Of Kennedy & King

by Rob Carpenter

A pulse pounding historical thriller that will leave you speechless.

In a nation on the brink of a second civil war, two icons—Bobby Kennedy, the greatest and most unexpected white civil rights icon of all time, and Martin Luther King Jr., the most magnificent and game-changing black one—stand on opposite sides of a bitter ideological feud. Their battle of wills over the future of race relations in America is as inevitable as it is dangerous. But when the FBI, the KKK, and the Black Panthers begin to manipulate events behind the scenes to thwart progress, their personal struggles for justice quickly become a terrifying fight for their very lives and the country's future.

In Of Kennedy & King, these men's complicated relationship is put on display in the most tumultuous decade in American the 1960s, where political ambition, racial tensions, and unprecedented urban and southern violence erupt in a powerful explosion of heroism, betrayal, and unlikely transformation. Told in rapid-fire chapters from the emotionally intimate perspectives of Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., as well as from the ferociously defiant perspectives of J. Edgar Hoover, Klansmen, and militant Black Panthers, this historical thriller reveals the untold story of the fight for civil rights in all of its beautiful, ugly, tragic glory.

"A haunting masterpiece." - Academy Award Winning Producer Andrew Carlberg

354 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 10, 2025

Reviews

[Carl Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I realize this is written as historical “fiction”, but I wonder how much is fact based and how much is fiction. I was a young boy when JFK was killed and early teen when MLK and RFK were killed. If even a potion of this book is true, what a sad state our country was in. It’s a little bit of a slow read with so many things going on between the groups, but it doesn’t paint a pretty picture of our government, nor our law enforcement. It’s also staggering that just 65 years ago, hatred and racism against another human being could be so terrible and for it to be accepted. It’s written to be very believable, and in that matter, it’s very sobering. I’ve never really delved into this portion of history but this makes me want to investigate more into that time in our country’s history. It’s well written and worth the time it takes to read it.

[Ashley Stokes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love- love LOVED this book.

Definitely for the history lover- and I’m a huge MLK/Bobby K. fan… so this was a solid read- top 5 for my 2025 so far.

[Karen Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping, fast-paced read that pulls you in from the start. The realism is striking, and the story unfolds with intensity, making it hard to put down. At times, the descriptions feel excessive—do we really need to know every detail of a character’s pajamas? But despite the occasional overwritten passage, the book delivers a compelling and immersive experience. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to Goodreads and the author for an advance copy of this book that offers a fictional view of what were once the crimes of the century, now just scars on the American psyche that never seem to heal, and wounds that are still felt in their polarized world we live in today.

Few crimes have had such an affect on the American mind than the string of assassinations that filled the 1960's. The death of a president, an idealist and a dreamer have left marks, started a industry that keeps going in assassination merchandise and literature. The killings made it acceptable to doubt everything, to trust no one, and believe everything all at the same time. Movies, comics, documentaries, fake documentaries all have been made telling the truth, the real truth, this one for sure is the realest truth one can get about these three killings. Even today the corrupt government that we have is using the release of information from these murders to hide the high crimes and paedophilia that the man elected President is hiding. I have read many books, factual, conspiratorial, the real story, and of course the X-Files version. I enjoy them, for they tell us much about who we are as a people, what we desire, and what we feel was taken from us. Of Kennedy & King a novel by Rob Carpenter, deals with the death of both Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr., what might have been, what was and a brief glimpse of what could have been.

The book begins with James Earl Ray as he plans to shot King, and how this one deed will make him a hero to whites, remind African-Americans, not the term used, their place in life, and maybe a draw to the ladies. From there we meet many people famous, infamous and fictional who had a role in the events leading up to the death of King and Kennedy. From Hoover, to the Black Panthers, Johnson and Hollywood stars and starlets. The politics that were rocking the nation, the spectre of the Vietnam war, and the push for civil rights. The book looks at big historical events and little things, failings of characters to live up to their ideals. And the evil and darkness that lie in the hearts of so many. People who want to change, need to change, and those who find the status quo comforting, and the Real America.

A big book that covers a lot of ground, a lot of conspiracies, and gets to the heart of the matter. King and Kennedy knew that America could not continue in the way it was going. Kennedy exposed the other side of the American dream while campaigning for his brother in West Virginia and seeing poor people for the first time. King being a black man in America, and knowing first hand the Dream of America was not shared by all, or that they were even invited to. Carpenter gets deep into both the cultural and physical history of the era, and while some might find this a little much, I loved all the little details that Carpenter put in. Carpenter did a really good researching his novel, and it shows.
A fun read for those who are both new to the world of political assassinations, and for us older readers who still have read almost everything available. A well written novel that tells a lot about America, and how we have gotten to here.

[Elizabeth Rulon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is just magnificently written from start to finish, and goes from one heart-pounding, captivating moment to the next - I flew through it. The recurring feeling that I had as I read, though, was not what I had been expecting: I had expected to enjoy it and be entertained - but instead, at many points while I was reading, I'd stop and find myself angrily saying out loud "How did I NEVER learn about this in school?!" Yes, of course I was incensed at the hideous racial injustices that nearly ripped this country apart in the 60's; moreover, though, I was SHOCKED and ANGERED over how much of the content presented in this book was NEVER presented to me at any point during my childhood or adolescent education!! Before reading this book, Dr. King was always a two-dimensional character whose birthday we got a day off of school for, and I could have told you virtually nothing about Bobby King; at this point, I'm absolutely HORRIFIED at how much I learned about for the FIRST TIME in this book that I was NEVER taught about in school!! I finished this book feeling shocked and amazed - and grateful to finally be in the know about a period of history that I didn't even know how much I didn't know about. This book belongs in every high school in America. It's a long overdue reality check that's poignantly relative right now, as our country is once again tearing itself apart; full of tragedy and triumph, this book finally pulls back the veil of an American decade that has been too shrouded for too long. Hats off to Rob Carpenter for reminding us of the necessity of truly knowing our history, lest we be doomed to repeat it!

[Brian Beck · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing novel. I was completely mesmerized by this historical story about events that I was somewhat familiar with. It was difficult to put down for long, and it should be a "must-read" for everyone in the United States and throughout other parts of the world.

To see the courage of the three leaders, the terrible prejudice of the "White Supremacists," and their desire not to change anything for those who were not white was something brought to life by the amazing descriptions of what went on inside the heads of the characters.

I don't often read historical novels, and this one certainly got my attention.

[Arrowhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing work

I always knew that what was fed to us in the press was not the truth and this book gives us the truth. It’s sad that powerful people feel that they have the right to demean others. Hoover, Johnson, and many others felt that they were above everyone else and wonderful men died because of their actions. It’s a story that you have to read over again to understand that tragedy that happened.

[Allison Elliott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Goodreads, the author, and publisher for the free Kindle edition of this book. Thought provoking, especially in light of the racism thats still around and apparent. Even at the highest level:-/ much can be learned from MLK still, if we'd only listen. This book read like a novel. 4.5 stars

[Nathan Klassen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thought-provoking revisiting of the time of MLK and Bobby Kennedy. Really made me reckon with this part of history and how not that long ago it was. Wish more people who deny the needs of reparations or accountability of the Jim Crow era would read this.

So proud to say I know the author!

[Jon S · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fast-paced, thorough, and very-well written civil rights thriller. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to learn more about the flesh and blood characters of the era and all the drama that was left out of our history books…