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The Shut Mouth Society
When a rich Santa Barbara collector acquires a newly discovered Abraham Lincoln document, he asks detective Greg Evarts and UCLA professor Patricia Baldwin to authenticate it. Their research launches them into a dangerous struggle with a secret society formed during Reconstruction. Before they can solve the mystery surrounding the Lincoln manuscript, a shocking murder forces them to run for their lives. As they race across the country, they discover a Civil War secret that could upset the balance of power in North America. Now Evarts and Baldwin must unravel the 150-year-old conspiracy before it's too late . . . and before they are silenced for good.
332 pages, Paperback
First published June 10, 2008
186 people are currently reading
605 people want to read
About the author
James D. Best
25 books71 followersJames Best is the author of the bestselling Steve Dancy Tales: The Shopkeeper, Leadville, Murder at Thumb Butte, The Return, Jenny's Revenge, Crossing the Animas, and No Peace. His contemporary Best Thrillers series includes The Shut Mouth Society, Deluge, and The Templar Reprisals. Tempest at Dawn is a classic novelization of the United States Constitutional Convention. Principled Action and The Digital Organization are nonfiction books. James has ghost written three books, authored two regular magazine columns, and published numerous journal articles. As a conference speaker, he has made presentations throughout North America and Europe. He is a member of Western Writers of America, Western Literature Association, and the Pacific Beach Surf Club. James enjoys writing, film, surfing, skiing, and watching his grandchildren play sports and cavort.
His blog address and contact information can be found at http://jamesdbest.blogspot.com/
James and his wife Diane live in Omaha, San Diego, and New York City. (Close to all the things he loves except skiing. Invitations to a mountain cabins gladly accepted.)
His blog address and contact information can be found at http://jamesdbest.blogspot.com/
James and his wife Diane live in Omaha, San Diego, and New York City. (Close to all the things he loves except skiing. Invitations to a mountain cabins gladly accepted.)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
October 29, 2012
I checked this book out from the kindle lending library. The cover pictured here is not the cover on the book I got. Mine is like an American flag. I think the cover featuring Abe Lincoln mislead a few people into thinking this book was specifically about Abe. Actually, I'm not really sure what category this book belongs in. There is a conspiracy involving Lincoln's never before seen documents. A secret society that tries to protect these papers and one that wants to steal them. So, we get part historical fiction, part mystery / thriller /crime /adventure / romance. This book had a little of everything. Although we get some history lessons and theories about Lincoln, who is endlessly fascinating, the focus is more on the present day.
A cop and a professor are given a code to crack that was attached to a Lincoln document. Before they even get started they find themselves on the run. Greg and Trish can't trust anyone, maybe not even each other.
I liked this book. I didn't have any preconceived notions about it. It's different from most mystery / thrillers I read. It was a nice change of pace.
I really liked Greg, but I was not all that fond of Trish. I just didn't find ber all that warm of a person and she jerked Greg around several times and acted like a b ****.
Overall a B -.
A cop and a professor are given a code to crack that was attached to a Lincoln document. Before they even get started they find themselves on the run. Greg and Trish can't trust anyone, maybe not even each other.
I liked this book. I didn't have any preconceived notions about it. It's different from most mystery / thrillers I read. It was a nice change of pace.
I really liked Greg, but I was not all that fond of Trish. I just didn't find ber all that warm of a person and she jerked Greg around several times and acted like a b ****.
Overall a B -.
January 9, 2019
It started off super interesting and reminded me of national treasure (although I don’t know every single detail of Lincoln’s tenure or detail of the civil war) but then got too dumb. The secret the SMS was protecting was way too out there and I’m not sure I care or understand how “devastating” it really was.
January 8, 2017
It was Abraham Lincoln (and, by the way, Charles Darwin)'s 200th birthday, and when I saw the whiskerless visage of the Railsplitter peering up at me, the Matthew Brady image slipping off the front cover of this book, I thought for a second about what a truly great president he was, and what a complex person he was as well. I ruminated on the two new biographies on Lincoln I ought to read--the one by African American Studies professor Henry Louis Gates revisiting and critiquing the popular reduction of Lincoln to "the man who wanted to free the slaves" and the new biography by Ronald White that particularly focuses on him as a reader, a writer, and a public speaker. Recent reviews had suggested both these books were well written and thought provoking.
