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The Cosgrove Report: Being the Private Inquiry of a Pinkerton Detective into the Death of President Lincoln
The Cosgrove Report is both a gripping historical thriller and a new and entirely plausible solution to that still unanswered Why was Abraham Lincoln murdered? Republished to coincide with the bicentennial of Lincoln’s birth, this is a novel of immense power and imagination, based on meticulous research into the government’s official records of the assassination and the forgotten memoirs of many eyewitnesses. The novel opens when a recently discovered nineteenth-century manuscript falls into the hands of modern-day private investigator Michael Croft. His assignment is to verify the historical accuracy of the papers, which reveal the shocking cover-up of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the alleged capture and death of John Wilkes Booth. The manuscript itself, written by Pinkerton detective Nicholas Cosgrove, plunges both Croft and the reader back into post-Civil War Washington, where Cosgrove is hired by Secretary of War Edwin Stanton to investigate rumors that Booth is still alive. His search brings him face-to-face with some of the most illustrious people of the period, and exposes a trail of lies and evasions equal to any modern day political scandal.
424 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1979
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
November 16, 2016
Fans of conspiracy theories will love this book. Mr O'Toole merges an investigation by a top Pinkerton detective, Nicholas Cosgrove, with the Pitman transcript the 1865 Lincoln Assassination Conspiracy Trial and other historical documents to produce a mystery which reaches some startling conclusions about the murder of Abraham Lincoln and what happened to his alleged assassin, John Wilkes Booth. I found the writing a bit long winded, but, since the document of the title involved a report written more than 150 years ago, I suppose that fault can be excused. That said, if the book had been shorter it would have been 4 stars instead of 3 as the plot tends to meander all over the place. On the plus side, it's clear the author has thoroughly researched the events immediately after the Lincoln assassination and the role played by various known conspirators and the death of John Wilkes Booth by a single gunshot wound on April 26, 1865 at Richard H. Garrett's farm, in Caroline County, Virginia.
By means of solid detective work, and several happy coincidences, Cosgrove uncovers a conspiracy much larger than that detailed in the 1865 trial. But long before that, there are shocking revelations surrounding Booth's "death" and burial. Ultimately, Cosgrove's report alleges that the conspiracy reached the highest levels of American government, implicating Army officers and the office of the then Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton and Lincoln's successor President Andrew Johnson - himself the subject of an Impeachment trial by the US the House of Representatives. The latter is featured heavily in the closing chapters of this book. But there follow several twists in the story which lead us to believe that this "report" may not have been compiled by a top Pinkerton detective after all. - and that its real author was closer to the Lincoln assassination than most.
One final note - I was surprised that none of the other reviews on this site mentioned the striking similarity between evidence given to the 1865 Lincoln Assassination Conspiracy Trial, large parts of which mysteriously failed to appear in the final publication, and the findings of the Warren Commission report on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Maybe it's a conspiracy!
By means of solid detective work, and several happy coincidences, Cosgrove uncovers a conspiracy much larger than that detailed in the 1865 trial. But long before that, there are shocking revelations surrounding Booth's "death" and burial. Ultimately, Cosgrove's report alleges that the conspiracy reached the highest levels of American government, implicating Army officers and the office of the then Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton and Lincoln's successor President Andrew Johnson - himself the subject of an Impeachment trial by the US the House of Representatives. The latter is featured heavily in the closing chapters of this book. But there follow several twists in the story which lead us to believe that this "report" may not have been compiled by a top Pinkerton detective after all. - and that its real author was closer to the Lincoln assassination than most.
One final note - I was surprised that none of the other reviews on this site mentioned the striking similarity between evidence given to the 1865 Lincoln Assassination Conspiracy Trial, large parts of which mysteriously failed to appear in the final publication, and the findings of the Warren Commission report on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Maybe it's a conspiracy!
June 10, 2022
The Cosgrove Report - G. J. A. O'Toole
This is an excellent work of historical fiction, or is it non-fiction? I really enjoyed this book. I will not delve too much into the book as I do not wish to deprive the reader the same enjoyment.
