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Lincoln's White House Mystery #1
Murder at Lincoln's Gala
From the bestselling author of the American in Paris mysteries featuring Julia Child’s best friend, and the Phyllida Bright mysteries featuring Agatha Christie’s fictional housekeeper, this intriguing mystery stars quick-witted Adam Quinn, President Lincoln’s newly hired aide, on a momentous day . . .
March 4, 1861: On the day of Abraham Lincoln’s inauguration gala, the last thing anyone wants is a hitch in the proceedings—let alone murder. But when the worst happens, fortunately, Mr. Lincoln has his resourceful aide by his side . . .
When a man is found stabbed to death only yards from the new president, Lincoln dispatches his trusted aide Adam Quinn to discreetly investigate. Was it an assassination attempt gone wrong or some other sinister motive?
Though he is new to the capital city, Quinn, an experienced tracker and seasoned soldier, is well-suited to the task. Though he must navigate the unfamiliar world of high society, political personages, and a city preparing for war, he finds an unexpected ally in determined young Sophie Gates, who lives in the Smithsonian Institution with her uncle and his family. Sophie is determined to make a name for herself as a journalist, and investigating a murder at the gala is the perfect opportunity.
Quinn and Gates, along with George Hilton, a free man of color and brilliant physician, plunge into a city teeming with spies and dark plots as it careens toward war. Together, they must make haste to apprehend a killer—for nothing less than the fate of the nation is at stake . . .
March 4, 1861: On the day of Abraham Lincoln’s inauguration gala, the last thing anyone wants is a hitch in the proceedings—let alone murder. But when the worst happens, fortunately, Mr. Lincoln has his resourceful aide by his side . . .
When a man is found stabbed to death only yards from the new president, Lincoln dispatches his trusted aide Adam Quinn to discreetly investigate. Was it an assassination attempt gone wrong or some other sinister motive?
Though he is new to the capital city, Quinn, an experienced tracker and seasoned soldier, is well-suited to the task. Though he must navigate the unfamiliar world of high society, political personages, and a city preparing for war, he finds an unexpected ally in determined young Sophie Gates, who lives in the Smithsonian Institution with her uncle and his family. Sophie is determined to make a name for herself as a journalist, and investigating a murder at the gala is the perfect opportunity.
Quinn and Gates, along with George Hilton, a free man of color and brilliant physician, plunge into a city teeming with spies and dark plots as it careens toward war. Together, they must make haste to apprehend a killer—for nothing less than the fate of the nation is at stake . . .
276 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 13, 2025
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November 14, 2017
The Times They Are A-Changin' (Bob Dylan)
History carries a heavy stick. It raps to a familiar beat heard since the beginning of time. The panoramic stage weaves variations and set changes, but the actors, oh the actors, are cloaked in hues of long-standing hate, greed, animosity, and belligerent behavior.
The curtain rises in the Inaugural Ballroom in March of 1861 ushering in the newly elected President Abraham Lincoln. The dance floor is lined with hoop-skirted ladies and men wearing a cockade on their waistcoats depicting their political leanings. Abolitionists and secessionists mingle in the same crowd.
But eyes sweep the clusters of people in an age when that is the highest level of security. Pinkerton's men move from one end of the hall to the other. They have broken through many plots to threaten Lincoln's life including a recent one in Baltimore in which Lincoln was swept away to board another train. Even congratulatory baskets of sweets may be tainted with arsenic. A most loved and a most hated President of the times.
The discovery of a dead body in a room near Lincoln sets the White House on alert. The man was stabbed to death. Lincoln calls in Adam Quinn to investigate the crime. Quinn becomes a most unusual protagonist. He lost his arm in the Bloody Kansas revolts and wears the heaviness of a prothesis. Quinn is more of an adventurer than an investigator. But his living-off-the-land experiences serve him well here. Washington, D.C. is filled with unsavory characters with hidden and not so hidden agendas.
C.M. Gleason presents a fictional storyline encased with scenarios of impending war, political stances, the role of females in society, the day upon day effects of slavery, and the impact of the Black Code on free black men and women of the time. Gleason even brings in a black doctor educated in Montreal to do an autopsy at the request of Quinn. Quinn is not the sole Robin Hood here. It is through a combined effort of various individuals that the crime will be solved. I especially enjoyed Gleason's introduction of early forensic procedures and the analytical deduction of clues.
Murder in the Lincoln White House is the first book in this series. I am looking forward to future adventures involving the sharp skills of this one-armed earthy character. Well done, C.M. Gleason.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Kensington Books and to C.M. Gleason for the opportunity.
History carries a heavy stick. It raps to a familiar beat heard since the beginning of time. The panoramic stage weaves variations and set changes, but the actors, oh the actors, are cloaked in hues of long-standing hate, greed, animosity, and belligerent behavior.
The curtain rises in the Inaugural Ballroom in March of 1861 ushering in the newly elected President Abraham Lincoln. The dance floor is lined with hoop-skirted ladies and men wearing a cockade on their waistcoats depicting their political leanings. Abolitionists and secessionists mingle in the same crowd.
But eyes sweep the clusters of people in an age when that is the highest level of security. Pinkerton's men move from one end of the hall to the other. They have broken through many plots to threaten Lincoln's life including a recent one in Baltimore in which Lincoln was swept away to board another train. Even congratulatory baskets of sweets may be tainted with arsenic. A most loved and a most hated President of the times.
