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Lincoln's Grave Robbers
A true crime thriller -- the first book for teens to tell the nearly unknown tale of the brazen attempt to steal Abraham Lincoln's body!
The action begins in October of 1875, as Secret Service agents raid the Fulton, Illinois, workshop of master counterfeiter Ben Boyd. Soon after Boyd is hauled off to prison, members of his counterfeiting ring gather in the back room of a smoky Chicago saloon to discuss how to spring their ringleader. Their plan: grab Lincoln's body from its Springfield tomb, stash it in the sand dunes near Lake Michigan, and demand, as a ransom, the release of Ben Boyd --and $200,000 in cash. From here, the action alternates between the conspirators, the Secret Service agents on their trail, and the undercover agent moving back and forth between the two groups. Along the way readers get glimpses into the inner workings of counterfeiting, grave robbing, detective work, and the early days of the Secret Service. The plot moves toward a wild climax as robbers and lawmen converge at Lincoln's tomb on election night: November 7, 1876.
The action begins in October of 1875, as Secret Service agents raid the Fulton, Illinois, workshop of master counterfeiter Ben Boyd. Soon after Boyd is hauled off to prison, members of his counterfeiting ring gather in the back room of a smoky Chicago saloon to discuss how to spring their ringleader. Their plan: grab Lincoln's body from its Springfield tomb, stash it in the sand dunes near Lake Michigan, and demand, as a ransom, the release of Ben Boyd --and $200,000 in cash. From here, the action alternates between the conspirators, the Secret Service agents on their trail, and the undercover agent moving back and forth between the two groups. Along the way readers get glimpses into the inner workings of counterfeiting, grave robbing, detective work, and the early days of the Secret Service. The plot moves toward a wild climax as robbers and lawmen converge at Lincoln's tomb on election night: November 7, 1876.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2013
197 people are currently reading
2631 people want to read
About the author
Steve Sheinkin
45 books695 followersFrom: http://stevesheinkin.com/about/
I was born in Brooklyn, NY, and my family lived in Mississippi and Colorado before moving back to New York and settling in the suburbs north of New York City. As a kid my favorite books were action stories and outdoor adventures: sea stories, searches for buried treasure, sharks eating people… that kind of thing. Probably my all-time favorite was a book called Mutiny on the Bounty, a novel based on the true story of a famous mutiny aboard a British ship in the late 1700s.
I went to Syracuse University and studied communications and international relations. The highlight of those years was a summer I spent in Central America, where I worked on a documentary on the streets of Nicaragua.
After college I moved to Washington, D.C., and worked for an environmental group called the National Audubon Society. Then, when my brother Ari graduated from college a few years later, we decided to move to Austin, Texas, and make movies together. We lived like paupers in a house with a hole in the floor where bugs crawled in. We wrote some screenplays, and in 1995 made our own feature film, a comedy called A More Perfect Union (filing pictured below), about four young guys who decide to secede from the Union and declare their rented house to be an independent nation. We were sure it was going to be a huge hit; actually we ended up deep in debt.
After that I moved to Brooklyn and decided to find some way to make a living as a writer. I wrote short stories, screenplays, and worked on a comic called The Adventures of Rabbi Harvey. In 2006, after literally hundreds of rejections, my first Rabbi Harvey graphic novel was finally published.
Meanwhile, I started working for an educational publishing company, just for the money. We’d hire people to write history textbooks, and they’d send in their writing, and it was my job to check facts and make little edits to clarify the text. Once in a while I was given the chance to write little pieces of textbooks, like one-page biographies or skills lessons. “Understanding Bar Graphs” was one of my early works. The editors noticed that my writing was pretty good. They started giving me less editing to do, and more writing. Gradually, I began writing chapters for textbooks, and that turned into my full-time job. All the while, I kept working on my own writing projects.
In 2008 I wrote my last textbook. I walked away, and shall never return. My first non-textbook history book was King George: What Was His Problem? – full of all the stories about the American Revolution that I was never allowed to put into textbooks. But looking back, I actually feel pretty lucky to have spent all those years writing textbooks. It forced me to write every day, which is great practice. And I collected hundreds of stories that I can’t wait to tell.
These days, I live with my wife, Rachel, and our two young kids in Saratoga Springs, New York. We’re right down the road from the Saratoga National Historical Park, the site of Benedict Arnold’s greatest – and last – victory in an American uniform. But that’s not why I moved here. Honestly.
I was born in Brooklyn, NY, and my family lived in Mississippi and Colorado before moving back to New York and settling in the suburbs north of New York City. As a kid my favorite books were action stories and outdoor adventures: sea stories, searches for buried treasure, sharks eating people… that kind of thing. Probably my all-time favorite was a book called Mutiny on the Bounty, a novel based on the true story of a famous mutiny aboard a British ship in the late 1700s.
I went to Syracuse University and studied communications and international relations. The highlight of those years was a summer I spent in Central America, where I worked on a documentary on the streets of Nicaragua.
After college I moved to Washington, D.C., and worked for an environmental group called the National Audubon Society. Then, when my brother Ari graduated from college a few years later, we decided to move to Austin, Texas, and make movies together. We lived like paupers in a house with a hole in the floor where bugs crawled in. We wrote some screenplays, and in 1995 made our own feature film, a comedy called A More Perfect Union (filing pictured below), about four young guys who decide to secede from the Union and declare their rented house to be an independent nation. We were sure it was going to be a huge hit; actually we ended up deep in debt.