Pinkerton agent Nicholas Cosgrove is assigned the task to determine that John Wilkes Booth, the Lincoln assasin, is actually buried where he is said to be. If he is not, Cosgrove is to search for the actual remains and if Booth is indeed dead.
What follows is a very detailed and fascinating tale. The book is meticulusy researched and is complete with many footnotes. Many of the characters were very famous, and some I have never read of. The question arises - just how deep did the Lincoln assasination extend? How many people were involved? Were the correct people executed or killed?
This is a very fascinating book that I believe all history and historical fiction fans will find very intriguing and very readable. I recommend it to all readers of these genres. 4 stars.
This is an excellent work of historical fiction, or is it non-fiction? I really enjoyed this book. I will not delve too much into the book as I do not wish to deprive the reader the same enjoyment.
Pinkerton agent Nicholas Cosgrove is assigned the task to determine that John Wilkes Booth, the Lincoln assasin, is actually buried where he is said to be. If he is not, Cosgrove is to search for the actual remains and if Booth is indeed dead.
What follows is a very detailed and fascinating tale. The book is meticulusy researched and is complete with many footnotes. Many of the characters were very famous, and some I have never read of. The question arises - just how deep did the Lincoln assasination extend? How many people were involved? Were the correct people executed or killed?
This is a very fascinating book that I believe all history and historical fiction fans will find very intriguing and very readable. I recommend it to all readers of these genres. 4 stars.
November 9, 2014
If you like historical fiction, this book is for you! Everyone knows the story of Abraham Lincoln's assassination, the pursuit and death of John Wilkes Booth, and the hanging of his co-conspirators. But Edwin Stanton, Lincoln's Secretary of War, is not so sure that the official version is true. He hires Pinkerton's Detective Agency to verify or disprove the chain of events.
Allen Pinkerton assigns Nicolas Cosgrove, the finest detective in the world--or so Cosgrove, at least, believes--to investigate the matter. Cosgrove questions and scams a number of historical characters to come up with a surprising revision to history.
If you think conspiracy theory was born in Dallas in 1963, get a load of this.
Allen Pinkerton assigns Nicolas Cosgrove, the finest detective in the world--or so Cosgrove, at least, believes--to investigate the matter. Cosgrove questions and scams a number of historical characters to come up with a surprising revision to history.
If you think conspiracy theory was born in Dallas in 1963, get a load of this.
November 13, 2014
Cosgrove was supposedly a Pinkerton detective hired to find out the truth about Lincoln's assassination. Then he was to locate John Wilkes Booth, who was first thought to have been killed. This story is based on some actual facts.
April 9, 2018
Sometimes you know how you read a book for its cool, sleek, sexy cover? In this case I came across an advance-reader copy - back when I didn't normally see that sort of thing - in a rough, yellow, near-featureless binding. For some reason that appealed to me, go figure. Book starts out great, as narrator Cosgrove is revealed as a Pinkerton detective hired to President Andrew Johnson to find out the true conspiracy to kill Abraham Lincoln after the grave of John Wilkes Booth turns out to have been empty all along. Things rather quickly went off the rails for me, though, as Cosgrove goes through spy-jinks and skullduggery and Sherlockian deductions (sometimes aided by an ex-slave servant who is even smarter). Mark Twain talked about "stretchers"; this one piles on bigger and bigger ones until Cosgrove is practically in 007/Wild West West territory (the balloon ride was particularly hard to swalllow), reminiscent of Dan Brown at his craziest and cliffhangerist. Then a twist ending sort of undoes everything if you take it literally...But maybe you're not supposed to take it literally, I dunno, kind of like the people who argue that the end of the film Total Recall is supposed to be absurd because it's not really happening; Schwarzenneger's just a guy in a game/simulation. Well...maybe something similar here. Maybe one day I'll try it again with that thought in mind.
May 27, 2020
Wow, this one was a doozy. The premise is that a modern-day PI is asked to look into a report from the post-Civil War days written by a secret detective on the hunt for John Wilkes Booth after he assassinates Lincoln. It delves into whether or not Booth was really killed after being on the run for a few days after shooting the President, and is pretty incredible. I am not one for conspiracy theories, but there is a lot to dig into here. Based on historical documents from the government and private researchers, the story unfolds in a heavily detailed and somewhat long-winded way. The first third is the hardest to get through, and I almost gave up because I thought it kind of dry, probably due to the period-appropriate and antiquated dialogue and writing style. But I stuck with it and it really picked up and ended up being a pretty amazing story. History buffs will love this one. Lots to learn about the cities, the government, and the Johnson impeachment in addition to the Lincoln assassination.
November 4, 2022
Entertaining, informative, thought provoking, frightening!
So well written with footnotes to back up information mentioned in the “original manuscript”
Literally a page turner. Especially for someone familiar with Washington DC today because that is where much of the book takes place back in 1868.
And the way it ends... so unusual that I don’t think anyone in any reviews have revealed the fact that... no I can’t do that. Because it’s up to the reader to decide if this ending was possible. To dismiss it would be much easier than to consider it possible. And that is a little frightening.
Read the “report” and you decide. Definitely food for thought.
So well written with footnotes to back up information mentioned in the “original manuscript”
Literally a page turner. Especially for someone familiar with Washington DC today because that is where much of the book takes place back in 1868.
And the way it ends... so unusual that I don’t think anyone in any reviews have revealed the fact that... no I can’t do that. Because it’s up to the reader to decide if this ending was possible. To dismiss it would be much easier than to consider it possible. And that is a little frightening.
Read the “report” and you decide. Definitely food for thought.
June 13, 2022
Framed? For Lincoln’s Assassination?
Using two layers of framing to tell the tale about the tale told, this historical adventure combines academia with action, foot notes with floodlights, magical escapes, and, in the end, a last conceit breathtaking in its simplicity.
Detailed research add verisimilitude to pulp derringer-do, compelling a swift rush through the set piece scenes to get to the next revelation.
It’s written in mock Victorian Era American English suited to the setting and the story.
Recommended for anyone who wants to see how engaging a layered history romp can be.
/ Gene Stewart
Using two layers of framing to tell the tale about the tale told, this historical adventure combines academia with action, foot notes with floodlights, magical escapes, and, in the end, a last conceit breathtaking in its simplicity.
Detailed research add verisimilitude to pulp derringer-do, compelling a swift rush through the set piece scenes to get to the next revelation.
It’s written in mock Victorian Era American English suited to the setting and the story.
Recommended for anyone who wants to see how engaging a layered history romp can be.
/ Gene Stewart
August 4, 2019
Great premise and beginning. It genuinely felt like I was reading a genuine period diary. Yet as it continued it ran from the implausible to the ridiculous. The clues were so obvious to all but the great detective. And the ending was completely unsatisfying as it destroyed the believability of the entire diary portion of the book.
November 28, 2023
A masterful novel!
I am very confused about the veracity of the conclusion of this book-- but what a joy the journey was! And I definitely learned some history as well. Great writing, wonderful humor, and a story threat picked up the suspense level throughout the course of the story! I loved reading this book!
I am very confused about the veracity of the conclusion of this book-- but what a joy the journey was! And I definitely learned some history as well. Great writing, wonderful humor, and a story threat picked up the suspense level throughout the course of the story! I loved reading this book!
September 4, 2025
This was a reread for me. I love the idea that there are true mysteries about the government that are more than just conspiracies- which is provided here. Did JWB die in the hot air baloon escapade at the end or did he survive and went into hiding the rest of his life OR was it all a farce and he did in deed die in the barn!
August 21, 2018
This is a historical thriller that takes the reader through a solution as to "why Abraham Lincoln was assassinated". I enjoyed reading about the research into the government's official records of the assassination and the forgotten memoirs of many eyewitnesses. I loved the ending.....
May 7, 2018
A big disappointment. This might well set a new record for improbability & convoluted story lines. Avoid at all costs.
July 28, 2018
Loved this book! Realistic look at historic events from another point of view. Ending entirely unexpected!
April 5, 2020
Unbelievable. While the beginning is good, but the ending has a great twist. For those into history, this historical fiction is a recommendation I would make.
April 21, 2020
An enjoyable bit of historical fiction. A page turner.
July 5, 2020
Historical fiction is one of my favorite types of books and this did not disappoint! Great mystery and the writing was spot on.
April 5, 2021
One of those books where if its much ballyhooed final big twist is even casually scrutinized, most of what came before it just doesn't make sense anymore.
March 10, 2013
[This review originally appeared in Historical Novels Review:]
Originally published in 1979 and now reissued to coincide with the Lincoln bicentennial, the novel purports to be a manuscript written by one Nicholas Cosgrove, Pinkerton agent. In 1868, Cosgrove is assigned to determine whether John Wilkes Booth escaped from the burning farmhouse in Maryland and still lives. His report, having lain concealed for a century, now falls into the hands of private detective Michael Croft, whose job is to verify and annotate it. Writing in a grandiloquent High Victorian style, Cosgrove tells a tale of switched identities, doctored documents, and bitter feuding within the White House as he pursues the elusive Booth. Historical characters, such as President Andrew Johnson, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, Alan Pinkerton, and many others make their appearance to either aid or thwart Cosgrove in his mission. And Cosgrove himself is an ambiguous figure with seemingly no family, friends, or worldly attachments. It all ends with a duel and a fatal balloon chase—or does it? One final plot twist turns the whole tale on its head. ‘Croft’s’ annotations, like the footnotes in George MacDonald Fraser’s Flashman novels, are, in this reviewer’s opinion, the best part of the book. With impressive scholarship and sharp wit, O’Toole lays bare for the non-specialist the real and persistent mysteries that still surround the trial of the Lincoln assassins. Altogether, highly entertaining and highly informative.
Originally published in 1979 and now reissued to coincide with the Lincoln bicentennial, the novel purports to be a manuscript written by one Nicholas Cosgrove, Pinkerton agent. In 1868, Cosgrove is assigned to determine whether John Wilkes Booth escaped from the burning farmhouse in Maryland and still lives. His report, having lain concealed for a century, now falls into the hands of private detective Michael Croft, whose job is to verify and annotate it. Writing in a grandiloquent High Victorian style, Cosgrove tells a tale of switched identities, doctored documents, and bitter feuding within the White House as he pursues the elusive Booth. Historical characters, such as President Andrew Johnson, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, Alan Pinkerton, and many others make their appearance to either aid or thwart Cosgrove in his mission. And Cosgrove himself is an ambiguous figure with seemingly no family, friends, or worldly attachments. It all ends with a duel and a fatal balloon chase—or does it? One final plot twist turns the whole tale on its head. ‘Croft’s’ annotations, like the footnotes in George MacDonald Fraser’s Flashman novels, are, in this reviewer’s opinion, the best part of the book. With impressive scholarship and sharp wit, O’Toole lays bare for the non-specialist the real and persistent mysteries that still surround the trial of the Lincoln assassins. Altogether, highly entertaining and highly informative.
June 27, 2016
Really would like to rate this higher but frankly there are too many issues. Interesting, for me anyway, in that I knew very little about assassination conspiracy theories relating to Lincoln. The book is well researched and the information it presents is both amazing and in many cases true. Some of the characters who were involved I did not know of and learned a great deal. That is really the good. The negative is that the plot wanders, is both farcical and predictable. I think the author got to a point where he just did not know what to do with what he had created. The last half of the book IMO just fell apart. The premise is amazing, the initial direction fantastic but then it just falls apart. No spoilers but when you get to the section you will know what I mean. I would recommend it as a nice summer read but not much more.
October 16, 2007
George O'Toole, who was already renowned in my eyes for his classic work on the JFK assassination "The Assassination Tapes," followed that up with a stellar work of historical fiction in "The Cosgrove Report." The Lincoln assassination has fascinated me almost as much as the assassinations of the 1960s, and I always suspected a bigger plot than the official one of John Wilkes Booth and his rag-tag band of followers. While O'Toole ultimately comes up with what I consider to be a weak and unsupportable conclusion as to who or what really lay behind the assassination, the story is well-written and full of impressive, important research. For students of the Lincoln assassination, this is an essential book.
March 9, 2016
The premise of the story is an intriquing one. I enjoyed following the trail that Cosgrove took to discover the whereabouts of John Wilkes Booth. However, I can't in good conscience give it 5 stars. First off, towards the end of the book, it seemed like the author was in a hurry to finally finish the book, or perhaps ran out of ideas as it had an abrupt ending. And an implausible one as well. My other objection to the book was his choice of vocabulary. The author uses many archaic or middle english words in an attempt to make the speech "authentic" to the period. Some of the words had no meanings offered in a dictionary and others didn't fit the context of the sentence. This took away from the enjoyment of the book for me. Perhaps other people won't mind this manner of writing.
November 12, 2014
I struggled with this book. It started off slowly. It did pick up the pace in a few places. The storyline Cosgrove follows is beyond belief a time or two. It put me to mind of Sherlock Holmes in a few places. But then it went too far and too much belief had to be suspended.
I was put off by the language. The language was I'm sure authentic for the time period, but it made for slower reading. And since this was nearly a 500 page book already, it took a long time to wade through it, especially those sections that were slower.
I gave this book three out of five stars. It was written well, but the storyline and I just couldn't seem to mesh.
I was put off by the language. The language was I'm sure authentic for the time period, but it made for slower reading. And since this was nearly a 500 page book already, it took a long time to wade through it, especially those sections that were slower.
I gave this book three out of five stars. It was written well, but the storyline and I just couldn't seem to mesh.
June 29, 2011
In many ways I liked the book - the writing was good and the author was fantasic about using terms, phrases, and a writing style of the era. He obviously researched the background and the historical details were wonderful. I felt it bogged down a bit in a couple of places as in too much detail or we following the hero's tracks a bit too specifically. But what really got me, was one completely fantastical episode with the hot air balloons that just made me laugh. It does have a ripper of an ending though, so if you like this era or topic, I would recommend it.
November 7, 2014
This book was very difficult to get through since the author did an excellent job of writing like someone in 1868 would speak and write. It seemed to take forever, especially considering the wealth of information provided in the footnotes. While I did wish it would end, I am so glad I stuck with it!!! So many twists and turns and the surprise ending was worth it. I would recommend it to anyone interested in the American Civil War thanks to the author's attention to details and facts (and despite that it is historical fiction!).
July 22, 2012
This one had a promising start. I'm really not one for mysteries - maybe I don't have the patience for them, I don't know. Well it pulled me in. But by about pg 100 I was getting frustrated with the progress. Some interesting footnotes based on real history, but even still not enough to keep me engaged. I guess if I was REALLY in the mood for a mystery I'd pick it up again.
August 19, 2012
the author did an excellent job of 'creating' a believable period piece, both in language and historical detail. the twists were adequately blind. either they were well hidden or my belief was suspended enough to allow myself to be surprised; commendable in either case. catching either one of these is a great talent. being able to to both is praiseworthy. truly enjoyed it.
June 22, 2013
This may be one of the best thrillers I have ever read. The author takes up the Pitman transcript of the Lincoln trial and inserts just enough information between the real testimony and fiction to give the reader a wonderful ride. Pick up the book sit down and get ready for a wild ride. Don't miss it!
December 12, 2014
Probably the quirkiest book I've read all year, and one of the most enjoyable. This book almost defies classification, but if you give yourself a few pages to get used to the pacing and language you will enjoy it quite a bit. I was sad to see it end, sadder still to find out he is no longer among us.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews