A Grave at Glorieta (Harrison Raines Civil War Mysteries, Book 4) [Hardcover]

Michael Kilian (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 7, 2003

While on a mission to obtain information vital to the Union cause, U.S. secret agent Harrison Raines finds that his informant has been murdered-and his partner has been accused of the crime...

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In his fourth adventurous outing (after 2002's The Ironclad Alibi), Pinkerton spy Harrison Raines and fellow detective Joseph "Boston" Leahy travel to territorial New Mexico to uncover the plans of the Confederacy in the West. Separated from his partner, Raines arrives in Sante Fe to find the hero of the Battle of Glorieta Pass mysteriously shotgunned-and Leahy accused of the crime. A new sidekick, an Indian named Tantou, offers not a single kemo sabe, but livens up every page he appears on by keeping the bumbling spy alive through the perils of the West, including a shootout in an Anasazi ruin. Once again Kilian's delightful characters propel readers through the Civil War, with much fun on the way.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Michael Kilian is a Washington columnist and correspondent for the Chicago Tribune and the author of numerous books, including the Harrison Raines Civil War mysteries. His family includes early settlers of Virginia and New York, and Union soldiers who died at Fredericksburg and fought at Gettysburg on Little Round Top.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Hardcover; 1 edition (January 7, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425188299
• ISBN-13: 978-0425188293
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,444,924 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:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fast-Paced Civil War Mystery, February 14, 2003

By 

Sheri Melnick (Enola, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Grave at Glorieta (Harrison Raines Civil War Mysteries, Book 4) (Hardcover)

Author Michael Kilian continues his Harrison Raines series, as the Secret Service agent and his partner Joseph Leahy journey to New Mexico to investigate reports of a rebel invasion there. Though the two agents become separated in New Mexico, they are both in close proximity to Glorieta Pass where the Union, under the command of Major Chivington, drives the Confederate forces back and burns their supply wagons.

Noting the rebels' retreat while trying to free Leahy from jail where he is accused of being a horse thief, Harry makes the acquaintance of Isabel Almaden y Cortes, daughter of Don Luis, a Union hero at Glorieta. When Don Luis is murdered at his home, Harry seeks to discover the identity of the murderer. Passions run high, as shades of gray blur lines of loyalty, and someone seems to be searching for the gold that Harry discovered abandoned near the bodies of a man and woman.

Gripping and intense, the pace of this novel increases in speed as Harry and Indian friend Tatou are attacked when they unearth the grave of Don Luis near Glorieta. Inspired by the actual 1862 Battle of Glorieta Pass, this novel brings into focus a clear picture of the division of familial loyalties and subterfuge that were so much a vital part of the U.S. Civil War.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great Harrison Raines Civil War mystery, January 18, 2003

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Grave at Glorieta (Harrison Raines Civil War Mysteries, Book 4) (Hardcover)

He is a son of the South, part of a rich Tidewater, Virginia family who embraces the concept of slavery so wholeheartedly that they fight for the confederacy. Harrison sees slavery as an evil institution and severed his ties to his family. He became an agent for the secret service under Pinkerton's command. Having been involved in two battles in the East, Pinkerton sends Harrison and "Boston" Leahy out west to determine whether these states will join the Confederacy.

Harrison and Leahy are to make contact with Federal supporter Don Luis Almaden y Cortes but instead they journey into Santa Fe during the battle of the Glorieta Pass. The Federal troops, with the help of locals, win, ending the South's hope to make the west part of their new nation. Don Luis is killed after the battle is won and Harrison, who is infatuated with the deceased's daughter, vows to bring the killers to justice if the killer doesn't murder him first.

Each book in the Harrison Raines Civil War mysteries revolves around a key battle that is interwoven into the story line. Michael Kilian does meticulous research so readers are receiving an education while being entertained. A GRAVE AT GLORIETA is an interesting tale focusing on the Western states during the Civil War, but presenting all sides fairly so that readers can understand all the undercurrents pulling people in numerous directions. Critical to this theme is that war is not glorified, but presented closer to the lines of All's Quiet on the Western Front. This book and this series are highly recommended.

Harriet Klausner

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fun History Lesson, April 10, 2004

By 

Christi E Zaske (Bloomington MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Grave at Glorieta (Harrison Raines Civil War Mysteries, Book 4) (Paperback)

I'll keep it short.This book draws you right into an often forgotten theater of the US Civil War. Few Americans know that the war raged in the desertland of New Mexico. There's vivid battle scenes and of course the unforgettable Harrison Raines on another dangerous mission. I hope if you're a Civil War buff you give this book and the rest of the series a shot. You'll be rewarded with a fun and informative read.