But this book was within reach right now, and the title intrigued me--apparently it was a historical novel about some clandestine society that secretly came to power in the nineteenth century. I opted for the immediate gratification directly in front of me. When I learned the story was set in the present, but a UCLA history professor (female) and a Santa Barbara detective (male) had to find a mysterious missing Lincoln document to confront the Forces of Evil that secretly control our lives, I had a moment's angst: this sounded quite a bit like that godawful sequel Nicolas Cage movie from last year, "National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets" (side mini-review/rant: I had nothing against the fine actors in that film--Harvey Keitel, Ed Harris, the great Helen Mirren as the mother!--but if you saw it and you are a logical person who knows a bit of history I'm sure you were troubled too by the blatant inconsistencies, illogical premises and situations, insipid dialogues, cliched motifs, and truly unbelievable coincidences the audience was expected to accept without question to move that tale along. It was all about making things go BOOM and holding the attention of violence addicts, it lacked subtlety and thought,and disregarded true history in favor of a perceived need to dumb things down to better market at the multiplex.) Anyway, I still was interested in the possibility of a GOOD story built around the premise of a Lincoln-related conspiracy. Would this new book by Best suffice?
My response after reading the book is a mixed yes and no. As I read more and more, I got a sense this book was never sure what genre it wanted to fit into; the author seemed to adopt the tactic of trying to throw in something for everyone. But in that calculated strategy of blending in so much, there is a danger of diluting the effectiveness in any one particular category, and another possible problem with shifting tone and mood so often. This book starts out as a historical document inquiry, shifts to a grisly murder mystery that becomes an exercise in unravel-the-multilayered-conspiracy (with a group so dangerous and widely connected, by the way, that they could make the Illuminati tremble--their true Evil as it continues to be revealed as the novel goes on is one of the book's strengths). After the hero and heroine's eyes meet we get quite a lot of romance in a modern vein, which means the heroine professor is not only liberated and brilliant, but they both can easily end up in bed for a few pages of described sex. Then have a misunderstanding, make-up, be separated, find each other--you know the routine. The hero is the tough loner type who seems to lack or need some basic social skills, but her presence transforms him. The book shifts again to an on-the-run tale, then moves into a SWAT assault team battle type finish that was actually quite thrilling.
Along the way we might spend considerable time learning the pair's workout routines at a gym, or getting detailed descriptions of the upscale lofts where they might hide or the fabulous cuisine they might sup on one of their many dinners out. Then we get a shift to a Mission Impossible style use of technology to outsmart the enemy. In short, I came to the book for the history component, and there was enough of it there to keep me reading, but more than once I thought "this section is so obviously targeting women" then a few pages later "now this section is targeting men," or in another few pages I would think "this section is thrown in for the history buffs" then "here comes the part for the guys who like things to explode." I just wish that if an author attempts to cover such a wide range of styles that he would do so in a way that didn't seem to shift so forcefully so often, as it kept pulling me out of the flow of the narrative.
But this book was within reach right now, and the title intrigued me--apparently it was a historical novel about some clandestine society that secretly came to power in the nineteenth century. I opted for the immediate gratification directly in front of me. When I learned the story was set in the present, but a UCLA history professor (female) and a Santa Barbara detective (male) had to find a mysterious missing Lincoln document to confront the Forces of Evil that secretly control our lives, I had a moment's angst: this sounded quite a bit like that godawful sequel Nicolas Cage movie from last year, "National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets" (side mini-review/rant: I had nothing against the fine actors in that film--Harvey Keitel, Ed Harris, the great Helen Mirren as the mother!--but if you saw it and you are a logical person who knows a bit of history I'm sure you were troubled too by the blatant inconsistencies, illogical premises and situations, insipid dialogues, cliched motifs, and truly unbelievable coincidences the audience was expected to accept without question to move that tale along. It was all about making things go BOOM and holding the attention of violence addicts, it lacked subtlety and thought,and disregarded true history in favor of a perceived need to dumb things down to better market at the multiplex.) Anyway, I still was interested in the possibility of a GOOD story built around the premise of a Lincoln-related conspiracy. Would this new book by Best suffice?
