by minute. It’s a horrible story, the worst one day slaughter–some 75,000 me–in the war and in American history. It’s the story of a bumbling union general (Burnside) who sent men over a narrow bridge into fusillades from a promontory above them when they could have waded across the creek. Burnside’s was just the worst of the errors made that day that allowed Lee to escape and the war to continue for three more years. A stirring tale, but it reads like a text.
The same is true of the forensics involved in identifying the remains. We find ourselves looking over Spaniel’s shoulder as he copies or reads notes from forensic texts. Clinical, yes. Dramatic, no.
The problem throughout is that there is nothing much at stake. What if we don’t find out the body’s identity? Well, Don will be disappointed. What if we do? Well, Don will be pleased and no doubt honored. There’s a document that we peek at from time to time, an account of one of the people who was present at the death, but we don’t find out what’s at the core of that until way late to have built any emotional tension, so it really seems no more than notes about the battle as we proceed along our way to the end.
Thus, with so little that matters happening, we’re left with a nicely detailed history of Antietam and a look at what people in the soldier’s home town think. There’s a powerful, if not fully earned, ending, But it comes so suddenly and with such little preparation that it falls pretty flat and appears contrived.
December 24, 2008
Great idea for a plot. Not well executed. Characters aren't developed well, and some of the plot situations find me with difficulty suspending disbelief. The best novels make you forget you are reading a novel. I really would have liked this novel to be so. It wasn't. I can think of several authors who could have taken this idea and created a much better novel. I like Jim Lehrer ... but as a newsman and not an author.
February 12, 2017
Excellent short novel. Lehrer spins a quick and well-researched tale, a forensic tale uncovering the identity of remains found on the Antietam battlefield. The truth comes out, as it should for all lost soldiers, however, the news leads to a surprise ending.
October 15, 2017
The writing is a little stilted, but the history lesson is great and the interweaving of the story details is masterful. Enjoyed.
June 29, 2019
The history came alive. I learned so much.
August 23, 2025
An adequate book. Veteran journalist, the late Jim Lehrer, penned this book set in what was then the contemporary times of Clinton era Washington, D.C. and surrounding areas. Living in the D.C. area, it was somewhat fun to see the characters going about in places I’ve come to know.
A Park Service archaeologist is called upon to excavated and identify a Civil War era burial near the Antietam battlefield. Not all is as it seems and it unlocks secrets over a century old.
But the plot is not that mysterious and the writing is a bit meandering and padded. The ending feels forced and perhaps the more interesting story is left untold about a small tow with rivalries and present day tensions that could be set off by revelations of buried secrets. But that is not the one told. Instead the focus is a story that hints at the price of lies and truth, but really doesn’t feel well grappled with. A lot seemed telegraphed and slightly forced. The message? Sometimes people make bad decisions and sometimes people are just bad? Not sure. Didn’t grab me.
It was not bad, but if it hadn’t been a gift from my parents I would not have picked it up.
A Park Service archaeologist is called upon to excavated and identify a Civil War era burial near the Antietam battlefield. Not all is as it seems and it unlocks secrets over a century old.
But the plot is not that mysterious and the writing is a bit meandering and padded. The ending feels forced and perhaps the more interesting story is left untold about a small tow with rivalries and present day tensions that could be set off by revelations of buried secrets. But that is not the one told. Instead the focus is a story that hints at the price of lies and truth, but really doesn’t feel well grappled with. A lot seemed telegraphed and slightly forced. The message? Sometimes people make bad decisions and sometimes people are just bad? Not sure. Didn’t grab me.
It was not bad, but if it hadn’t been a gift from my parents I would not have picked it up.
November 13, 2019
The remains of a Union officer are discovered on a farm near the Antietam Battlefield. Who is he? Evidence emerged to suggest the man did not match the ID disk. Why? Using historical documents and modern technologies, a doctor investigated those two questions. As the investigation concludes, the questions are solved and a new question emerged. What to do with the results?
This really is a tough question. Should truth be pursued at all costs or should settled matters remained buried- given the fact the battle was 157 years ago? This had me pondering both sides of the argument beyond the pages of the book.
The book does offer vivid- and gruesome details of one of the bloodiest days in American history. However, some parts came off flat and I didn’t really like any of the characters. Also , troubling for me is the fact the letter is intertwined with the investigation when its known existence came at the end of the investigation. Overall, i give it 2.5/5
This really is a tough question. Should truth be pursued at all costs or should settled matters remained buried- given the fact the battle was 157 years ago? This had me pondering both sides of the argument beyond the pages of the book.
