The Haunting of Abraham Lincoln

by Kyle K. Wolfson

A MAN CAN BE HAUNTED IN SO MANY WAYS

With the end of the Civil War imminent, a spirit of celebration permeates the United States capitol, yet President Lincoln can’t shake his uneasiness. Plagued by disturbing dreams and ghostly visits from his son, Willie, Lincoln begins to question the realities of his life. Has he fulfilled his sole purpose, and if so, what’s next? Elsewhere in the city, John Wilkes Booth wrestles with his own demons as he moves closer and closer to an insistent calling to be the savior of the Confederacy.

TWO MEN, THEIR DESTINIES INTERTWINED

In The Haunting of Abraham Lincoln, Kyle K. Wolfson takes factual bones and clothes them with the flesh and blood of what might have been, crafting a stirring tale of ambition gone wrong, promise cut short, and light that cannot be extinguished.

243 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 16, 2018

About the author

Kyle K Wolfson grew up in Woodstock GA, the oldest of nine children. In 2008 he moved to Las Vegas and started working in the entertainment industry. He spent over a decade working as a roadie, traveling around the country and world as an automation programmer for various bands. He wrote several novels during his free time and even sometimes during concerts.

Recently he has returned to Woodstock along with his wife and daughter to be closer to his family.

Follow Kyle on social media for book updates and his thoughts on the Atlanta Braves.

www.instagram.com/kylekwolfsonwritings/

www.facebook.com/kylekwolfsonwritings

Or reach out to him via Email. kyle at kylekwolfson.com

Reviews

[Janet Wolfson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book on the recommendation of a friend and I'm really glad I did. I love reading about Lincoln and this book did not disappoint. The insights into the minds of both Lincoln and John Wilkes Booth were well thought out and astute and the emotions were believable. Great debut.

[Mariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Haunting of Abraham Lincoln
by Kyle K. Wolfson

I received a complimentary copy and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Abraham Lincoln carries the burden, the "hope of bringing the conflict in his nation to an end," consumed by the needs of not just an individual but of an entire country. Unfortunately, as one crisis is over, another begins.
Dreams of his dead son constantly plague the president, and visions of Willie throughout the day distract him and keep him awake at night. Exhausted by grief and suffering from the atrocities of war, Lincoln knows full well that years of struggle lie ahead for his fellow countrymen. But how to convey his concerns to his people, to his faithful followers, who are only interested in celebrating the end of the war?

In the shadows lurks John Wilkes Booth, watching, plotting, and despising everything the president represents. Seeing himself as the people's hero, Booth has a plan to rid the country of the stain he saw in Abraham Lincoln.
The Haunting of Abraham Lincoln is a moving tale that describes the events leading up to the president’s assassination. The book skillfully depicts the tragic circumstances that claimed his life, laced with moments of peril and resilience. One cannot help but reflect on the senseless loss due to politics and power struggles, and it is deeply heartbreaking to see how his death devastated not only his family but also the entire country.

I was aware of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln when I began this book. Even though Kyle K. Wolfson has fictionalized his writing, it still draws on facts and does a good job of bringing them to life. No one should be singled out and punished for identifying with a particular race or religion, according to Lincoln’s larger-than-life persona. No matter a person’s status or background, they all have the right to choose what they want, and that right should not be violated for any reason. Controversial ideas for the time.

Finding out information about Lincoln and Booth was especially interesting to me while reading this. Lincoln’s visions and dreams have both been frequently reported, so their inclusion and how they develop make the story more plausible. I felt sympathy, loss, and regret for a country that had countless what-ifs after finishing the book. After finishing the book, I was left with a feeling of empathy, loss, and regret for a nation with so much uncertainty at hand. What a waste of a life!
I love history, and I thank Kyle K. Wolfson for waking up the desire to seek out further information concerning such an epic figurehead.

I rate The Haunting of Abraham Lincoln 5 out of 5 stars.
I think this book would be enjoyable for admirers of Lincoln and people interested in the epoch of the Civil War.

[Linda Ossman · Rating 3 out of 5]

“The Haunting of Abraham Lincoln” is a fictionalized account of the last few days of Lincoln’s life after Lee surrendered to Grant to end the Civil War. It was well reported that he had a prophetic dream which showed him in a casket with mourners all around him. This novel expands a bit on those dreams and fictionalizes others in which Lincoln’s dead son Willie appears in an attempt to prepare his father for his eventual demise. Lincoln is trying to focus on reconstruction, but is distracted by the meaning of his dreams. The novel also focuses on Booth’s attempts to recruit people to aid him in his assassination plot of Grant, Seward, Johnson, and Lincoln. However, he is also plagued by Willie’s presence in the form of a child’s laughter.

I will confess I love all things Lincoln, from reading books about him, his wife, and the assassination to watching documentaries about him. So, when I saw this book, I had to read it even though it was a fictional account based on some fact. It was a nice touch to add Willie into the mix as both a positive and a negative force. However, in the grand scheme of things, although fiction, there is nothing new to learn from this book other than another retelling of the days leading up to the assassination as well as the act itself. The final chapter, however, is a bit satisfying for those of us who admire who Lincoln was and what he stood for and hopes this this part is not fiction.

Since this was a fictional account, what would have been a nice change would be to have Lincoln not to go Ford’s Theater, but instead accompany his son Tad to Grover’s Theater, finally understanding what Willie is trying to show him in those dreams, thus thwarting the attack from Booth and living to see his second presidential term through.