After that I moved to Brooklyn and decided to find some way to make a living as a writer. I wrote short stories, screenplays, and worked on a comic called The Adventures of Rabbi Harvey. In 2006, after literally hundreds of rejections, my first Rabbi Harvey graphic novel was finally published.
Meanwhile, I started working for an educational publishing company, just for the money. We’d hire people to write history textbooks, and they’d send in their writing, and it was my job to check facts and make little edits to clarify the text. Once in a while I was given the chance to write little pieces of textbooks, like one-page biographies or skills lessons. “Understanding Bar Graphs” was one of my early works. The editors noticed that my writing was pretty good. They started giving me less editing to do, and more writing. Gradually, I began writing chapters for textbooks, and that turned into my full-time job. All the while, I kept working on my own writing projects.
In 2008 I wrote my last textbook. I walked away, and shall never return. My first non-textbook history book was King George: What Was His Problem? – full of all the stories about the American Revolution that I was never allowed to put into textbooks. But looking back, I actually feel pretty lucky to have spent all those years writing textbooks. It forced me to write every day, which is great practice. And I collected hundreds of stories that I can’t wait to tell.
These days, I live with my wife, Rachel, and our two young kids in Saratoga Springs, New York. We’re right down the road from the Saratoga National Historical Park, the site of Benedict Arnold’s greatest – and last – victory in an American uniform. But that’s not why I moved here. Honestly.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 917 reviews
September 4, 2023
As Mr. Sheinkin has just received the YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award Winner, 2013 for his, Bomb: The Race to Build—And Steal—the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon, I fully expected to enjoy his account of criminals’ complications that lead to an attempt to steal Lincoln’s body. I was not disappointed.
Lincoln’s Grave Robbers is a non-fiction, historical book perfectly suited to Middle Schoolers. It is not; however, about robbing Lincoln’s grave. It is about counterfeiting. I admit, at a blush, I was skeptical. Do today’s children even comprehend paper currency? I quickly realized—it doesn’t matter.
Mr. Sheinkin did an outstanding job of “explaining” the counterfeiters’ process. He covered the importance of the master engraver, the tricks of the trade and how the “coneys” became wealthy using this scheme. We better understand the necessity of a meticulous engraver, as we learn what lengths the “coneys” will go to free revered engraver, Benjamin Boyd, from prison. When bribery doesn’t work, holding a body for ransom seems like the next best thing. Enter the plan to steal Lincoln’s body. Oddly, this was not the first attempt to do so.
Now, the behind-the-scenes look of the planning needed to carry out this heist. The whole picture. Not only does the reader follow the criminals’ plan, the Secret Service’s trap to foil the body snatching and put away “coneys” that have eluded them for years, is included. One blunder and we are reminded that even the best-laid plan can fail.
This small book is packed with historical facts and accounts. Mr. Sheinkin imparted this wisdom masterfully. It didn’t even feel like I was learning! I love, love, love that this book includes a Cast of Characters listing with micro-bios at the front and the Glossary of Phrases at the end. While I do believe that this book will often be read for pleasure; I see the potential for it to become an asset in certain school classes. It is my hope that many young folks will be reading about these “coneys” and their quirky ideas.
Lincoln’s Grave Robbers is a non-fiction, historical book perfectly suited to Middle Schoolers. It is not; however, about robbing Lincoln’s grave. It is about counterfeiting. I admit, at a blush, I was skeptical. Do today’s children even comprehend paper currency? I quickly realized—it doesn’t matter.
Mr. Sheinkin did an outstanding job of “explaining” the counterfeiters’ process. He covered the importance of the master engraver, the tricks of the trade and how the “coneys” became wealthy using this scheme. We better understand the necessity of a meticulous engraver, as we learn what lengths the “coneys” will go to free revered engraver, Benjamin Boyd, from prison. When bribery doesn’t work, holding a body for ransom seems like the next best thing. Enter the plan to steal Lincoln’s body. Oddly, this was not the first attempt to do so.
Now, the behind-the-scenes look of the planning needed to carry out this heist. The whole picture. Not only does the reader follow the criminals’ plan, the Secret Service’s trap to foil the body snatching and put away “coneys” that have eluded them for years, is included. One blunder and we are reminded that even the best-laid plan can fail.
This small book is packed with historical facts and accounts. Mr. Sheinkin imparted this wisdom masterfully. It didn’t even feel like I was learning! I love, love, love that this book includes a Cast of Characters listing with micro-bios at the front and the Glossary of Phrases at the end. While I do believe that this book will often be read for pleasure; I see the potential for it to become an asset in certain school classes. It is my hope that many young folks will be reading about these “coneys” and their quirky ideas.
January 9, 2017
Tells the story of the second attempt to rob Abraham Lincoln's body from his grave.
Early in the 1860's money counterfeiting was a business onto itself. After the Secret Service captured the most brilliant counterfeiter, Benjamin Boyd, in Fulton Illinois (about 15 miles from me) a plan was needed to garner cash - lots of cash. The robbing of Lincolns grave for a ransom of $200,000 and the prison release of Boyd, to put him back to work, was devised. Five men were involved in this plan, one being an informant for the Secret Service. Investigating grave robbing was a new endeavor for the Secret Service. Being a newly formed agency, up to this time they were only involved in the capture and imprisonment of men who counterfeited.
Come the night of the grave robbery an agent bungled the stake out by discharging his weapon and everyone got away. Through the informant the thiefs were well known and were eventually captured. Two of the men received one year in prison, the ringleader got off scott free, one man did not really even exist and at a later date the informant received a prison sentence for an unrelated burglary.