The book does offer vivid- and gruesome details of one of the bloodiest days in American history. However, some parts came off flat and I didn’t really like any of the characters. Also , troubling for me is the fact the letter is intertwined with the investigation when its known existence came at the end of the investigation. Overall, i give it 2.5/5
January 1, 2024
I enjoyed reading this book, but not for any of the reasons I think I was supposed to. It was a book that (I must assume) was going for a profound commentary on the human condition, but landed instead in overwrought, sometimes baffling, camp. The archeologist main character is introduced as someone who his friends call 'Indy' or 'Harrison', 'Like Indiana Jones, played by Harrison Ford', the author helpfully explains.
An emotional peak of the book is this archeologist, overwhelmed by a personal loss, doing a solo LARP of the battle of Antietam, seeing and hearing the battle as if he's there, while in reality he is a grown man in costume, yelling battle cries and running around a field all on his own. This is played, not for comedy, or for a sign that our protagonist is becoming unwound, but completely straight, for the pathos and the Glory of Re-Living This Powerful Moment of History. Good times.
An emotional peak of the book is this archeologist, overwhelmed by a personal loss, doing a solo LARP of the battle of Antietam, seeing and hearing the battle as if he's there, while in reality he is a grown man in costume, yelling battle cries and running around a field all on his own. This is played, not for comedy, or for a sign that our protagonist is becoming unwound, but completely straight, for the pathos and the Glory of Re-Living This Powerful Moment of History. Good times.
July 18, 2017
This book is darker than I thought it would be. It gets pretty detailed about how people died during the Civil War. I did learn a lot of interesting facts about the Civil War, so I liked the book in that regard. I also liked how passionate the main character Don was about his job as an archaeologist; he really cared about the people who died so long ago, which I thought was very touching. I was not expecting the end and the end was quite abrupt too. Over all it was a good read!
April 14, 2021
I had a hard time likening the lead character Don. It was mostly because of the way just about every woman he came into contact with he was thinking if he could see himself in bed with her. But, not just that his impatience with people telling a story and most importantly not getting involved when he should. The only thing I did like about him was his vivid imagination. It was a great story line. Just wished I could have liked the guy a little more.
March 22, 2020
I hate to say it now that Mr. Lehere has passed, but this is really minor league writing. There are interesting twists in the plot, but the climax is really disappointing - just not well written. I thought about my favorite novelists as I read this, and in my opinion, this prose doesn't come close.
July 15, 2020
In 2020 we have seen how the Civil War echoes through the ages. This is a tale from the battle of Antietam that also echoes down over descendants and historians. Lehrer weaves a story that combines past and present. He often asks the question "what would you do in this age and in the past?" This story from 2003 adds relevancy to today's discussions.
September 21, 2021
Lots of interesting history here about the Battle of Antietam. The plot didn’t really hold together for me. I thought the characters weren’t particularly believable, and there was too much speechifying by multiple characters.
August 1, 2022
Interesting facts about the Battle of Antietam but I felt no connection to the main character. In some ways it was like reading a text book. The book would have been more engaging if the secondary plot had been the focus of the book.
October 16, 2020
I have strong feelings about this book and they’re not good. (This should probably be a one star but it gained a star for tricking me with its premise.)
November 21, 2021
An interesting read, that has piqued my interest for reading other books about the Civil War era.
November 17, 2013
BEWARE OF SPOILERS. I DON'T HIDE OR PROMOTE MY REVIEWS.
Drat. I wrote a whole review, then something glitched and lost it all. So here I go again ...
Had no idea till I picked up this title that TV journalist Jim Lehrer is also a novelist. I've got to admire a person who's accomplished on more than one front.
This is a murder mystery involving remains of a Civil War soldier discovered by relic hunters outside the conventional bounds of the Antietam battle site. It swings between the modern day and the Civil War era, as described in historical letters and diaries.
I came away with an improved understanding of the 1862 battle.
Antietam is a Maryland creek, for one thing, not a town. And were it not for bungling by Union commanders that day, the Civil War could have ended three years sooner.
However, Confederates lucked out by multiple Union miscalculations (including failing to note that forces could walk across the creek, and didn't have to bottleneck on a narrow bridge over the creek). To make matters worse, the Unions didn't give chase when the Confederates withdrew, which allowed the Confeds to regroup and strengthen.
One example of the bungling: Union leaders failed to note that soldiers could cross the shallow Antietam on foot. Instead, officers ordered their men across a narrow, bottle-necking bridge to reach Confeds on the other side. The rebel forces, hidden in brush on high ground, easily picked off Union soldiers attempting to cross.
To the authentic Antietam history, Lehrer adds in a group of fictional Connecticut friends who'd mustered into the Union army together. In the chaos of the one-day Antietam massacre (thousands dead on both sides), they act contrary to friendship.