My response after reading the book is a mixed yes and no. As I read more and more, I got a sense this book was never sure what genre it wanted to fit into; the author seemed to adopt the tactic of trying to throw in something for everyone. But in that calculated strategy of blending in so much, there is a danger of diluting the effectiveness in any one particular category, and another possible problem with shifting tone and mood so often. This book starts out as a historical document inquiry, shifts to a grisly murder mystery that becomes an exercise in unravel-the-multilayered-conspiracy (with a group so dangerous and widely connected, by the way, that they could make the Illuminati tremble--their true Evil as it continues to be revealed as the novel goes on is one of the book's strengths). After the hero and heroine's eyes meet we get quite a lot of romance in a modern vein, which means the heroine professor is not only liberated and brilliant, but they both can easily end up in bed for a few pages of described sex. Then have a misunderstanding, make-up, be separated, find each other--you know the routine. The hero is the tough loner type who seems to lack or need some basic social skills, but her presence transforms him. The book shifts again to an on-the-run tale, then moves into a SWAT assault team battle type finish that was actually quite thrilling.
Along the way we might spend considerable time learning the pair's workout routines at a gym, or getting detailed descriptions of the upscale lofts where they might hide or the fabulous cuisine they might sup on one of their many dinners out. Then we get a shift to a Mission Impossible style use of technology to outsmart the enemy. In short, I came to the book for the history component, and there was enough of it there to keep me reading, but more than once I thought "this section is so obviously targeting women" then a few pages later "now this section is targeting men," or in another few pages I would think "this section is thrown in for the history buffs" then "here comes the part for the guys who like things to explode." I just wish that if an author attempts to cover such a wide range of styles that he would do so in a way that didn't seem to shift so forcefully so often, as it kept pulling me out of the flow of the narrative.
July 29, 2015
This is a fast-paced, fabulous story!
I don't tend to like stories that meander through the plot--I like a good, focused plot--and Best did not disappoint. There were times when I couldn't put it down. (There were other times when it was more like an action-film, and I did skim some of the "fight scenes"--hence the 4 stars. I would have given it 4.5 stars if I could). The story is well-conceived and well-executed; the writing is excellent. The tension in the story definitely emanated off the page, and there were times when I worried about which characters could be trusted, or I feared that the protagonists had made the wrong choice. Speaking of the protagonists: these characters are likeable and real; they are inconspicuously created and come to life almost immediately.
As a plus: the book has great descriptions of Boston and the LA area (both places that I have lived; the descriptions made me feel like I was right back at home). #love
Once again, the only reason I shied away from giving this the full 5 stars was that the fight scenes were a little too long, and things dragged a bit around those. But otherwise, so so SO glad I read this. It's my first Best book, and I'm speedily grabbing a copy of his next (Tempest at Dawn). Can't wait!
I don't tend to like stories that meander through the plot--I like a good, focused plot--and Best did not disappoint. There were times when I couldn't put it down. (There were other times when it was more like an action-film, and I did skim some of the "fight scenes"--hence the 4 stars. I would have given it 4.5 stars if I could). The story is well-conceived and well-executed; the writing is excellent. The tension in the story definitely emanated off the page, and there were times when I worried about which characters could be trusted, or I feared that the protagonists had made the wrong choice. Speaking of the protagonists: these characters are likeable and real; they are inconspicuously created and come to life almost immediately.
As a plus: the book has great descriptions of Boston and the LA area (both places that I have lived; the descriptions made me feel like I was right back at home). #love
Once again, the only reason I shied away from giving this the full 5 stars was that the fight scenes were a little too long, and things dragged a bit around those. But otherwise, so so SO glad I read this. It's my first Best book, and I'm speedily grabbing a copy of his next (Tempest at Dawn). Can't wait!
July 15, 2009
I know you should never judge a book by its cover but I just couldn't resist with this one. Doesn't it look intriguing? I love historical fiction so seeing the serious cover and knowing it could give me more insight into the Lincoln days made me excited to read this book. It was probably one of the worst books I've ever read. The first 100 pages were pure action (people running from other people) and a long and slow build up of the discovery of a secret society that held secrets of Lincoln, the civil war and his assassination.But as the "mystery" began to unravel it was so uninteresting and superficial. Which is exactly how I would describe the characters as well. The characters had no depth. At one point they are on the run and they feel like they need a workout so they go to a gym. I mean who writes that kind of stuff? This is an airplane book at best. And it shouldn't even be considered historical fiction.
January 30, 2018
A decent fun read. Not the most eloquent prose, but the story did surprise me some. I thought I had it all figured out about a third of the way through (but I was half wrong!). Parts are very predictable but overall I did enjoy the ride.
I think the Steve Dancy Tales are stronger and better suited to his writing style.
I think the Steve Dancy Tales are stronger and better suited to his writing style.
July 15, 2018
Fascinating, kept me turning the pages
A thriller based on historical events and documents. I had forgotten it in my library until 2 days ago. Then had to stay awake late into the night because I couldn’t put it down. Drama, thrills, secrets, US history. Looking forward to more by this author!
A thriller based on historical events and documents. I had forgotten it in my library until 2 days ago. Then had to stay awake late into the night because I couldn’t put it down. Drama, thrills, secrets, US history. Looking forward to more by this author!
February 3, 2012
We're straddling a fence between historical mystery and police thriller here, and the premise should work....Lincoln is a dynamic figure to build a story of intrigue around, not much written material exists of his daily life or inner thoughts, and the many conspiracy theories built around the man should lend credence to yet one more. As the story gains momentum I began to see the possibilities for something new that could be a course-changer for either the near future, our perception of the past, or even something entirely astonishing. The book's fault is this very expectation. If an author is going to take on Lincoln and conspiracies, he/she'd better make it live up to our expectations. A hidden agenda by a secret organization to financially rape the south is hardly new, and a long-gestating plot to take-over Mexico simply makes one ask "why?" Or......so what? Is this the best conspiracy one can build around one of the most dynamic figures during the most troubled time in our history? The book utterly fails on this level. The action is good....it is reminiscent of a Ludlum novel as characters rush non-stop from point, to point, to exhausting point. But, I want something unexpected and thought provoking at the end of the my part in this story (reading the damn thing)and didn't get it. I'll be kind to the author and leave it at that.
July 24, 2012
I read a review of this book before I started reading it that suggested that James Best makes syntactical and plot errors that "even Writing 101 students don't make". I couldn't disagree more! The story, centered around the discovery of Abraham Lincoln's political documents and the secret society determined to protect them, is extremely engaging to say the least. The relationship between the two main characters was a bit cheesy, but I could stomach it. I found myself turning the pages (or,, more accurately, tapping my Kindle) to find out what happened next. A good summer read!
May 16, 2016
If you enjoy history (fact and fiction) then I highly recommend this book.
A small time cop and a history professor are thrown together unexpectedly and have to fight to not only survive but to unravel a mystery that dates back to Abraham Lincoln, corruption and secret societies.
Although the ending was a bit of a disappointment, it wasn't bad. More details about how everything came to a close, that I was anticipating greatly, were left out for a more generalized finish. However, it wasn't enough to ruin the rest of the book and I look forward to reading more of James D. Best books.
A small time cop and a history professor are thrown together unexpectedly and have to fight to not only survive but to unravel a mystery that dates back to Abraham Lincoln, corruption and secret societies.
Although the ending was a bit of a disappointment, it wasn't bad. More details about how everything came to a close, that I was anticipating greatly, were left out for a more generalized finish. However, it wasn't enough to ruin the rest of the book and I look forward to reading more of James D. Best books.