[SHIRLEY · Rating 4 out of 5]

This historical fiction book describes the days prior to Lincoln's assassination starting with the dream he had of his son Willie (who had died from typhus while Lincoln was in the White House) showing him a casket and mourners in the White House which foretold of his death. This dream and the premonition of death, kept Lincoln awake at night.
Lincoln's conversations with his cabinet demonstrate that he believes that the conflict (Civil War) is coming to an end and he hopes that reconstruction can begin.
At the same time, John Wilkes Booth, a famous actor in Washington DC, is assembling a group of Southern sympathizers who hate Lincoln and plot his death as well as that of his primary supporters - US Grant, Sec of State Steward, VP Johnson, etc.
The author obviously did a lot of research about Lincoln and the era. The book was well written and
described JWBooth's vicious hatred of Lincoln. The plot to assassinate him was detailed as well.
However, I thought there was a lot of filler information in the book which bogged down the reading and I had a hard time getting into the heart of the story (although we all know the ending). I think the author added a personal side to Booth, which brought out the worst in this dispicable man.
I received a complementary copy of this book from AXPBooks and the publisher and the opinions expressed are my own.

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book begins with Abraham Lincoln‘s dream of a funeral in the White House and ends with him watching his loved ones mourn his loss even though it begins and ends with tragedy the middle isn’t much better. Not to say this wasn’t a great book because it was I have never read such a detailed portrayal of what happened while waiting to assassinate the president and secretary Stewart and his family but now that I have it just makes me sad and I think it was a great thought for the author to end it with Lincoln and little Willie together. These were a bunch of bullies thinking that we’re gonna be heroes I think only a coward would try to kill a man already sick in his bed but only a coward would kill and I know I’m the man in any event. I’m going off on the wrong thing this reviews about this book and I loved it it was fast-paced and told the story in detail from the bad guys and the good guys. I highly recommend The haunting of Abraham Lincoln by Kyle Wolfson even though you think he may know the story like I did but after reading this book it’s total from a totally different dewpoint and was so good. I received this book from NetGalley and a publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

[Stormi Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Haunting Of Abraham Lincoln
By: Kyle Wolfson

5 stars

I want to start by thanking both netgalley and the publisher for this Arc. I am so glad I was given this opportunity.

I didn't know what I was going to get with this book. I know I love history. And a good haunting, sign me up! But, Abraham Lincoln? That is where I was a bit surprised and intrigued. Im glad to say this book did not disappoint. We all know the true story, but this one is one for the history books.

It presented a ghost story tied together with history. It gave a different type of timeline, a different type of tale. I loved that it not only gave Lincolns view, but that of John Wilkes Booth as well. It really painted a realistic side while the story tied them together in the most fantastical of ways.

I was so impressed with this story. The writing was good, the research was good, and the storyline, start to finish, was awesome. This is definitely one I will be telling my friends about.

Stormi Ellis

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure what to think about this book. I really enjoyed it, but realized the parts that I enjoyed the least were the parts that make this book unique. Much of the fictionalized retelling is really good. I thoroughly enjoyed that piece. The spots that were the most challenging for me were the parts involving Willie. I can’t imagine how the death of a child “haunted” Lincoln, but it felt too far of a reach. I know that he did have a recurring dream shortly before his assassination which to me probably would have been enough. Even if all of those dreams involved Willie. The parts that seemed a bit too much were “visions” of Willie during his waking moments and visions of Booth (or a Booth-like character) in his dreams. Felt like a little bit of an unnecessary stretch. Still. I enjoyed the book for what it is. I would give it 3 1/2 stars.

[Stephanie P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Kyle Wolfson for allowing me to read an advanced copy of The Haunting of Abraham Lincoln.

This was my first book about Abraham Lincoln and it was quite a fascinating read. It went back and forth between Abraham Lincoln and John Wilkes Booth's storylines. Lincoln is often visited by his deceased son, Willie, in his dreams. Through the first dream, he sees a casket but cannot see who is inside of it. From that point on, he knows something will happen to him. Wilkes Booth despises the president's beliefs and wants to murder him because of those beliefs. We get to witness him fall into the madness of his hate.

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I read a lot of book about Abraham Lincoln. Both history and historical fiction. I am just endlessly interested in this man. A leader of one of the worst times in American history. A leader who literally rose from a backwoods childhood in Indiana and Kentucky. Just his rise to the position of the our nation's leader is amazing enough. Add in the Civil War and his own imaginable losses suffered during his life. I just can't get enough. I never will because we are as close as we ever will be at knowing him. He lost his mother and dear sister in his youth. Then he married and had four children with his wife Mary Todd Lincoln. Little Eddie died at only three years old before Lincoln made it to the White House. While in the White House, his eight year old son Willie passed away, likely due to typhoid in the water on the grounds. His wife became more and more mentally unstable, spending money (likely an addiction) during a time of country wide war time rationing. Lincoln was chronically depressed which they referred to as "melancholia" in his time. He was very empathetic and deeply felt the losses of life both personal and in the war he oversaw. I always want to know how he was able to work through that depression and do what needed to be done in his position. So when this book presented itself, I wanted to read it right away. It is historical fiction told from Lincoln's viewpoint as well as that of his killer John Wilkes Booth. The new angle is that it is told from the lens of his premonitions of his own death and the dreams he had in his final weeks. This was interesting as I had heard before that he believed he would die while still in office. The book did a good job of taking liberties detailing his dreams and visions of his son Willie while also retaining all the actual factual information of those last weeks. As with every book about Lincoln that I read, I was again disappointed that the story ended with Lincoln's murder. I know its the facts but some little part of me still waits for something to change.

[Utena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley, author, and publisher for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review!


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