The discovery of a dead body in a room near Lincoln sets the White House on alert. The man was stabbed to death. Lincoln calls in Adam Quinn to investigate the crime. Quinn becomes a most unusual protagonist. He lost his arm in the Bloody Kansas revolts and wears the heaviness of a prothesis. Quinn is more of an adventurer than an investigator. But his living-off-the-land experiences serve him well here. Washington, D.C. is filled with unsavory characters with hidden and not so hidden agendas.
C.M. Gleason presents a fictional storyline encased with scenarios of impending war, political stances, the role of females in society, the day upon day effects of slavery, and the impact of the Black Code on free black men and women of the time. Gleason even brings in a black doctor educated in Montreal to do an autopsy at the request of Quinn. Quinn is not the sole Robin Hood here. It is through a combined effort of various individuals that the crime will be solved. I especially enjoyed Gleason's introduction of early forensic procedures and the analytical deduction of clues.
Murder in the Lincoln White House is the first book in this series. I am looking forward to future adventures involving the sharp skills of this one-armed earthy character. Well done, C.M. Gleason.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Kensington Books and to C.M. Gleason for the opportunity.
December 23, 2017
It's March 4, 1861. Tension is riding high between the northern and southern states. War will soon break out, but for now, it's just rumblings and quiet threats. Newly elected President Abraham Lincoln has been sworn in, and a crowd has gathered for the Inaugural Ball. Fears of assassination or other violence are high....so security around President Lincoln is tight. Allan Pinkerton, head of Lincoln's security team, and three other guards watch the crowd for signs of trouble. Adam Quinn, recovering from a wound he suffered while in the Kansas Territory, has been hired for security and also to act as a Jack-of-all-Trades for Lincoln. Quinn sees a man in the crowd acting strangely, but he is waylaid by women wanting him to dance, reporters and others at the ball, never making it over to the man. By the time he returns to the raised dais to check in with Lincoln an his entourage, something grave has happened. A man has been stabbed to death. Custer Billings, a banker, is dead, two knife wounds in his chest. Quinn quickly starts investigating the killiing. Was this a political killing? Related to Lincoln? Or a random act?
This book is a nice blend of mystery and historical fiction. The author obviously did quite a bit of research to capture the tensions, political climate and issues of 1861. I did have just a twinge of incredulity that Quinn would have paired up with a female reporter and a free black man to investigate this murder. I doubt there were many female reporters in Washington D.C. in 1861. For a moment, it felt like forced diversity for PC purposes....but I liked the characters and felt they meshed together as investigators. So, it was a momentary twinge only.
The story is an enjoyable, believable read. The mystery has plenty of action, twists and suspects. This is the first book in a series....great start! I can't wait to read more!
The second book in the series, Murder in the Oval Library, will be out in August 2018.
C.M. Gleason is a penname used by author Colleen Gleason. She writes action/adventure novels under C.M. Gleason, and paranormal and YA books under Colleen Gleason. To learn more about the author, check out her websites: http://www.cmgleason.com/ and http://www.colleengleason.com/
**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
This book is a nice blend of mystery and historical fiction. The author obviously did quite a bit of research to capture the tensions, political climate and issues of 1861. I did have just a twinge of incredulity that Quinn would have paired up with a female reporter and a free black man to investigate this murder. I doubt there were many female reporters in Washington D.C. in 1861. For a moment, it felt like forced diversity for PC purposes....but I liked the characters and felt they meshed together as investigators. So, it was a momentary twinge only.
The story is an enjoyable, believable read. The mystery has plenty of action, twists and suspects. This is the first book in a series....great start! I can't wait to read more!
The second book in the series, Murder in the Oval Library, will be out in August 2018.
C.M. Gleason is a penname used by author Colleen Gleason. She writes action/adventure novels under C.M. Gleason, and paranormal and YA books under Colleen Gleason. To learn more about the author, check out her websites: http://www.cmgleason.com/ and http://www.colleengleason.com/
**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
January 29, 2018
Its March 4, 1961, the night of the inagural ball for the newly elected president Abraham Lincoln. The room is packed with men & women, northerners & southerners and allies & enemies alike. President Lincoln is surrounded by a tight team of security led by the experienced Allan Pinkerton. When the body of Custer Billings is found stabbed in a room not too far away from the new president, its not Pinkerton who is summoned but Kansas frontiersman Adam Quinn. Quinn is asked to discreetly investigate the murder. Being a fresh arrival in Washington D.C., that may be a challenging task but Quinn is not one to back down.
This work is a perfect combination of a murder mystery and a historical novel. Its no secret that when Lincoln was elected, he was not widely poplular. The pro-slavery southerners threatened with secession, Lincoln received multiple personal threats and war was looming. Still, the inaguration moved forward. This is a fictional work of a murder happening on inagural night. Adam Quinn is a new face in Washington D.C. and is part of Lincoln's security team. While the political scene is new to him, he is about to get a crash course. Gleason captures the heated political climate and scene of 1961 accurately. Dealing with slavery, women's roles and rights and the growing conflict with the south, not one detail went unnoticed. The mystery aspect had me guessing til the very end and was very much satisfying. Not be left aside is the characterization. While the plot centers around Lincoln, he is not the protagonist. Gleason provides a balanced narrative that I absolutely taken in with. This is a series and the next is due to be released this year. Looking forward for it.