May 19, 2015
It took me forever to finish this book - I found it plodding and boring... I'm not a huge fan of writing styles that say a lot of things that don't need to be said. 'He walked to the phone. He lifted the receiver. He heard the dial tone. He dialed the number.' There was way too much of that for me.
October 31, 2017
An excellent historical tale of suspense and intrigue
This tale keeps a reader intised to read another page then another. The author has gone to great lengths with all the background of history from the famous early colonial data to the Abe Lincoln era to the present all tied up nicely to conclusive finale. It should make a great movie someday.
This tale keeps a reader intised to read another page then another. The author has gone to great lengths with all the background of history from the famous early colonial data to the Abe Lincoln era to the present all tied up nicely to conclusive finale. It should make a great movie someday.
July 7, 2017
Outstanding performance and plot
I truly enjoyed all of this book. It was educational and entertaining.The primary two people were always surprising me with their actions. I didn't know what would happen until the end. A Great Read.
I truly enjoyed all of this book. It was educational and entertaining.The primary two people were always surprising me with their actions. I didn't know what would happen until the end. A Great Read.
October 25, 2012
This book sucks. It starts out so promising and full of action. But it ends up being a stupid love story. My eyes hurt from rolling. Huge let down.
August 9, 2014
4 1/4 stars. Really like historical fiction because is learn a lot while enjoying a good story.
October 2, 2019
Brilliant thriller
I ran out of James D Best’s western Steve Dancy series books and decided to try this since I love his writing. It was great! Loved the characters, the intrigue, the levels and layers of story. If you like thrillers, you’ll love this one!
I ran out of James D Best’s western Steve Dancy series books and decided to try this since I love his writing. It was great! Loved the characters, the intrigue, the levels and layers of story. If you like thrillers, you’ll love this one!
December 28, 2017
Enjoyable
Loved the mystery and intrigue. Don't know how much is fiction and how much is reality, but it makes for a great story!
Loved the mystery and intrigue. Don't know how much is fiction and how much is reality, but it makes for a great story!
March 10, 2018
Grabs a hold of you, right from the get go. At times, it seemed like it was running around in circles, but, overall, a good book.
May 11, 2019
Compelling Drama
An engaging amalgam of plausible historical detail and good old-fashioned derring-do. Mr Best can hold one's attention beyond one's capacity to stay awake!
An engaging amalgam of plausible historical detail and good old-fashioned derring-do. Mr Best can hold one's attention beyond one's capacity to stay awake!
September 2, 2019
It's not a bad book, it's just to...wordy I guess. There are just too many words that don't have to be there.
January 26, 2016
Where history and and mystery meet
The Shut Mouth Society has something for both the history lover and the mystery lover, so it is perfect for anyone who is both. Set in modern day America, the mystery could come right out of the headlines: drug cartels, political intrigue, money laundering, and racism.
All of this is triggered by the discovery of secret societies dating back to the Civil War and Reconstruction. The basic premise of the story is the little known fact that our beloved 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, was not the simple, down home country boy who wrote good speeches and did great things, but instead was a shrewd politician who used every trick in the political book to achieve his ends. He rarely allowed his most private thought be known publicly, he answered questions with funny stories or observations instead of direct answers, and was quite willing to do whatever was expedient to achieve his goals. These facts about Lincoln, the conduct of the Civil War, and the events that took place during Reconstruction are presented as the reason for the 21st century crimes that set our protagonists on a trip across the country to save themselves and stop the mastermind behind it all.
The plot involves two secret societies, both with tremendous wealth and influence, one good, one evil, with histories dating back to the country's founding father, Roger Sherman, singer of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. It is up to our protagonists to discover what these secret societies are, how they work, where they fit into the picture, and how to stay alive while solving the mysteries they find along the way.
If you want a book full of action and intrigue, and would like to maybe learn something about the people in the history books along the way, this is the perfect book for you.
The Shut Mouth Society has something for both the history lover and the mystery lover, so it is perfect for anyone who is both. Set in modern day America, the mystery could come right out of the headlines: drug cartels, political intrigue, money laundering, and racism.
All of this is triggered by the discovery of secret societies dating back to the Civil War and Reconstruction. The basic premise of the story is the little known fact that our beloved 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, was not the simple, down home country boy who wrote good speeches and did great things, but instead was a shrewd politician who used every trick in the political book to achieve his ends. He rarely allowed his most private thought be known publicly, he answered questions with funny stories or observations instead of direct answers, and was quite willing to do whatever was expedient to achieve his goals. These facts about Lincoln, the conduct of the Civil War, and the events that took place during Reconstruction are presented as the reason for the 21st century crimes that set our protagonists on a trip across the country to save themselves and stop the mastermind behind it all.
The plot involves two secret societies, both with tremendous wealth and influence, one good, one evil, with histories dating back to the country's founding father, Roger Sherman, singer of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. It is up to our protagonists to discover what these secret societies are, how they work, where they fit into the picture, and how to stay alive while solving the mysteries they find along the way.
If you want a book full of action and intrigue, and would like to maybe learn something about the people in the history books along the way, this is the perfect book for you.
April 19, 2012
I really enjoyed James Best’s western series but I wasn’t sure how well he’d do with a modern thriller, even if it did involve history Da-Vinci-Code-style. Fortunately, I wasn’t disappointed. The historical details were very interesting and combined with a fictional conspiracy theory and the action of a modern thriller, it worked very well. My only criticism is that there was way too much “relationship” talk between/about the two protagonists. A budding romance is great but the main character spend too much time wondering about where their relationship was going when they still hardly knew each other and you'd think they'd be a little busy running from the bad guys.
I think the book is getting some negative feedback because it's been marketed as "historical fiction" but I wouldn't consider it such. With the exception of one historical scene in the beginning, it's set in modern day times. It involves history but I feel if it's not set in historical times, it shouldn't be considered historical fiction and I think that's how a lot of people feel about it. So I think a lot of the wrong audience are picking this up and expecting it to be something it's not.
I think the book is getting some negative feedback because it's been marketed as "historical fiction" but I wouldn't consider it such. With the exception of one historical scene in the beginning, it's set in modern day times. It involves history but I feel if it's not set in historical times, it shouldn't be considered historical fiction and I think that's how a lot of people feel about it. So I think a lot of the wrong audience are picking this up and expecting it to be something it's not.
June 10, 2015
A police detective is asked to bring a renowned Lincoln specialist to a friend’s house who might have a document belonging to Lincoln that had never been seen before. Mysterious directions about a secret society are dismissed until a heinous murder occurs. Then both the detective and the professor find themselves running for their lives.
This was a very enjoyable read that had me reading until I had absorbed the last word. Everything was kept in the dark and pulling me along wanting to know more. Well written and intense.
I think the best part was the history woven in. I loved reading how history could have been. Now I’m not a Lincoln expert now am I an expert in that era of American History. So I’m sure that those who are might find several holes in the plot and the theories presented. But from an entertaining fiction story based on history, this was amazingly done. It had me wanting to research the topics and learn more about what was true and what was completely fiction.
Great mystery and perfect for history buffs. I’ll be buying the next book for sure.
Note: I received this book with no expectation of a positive review.
This was a very enjoyable read that had me reading until I had absorbed the last word. Everything was kept in the dark and pulling me along wanting to know more. Well written and intense.
I think the best part was the history woven in. I loved reading how history could have been. Now I’m not a Lincoln expert now am I an expert in that era of American History. So I’m sure that those who are might find several holes in the plot and the theories presented. But from an entertaining fiction story based on history, this was amazingly done. It had me wanting to research the topics and learn more about what was true and what was completely fiction.
Great mystery and perfect for history buffs. I’ll be buying the next book for sure.
Note: I received this book with no expectation of a positive review.
April 14, 2013
The Shut Mouth Society by James D. Best is the kind of book I like best.
It starts with a rich collector who has discovered an early Abraham Lincoln document. The collector asks two people to authenticate the manuscript: Greg Evarts, a detective, and Patricia Baldwin, a professor. The professor, of course, is not only smart but stinking rich and beautiful. The novel has everything from intrigue and murder to romance.
