Murder in the Oval Library

by C. M. Gleason Narrated by Barry Press

Overview

With the Confederate Army firing on Fort Sumter, the Civil War has begun-and an invasion of Washington, DC, from Secessionist Virginia seems imminent. As the population evacuates, the President is in desperate need of men to defend the capital.



Lincoln's trusted aide, Adam Speed Quinn, and Quinn's old friend from the Bloody Kansas conflict, Senator Jim Lane, hastily assemble a motley crew of just over a hundred men and garrison them in the East Room at the White House itself. Dubbed the Frontier Guard, these rough-and-tumble patriots steel themselves for the inevitable attack.



But even as dawn breaks with no Rebel strike, a single act of violence intrudes within the White House. One of the Frontier Guard lies dead in the oval library, throat slit ear to ear. There is a murderer among them.



Lincoln promptly assigns Quinn to deal with the matter, who is in turn aided by journalist Sophie Gates and Dr. George Hilton. And to Quinn's chagrin, the Southern belle Constance Lemagne insists on being involved in the investigation as well. But when Dr. Hilton examines the body, he makes a startling discovery that overturns all Quinn's assumptions about the murder. With his president at grave risk from without and within, Quinn must act quickly to catch the White House killer . . .

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

07/02/2018
Set in April 1861, Gleason’s lackluster sequel to 2017’s Murder in the Lincoln White House finds the residents of Washington, D.C., bracing for what everyone fears will be a successful assault by Confederate troops on a city sorely in need of military reinforcements. As presidential aide Adam Speed Quinn works with Kansas senator Jim Lane to buttress the White House’s meager defenses, the president’s vulnerability to attack is shockingly underscored when someone slits the throat of Johnny Thorne, a member of the Kansas Freedom Guard assigned to protect Lincoln, in the residence’s library. Adam investigates, assisted again by intrepid reporter Sophie Gates. Their sleuthing is bolstered by an obvious clue, and despite the setup’s inherent drama, suspense is at a minimum. Gleason succeeds in capturing the tensions of the nation’s capital in the aftermath of the firing on Fort Sumter, but those interested in Civil War–era mysteries would be better served by Owen Parry’s Abel Jones series. Agent: Maura Kye-Casella, Don Congdon Assoc. (Sept.)

From the Publisher

Praise for C. M. Gleason's Murder in the Oval Library:

"An excellent mystery combined with brilliant historical detail." —Kirkus Reviews

“A simply riveting read from cover to cover, as author C. M. Gleason exhibits a genuine flair for deftly crafted storytelling and a mastery of the historical mystery genre.” –Midwest Book Review

“This story abounds with historical characters as well as fictional ones…Murder in the Oval Library is an example of a single event taking precedence over a more monumental one, one person’s murder versus a nation at war. Against that more epic background, the wheels of justice still move, however they may be impeded by the chaos surrounding them. This is a great novel for those who like their mysteries in a historical setting.” – New York Journal of Books

“It would have been easy for Gleason to focus only on the murder, but she goes further by providing rich detail about this brief yet fascinating period of the capital’s history. Along the way, readers learn about the hardships the city’s inhabitants faced as the Rebels cut off supply lines, President Lincoln’s frustration over the failure of Union troops to arrive, the struggles of the free black community, and the inconveniences of navigating life in a corset. Gleason masterfully raises the tension surrounding the murder in tandem with the desperation and fear of the city’s inhabitants, keeping me turning pages well past my bedtime…Highly recommended.” —Historical Novel Society

Praise for C.M. Gleason’s Murder in the Lincoln White House:
 
“History, mystery, and a little romance combine with a diverse cast of characters to start the new Lincoln’s White House Mystery series that’s difficult to put down! Right from the beginning, readers are seamlessly immersed into Lincoln’s inaugural ball and then peer over Adam Quinn’s shoulder at a shocking murder. This crisp look at our nation’s capital on the brink of pivotal history balances well with the mystery at hand and achieves the right blend of both. This broadens the novel’s appeal and shines a subtle spotlight on areas in which our current world still parallels the past. Well-known historical figures share the pages with the fictional ensemble, capturing an authentic portrait of the period and adding layers to both the plot and the setting. Perfect for mystery fans as well as Lincoln/Civil War aficionados.”- RT Book Reviews, Top Pick

“Gleason does a good job evoking the period with convincing detail.” - Publishers Weekly

“Gleason kicks off a new series with an adequate mystery and more than adequate descriptions of the nation's capital at a critical moment in history.”– Kirkus Reviews

Praise for the previous works of C. M. Gleason:
 
“Exhilarating . . . Sure to please.” —The New York Times Sunday Book Review
 
“Wonderfully witty . . . deliciously dark and delightfully entertaining.” —The Chicago Tribune

“Sophisticated, sexy, surprising . . . This book grabs you and holds you tight till the very last page!” —J. R. Ward, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“Gleason’s novel is a well-oiled machine . . . the authentic historical framework . . . the compelling personalities.”—School Library Journal

“Witty, intriguing, and addictive.” —Publishers Weekly

“Phenomenal storytelling.” —RT Book Reviews

Kirkus Reviews

2018-06-21
A pall hangs over Washington, D.C., as the citizens await an imminent attack by Confederate forces.On April 13, 1861, Fort Sumter is fired upon and the war begins. In the White House, Abraham Lincoln awaits Northern troops to protect the city from Rebel forces just over the bridge in Virginia. Adam Speed Quinn, who still serves as a special assistant to the president, is given such jobs as finding murderers (Murder in the Lincoln White House, 2017). Sen. Jim Lane, a friend from Quinn's days in Kansas, is organizing a small group of volunteers to protect the city until more troops arrive. The shabby White House is so dangerously open to members of the public who want to talk to Lincoln that when one of the volunteers is found in the Oval Library with his throat cut, it's difficult for Quinn to find the killer. He gets help from Sophie Gates, a young reporter who often dresses as a man to get her stories, and from Dr. George Hilton, an African-American who risks his life doing autopsies for Quinn. Soon after the beautiful, strong-willed Southerner Constance Lemagne insists on helping by drawing a picture of the dead man, who's known as Johnny Thorne, Hilton reveals that the corpse is actually that of a woman. As Northern troops attacked in Maryland fight their way to Washington, Quinn and his friends spread rumors that many troops are hidden in the city. But they're still surprised when each night passes without an attack. Sophie and Quinn both interview people looking for clues as Quinn works to defend the District. Does it even matter whether they'll find the killer when the city may be overrun and Lincoln captured, changing the course of history?An excellent mystery combined with brilliant historical detail.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170214112
Publisher:	HighBridge Company
Publication date:	08/28/2018
Series:	Lincoln's White House Mystery , #2
Edition description:	Unabridged

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