An interesting piece of history, the "White House" was not called that name til 1901 when Teddy Roosevelt made it official. When Lincoln was in office it was called the "President's Palace" or simply the President's House. The reference to the color white comes from the fact that the president's house had to be repainted after the British attempted to burn it down druring the American Revolution.
This work is a perfect combination of a murder mystery and a historical novel. Its no secret that when Lincoln was elected, he was not widely poplular. The pro-slavery southerners threatened with secession, Lincoln received multiple personal threats and war was looming. Still, the inaguration moved forward. This is a fictional work of a murder happening on inagural night. Adam Quinn is a new face in Washington D.C. and is part of Lincoln's security team. While the political scene is new to him, he is about to get a crash course. Gleason captures the heated political climate and scene of 1961 accurately. Dealing with slavery, women's roles and rights and the growing conflict with the south, not one detail went unnoticed. The mystery aspect had me guessing til the very end and was very much satisfying. Not be left aside is the characterization. While the plot centers around Lincoln, he is not the protagonist. Gleason provides a balanced narrative that I absolutely taken in with. This is a series and the next is due to be released this year. Looking forward for it.
An interesting piece of history, the "White House" was not called that name til 1901 when Teddy Roosevelt made it official. When Lincoln was in office it was called the "President's Palace" or simply the President's House. The reference to the color white comes from the fact that the president's house had to be repainted after the British attempted to burn it down druring the American Revolution.
January 2, 2018
I want to give this a very solid 4.5 stars. This was especially well done historical fiction and an incredibly well done mystery! The author does an amazing job at putting you right into the heart of Washington DC during the very first days of Lincoln's presidency. The descriptions of the city and the White House and the clothing were so incredibly clear you could really easily picture yourself standing there observing it all yourself. The mystery was really a good one and the investigation was fascinating as it was providing a glimpse into early forensics. The author also did a a great job in providing summaries of the clues as the story went along (which in so many mysteries is missing) although at times it felt a bit redundant. Many, many well planted red-herrings and twists along the way. If you like historical mysteries I think this will be right up your alley! I would like to thank NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 3, 2021
It had an very promising premise and I had high hopes for it but unfortunately it didn't work for me. I was not invested enough to care for the audiobook and had difficulty getting into the story.
September 10, 2017
This is the first installment in C. M. Gleason's Lincoln White House Mysteries. It's President Lincoln's Inaugural Ball and the room is filled with attendees, both supportive and non-supportive. This leaves a long list of possible suspects when a murder is committed on this night of celebration. Lincoln has had so many death threats that his staff can't be sure if he was really meant to be the intended victim. Lincoln puts all his trust into Adam Quinn, a young frontiersman, to find out who committed the murder. Adam has his work cut out for him as he continues to be concerned with the protection of the President and the motive for the killing(s), which have increased since he started his investigations. This one will keep you guessing right up to the end.
June 9, 2017
Frontiersman Adam Quinn left the racial tension of the Kansas Territory hoping to escape the memories of the violent deaths of his friends and the loss of his arm. He arrives in Washington, DC, in the spring of 1861 to find the city mired in hatred, gossip, and corruption on the eve of the impending war.
As a long-time and trusted friend of the Lincolns, Quinn is hired to find a murderer and travels between the high society of the rich and powerful to the overlooked slums of the city. Volatile tempers, hostilities, racial tension, and assassination plots cloud his investigation but he finds assistance from such unlikely characters as a black doctor, a poor Irish boy, and a young woman posing as a male reporter.
Both YAs and adults will enjoy the well-researched details of the political and cultural swampland of DC in the spring of 1861 in this new series of historical fiction.
As a long-time and trusted friend of the Lincolns, Quinn is hired to find a murderer and travels between the high society of the rich and powerful to the overlooked slums of the city. Volatile tempers, hostilities, racial tension, and assassination plots cloud his investigation but he finds assistance from such unlikely characters as a black doctor, a poor Irish boy, and a young woman posing as a male reporter.
Both YAs and adults will enjoy the well-researched details of the political and cultural swampland of DC in the spring of 1861 in this new series of historical fiction.
August 30, 2017
I won this book on goodreads in return for a review.
I really enjoyed this book! Plot twists, good research, and relatable characters.
The only thing I had issues with were there were times when the main character would mention something, and I would get the feeling I should know what they're referring to. Almost like I hadn't read the first book in a series, but I checked and there aren't other books. It didn't take away from the novel at all though.
I also found a slight error on page 288. The author puts nineteen fifty eight, while the novel is actually set in the 1800's. Just a small misprint.
Overall, excellent book and I can't wait to read more by this author!
I really enjoyed this book! Plot twists, good research, and relatable characters.
The only thing I had issues with were there were times when the main character would mention something, and I would get the feeling I should know what they're referring to. Almost like I hadn't read the first book in a series, but I checked and there aren't other books. It didn't take away from the novel at all though.
I also found a slight error on page 288. The author puts nineteen fifty eight, while the novel is actually set in the 1800's. Just a small misprint.
Overall, excellent book and I can't wait to read more by this author!
April 17, 2018
Murder in the LIncoln White House by C.M. Gleason is one of those books that you want to like more than you really do and then spend a ridiculous amount of time trying to talk yourself into wanting to praise what is simple, a good book and a good mystery with fairly typical characters for this time period.
"....I believe now will be the moment where our jack-of-all-trades will step forward and prove himself both versatile and indispensable.'
With a jolt, Adam looked up at Mr. Lincoln, who'd spoken clearly and gravely. Very different from the relaxed, affectionate man with whom he'd sat at the dinner table and listened to story after story, or argued and joked with in the parlor for years back in Springfield. 'Mr. President,' he began.
Lincoln shook his head, holding up a hand. His eyes were calm yet troubled. 'The last thing I want is for anyone out there to know. Especially Mary. She's been waiting for this for...well, years. Decades, really.' His smile was both wry and sad.
Adam felt a twinge. He and his uncle had spoken long and intimately about the new president-and what a burden he would bear.
What a dangerous, heavy, important burden.
'Whatever I can do, of course, Mr. President,' he replied.
Joshua took Adam's arm. 'A man's been stabbed here, at the ball. Murdered..."
It is March 4, 1861, the day of the inauguration of Abraham Lincoln. With the threat of war raging on, these are perilous times in Washington for not only its people but for its leader as well. Surrounded by his security team, which consists of Allan Pinkerton and Lincoln's oldest friend Joshua Speed, they are joined by Speed's own nephew, Adam Quinn. Recently of the Kansas frontier, Quinn is back in Washington to serve the President of the United States.
What Quinn thought would be a security detail changes quickly when a murdered man is found just outside of the inaugural ball. Now Quinn is charged with finding the killer and solving the crime. But can it just be a coincidence that the murder happened on this date and so close to the President? Or is this a harbinger of a greater danger to come. But when a second killing is done, it is far too close to home. It is in the sanctum of the President.
"...A murder in my great White House,' said Lincoln. Looking soberly at Adam. 'if it was to happen, I'd have thought it would have been me...."
Quinn enlists the help of a female journalist posing as a man, Sophie Gates and a free man of color, Dr. Hilton to help him solve these violent deaths. Together they must solve these murders and save the stain of blood on Lincoln's young presidency.
Okay, on the premise this sounds like a very good book and perhaps it could have been. But the characters are like extras in a film. Devoid of any actual depth. There is a southern belle who wants to escape a loveless marriage proposal and whose diva like actions place her in jeopardy constantly. A situation she needs help to escape, help from a man; Adam Quinn. In contrast, Sophie Gates; the feminist crusading journalist needs no mans help. In fact she pretends to be one to show how much she can do whatever a man can do. The book will pretend that she works alongside Quinn, when in fact she often works against him to serve her own ambitions. She conceals evidence and only reveals it and herself when it helps to further her cause. But the book is blatant in its characterization of the two women. North good. South bad.
Dr. Hilton however is a very intriguing character. A man of color, a medical man, who is trying to make a life in the North yet is finding himself facing many of the same prejudices that he faced in the South. He finds that his only clients are those too destitute to go elsewhere. When he is pulled into the crimes, he finds his findings called into question by the enlightened Northerners simply because he is a black man. He also is forced to take in the dead bodies even though by doing so, he is putting his own practice an livelihood in jeopardy. This is something that Quinn and his group seem to not be concerned with much at all.
But in the end, it is the motive for the killings which I found so disappointing. I won't give it away here but in a novel in such a setting, such a time and such a nation in turmoil, this was pedestrian.
Good but could have been so much better.
"....I believe now will be the moment where our jack-of-all-trades will step forward and prove himself both versatile and indispensable.'
With a jolt, Adam looked up at Mr. Lincoln, who'd spoken clearly and gravely. Very different from the relaxed, affectionate man with whom he'd sat at the dinner table and listened to story after story, or argued and joked with in the parlor for years back in Springfield. 'Mr. President,' he began.
Lincoln shook his head, holding up a hand. His eyes were calm yet troubled. 'The last thing I want is for anyone out there to know. Especially Mary. She's been waiting for this for...well, years. Decades, really.' His smile was both wry and sad.
Adam felt a twinge. He and his uncle had spoken long and intimately about the new president-and what a burden he would bear.
What a dangerous, heavy, important burden.
'Whatever I can do, of course, Mr. President,' he replied.
Joshua took Adam's arm. 'A man's been stabbed here, at the ball. Murdered..."
It is March 4, 1861, the day of the inauguration of Abraham Lincoln. With the threat of war raging on, these are perilous times in Washington for not only its people but for its leader as well. Surrounded by his security team, which consists of Allan Pinkerton and Lincoln's oldest friend Joshua Speed, they are joined by Speed's own nephew, Adam Quinn. Recently of the Kansas frontier, Quinn is back in Washington to serve the President of the United States.
What Quinn thought would be a security detail changes quickly when a murdered man is found just outside of the inaugural ball. Now Quinn is charged with finding the killer and solving the crime. But can it just be a coincidence that the murder happened on this date and so close to the President? Or is this a harbinger of a greater danger to come. But when a second killing is done, it is far too close to home. It is in the sanctum of the President.
"...A murder in my great White House,' said Lincoln. Looking soberly at Adam. 'if it was to happen, I'd have thought it would have been me...."
Quinn enlists the help of a female journalist posing as a man, Sophie Gates and a free man of color, Dr. Hilton to help him solve these violent deaths. Together they must solve these murders and save the stain of blood on Lincoln's young presidency.
Okay, on the premise this sounds like a very good book and perhaps it could have been. But the characters are like extras in a film. Devoid of any actual depth. There is a southern belle who wants to escape a loveless marriage proposal and whose diva like actions place her in jeopardy constantly. A situation she needs help to escape, help from a man; Adam Quinn. In contrast, Sophie Gates; the feminist crusading journalist needs no mans help. In fact she pretends to be one to show how much she can do whatever a man can do. The book will pretend that she works alongside Quinn, when in fact she often works against him to serve her own ambitions. She conceals evidence and only reveals it and herself when it helps to further her cause. But the book is blatant in its characterization of the two women. North good. South bad.
Dr. Hilton however is a very intriguing character. A man of color, a medical man, who is trying to make a life in the North yet is finding himself facing many of the same prejudices that he faced in the South. He finds that his only clients are those too destitute to go elsewhere. When he is pulled into the crimes, he finds his findings called into question by the enlightened Northerners simply because he is a black man. He also is forced to take in the dead bodies even though by doing so, he is putting his own practice an livelihood in jeopardy. This is something that Quinn and his group seem to not be concerned with much at all.
But in the end, it is the motive for the killings which I found so disappointing. I won't give it away here but in a novel in such a setting, such a time and such a nation in turmoil, this was pedestrian.
Good but could have been so much better.
July 14, 2017
This was a lot of fun, and a real page-turner. I have a weakness for mysteries set in the past, and this one didn't disappoint. I'm not going to write much here because it would be hard not to spill the spoilers, but it was well researched, engaging, and the period well captured. Recommended not just for mystery fans, but readers who enjoy a Civil War setting or are Lincoln fans.
I received this book as a giveaway from the publisher at BEA 2017 in NYC.
I received this book as a giveaway from the publisher at BEA 2017 in NYC.
January 7, 2018
Adam Quinn is our reluctant detective in this mystery series. A frontiersmen that wants nothing to do with big cities or politics finds himself by Mr. Lincoln’s side as he tries to hold the nation together.
This book starts with a murder at Lincoln's inaugural ball and sets off running from there. Instead of the high profile pinkerton detectives set to investigate, Lincoln asks his family friend, Adam Quinn, to discreetly find out what happened. A choice representative of Lincoln’s will to hold the nation together, come what may to his personal safety. Gleason has done her research. She paints a detailed picture of antebellum D.C. and leverages the threat of war looming over every move the characters make.
Gleason’s attention to period detail gives a vibrant yet harsh reality to her story. And the main character Quinn is no different. While not in any way a detective, he’s able to leverage the skills that he’s learned on the Kansas frontier to help solve his case.
A character that I will continue to read. I’ll look forward to what Adam has to face next and how pressure will continue to build as the nation heads to war.
This book starts with a murder at Lincoln's inaugural ball and sets off running from there. Instead of the high profile pinkerton detectives set to investigate, Lincoln asks his family friend, Adam Quinn, to discreetly find out what happened. A choice representative of Lincoln’s will to hold the nation together, come what may to his personal safety. Gleason has done her research. She paints a detailed picture of antebellum D.C. and leverages the threat of war looming over every move the characters make.
Gleason’s attention to period detail gives a vibrant yet harsh reality to her story. And the main character Quinn is no different. While not in any way a detective, he’s able to leverage the skills that he’s learned on the Kansas frontier to help solve his case.
A character that I will continue to read. I’ll look forward to what Adam has to face next and how pressure will continue to build as the nation heads to war.
November 25, 2017
***ARC received in exchange for an honest review***
In this historical-mystery-fiction novel, Murder in the Lincoln White House by C. M. Gleason, gives us the first installment of the Lincoln's White House Mystery series. As far as first in a series books goes, this is a whopper of one. The descriptive detail takes you back in time to 1861, the day Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated, as if you are walking on the cobblestone back alley streets with them or dancing at the ball in your hoop skirt.
Adam Quinn is part of Abraham Lincoln’s assistants. He is the jack-of-all-trades guy. Not knowing fully why he was brought on until President Lincoln's inauguration ball when a man is found stabbed to death and the President assigned Mr. Quinn to find out the who and why. Mr. Quinn proceeds his duty using the skills of animal hunting that he learned from the Kansas frontier to track down a murder during a time of uncertainty and a country in transition doesn’t make his job easy.
What keeps you reading is not only the scenery portrayed in detail, but the storyline itself and how at that time, some slaves were considered "free", the north and south were fighting, and women still weren't allowed the freedom of today. The combination of all these things happening back in 1861 and a murder at the inauguration ball made one amazing thriller of a story.
One of the most fascinating parts of this story to me is that Adam Quinn saw people for people. That his training from back home leads him to trust people to help no matter what color or background. He saw that people are people and did what was needed to get things done.
Then on top of all that, you will keep guessing right to the end on who-did-it!!! the small twist and turns are so well written that you just have to keep reading to find out what happens.
Don't be fooled and think this is one of those mystery novels that are heavy in thought it is not. This is so well written and grabs your attention, that you will breeze right thought it and before you know it it’s over and your left with thought of "WOW, well played". Five thrilling stars.
In this historical-mystery-fiction novel, Murder in the Lincoln White House by C. M. Gleason, gives us the first installment of the Lincoln's White House Mystery series. As far as first in a series books goes, this is a whopper of one. The descriptive detail takes you back in time to 1861, the day Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated, as if you are walking on the cobblestone back alley streets with them or dancing at the ball in your hoop skirt.
Adam Quinn is part of Abraham Lincoln’s assistants. He is the jack-of-all-trades guy. Not knowing fully why he was brought on until President Lincoln's inauguration ball when a man is found stabbed to death and the President assigned Mr. Quinn to find out the who and why. Mr. Quinn proceeds his duty using the skills of animal hunting that he learned from the Kansas frontier to track down a murder during a time of uncertainty and a country in transition doesn’t make his job easy.
What keeps you reading is not only the scenery portrayed in detail, but the storyline itself and how at that time, some slaves were considered "free", the north and south were fighting, and women still weren't allowed the freedom of today. The combination of all these things happening back in 1861 and a murder at the inauguration ball made one amazing thriller of a story.
One of the most fascinating parts of this story to me is that Adam Quinn saw people for people. That his training from back home leads him to trust people to help no matter what color or background. He saw that people are people and did what was needed to get things done.
Then on top of all that, you will keep guessing right to the end on who-did-it!!! the small twist and turns are so well written that you just have to keep reading to find out what happens.
Don't be fooled and think this is one of those mystery novels that are heavy in thought it is not. This is so well written and grabs your attention, that you will breeze right thought it and before you know it it’s over and your left with thought of "WOW, well played". Five thrilling stars.
November 29, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. The attention to the historical detail was amazing, especially when discussing the differences between those slaves who were considered "free" and those who were not. The plot was well-written and kept my attention until the very end.
At the party after Lincoln's inauguration, a dead body is found. The President asks Adam Quinn, recently arrived in Washington from Kansas and the son of an old friend, to investigate. Adam is a fish out of water in D.C., but he dives right in and starts looking for suspects. His search takes him from the upper corridors of power to the slums of the city as he tries to find the murderer.
This is a great book and I highly recommend it. Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
At the party after Lincoln's inauguration, a dead body is found. The President asks Adam Quinn, recently arrived in Washington from Kansas and the son of an old friend, to investigate. Adam is a fish out of water in D.C., but he dives right in and starts looking for suspects. His search takes him from the upper corridors of power to the slums of the city as he tries to find the murderer.
This is a great book and I highly recommend it. Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 4, 2019
This was a perfectly fine historical mystery, set during the first week of Lincoln's presidency. The main character is the fictional Adam Quinn, nephew of Lincoln's real friend Joshua Speed. The murder investigation is a bit rote, and the culprit is both out of left field but understandable. But overall it was a fine read.
One critique: I wish C.M. Gleason didn't occasionally refer to the enslaved characters as "servants."
One critique: I wish C.M. Gleason didn't occasionally refer to the enslaved characters as "servants."
May 27, 2018
C.M. Gleason introduces us to the conflicted and incredibly complicated world of 1861, when our nation was about to be divided and every ideal it had been based on less than a century earlier put to the test. Gleason deftly introduces us to a Lincoln who is much in the same vein as Daniel Day Lewis's portrayal -- an outwardly simple and straightforward yet inwardly complex man who gains both the reader's and the sleuth's sympathies. Adam Quinn likes and respects Lincoln, and genuinely wants to protect him and his presidency. Quinn, a man driven by honor, is a frontiersman who's out of place in the middle of Washington politics, but it's this very quality of being an outsider that allows him to see circumstances and suspects from a fresh perspective, while at the same time his suffering at the hands of anti-abolitionists keeps him on his guard. Very well done!
March 24, 2023
I'm so happy I found Ms. Gleason's books! These don't have to be read in any order, there are no cliff hangers, and no overt sex. I'm now on book three, having finished the other two. This makes me a bit sad since there doesn't seem to be more in this series.
I love murder mysteries, and these don't disappoint. Our Adam Quinn is a humble man who slowly solves these murders with the help of Dr. Hilton, a free man of color, and Miss Sophie Gates an aspiring reporter. These are the three main characters in all three books, so we get to see their relationships progress as they work together to solve these crimes.
What I liked most about these stories was trying to guess which events and people were fictional and which were based on facts.
I urge you to read Ms. Gleason's books, they are interesting and a great way to relax and pass a few hours. Once you begin one of these books you won't be able to put them down so set aside three or four hours for reading.
I love murder mysteries, and these don't disappoint. Our Adam Quinn is a humble man who slowly solves these murders with the help of Dr. Hilton, a free man of color, and Miss Sophie Gates an aspiring reporter. These are the three main characters in all three books, so we get to see their relationships progress as they work together to solve these crimes.
What I liked most about these stories was trying to guess which events and people were fictional and which were based on facts.
I urge you to read Ms. Gleason's books, they are interesting and a great way to relax and pass a few hours. Once you begin one of these books you won't be able to put them down so set aside three or four hours for reading.
December 14, 2017
3.5. An easy read that kept my attention, and it moved along swiftly. I liked the characters and am looking forward to Mystery #2.
December 19, 2021
A rousing good mystery in the era of Lincoln! Well-researched, well-written, and entertaining. Look forward to the next in the series!
January 22, 2023
This was a very interesting premise. Story flowed pretty well. A few plot holes but nothing major. Overall an entertaining read
November 30, 2020
I bought this book last fall because I was intrigued by the premise, but it took me a year (and some change...) before I actually picked it up. I regret not reading this sooner! I was pleasantly surprised by just how much I loved this.
We follow Adam Quinn, who is part of President Lincoln's security team. At Lincoln's inaugural ball, a dead body is found (just a few yards from the POTUS, might I add). President Lincoln tasks Adam with investigating the murder, which takes him on a journey across DC where he meets some eccentric, fun and suspicious characters.
When a second dead body turns up inside the White House, Adam has to race against time to find the culprit before they reach the president himself. He ends up putting himself in harm's way because someone REALLY does not want these murders solved...
There are clever little clues throughout the book, and Gleason does a great job of placing the reader directly in 1860s Washington. There are some hilarious scenes in this book (and some pretty gruesome ones, too). Overall it features a great balance of humor and mystery and suspense, and I look forward to reading the next book in the series!
We follow Adam Quinn, who is part of President Lincoln's security team. At Lincoln's inaugural ball, a dead body is found (just a few yards from the POTUS, might I add). President Lincoln tasks Adam with investigating the murder, which takes him on a journey across DC where he meets some eccentric, fun and suspicious characters.
When a second dead body turns up inside the White House, Adam has to race against time to find the culprit before they reach the president himself. He ends up putting himself in harm's way because someone REALLY does not want these murders solved...
There are clever little clues throughout the book, and Gleason does a great job of placing the reader directly in 1860s Washington. There are some hilarious scenes in this book (and some pretty gruesome ones, too). Overall it features a great balance of humor and mystery and suspense, and I look forward to reading the next book in the series!
December 21, 2017
I’m a historical fiction buff, especially for the Civil War era and doubly for anything about the Lincolns. It was with bated breath that I opened the cover of this first book in the Adam Quinn series.
The time is March 4, 1861, Lincoln’s first inauguration. The day has gone rather smoothly…a bomb threat at Lincoln’s podium was thwarted, but otherwise it’s been a peaceful day. Now it’s almost 11 p.m. and the Lincoln’s have…finally…made an appearance at the Inaugural Ball.
While Abe and his beloved Mary promenade around the room, a body is discovered in one of the side rooms. There isn’t much blood, but Custer Billings is dead, apparently stabbed. When Abe learns of what has happened he asks his closest friend, Joshua Speed’s, nephew, Adam, to handle the case.
Adam has no background in detective work. In fact he has just returned from the Kansas Territory. He accepts the challenge and the search for the killer begins.
Author Colleen Gleason, writer of more than twenty books, does an excellent job in steeping the reader in the 1860s culture, politics and ambiance of Washington, D.C. The Ball is held in a thrown together building, erected especially for the occasion. Planks cover the mud outside. The half-finished Capitol Building looms in the background. I felt as if I was at the ball with the description of the dresses, the dances, the men’s fashions. But often Gleason went on too long. She used the same description of the dresses several times, and repeated many images.
Given the tenseness of the times, there is no tension in Murder in the Lincoln White House. Most of the time we see Adam scurrying from place to place, trying to enlist the help of anyone he can to solve the murder, picking up a small clue here and there and berating the ones he does have to death. As the novel takes place over three-four days, that makes the plot seem to move even slower.
I want to give this disappointing novel 2 stars, but the author's research coerced me into giving it 3 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.
The time is March 4, 1861, Lincoln’s first inauguration. The day has gone rather smoothly…a bomb threat at Lincoln’s podium was thwarted, but otherwise it’s been a peaceful day. Now it’s almost 11 p.m. and the Lincoln’s have…finally…made an appearance at the Inaugural Ball.
While Abe and his beloved Mary promenade around the room, a body is discovered in one of the side rooms. There isn’t much blood, but Custer Billings is dead, apparently stabbed. When Abe learns of what has happened he asks his closest friend, Joshua Speed’s, nephew, Adam, to handle the case.
Adam has no background in detective work. In fact he has just returned from the Kansas Territory. He accepts the challenge and the search for the killer begins.
Author Colleen Gleason, writer of more than twenty books, does an excellent job in steeping the reader in the 1860s culture, politics and ambiance of Washington, D.C. The Ball is held in a thrown together building, erected especially for the occasion. Planks cover the mud outside. The half-finished Capitol Building looms in the background. I felt as if I was at the ball with the description of the dresses, the dances, the men’s fashions. But often Gleason went on too long. She used the same description of the dresses several times, and repeated many images.
Given the tenseness of the times, there is no tension in Murder in the Lincoln White House. Most of the time we see Adam scurrying from place to place, trying to enlist the help of anyone he can to solve the murder, picking up a small clue here and there and berating the ones he does have to death. As the novel takes place over three-four days, that makes the plot seem to move even slower.
I want to give this disappointing novel 2 stars, but the author's research coerced me into giving it 3 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.
September 15, 2017
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.
It's President Lincoln's Inaugural Ball and the room is filled with people, both supportive and non-supportive. This gives Adam Quinn, a long list of possible suspects when a murder is committed. Lincoln has had so many death threats that his staff can't be sure if he was really meant to be the intended victim. Adam is determined to find out just who the killer is .