In the present day, a National Park Service archaeologist must identify the newly discovered Civil War remains. Relic hunters and battle reenactors are part of the story's mix, as are the lawyers and policy-makers at the top of the fed agency.
but I liked the archaeologist's relationship with the old military guy who lived and breathed Antietam lore. But I thought the archaeologist's thoughts about the dating prospects of the women he encounters were a superficial veneer on the story.
Likewise it was, for me, a stretch that a modern-day murder would result from the original murder.
All in all, though, it was a decent yarn.
Drat. I wrote a whole review, then something glitched and lost it all. So here I go again ...
Had no idea till I picked up this title that TV journalist Jim Lehrer is also a novelist. I've got to admire a person who's accomplished on more than one front.
This is a murder mystery involving remains of a Civil War soldier discovered by relic hunters outside the conventional bounds of the Antietam battle site. It swings between the modern day and the Civil War era, as described in historical letters and diaries.
I came away with an improved understanding of the 1862 battle.
Antietam is a Maryland creek, for one thing, not a town. And were it not for bungling by Union commanders that day, the Civil War could have ended three years sooner.
However, Confederates lucked out by multiple Union miscalculations (including failing to note that forces could walk across the creek, and didn't have to bottleneck on a narrow bridge over the creek). To make matters worse, the Unions didn't give chase when the Confederates withdrew, which allowed the Confeds to regroup and strengthen.
One example of the bungling: Union leaders failed to note that soldiers could cross the shallow Antietam on foot. Instead, officers ordered their men across a narrow, bottle-necking bridge to reach Confeds on the other side. The rebel forces, hidden in brush on high ground, easily picked off Union soldiers attempting to cross.
To the authentic Antietam history, Lehrer adds in a group of fictional Connecticut friends who'd mustered into the Union army together. In the chaos of the one-day Antietam massacre (thousands dead on both sides), they act contrary to friendship.
In the present day, a National Park Service archaeologist must identify the newly discovered Civil War remains. Relic hunters and battle reenactors are part of the story's mix, as are the lawyers and policy-makers at the top of the fed agency.
but I liked the archaeologist's relationship with the old military guy who lived and breathed Antietam lore. But I thought the archaeologist's thoughts about the dating prospects of the women he encounters were a superficial veneer on the story.
Likewise it was, for me, a stretch that a modern-day murder would result from the original murder.
All in all, though, it was a decent yarn.
May 28, 2010
Never having read Mr. Lehrer but being an admirer of his work on Public Television I had looked forward to this read. Alas, it proved to be a disappointment.
This is an uninspiring look at the battle of Antietam and the search for the identity of a fictional officer who died in the battle. Mr. Lehrer's writing is flat and leaden, his tale predictable, and his characters either too obvious to be interesting (Spaniel) or too far-fetched to be believable (the modern Albritten). Though he writes in the third person, he uses his characters to carry the burden of describing the battle, the history and the surroundings in dialog. This results in "speechy" prose and wooden characters. Situations move slowly and seem contrived. By the end I was far less moved by what seemed to be a subject of real interest to Mr. Lehrer than I would have been by a straight reading of history, or a book like "Unto This Hour" by Tom Wicker.
This is an uninspiring look at the battle of Antietam and the search for the identity of a fictional officer who died in the battle. Mr. Lehrer's writing is flat and leaden, his tale predictable, and his characters either too obvious to be interesting (Spaniel) or too far-fetched to be believable (the modern Albritten). Though he writes in the third person, he uses his characters to carry the burden of describing the battle, the history and the surroundings in dialog. This results in "speechy" prose and wooden characters. Situations move slowly and seem contrived. By the end I was far less moved by what seemed to be a subject of real interest to Mr. Lehrer than I would have been by a straight reading of history, or a book like "Unto This Hour" by Tom Wicker.
July 13, 2008
I picked this up because Jim! Lehrer! mystery! Which sadly set the bar quite high. Well, sort of high. Well, let me put it this way -- I didn't expect it to suggest that it's protagonist was Indiana Jones awesome on the first page. He isn't. As written, he's stiff, humorless, and just sexist enough to make me growl. The historical research is as impressive as I expected, and the parts of the novel that take place in the past, I give a thumbs up to. As for the present storyline, if you like characters and a narrative that seem to have been constructed out of a book entitled, "Yes, You Too Can Write a Mystery Novel in 10 Easy Steps!", then I guess you'd be able to stomach this one.
January 18, 2010
Don't get me wrong, Mr. Lehrer is a good writer, but his books, at least the two I have now read, all read like extra-long short stories. It's obvious that Mr. Lehrer loves the research and sharing the background history he uncovers, but I find his characters a little thin and unengaging. "No Certain Rest" revolves around the discovery of the remains of a Union officer discovered on the Antietam Battlefield and the revelations the forensic investigation of the remains uncovers and their effects 140 years later. A good concept, and what is here is not bad. I just wish Mr. Lehrer had the time to get into the story -- and especially his characters -- a little deeper.
