Bullet for Lincoln, A [Hardcover]

Benjamin King (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 31, 1993

Benjamin King puts a new twist on the old mystery of Lincoln's death. Deep within the plot is the manipulative and corrosive character Anderson. The same man who outwitted the Confederates in King's first novel, A Bullet for Stonewall , is back to execute the most history-altering plan of his career. King has done extensive research on the assassination as well as the years that followed. In his work, he looked at how political plans changed following Lincoln's death. The guiding factor of his sleuthing was to determine who seemed to benefit from the aftermath. And thus he found the premise for this, his second novel. A group of young Wall Street entrepreneurs, including soon-to-be-tycoon J. P. Morgan, analyze the impact of the end of the war. They are angered by Lincoln's plan to invest in rebuilding the South. They search for a way to guarantee that the government will, instead, invest in their economic interests in the West. That search leads them to Anderson, the assassin with a money-back guarantee. Under numerous guises, he begins to assemble a plot to frame the South for the death of the president. Befriending Booth, Anderson inspires the actor to take control of his Southern sympathies and put actions behind his feelings. Meanwhile, he also infiltrates a Confederate spy ring, adding more names to the list of scapegoats he will leave behind. Relying heavily on historical accuracies, A Bullet for Lincoln minimizes its fictional medium, making Anderson and his task highly believable. The pressure of a federal agent closing in for his own kill heightens the challenge and suspense for Anderson. He faces unparalleled dangers as he tries to maintain his secret identity and still pull off the greatest coup in the nation's history.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Retro-conspiracy theory fuels this canny thriller about Abraham Lincoln's assassination. John Wilkes Booth, it seems, is merely the dupe of the actual killer, who has been hired by powerful men--none other than J. P. Morgan, Jim Fisk and Jay Gould. The troika's motives are strictly financial: with Lincoln gone, the Radical Republicans will hold the defeated South in bondage, and the country will devote its efforts toward westward expansion rather than to rebuilding the South's infrastructure. Enter Anderson, the cold-blooded killer from King's A Bullet for Stonewall , whose secrecy and efficiency make him the most feared member of the Washington, D.C., underworld. Morgan contracts Anderson to murder Lincoln, with two stipulations: it must be done after the South's defeat and the blame must be placed on either a Southerner or a Southern sympathizer. To add to the suspense, two intelligent detectives track Anderson. King is meticulous in his plotting, especially in the devious ways Anderson manipulates Booth, and he weaves the threads of history into the story so capably that all seems within the realm of possibility.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Benjamin King serves as command historian for the U. S. Army Transportation Center and Fort Eustis. He served in Vietnam with the 101st Airborne Division (the Screaming Eagles), and was awarded both the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. King's military service has included work with the Pershing missile systems, and his experience and knowledge have led to published articles in Field Artillery Journal and Vietnam magazine , as well as an appearance on the Discovery Channel's Machines That Won the War . His two other historical novels, A Bullet for Stonewall and A Bullet for Lincoln , are both published by Pelican.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Pelican Publishing (May 31, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0882899279
• ISBN-13: 978-0882899275
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,420,199 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Good Read, January 11, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Bullet for Lincoln, A (Hardcover)

A Bullet for Lincoln is a sequel to a Bullet for Stonewall. It is a fast paced tale of one of the most famous Presidential assassinations in American history. Set in the dying days of the Civil War, the author vividly describes a plot by wealthy industrialists to murder Lincoln. Why? Well, you will have to read the book to find out. And it is a right good riveting read, full of plot twists and suprises. You may well find yourself wondering how much of the book is true (like in Oliver Stone's JFK). The book does have a lot of thoroughly researched historical facts. Mr. King is a very knowledgeable military historian who works for the US Army in the Peninsula area of Virginia

4.0 out of 5 stars A better Lincoln Conspiracy, September 5, 2007

By 

Andrew Arnold (Toronto, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bullet for Lincoln, A (Hardcover)

I approached this book with some skepticism; I had recently read Balsiger and Sellier's "The Lincoln Conspiracy" and thought this might be a re-hash of what are some far-fetched and highly coincidental conspiracy theories. However, I was pleasantly surprised by Mr. King's work which I found to be both well-plotted and intriguing. The story itself moves along at a quick enough pace to keep the reader interested without skipping over any of the historical detail and background necessary to be credible. Mr. King's "conspiracy theory" is unique and much more plausible; and has the added benefit of providing a realistic scenario for how a chronic malcontent and incompetent like John Wilkes Booth (whose amateur kidnap plots failed as a result of the poor planning [inattention to detail] and Wilkes' own overwhelming ego) managed to pull off the crime of the century and actually make his (temporary) escape. My one disappointment was with the ending; I would rather have the central character walk across history again (or will he?). Reading "A Bullet for Lincoln" has motivated me to read "A Bullet for Stonewall", Anderson's earlier Civil War adventure.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An incredibly believable Lincoln Assasination theory., November 4, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Bullet for Lincoln, A (Hardcover)

Mr. King presents the next chapter in the exploits of the Assasin "Anderson," whom we met in "A Bullet for Stonewall." This is another extremely well researched book. Mr. King blends actual events and historic characters with his theory of the "real" reason behind President Lincoln's assasination. Incredibly, it makes more sense than the widely accepted version that was a product of the Assasination Conspiracy Trials. Mr. King spares no details in this book. His thorough research is evident in the inor details of the book, such as the pocket watch that "Anderson" looks at in a pawn shop. I was amazed to read about one of my own ancestors in the book. Mr. King's accounts of this man's actions were identical to docmented family research that I have on this individual. I found it incredible that Mr. King had gotten this information through public records of the conspiracy trial. For you history buffs who might view this book with scepticism, I think that you will be very satisfied with its quality. After reading it, you will begin to wonder if the widely accepted version of the assasination is actually true.