It's President Lincoln's Inaugural Ball and the room is filled with people, both supportive and non-supportive. This gives Adam Quinn, a long list of possible suspects when a murder is committed. Lincoln has had so many death threats that his staff can't be sure if he was really meant to be the intended victim. Adam is determined to find out just who the killer is .
January 5, 2018
Excellent first entry in what appears to be a new series. Can't wait for the next one to come out!
March 13, 2023
Murder in the Lincoln White House is book one in the Lincoln's White House Mystery series by C. M. Gleason. March 1861, at Abraham Lincoln's inauguration, a murder occurred at the White House. Abraham Lincoln, not trusting one, everyone asked his young friend Adam Quinn to investigate. Adam Quinn needed to act quickly to find the killer, and with his assistants, Sophie and Dr Hilton started to investigate. The readers of Murder in the Lincoln White House will continue to follow Adam Quinn to discover what happens.
Murder in the Lincoln White House is the first book I have read by C. M. Gleason, and I have enjoyed reading this book. I did engage with this historical story and the characters of this book. I love C. M. Gleason's portrayal of her characters and the way they interact with each other throughout this book. Murder in the Lincoln White House is well-written and researched by C. M. Gleason. I like C. M. Gleason's description of the settings of Murder in the Lincoln White, which allows me to imagine being part of the book's plot.
The Murder in the Lincoln White House will learn about the Black Code in Washington City, a curfew placed on African Americans enslaved persons or free to be home before 10 pm. Also, the readers of The Murder in the Lincoln White House will learn about living in The United States in the 1861s.
I recommend this book.
Murder in the Lincoln White House is the first book I have read by C. M. Gleason, and I have enjoyed reading this book. I did engage with this historical story and the characters of this book. I love C. M. Gleason's portrayal of her characters and the way they interact with each other throughout this book. Murder in the Lincoln White House is well-written and researched by C. M. Gleason. I like C. M. Gleason's description of the settings of Murder in the Lincoln White, which allows me to imagine being part of the book's plot.
The Murder in the Lincoln White House will learn about the Black Code in Washington City, a curfew placed on African Americans enslaved persons or free to be home before 10 pm. Also, the readers of The Murder in the Lincoln White House will learn about living in The United States in the 1861s.
I recommend this book.
February 18, 2021
First in a series, this author does her research into recreating the Washington DC of March 1861. A sobering look at our nation's capital at the start of the Lincoln Presidency. Gleason's story is populated with several real life characters from the era - Elizabeth Keckley, Allan Pinkerton, Joshua Speed, the Smithsonian Institution "gang", in addition to the fictionalized main characters of the story. Speeds nephew, Adam, a cross dressing female reporter, a southern belle and a black Doctor join forces to uncover a murder plot during the week of the inauguration. Highlighting everything from the fashion mores for both men and women; social inadequacies between the haves and have nots; the the challenges of the free and slave men, witch are all set against the backdrop of war against slavery. Just what is wonderful with a historical novel.
September 8, 2018
A silly little mystery
I couldn't decide between a 2 or 3 rating for this book . I did enjoy the historical elements to the book and Adam is a fairly engaging hero . But there were so many things that detracted from the book . I found it hard to believe that someone who lost his arm to proponents of slavery would be bewitched by a Southern Belle who believed in the Confederacy . I thought it was clear pretty early on who the murderer was . And I found the woman disguised in men's clothing to be unbelievable and annoying .
I couldn't decide between a 2 or 3 rating for this book . I did enjoy the historical elements to the book and Adam is a fairly engaging hero . But there were so many things that detracted from the book . I found it hard to believe that someone who lost his arm to proponents of slavery would be bewitched by a Southern Belle who believed in the Confederacy . I thought it was clear pretty early on who the murderer was . And I found the woman disguised in men's clothing to be unbelievable and annoying .
January 23, 2019
Sadly this book did not work for me. I thought it would be about a gang of misfits solving crimes to protect the president and instead, we got some boring mystery that had nothing to do with the president and while the cast of characters are interesting, they had almost nothing to do with the story. I was just bored reading this book and won't be continuing on with the series.
****Received an ARC from the publisher****
****Received an ARC from the publisher****
September 2, 2017
Thank you to Goodreads and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read "Murder in the Lincoln White House". The combination of historical fiction, a mysterious killing and a little romance - made for a fun and interesting book.
I think that Adam Quinn will be seen in many more books by C. M. Gleason and I will look forward to reading them when they are available!
I think that Adam Quinn will be seen in many more books by C. M. Gleason and I will look forward to reading them when they are available!
November 13, 2017
Thanks Kensington Books and netgalley for this ARC.
Can't wait to read more from C.M. Gleason. This is just the right combination of mystery, romance, and intrigue. It seems like a unsolvable mystery, but it all comes together in the coolest way. Love the originality of this series.
Can't wait to read more from C.M. Gleason. This is just the right combination of mystery, romance, and intrigue. It seems like a unsolvable mystery, but it all comes together in the coolest way. Love the originality of this series.
November 13, 2017
Thanks Kensington Books and netgalley for this ARC.
You'll never see Lincoln or the White HOuse in quite the same way after reading. this. Loved the way you feel right there in the city and action.
You'll never see Lincoln or the White HOuse in quite the same way after reading. this. Loved the way you feel right there in the city and action.
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