However during this harrowing time it was brought to light how easy Lincoln's body could be stolen in that day of prolific grave robbing. It needed to be moved to a more secure location. The body is no longer in the sarcophagus in the catacomb of the monument, locked behind one wooden door and one iron gate, available to anyone that could devise a plan to steal it. So Lincoln's coffin was secured in a large cage, sunken 10 foot in the ground, and then filled with concrete in the bowls of the Lincoln Monument at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield Illinois, where it remains to this day.
This is a young adult book and very easy to read, however it is packed with factual information about Lincolns life and family, the political atmosphere, the beginnings of the Secret Service, wide spread counterfeiting and the flavor of my own local area, in the early to mid 1800's.
3.5 stars
Early in the 1860's money counterfeiting was a business onto itself. After the Secret Service captured the most brilliant counterfeiter, Benjamin Boyd, in Fulton Illinois (about 15 miles from me) a plan was needed to garner cash - lots of cash. The robbing of Lincolns grave for a ransom of $200,000 and the prison release of Boyd, to put him back to work, was devised. Five men were involved in this plan, one being an informant for the Secret Service. Investigating grave robbing was a new endeavor for the Secret Service. Being a newly formed agency, up to this time they were only involved in the capture and imprisonment of men who counterfeited.
Come the night of the grave robbery an agent bungled the stake out by discharging his weapon and everyone got away. Through the informant the thiefs were well known and were eventually captured. Two of the men received one year in prison, the ringleader got off scott free, one man did not really even exist and at a later date the informant received a prison sentence for an unrelated burglary.
However during this harrowing time it was brought to light how easy Lincoln's body could be stolen in that day of prolific grave robbing. It needed to be moved to a more secure location. The body is no longer in the sarcophagus in the catacomb of the monument, locked behind one wooden door and one iron gate, available to anyone that could devise a plan to steal it. So Lincoln's coffin was secured in a large cage, sunken 10 foot in the ground, and then filled with concrete in the bowls of the Lincoln Monument at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield Illinois, where it remains to this day.
This is a young adult book and very easy to read, however it is packed with factual information about Lincolns life and family, the political atmosphere, the beginnings of the Secret Service, wide spread counterfeiting and the flavor of my own local area, in the early to mid 1800's.
3.5 stars
January 30, 2013
It is a sheer pleasure to watch this man's body of work grow. Benedict Arnold, with its extensive source notes confirmed that young readers don't have to choose between accurate and entertaining. I don'mind saying it again, Bomb's pacing raised the bar even higher. While most middle graders can handle Bomb, they will devour Lincoln's Grave Robbers.
This one's got it all. Cops and crooks, counterfeiting, treachery; all weaving around one of the most bizarre concepts I've ever encountered, body snatching for ransom. Wow. And, we haven't even touched the vocab. You've got your coney men, the boodle game, and my personal favorite, shovers. Sheinkin employs the techniques of a seasoned fantasy writer to build the world his story is set in. As if his writing wasn't gripping enough, this one sucks you in and spits you out. I read Lincoln's Grave Robbers on an ereader and I have to admit, when I merrily slid to the next page my jaw dropped to see "epilogue." It wasn't that the ending was abrupt, I had just been so enthralled I failed to notice how many pages I read, or the time for that matter.
We're discussing non fiction text structures in class and there was a particular page I wanted to show my students. I intended to give them the quick premise, focusing more on the lesson than the book. They know the rules, if I say we have to move on and they still have questions, they're too shout them out. I know when they're playing me like a fiddle but this time, every kid's eyes were wide open as I got a little further into the plot than I had intended. I will say, I ended up having a ball telling them a little more about the story.
Sheinkin has taken his talents to an age group that is always in sore need of his writing. This one is completely accessible for grade 4-5 readers, it moves at a breakneck pace, and it is completely devoid of feelings. If more kids read this in fourth grade, perhaps I'll hear less, "I don't like non fiction."
This one's got it all. Cops and crooks, counterfeiting, treachery; all weaving around one of the most bizarre concepts I've ever encountered, body snatching for ransom. Wow. And, we haven't even touched the vocab. You've got your coney men, the boodle game, and my personal favorite, shovers. Sheinkin employs the techniques of a seasoned fantasy writer to build the world his story is set in. As if his writing wasn't gripping enough, this one sucks you in and spits you out. I read Lincoln's Grave Robbers on an ereader and I have to admit, when I merrily slid to the next page my jaw dropped to see "epilogue." It wasn't that the ending was abrupt, I had just been so enthralled I failed to notice how many pages I read, or the time for that matter.
We're discussing non fiction text structures in class and there was a particular page I wanted to show my students. I intended to give them the quick premise, focusing more on the lesson than the book. They know the rules, if I say we have to move on and they still have questions, they're too shout them out. I know when they're playing me like a fiddle but this time, every kid's eyes were wide open as I got a little further into the plot than I had intended. I will say, I ended up having a ball telling them a little more about the story.
Sheinkin has taken his talents to an age group that is always in sore need of his writing. This one is completely accessible for grade 4-5 readers, it moves at a breakneck pace, and it is completely devoid of feelings. If more kids read this in fourth grade, perhaps I'll hear less, "I don't like non fiction."
July 29, 2014
History is boring, right?
Apparently nobody ever told Steve Sheinkin.
He's written this amazing book about an event in history that not very many people know about: in 1876, a gang of men tried to steal the corpse of President Abraham Lincoln. A group of Secret Service agents had been secretly following them for months and tried to catch them in the act.
Why would anyone want to steal a dead body? Sheinkin says it happened all the time in the 1800s. In this case, the men were counterfeiters—they made fake paper money and tried to pass it off as real. One of their best engravers, Benjamin Boyd, had been caught and sent to prison. Without his help, the counterfeiting business was falling apart. His friends needed to get him out of prison so he could get back to making fake money for them. Then they had an idea: they would break into the tomb in Illinois, steal Lincoln's body, and demand a ransom from the U.S. Government. They wanted $200,000 and Boyd's release from prison, or nobody would see the President's body again.
You won't believe how interesting and suspenseful this book is. We usually think of history as dry and lifeless—who would want to spend their time reading or thinking about what happened years and years ago? But Sheinkin shows how fun—and how alive—history can be. He includes pictures of many of the people and places involved, which makes everything seem more real. He's done so much research, it's as if he's gotten into the minds of both the body snatchers and the Secret Service agents. And he describes the night of the tomb raid so clearly, I found myself holding my breath till I found out whether or not the counterfeiters succeeded in stealing Lincoln's body.
You have to read this book to see for yourself. Sheinkin has convinced me that history can be funny, shocking, strange, and absolutely fascinating.
Find more of my book recommendations for grades 6-12 at www.read-or-die.com.
Apparently nobody ever told Steve Sheinkin.
He's written this amazing book about an event in history that not very many people know about: in 1876, a gang of men tried to steal the corpse of President Abraham Lincoln. A group of Secret Service agents had been secretly following them for months and tried to catch them in the act.
Why would anyone want to steal a dead body? Sheinkin says it happened all the time in the 1800s. In this case, the men were counterfeiters—they made fake paper money and tried to pass it off as real. One of their best engravers, Benjamin Boyd, had been caught and sent to prison. Without his help, the counterfeiting business was falling apart. His friends needed to get him out of prison so he could get back to making fake money for them. Then they had an idea: they would break into the tomb in Illinois, steal Lincoln's body, and demand a ransom from the U.S. Government. They wanted $200,000 and Boyd's release from prison, or nobody would see the President's body again.
You won't believe how interesting and suspenseful this book is. We usually think of history as dry and lifeless—who would want to spend their time reading or thinking about what happened years and years ago? But Sheinkin shows how fun—and how alive—history can be. He includes pictures of many of the people and places involved, which makes everything seem more real. He's done so much research, it's as if he's gotten into the minds of both the body snatchers and the Secret Service agents. And he describes the night of the tomb raid so clearly, I found myself holding my breath till I found out whether or not the counterfeiters succeeded in stealing Lincoln's body.
You have to read this book to see for yourself. Sheinkin has convinced me that history can be funny, shocking, strange, and absolutely fascinating.
Find more of my book recommendations for grades 6-12 at www.read-or-die.com.
April 23, 2015
This book is driving me insane. For some bizarre reason, WorldCat has it listed as FICTION. This is written by the guy who just won both the Sibert and YALSA nonfiction Awards this year, and whose entire oeuvre is nonfiction. It reads exactly as his other books read, like a thriller. I think that descriptive word is the villain in WorldCat miscataloging it as fiction. They ignored the two words before the word thriller in the SLJ review: TRUE CRIME. True crime means, well TRUE. REAL. No??? I notice most Goodreads reviewers are referring to this as nonfiction which is certainly what I think it is. UPDATE 4/23/15. I persuaded the head of Catalog to change the book to nonfiction!
OK, enough of that. On to the book itself. I do not consider this as strong a book as Bomb. Perhaps because the focus is narrower in this book. It did not hold my interest quite as strongly as Bomb did. I did pretty much read it straight through but that was because I was reading it before an appointment that got delayed. I think maybe one reason is that the people described in this book tended to mostly be unsympathetic characters. Swegles certainly was a grey character, not white. He did inform the Secret Service (Whose sole job at that time was nabbing counterfeiters) about the plot but then worked as an undercover agent, infiltrating the gang of Lincoln robbers. Some would call him a double agent or a traitor to the bad guys. The person directing Swegles certainly didn't cover himself with glory. He blew the climatic battle with the bad guys among other things. That guy's boss simply didn't believe the whole plot. Robert LIncoln did, though. He comes across as one of the most sympathetic characters in the book, which is odd since so many other books list him as the bad son in the Lincoln family. Nonetheless, it is an excellent book and would be sure to grab many unwilling boys who have to read a book. Or girls for that matter. One advantage this book has over Bomb is being considerably shorter and therefore less intimidating. Highly recommended.
OK, enough of that. On to the book itself. I do not consider this as strong a book as Bomb. Perhaps because the focus is narrower in this book. It did not hold my interest quite as strongly as Bomb did. I did pretty much read it straight through but that was because I was reading it before an appointment that got delayed. I think maybe one reason is that the people described in this book tended to mostly be unsympathetic characters. Swegles certainly was a grey character, not white. He did inform the Secret Service (Whose sole job at that time was nabbing counterfeiters) about the plot but then worked as an undercover agent, infiltrating the gang of Lincoln robbers. Some would call him a double agent or a traitor to the bad guys. The person directing Swegles certainly didn't cover himself with glory. He blew the climatic battle with the bad guys among other things. That guy's boss simply didn't believe the whole plot. Robert LIncoln did, though. He comes across as one of the most sympathetic characters in the book, which is odd since so many other books list him as the bad son in the Lincoln family. Nonetheless, it is an excellent book and would be sure to grab many unwilling boys who have to read a book. Or girls for that matter. One advantage this book has over Bomb is being considerably shorter and therefore less intimidating. Highly recommended.
April 20, 2014
One Sentence Review: Lots of fun potential in this one, but something about the layout and the limitations of the story itself just doesn't let it rise to Sheinkin's usual genius levels.
July 26, 2022
The people who think I only read Bridgerton books probably don't know what to make of this. I contain multitudes!
You might have at some point heard that people tried to steal Lincoln's body at some point in history. What may be less known is the inextricable connection with the counterfeiting rings that ran rampant in the country at the time. This book pieces this trail together, and though it takes a minute to get going, there are some very satisfying jail break anecdotes even in the history of coney men (counterfeiters) that unfolds.
The context complete, the rest unfolds like a cross between a heist movie and a CSI episode, culminating in a scene in a catacomb that is downright cinematic.
Along the way, unlikely heroes emerge... such as the charming "roper" that the Secret Service uses to con the conmen, and the caretaker of the tomb. You may find your own favorites but this book is a fun, fast read that brings history alive (ironically, in a story involving a very famous corpse).
You might have at some point heard that people tried to steal Lincoln's body at some point in history. What may be less known is the inextricable connection with the counterfeiting rings that ran rampant in the country at the time. This book pieces this trail together, and though it takes a minute to get going, there are some very satisfying jail break anecdotes even in the history of coney men (counterfeiters) that unfolds.
The context complete, the rest unfolds like a cross between a heist movie and a CSI episode, culminating in a scene in a catacomb that is downright cinematic.
Along the way, unlikely heroes emerge... such as the charming "roper" that the Secret Service uses to con the conmen, and the caretaker of the tomb. You may find your own favorites but this book is a fun, fast read that brings history alive (ironically, in a story involving a very famous corpse).
March 25, 2013
It's pretty inevitable that this is going to get compared to Bomb, right? And found a bit lesser in comparison, because it is by nature a smaller, less-impactful and immediate story? In some ways, I think that Bomb has already pretty much overshadowed it, winning all it's (well-deserved) accolades around the same time that this one was released. So, I'm just getting this out of the way: It's not Bomb, it doesn't have the resonance of Bomb.
But it's darn good, completely fascinating non-fiction. In many ways, it reminds me why I started reading and admiring Sheinkin in the first place, thanks to some raves about his early books by some fellow librarians. (Hi, Nicole! I think it was you!) Because it focuses on some small, largely-forgotten detail in history and illuminates the time and the place and the context in the most compelling way. At the same time, I found myself thinking, "Gosh, what a terrific heist film this would make" because that's completely what it reminded me of. Only here, the robbers aren't that suave and what they're knocking over is Lincoln's tomb, instead of a Vegas casino.
I also really liked the design of the book. I have to admit that the first time I started reading it, it was with an arc that that had lots of "Picture TK" slots and I found myself wondering. Sat down with the finished book and was riveted. The images are sparse, but they're integrated and add to the story in a great way.
And, now I can't wait to see what Sheinkin comes up with next. Although I think maybe I never finished the one about the wild west, so maybe I'll dig that out in the meantime.
But it's darn good, completely fascinating non-fiction. In many ways, it reminds me why I started reading and admiring Sheinkin in the first place, thanks to some raves about his early books by some fellow librarians. (Hi, Nicole! I think it was you!) Because it focuses on some small, largely-forgotten detail in history and illuminates the time and the place and the context in the most compelling way. At the same time, I found myself thinking, "Gosh, what a terrific heist film this would make" because that's completely what it reminded me of. Only here, the robbers aren't that suave and what they're knocking over is Lincoln's tomb, instead of a Vegas casino.
I also really liked the design of the book. I have to admit that the first time I started reading it, it was with an arc that that had lots of "Picture TK" slots and I found myself wondering. Sat down with the finished book and was riveted. The images are sparse, but they're integrated and add to the story in a great way.
And, now I can't wait to see what Sheinkin comes up with next. Although I think maybe I never finished the one about the wild west, so maybe I'll dig that out in the meantime.
April 13, 2015
I used this as a read aloud this year after seeing it on a Booklist list. After four tours at the tomb, I had heard reference of this unusual event but this was my first time really understanding it. This book was very comprehensive without being boring. Steve Sheinken does an excellent job knowing when to change the topic and keep the book moving.
January 3, 2018
Get ready for an adventure! The same year Steve Sheinkin released Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon, which received a Newbery Honor, he also came out with Lincoln's Grave Robbers, investigating a little-known incident that took place eleven years after Abraham Lincoln's assassination. The history isn't as high-stakes as in Bomb, but the crime being attempted is shocking. After a life of colossal triumphs and devastating losses, one would think President Lincoln could settle in for an uneventful eternal rest, but it wasn't to be. The plot to steal his body revolved around counterfeiting and the criminal underworld, and could have resulted in a sad epilogue to Lincoln's life if the right people hadn't been alerted before the conspiracy could be acted upon. This isn't a major storyline of American history, but it involves one of the nation's most important politicians, and many people have no idea it happened. Those who regard history as dry and boring may find their appetite for it whetted by this account of grave-robbing in 1876.
Before the Secret Service was assigned primarily to protect the president, it was an anti-counterfeiting agency. Fake currency in the U.S. was a serious problem following the Civil War; as much as fifty percent of paper money in circulation was counterfeit. The Secret Service hunted down and arrested counterfeiters, sending them to jail for sometimes upwards of a decade. When Benjamin Boyd, perhaps the most talented counterfeiter in the country, was sentenced to ten years at Joliet State Prison in 1876, the loss reverberated among professional criminals. No one could create a fake bill like Boyd, a bill good enough to pass the scrutiny of even some Secret Service agents. As a result of his imprisonment, passing counterfeit money (known as "coney") became riskier, and lawbreakers weren't willing to pay top dollar for the stuff. Counterfeiting wasn't as lucrative without Boyd on the wrong side of the law. Big Jim Kennally, Terrence Mullen, and Jack Hughes, three counterfeiters hurt by the waning of their trade, decided to take action. They could secure Boyd's release if they had something valuable to bargain with. Mullen and Hughes would sneak into the Lincoln Monument in Springfield, Illinois, dig up the president's corpse, and stash it nearby where only they knew to find it. Once the government agreed to release Benjamin Boyd in exchange for the body, coney would again be a thriving business.
The bodysnatchers thought they were being discreet, but it's not easy to keep a lid on a plan that big. When the government caught wind of a planned heist targeting the Lincoln Monument, they put Patrick Tyrrell on the job, Chief Operative of Chicago District of the Secret Service. Tyrrell's expertise was tracking down coney shovers, but he had the skills to keep tabs on the would-be bodysnatchers without tipping the government's hand. He needed an inside man among the group, an ex-con who could earn their trust and a role in the theft, and Lewis C. Swegles was well suited for the job. Swegles spent weeks getting to know Mullen and Hughes, telling stories of his own past illegal activities to signal that he was a competent crook willing to take risks. The plan settled, the thieves traveled to Springfield with Swegles, not knowing he was informing Tyrrell of every word they said to him.
Robert Lincoln, the president's last surviving son, was worried when told about the plot, but Tyrrell assured him the thieves would be caught before they could disturb his father's remains. As November 7, 1876 approached—Election Day for the new U.S. president—Mullen and Hughes prepared to act. John Carroll Power, custodian of the Lincoln Monument and eventual founder of the Lincoln Guard of Honor, had been notified by authorities of the crime planned for that night, and law enforcement agents hid in the labyrinth of passageways behind Lincoln's sarcophagus, waiting to make the arrest. All had gone according to plan as Swegles joined Mullen and Hughes in breaking into Lincoln's tomb, but apprehending the criminals would not be as straightforward as Tyrrell hoped. A dangerous confrontation was about to take place at the Lincoln Monument, followed by a statewide manhunt for several armed, desperate fugitives. Would drama stalk Abraham Lincoln forever after his death, or could a way be found to truly, finally lay him to rest?
Most of Steve Sheinkin's nonfiction has larger philosophical implications than Lincoln's Grave Robbers, but this is quite a story. It reads almost like fictional adventure, but it's all accurate history. It isn't the emotional experience Bomb is, which took us right inside some of the biggest moments in America's history on the worldwide stage, but there is some emotion to this book. When the Lincoln Monument was renovated in 1901—thirty-six years after the president's death— and his body exhumed for one more look to confirm no one had stolen it, the poignancy is palpable as the lid closes for the last time over that legendary countenance every schoolchild knows as well as their own, the man who held his country together during its time of greatest strife. Never again would human eyes set upon Abraham Lincoln. The moment gives one the chills. That's the high point of Lincoln's Grave Robbers, almost enough for me to round my two-and-a-half star rating up instead of down. History buffs and novices alike will find this macabre tale of nineteenth-century crime interesting, a piece of the Lincoln story that isn't often talked about. Lincoln's Grave Robbers is a quick, enjoyable read that a wide range of ages can appreciate.
Before the Secret Service was assigned primarily to protect the president, it was an anti-counterfeiting agency. Fake currency in the U.S. was a serious problem following the Civil War; as much as fifty percent of paper money in circulation was counterfeit. The Secret Service hunted down and arrested counterfeiters, sending them to jail for sometimes upwards of a decade. When Benjamin Boyd, perhaps the most talented counterfeiter in the country, was sentenced to ten years at Joliet State Prison in 1876, the loss reverberated among professional criminals. No one could create a fake bill like Boyd, a bill good enough to pass the scrutiny of even some Secret Service agents. As a result of his imprisonment, passing counterfeit money (known as "coney") became riskier, and lawbreakers weren't willing to pay top dollar for the stuff. Counterfeiting wasn't as lucrative without Boyd on the wrong side of the law. Big Jim Kennally, Terrence Mullen, and Jack Hughes, three counterfeiters hurt by the waning of their trade, decided to take action. They could secure Boyd's release if they had something valuable to bargain with. Mullen and Hughes would sneak into the Lincoln Monument in Springfield, Illinois, dig up the president's corpse, and stash it nearby where only they knew to find it. Once the government agreed to release Benjamin Boyd in exchange for the body, coney would again be a thriving business.
The bodysnatchers thought they were being discreet, but it's not easy to keep a lid on a plan that big. When the government caught wind of a planned heist targeting the Lincoln Monument, they put Patrick Tyrrell on the job, Chief Operative of Chicago District of the Secret Service. Tyrrell's expertise was tracking down coney shovers, but he had the skills to keep tabs on the would-be bodysnatchers without tipping the government's hand. He needed an inside man among the group, an ex-con who could earn their trust and a role in the theft, and Lewis C. Swegles was well suited for the job. Swegles spent weeks getting to know Mullen and Hughes, telling stories of his own past illegal activities to signal that he was a competent crook willing to take risks. The plan settled, the thieves traveled to Springfield with Swegles, not knowing he was informing Tyrrell of every word they said to him.