The story begins in California and progresses to the historical east coast where the reader is introduced to private libraries, secret apartments, and shown how rich and powerful civil war descendants live. Conspiracies and secret societies from the Civil War era are unveiled in such a realistic manner that, when I finished the book, I actually did some research to separate fact from fiction.
It starts with a rich collector who has discovered an early Abraham Lincoln document. The collector asks two people to authenticate the manuscript: Greg Evarts, a detective, and Patricia Baldwin, a professor. The professor, of course, is not only smart but stinking rich and beautiful. The novel has everything from intrigue and murder to romance.
The story begins in California and progresses to the historical east coast where the reader is introduced to private libraries, secret apartments, and shown how rich and powerful civil war descendants live. Conspiracies and secret societies from the Civil War era are unveiled in such a realistic manner that, when I finished the book, I actually did some research to separate fact from fiction.
August 9, 2012
So I love hostorical fiction and I just finished reading "Tempest at Dawn" by Best and gave it a 4-star rating. I am also a fanatic Abraham Lincoln devotee so how could this book miss. Well, it did and in a big way for me.
The book turned out to be an action story with a police detective and professor running from assassins that are part of a drug cartel. The dialogue is "cheesy", something you'd hear on a run-of-the-mill TV detective show. There was little to do with Lincoln other than the prologue, with his papaers an excuse for the race across the country.
I was so disappointed . . .
The book turned out to be an action story with a police detective and professor running from assassins that are part of a drug cartel. The dialogue is "cheesy", something you'd hear on a run-of-the-mill TV detective show. There was little to do with Lincoln other than the prologue, with his papaers an excuse for the race across the country.
I was so disappointed . . .
March 4, 2015
A mix between National Treasure and The Da Vinci Code...
I got this as a free Kindle book years ago and finally decided to read it. Plot-wise, it's pretty good, but the writing is kind of clunky in places. I'm sure it's a quirk of the kindle edition, but there were definite typos or weird words. For example, it said "rhubarb" once where I'm pretty sure it was supposed to say "hubbub". I also take issue to "Columbians" vs. "Colombians" since an editor should have caught that.
Anyway, the story is pretty good and unfolds pretty well, but, like most of these kinds of stories, the conspiracy element and the characters' relation to it is kind of hard to swallow.
I got this as a free Kindle book years ago and finally decided to read it. Plot-wise, it's pretty good, but the writing is kind of clunky in places. I'm sure it's a quirk of the kindle edition, but there were definite typos or weird words. For example, it said "rhubarb" once where I'm pretty sure it was supposed to say "hubbub". I also take issue to "Columbians" vs. "Colombians" since an editor should have caught that.
Anyway, the story is pretty good and unfolds pretty well, but, like most of these kinds of stories, the conspiracy element and the characters' relation to it is kind of hard to swallow.
May 4, 2009
I was really disappointed with this one. I had such high hopes for it-an historical novel about Lincoln and the Civil War era. There was a ton of potential. But there was just something lacking, and I don't even know if I know what it was. One thing that irritated me was the lack of use of the character's first names. Both of them were constantly referred to by only their last name and 3/4 of the way through the book I still had to think about whether Baldwin was the girl or the guy. Anyway, I was let down.
July 21, 2012
Interesting concept ... begins in Abraham Lincoln's timeframe and moves on to a present day thriller along the lines of the 'Davinci Code' with clues that need to be followed while bad things happen to good people without anyone knowing why. Definately readable and if you like history, it's a fun read even if it gets a little predictable at the end. Not bad and I'll probably try another by Mr. Best in the future. Enjoy!
October 10, 2012
If you pick up this book thinking it's historical fiction, you'll be very disappointed. Only the prologue is. The rest of the book is a modern cop story. I found it interesting at first, as the copy and a college professor attempt to figure out what The Shut Mouth Society is and why they are apparently trying to kill the pair. But once they figure out this mystery, the book is more about shoot outs and action, which isn't really my cup of tea. Still, this is a respectable novel in its category.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews