Antietam Assassins (Harrison Raines Civil War Mysteries, Book 6) [Paperback]

Michael Kilian (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2006

The new Harrison Raines American Civil War mystery - Soon after starting to investigate the murder of a Presbyterian minister, Raines finds himself drawn into the battle of Antietam. Then follows a succession of murders of young Shepherdstown women who may or may not have been involved romantically with the slain pastor. The ultimate solution to the mystery not only lays bare the town's bitter divisions over slavery but proves to have the gravest possible national implications.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Murder and war refuse to leave Union spy Harrison Raines alone in his sixth action-packed exploit. A year and four months of constant battle and intrigue have left the myopic sleuth bone weary of the conflict ravaging a divided nation, and in August 1862 he retires to his farm outside Shepherdstown in the western Virginia hills. But when Union sympathizer Reverend Ashby is gunned down and hanged from a tree, a fate soon shared by a young woman, Raines once again turns detective. Abetted by his delightful sidekick, Indian scout Jacques Tantou, and a new love interest, feisty Allie Robertson, Raines must interrupt his investigation as armies converge near Antietam Creek in one of the Civil War's bloodiest engagements. Kilian (The Shiloh Sisters, etc.) presents another multifaceted crime story intricately wedded to the politics of an ever-fascinating era.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Rampantly antislavery, Harrison Raines is a scout for the Union army. He has just returned from the brutal fighting on the western front and hopes to settle down on his Virginia plantation. But his boss, Allan Pinkerton (who will later launch the famous detective agency), has other ideas. He wants Harry to track the Confederate Army's movements and report to the Union's top brass. Just as Harry sets out on his mission, he is shocked to learn about the violent murder of the local parson, who worked secretly for the Union. Then two young women known to be "especially close" to the reverend are also murdered. Harry is determined to find out who is killing his friends and neighbors. Colorful characters, an authentic picture of war's brutality, an intriguingly perplexing plot, and a likable, larger-than-life hero make this addition to the Harrison Raines series a top pick for Civil War buffs and fans of historical mysteries. Emily Melton
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 330 pages
• Publisher: Severn House Publishers (August 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0727891502
• ISBN-13: 978-0727891501
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,334,402 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Civil War Hits Close to Home, January 18, 2006

By 

Mark Baker (Santa Clarita, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Antietam Assassins (Harrison Raines Civil War Mysteries, Book 6) (Hardcover)

It is August 1862, and Army scout and spy Harrison Raines has decided the Civil War is over, at least for him. Returning from a long trip to the West, Harry wants nothing more then to settle into a boring routine raising and trading horses on his farm in the western part of Virginia.

Unfortunately, that is not to be. The morning after his return, Harry finds the local minister hanging from the tree. Oddly enough, he had been shot and was already dead before he was hanged. Also curious is the note found pinned to his shirt accusing him of being a Lincoln man. Reverend Ashby was quite vocal from his pulpit in his support of the Confederacy. So, what's really going on?

Intending to put this behind him, Harrison ventures into Washington DC to return some gold and offer his resignation to his boss, Allan Pinkerton. Because General Lee is marching toward Antietam, near Harry's farm, Pinkerton traps Harry into staying in the secret service so he can scout the area he knows so well. Since General McClelland's forces so far outnumber the Confederates, this should be an easy victory and could end the war. If only he'd actually move.

Meanwhile, the trouble over Reverend Ashby's death is only beginning. If Harrison survives the upcoming battle, he's going to have quite a mess on his hands.

These books are always a mixed bag for me. I love the historical detail and context each book brings. The government, press, army, and so on from 140 years ago sounds remarkably just like today. How little things have changed. I love history, and feel I have learned some about this particular battle of the Civil War that I did not remember hearing about before. The mystery is well done as well. I had no clue what was happening until the end.

The problem is the middle. Once again, the battle takes up quite a bit of space in the book. While parts of it were interesting, it serves to slow the story down in the long run. I was quite ready to move on by the time the story started advancing again. Those who enjoy historical fiction will enjoy the detail while those reading this book for the story will get bored.

On the plus side, because Harry has returned to his home turf, we get to see many secondary characters who have been noticeably absent in the last two books. Former sidekick "Boston" Learhy is reduced to a cameo in favor of new sidekick Jack Tantou. While I like Jack, I would have liked to see more of Boston as well. New or old, these characters are real people who help draw you into the story and keep you coming back to find out what will happen next. Their pain at the events unfolding around them helps make the history very real to the modern audience.

Besides the generals, several other real people wander through the pages of the story. While the idea that one man would know so many people on both sides isn't likely, it does make for a remarkably fun read.

The writing style of this book stays true to the others. It's adequate to get the story across but nothing special.

This series will mostly appeal to Civil War fans with historical mystery fans enjoying it as well.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars review, May 25, 2007

By 

Howard B. Holliday (Parkersburg, West Virginia United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Antietam Assassins (Harrison Raines Civil War Mysteries, Book 6) (Hardcover)

A top notch read. Has all the elements you like in a mystery historical book.