Robert Lincoln, the president's last surviving son, was worried when told about the plot, but Tyrrell assured him the thieves would be caught before they could disturb his father's remains. As November 7, 1876 approached—Election Day for the new U.S. president—Mullen and Hughes prepared to act. John Carroll Power, custodian of the Lincoln Monument and eventual founder of the Lincoln Guard of Honor, had been notified by authorities of the crime planned for that night, and law enforcement agents hid in the labyrinth of passageways behind Lincoln's sarcophagus, waiting to make the arrest. All had gone according to plan as Swegles joined Mullen and Hughes in breaking into Lincoln's tomb, but apprehending the criminals would not be as straightforward as Tyrrell hoped. A dangerous confrontation was about to take place at the Lincoln Monument, followed by a statewide manhunt for several armed, desperate fugitives. Would drama stalk Abraham Lincoln forever after his death, or could a way be found to truly, finally lay him to rest?
Most of Steve Sheinkin's nonfiction has larger philosophical implications than Lincoln's Grave Robbers, but this is quite a story. It reads almost like fictional adventure, but it's all accurate history. It isn't the emotional experience Bomb is, which took us right inside some of the biggest moments in America's history on the worldwide stage, but there is some emotion to this book. When the Lincoln Monument was renovated in 1901—thirty-six years after the president's death— and his body exhumed for one more look to confirm no one had stolen it, the poignancy is palpable as the lid closes for the last time over that legendary countenance every schoolchild knows as well as their own, the man who held his country together during its time of greatest strife. Never again would human eyes set upon Abraham Lincoln. The moment gives one the chills. That's the high point of Lincoln's Grave Robbers, almost enough for me to round my two-and-a-half star rating up instead of down. History buffs and novices alike will find this macabre tale of nineteenth-century crime interesting, a piece of the Lincoln story that isn't often talked about. Lincoln's Grave Robbers is a quick, enjoyable read that a wide range of ages can appreciate.
February 12, 2019
"Lincoln's Grave Robbers" - written by Steve Sheinkin and published in 2012 by Scholastic. Did you know that "By 1864 an astounding 50 percent of the paper money in circulation was fake?" Counterfeiting was a lucrative gig, but when the Secret Service (which was originally created to pursue this crime) successfully jailed a skilled engraver, his crew decided on an audacious money-making venture so they could spring him. It had been tried before, but this one actually succeeded in getting into the Lincoln Memorial and handling Lincoln's coffin. Narrative non-fiction is one of my favorite genres and Sheinkin has done a great job of blow-by-blow storytelling - you can imagine wide-eyed listeners taking in this fantastic story. His sources include many books written about this exciting time period, but more importantly, newspaper articles from the Chicago Daily Tribune, the Chicago Times, the Illinois Daily State Journal, and others. "Dastardly Attempt to Despoil the Lincoln Monument: Thieves Trying to Steal the Bones of the Martyr President!" Sheinkin brings this incident to life and I highly recommend the book to any reader, whether looking for an historical account, or just a riveting story.
November 20, 2022
What a strange and fascinating story from our history. Sheinkin is a master storyteller of nonfiction tales. I picked this up to read "just a bit" and ended up devouring 3/4 of the book. I just couldn't put it down.
October 29, 2019
I watched a documentary about this a few years ago and was amazed that something like this happened. This book gives plenty of details without being gruesome.
February 25, 2022
Based on true events that were unbeknown to me. I found it interesting, educational and entertaining. It amazed me how many times President Abraham Lincolns' body had to be confirmed after his death. And how close it came to being stolen.
Rating: G
Language: clean read
Recommend: yes
Rating: G
Language: clean read
Recommend: yes
January 22, 2014
This book is SUCH an easy booktalk. Kids typically know how Abraham Lincoln died, but NOBODY knows where his body is now. That's an AWESOME hook for a booktalk, and I had a great time connecting this narrative to body snatching, grave robbing, medical research, Frankenstein, spies, undercover agents, forgery, and holding things for ransom. There are so many ways you could plug this thing. :)
Helps that the package is well done, too. The graphic design is nice, it's shaped the same as a chapter book, and there are great pictures.
And Sheinkin does a great job of presenting the story, as well. The writing is medium to dry, but there are pictures of as many of the people and places and things involved, and a cast of characters at the beginning. It wasn't one that I was riveted to (I didn't skip other activities to read it, for example), but it held my interest and taught me a lot.
Yay awesome narrative nonfiction!
Helps that the package is well done, too. The graphic design is nice, it's shaped the same as a chapter book, and there are great pictures.
And Sheinkin does a great job of presenting the story, as well. The writing is medium to dry, but there are pictures of as many of the people and places and things involved, and a cast of characters at the beginning. It wasn't one that I was riveted to (I didn't skip other activities to read it, for example), but it held my interest and taught me a lot.
Yay awesome narrative nonfiction!
March 3, 2019
Steve Sheinkin is one of my favorite authors. You can't go wrong with any of his books, but I must say this one is my least favorite. The story is still interesting and he does a great job of telling the story--but it can't compare to Jim Thorpe or Benedict Arnold or the atom bomb. (All subjects of other Sheinkin books.)
April 13, 2020
I find book about grave robbing super interesting so when I saw this I wanted to read it andi t was a good quick read, I really enjoyed it, cant say I really learned much but it was good
January 20, 2024
Wow, ahmazing! I had no idea this ever happened and this was a great way for it to be told. Really liked how we got to see it from so many peoples perspectives. Was fantastically written.
February 28, 2019
This was such an interesting book! I loved learning about the creation of counterfeit money at the beginning. It was cool to find out facts like the secret services were used prior to 1870s for trying to stop people making counterfeit money, but once there were lots of president assassinations their job got changed to protecting the president. I found it funny when Abraham Lincolns body got stolen that the democrats and the republicans were blaming each other for it. It was cool how Robert Lincoln stole Mary’s body from the Lincoln monument as he knew Abraham wasn’t buried there and she wanted to be buried next to her husband so he buried her in the labrynth. I found this book really action packed and fast paced for a non fiction story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 20, 2018
A riveting true story of the 1876 attempt to steal President Lincoln’s body. This book is well-researched and written in an engaging way for young adults. I learned some things about history that I didn’t know before—things about counterfeiting, grave robbing, and the early role of the Secret Service. It was so interesting to see how crimes were solved, and I was glued to each page. Steve Sheinkin has a marvelous way of ending each chapter with a suspenseful sentence that forbids you from taking a break in reading. I loved it! I definitely recommend to kids who are interested in mystery, history, or non-fiction.
August 28, 2018
I learned as much about the origin of the Secret Service and the national economic threat of counterfeiting money as I did about the Lincoln Grave Robbing heist.
There are few historical non-fiction writers I enjoy as much as Steve Sheinkin. In fact, he probably tops my list. He takes these obscure, big stories and gives them the time they deserve.
If you haven't read Bomb or The Notorious Benedict Arnold, consider them. They're a bit longer than this one, but every bit as captivating, and more.
Additional bonus: I found the reader (I listened to this on audio) hilarious. I've heard him read before, but this time he made every sentence overly suspenseful. It was well done, but at times I found it almost comedic.
There are few historical non-fiction writers I enjoy as much as Steve Sheinkin. In fact, he probably tops my list. He takes these obscure, big stories and gives them the time they deserve.
If you haven't read Bomb or The Notorious Benedict Arnold, consider them. They're a bit longer than this one, but every bit as captivating, and more.
Additional bonus: I found the reader (I listened to this on audio) hilarious. I've heard him read before, but this time he made every sentence overly suspenseful. It was well done, but at times I found it almost comedic.
December 12, 2020
From this author, I’d only read “Most Dangerous” prior to reading this one. The excellent writing and narrative style is consistent in this novel, but it’s admittedly limited by the scope of the story, as well as the large cast of characters introduced throughout the book. As such, it’s more an interesting fact of history that Lincoln’s body was nearly snatched by grave robbers than it is an intriguing story. While the scope and gravity of the crime gives the story some weight, I can’t help but think there are other true crime stories that would have been more suited to adaptation.
November 1, 2018
I think that it was brilliant to teach young adults about the true event of Lincoln's robbery attempt. Yet the book being real wasn't presented in a fashion that was interesting. It took on a Oceans robbery attempt. Trying to set up everything over a long period of time, yet the climax of the book, when they broke in lasted so short that it wasn't much of a worth. Though you can't twist history there seemed to be a point were the breaking could have lasted longer.
July 31, 2023
This is well written children's non fiction; I couldn't tell if it was non fiction or historical fiction until my mom looked it up and confirmed it's non fiction. It's fun and funny, not at all dry or boring. There is just the right amount of detail and explanation for a child to understand without making it confusing or pedantic. It was also fun to read about something I had no idea about. Who knew people tried to steal Lincoln's body?
February 20, 2018
The book Lincoln’s gave robbers was about a group of men that are thinking of taking his body and selling it to get money. The group of men make a big plan of how to get the body out of the memorial without getting caught. Some of the men get caught for coney which is counterfeit money. Will the men get caught? Read the book to find out if they get caught or sell the body to get lots of money.
June 30, 2022
Very well-researched with solid connections to relevanr national history that happened around the time of the attempted grave robbery. The criminals were not the brightest nor the luckiest, which leads to this true crime story being intriguing, exciting, and comical. I very much enjoyed the book.
June 23, 2025
Listened to the audiobook on a road trip with our two sons. Will Patton reads the book and I can listen to his voice for days. So, thumbs up from me.
History loving husband gave it thumbs up for telling a story that’s not well known, talking about the origin of the Secret Service, and bringing up Pinkerton’s men which allowed him to go on a tangent about busting unions.
Rapt attention from the 14 year old because of the “descriptions of the action.” The 9 year old liked that the plot involved actually stealing a corpse.
History loving husband gave it thumbs up for telling a story that’s not well known, talking about the origin of the Secret Service, and bringing up Pinkerton’s men which allowed him to go on a tangent about busting unions.
Rapt attention from the 14 year old because of the “descriptions of the action.” The 9 year old liked that the plot involved actually stealing a corpse.
October 5, 2017
i think that the people that like mystery would like this book. this book i liked because it was kinda was a mystery for me.
November 16, 2017
The book Lincolns Grave Robbers was very fascinating I had never known there was an attempt to steal Lincolns body before. Very interesting and exciting good read.
November 24, 2017
I picked up this book and ended up reading the whole thing because I DID NOT WANT TO STOP! I loved uncovering parts of history I knew nothing about, especially about counterfeit money and how people will do really stupid things in crime rings because they think it will be THE solution. Silly criminals... This is a great little book for anyone who loves history, Abraham Lincoln, uncovering criminal plots, and getting inside the mind of a criminal.
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