May 13, 2008
I finished, and it was a novel to remember. It was thrilling and exciting, I just couldn't put it down.
However, I don't suggest it to young readers...even though I am a young reader, it's gruesome and overall can be a little, "EW!!!" When I started to read it, I had no intentions of it being gruesome, BUT IT IS.
It was an easy read, I suggest it to kids 11-12 and up (because of the gruesomeness) and it's just a great novel for all ages. I hardly give books 5 stars...this one deserves six.
However, I don't suggest it to young readers...even though I am a young reader, it's gruesome and overall can be a little, "EW!!!" When I started to read it, I had no intentions of it being gruesome, BUT IT IS.
It was an easy read, I suggest it to kids 11-12 and up (because of the gruesomeness) and it's just a great novel for all ages. I hardly give books 5 stars...this one deserves six.
April 30, 2016
What a great novel. I enjoyed the back and forth between present day and letters from the past. I was a little confused about the timeline in the present day for most of the book - not sure if I missed something, or if it was intentional.
Definitely want to read more books by Jim Lehrer (and am excited that he has written memoirs in addition to novels :)
Defining quote of the book:
"Passion in pursuit of truth is just fine. Passion in judging the acts of others in time of uncommon, unimaginable stress may not be so fine."
Definitely want to read more books by Jim Lehrer (and am excited that he has written memoirs in addition to novels :)
Defining quote of the book:
"Passion in pursuit of truth is just fine. Passion in judging the acts of others in time of uncommon, unimaginable stress may not be so fine."
February 3, 2017
Lehrer compellingly captures the feel of the American Civil War soldier throught the diary entries in the book. The modern archaeological story is an interesting way to look back through the years and the unsolved murder of the Civil War soldier is compelling, unfortunately the characters in the the "present day" story arc don't feel quite as realistic as the Civil War diary narrator. I still would recommend the book both as a way to learn about the Battle of Antietam, and a lens to look back at how the soldiers of the time felt. Overall: Pretty good.
January 2, 2009
The remains of a Union officer are found in 2003 outside the Antietam battlefield. Why? who? Anthropologists, criminologists, etc. work to find out the answers. A diary written 10 yrs. after the war is interwoven with the discoveries. Facts about the battle are interesting. i.e. Gen. Burnside and McClelland were idiots. If the north had gone after the south quickly, it might have ended the war 3 years earlier and saved 100,000 lives.
March 27, 2009
Lehrer's a pretty good writer. I really enjoyed the history part of this one. It's about Antietam Battle of the Civil War. My mom's family lives back East and I spent my childhood visiting the battlefield. It was pretty cool to read a story about the battle there. Some parts were a little gory...and I have to admit I expected that since this was the bloodiest battle of the Civil War. Spun a good yarn and it was a great story about the effects of history and our study of it.
October 5, 2013
Jim Lehrer has succeeded in taking me back to the Civil War and placing me dead on in the battlefield.
I am not a fan of the civil war, yet Lehrer again takes on the human element of deceit and involves his reader in the complexity of issues that result.
Lehrer proves that moral issues are ageless as are the elements of human nature.
I highly recommend No Certain Rest even if you know nothing of the civil war.
I am not a fan of the civil war, yet Lehrer again takes on the human element of deceit and involves his reader in the complexity of issues that result.
Lehrer proves that moral issues are ageless as are the elements of human nature.
I highly recommend No Certain Rest even if you know nothing of the civil war.
February 4, 2010
Book about the Battle of Antietam which had special interest after our great tour there last fall. Book followed the investigation of human remains back to the identity. This does happen as the park ranger talk about remains being found just two weeks prior to our being there. The last two pages could be left out!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2012
Lehrer tries to build this book around the interplay of past and present. While the story of murder on the battlefield of Antietam is a compelling one, this narrative falls well short. The characters are flat, the descriptions are bland, and even for history fans like myself, this book really doesn't offer very much.
August 30, 2012
A great follow up book to Doris Kearns Goodwins's Team of Rivals. Jim Lehrer is a thoughtful, articulate writer. This small book helped me revisit some of the battles, battlefields, generals, etc. just encountered in Team of Rivals. A very interesting look into archaeology as practiced by the National Parks Service. I miss Jim on PBS but look forward to reading more of his books.
June 17, 2013
I love historical fiction and the Civil War so this was my kind of book. I liked the plot and the story but could only rate it 4 stars because I was a little disappointed with the ending. I got the threads of time theme and history repeating itself but didn't really like where he took the main character.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews