Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer

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Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer

4.11 of 5 stars 4.11 · rating details · 11,588 ratings · 1,482 reviews

The murder of Abraham Lincoln set off the greatest manhunt in American history. From April 14 to April 26, 1865, the assassin, John Wilkes Booth, led Union cavalry and detectives on a wild twelve-day chase through the streets of Washington, D.C., across the swamps of Maryland, and into the forests of Virginia, while the nation, still reeling from the just-ended Civil War,...more

Paperback, 434 pages

Published February 6th 2007 by William Morrow Paperbacks (first published 2006)

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Sep 20, 2009 S. rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, read-in-2009

I suggest reading "Manhunt" backwards. That way, when you get to the end, Lincoln hasn't been fatally wounded, Mary Todd hasn’t tottered over into madness and that poor couple of horses haven't been shot and sunk in the swamp.

Seriously though, this account of JW Booth’s capture is worth reading. The drawback is sometimes the writing lays it on too thick. It works effectively at the beginning: the assassination itself, for example, is gripping. And since Booth was an actor, the Shakespearian allu...more

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Sep 16, 2008 Matt Chittum rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who loves history, or just a good yarn

Recommended to Matt by: good reads

This was positively Shakespearean. Not in the poetry, but in the sheer drama of it. The plotting, the conspiracy, the murder. Swanson does a terrific job of cobbling together a stunningly complete and compelling narrative of Booth's time on the lam while armies hunted for him, all from interviews with the subjects, court transcripts, newspaper accounts, and other books written by those involved at at the time. He reveals the roots of Booth's motivation, and his ego, along with that of his co-con...more

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Jun 25, 2012 Jason Koivu rated it 4 of 5 stars

How the heck did Swanson manage to make this very well-known story so riveting? I mean, everyone knows that (UNNECESSARY SPOILER ALERT MOSTLY JUST FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE SPENT YOUR LIFE LIVING IN A CAVE---->) President Lincoln was assassinated at Ford's Theater by stage actor John Wilkes Booth, who was subsequently caught. And yet Manhunt is genuinely exciting, give or take a section that was drawn out a bit, I suspect in order to add a few more pages to the book. The actions of the event...more

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Feb 05, 2009 Bookmarks Magazine added it · review of another edition

James L. Swanson's Web site includes a glowing review quotation from Patricia Cornwell. The correlation is apt since critics find this nonfiction account of Booth's getaway as compelling as the best thrillers. Swanson, a legal scholar with the Cato Institute and a Lincoln historian, knows the assassination inside and out; he's been studying Lincoln since he was a child, and his previous book (with Daniel R. Weinberg), Lincoln's Assassins, was a photographic and archival study of Booth and his co

...more

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Oct 22, 2012 Richard rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book solidly succeeds in the genre of works that promise to be of compelling reading to the non-history-minded reader while being based on solid historical research. James L. Swanson, a historian and attorney in Washington D.C., shows his knowledge of everything Abraham Lincoln. He provides a new twist to the subject of Lincoln's assassination and aftermath in a field which is jammed to the rafters with Civil War/Lincoln books.

Swanson's twist in writing of this period of national distress...more

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Jan 18, 2009 Alicia rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really liked this book a lot. I had no idea what all was involved with the assasination of Abraham Lincoln. It makes me wonder what they teach us in school. I highly recommend reading it.

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Mar 01, 2008 Michael rated it 3 of 5 stars

Read this book for a fascinating glimpse into the mid-19th century, not for the writing. The author uses first-hand accounts, trial testimony etc. to re-construct some events leading up to Lincoln's assassination and then, mostly, the manhunt for John Wilkes Booth and his co-conspirators. (Did you even know there were co-conspirators?) It includes many long quotations from correspondence, diary entries, witness statements etc., all of which I greatly enjoyed reading. The author's own writing lef...more

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May 16, 2012 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed the book and learned ever so much more about that point in our history than I ever did in school. I appreciate the accounts were taken from primary sources, newspapers and other research - for that reason I have more confidence in the intrepretation by Swanson. I certainly recomend it for people who learned a light version of the events, like myself, and have a curiosity as to what could drive a person to assassinate a president.

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Aug 08, 2011 Fsiemsen added it

This is a very compelling account of the murder of Abraham Lincoln and the chase for John Wilkes Booth that followed. It's told in a back and forth way, which leaves you with cliffhangers at each chapter's end, in the style of many a good thriller-type mystery. Although you know the outcome of the attempted assassinations, Swanson somehow still has you on the edge of your seat. This would be a good book for anyone interested in history but not entirely accustomed to reading it straight up. The b...more

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Mar 25, 2009 Heidi rated it 3 of 5 stars

My husband read this first, and his succinct review was that "a whole lot of nothing happens." Yeah, that's about right!

However, I liked this book. Swanson obviously is fascinated by this topic, and it comes through in his narrative. Although he cannot know for certain the thoughts and motivations of the major players, his research seems so thorough that he is in a good place to make reasonable conjectures. Despite the absence of action throughout most of the book, he held my interest as well as...more

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Oct 31, 2012 Liam Sullivan rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book has a positive and eyeopening impact on it's audience. There are many ways that this book can have an eyeopening impact, obviously stated in the title, its about a Manhunt. This book was an overall okay read. The topic and the way Swanson spread out the main events was well written. Another favorite part of this book is the real quotes they incorporated in the story. This helped remind me that most of these little events really did happen.
"President Lincon has been shot" pg101 such...more This book has a positive and eyeopening impact on it's audience. There are many ways that this book can have an eyeopening impact, obviously stated in the title, its about a Manhunt. This book was an overall okay read. The topic and the way Swanson spread out the main events was well written. Another favorite part of this book is the real quotes they incorporated in the story. This helped remind me that most of these little events really did happen.
"President Lincon has been shot" pg101 such a powerful quote only a quarter of the way through the book. This just shows how intriguing the book is. The book has its very fast pace and dramatic parts but it can get boring. After the assassination the book is just dragging on. It mainly drags on because i already new he was going to get found eventually. The "filler" parts as i would call them, ruined the book but can easily be changed.
A "filler" part is something the author puts in when he or she cant write any more. That is just my definition but other's may think differently. With more filler parts, a book can loose the readers interest and attention. Some of the little parts Swanson included can help people be better all around. For example " what did he do while in the pine thicket? There was nothing left but talk" pg 207 Shows that you can still advance without modern technology and life was more simple back then.
The positive impact this book makes on its audience will have everlasting value. The book is a pure example of wanting something to change and taking matters into your own hands. Anger ruled Booth's head and that is the cause of his actions. Something as big as a presidential election can anger millions of people but no matter how much rage and anger you have, you can not break the law or commit something so inhumane as murder to change it. You will always have to fight for change but you need to keep it within reason. If you don't, you will get caught.
This novel overall was ok. I found the book overall telling me to do good. When you need change you can fight for it but it will help to an extent. You will never have your way 100% but you must agree sometimes. You can run but you cant hide is also something the reader learns the truth of the meaning of. "Im sick and tired of this way of living" pg 323 shows that Booth was getting bored with running from the law and knew he had made a big mistake that would be hard to escape forever.

"Quotes"

"president Lincon has been shot" page 101
"What did he do while in the pine thicket? There was nothing left but talk" page 207
"im sick and tired of this way of living" Page 323(less)

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Oct 07, 2012 Marie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history

I enjoyed this version of the events surrounding John Wilkes Booth's assassination of Abraham Lincoln. It provided an interesting alternative to the very-popular Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever by Bill O'Reilly, which I've also heard in the last few months. Where Killing Lincoln focused tightly on Lincoln himself, the days leading up to the crime, and the immediate aftermath, Manhunt focuses more on Booth's story--his background, his motives, and his expe...more

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Aug 03, 2012 Gerry rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I had always known since schooldays that John Wilkes Booth had assassinated President Abraham Lincoln but I had no idea of the background and the follow-up to his action.

'Manhunt' most certainly clears that little matter up for it is a stupendous account of the 12-day chase for the killer as well as setting the scene for the deed and giving later detail about what happened to the various key locations in the story.

Once begun it is difficult to put down, for the action rolls on and on without let...more

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May 15, 2012 Brady rated it 4 of 5 stars

Highly enjoyable - thoroughly researched, making it thoroughly entertaining and very educational.

Still, there were some topics that I thought deserved more attention: the aftermath involving Jones, the odd granting of pardons, a little more on the amazing Seward, and that kind of thing.

There were a few points where I felt Swanson got repetitive with particulars, where I felt I'd read the same thing earlier and the story was getting a little padded. It didn't slow me down or throw me off - it ju...more

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May 01, 2012 Julie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, author_male, war_us_civil, history, pub_post-1945, type_non-fiction

All most people know about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln is a vaguely-remembered grade school history lesson involving a theater box, a gun and an actor named John Wilkes Booth. I can't say I was hankering to know more, but when my book club chose this book, I was mildly interested. As it turns out, "mildly interesting" is also a good description for the book itself. The author gives a blow-by-blow account of the physical movements of Lincoln's murderer in the days immediately prior to an...more

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Apr 19, 2012 Rebecca rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Aug 04, 2011 Judy rated it 5 of 5 stars

April 1865 was one of the most momentous months in American history. Richmond fell to Union troops, Jefferson Davis was on the run, the government of the Confederacy collapsed, Lincoln was assassinated, and a 12 day manhunt was launched for his killer, John Wilkes Booth. In Manhunt, James Swanson has written an incredible book taking the reader through the days before the assassination to the capture, killing and burial of Booth, to the trial, imprisonment, and execution of co-conspirators, to t...more

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Jul 29, 2011 Laurie added it

I loved this, and just raced through it, even though I knew how it was going to turn out. When I was much younger I read a lot about the Lincolns, especially Mary Todd, but there were many treasures in Swanson's account. For instance, the self-castrating christian Boston Corbett who was literally "mad as a hatter," and the haunted Major Rathbone, who never recovered from witnessing the tragedy. Especially riveting were the tales of the other conspirators, including the big strapping fellow who a...more

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Jul 05, 2011 Neil Pierson rated it 5 of 5 stars

My guilty pleasure is true crime. I feel a little less guilty when it's HISTORICAL true crime; it doesn't seem so much like gawking at a chalk outline... . Anyway, this book is a pleasure.

After the shooting, the population of Washington turned into a mob, ready to explode at the slightest provocation. Anything that would connect someone to the reviled Booth was mortally dangerous and quickly destroyed. So I thought that not much was known about what Booth did while he was on the run.
But enough...more

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Jun 01, 2011 Sarah Milne rated it 3 of 5 stars

Okay, so here's the deal, in brief. This book is definitely a page turner. I give it full points for keeping your interest, which is clearly the author's aim. I wish that he would have trusted his subject a little more instead of forcing it into a thriller. It is apparent that his efforts went to that purpose rather than to good scholarship. Geesh, that sounds snobby, doesn't it? Look, the fact is, if you don't know that something is a word for word, verifiable quote, you simply cannot make it o...more

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Mar 09, 2011 Ashton Hero rated it 4 of 5 stars

Chasing Lincoln’s Killer is one of those books that strike your attention and then you almost have to read it.But the book has its up and its downs. The book exaggerate an little, but the book can be superior. In the book Chasing Lincoln’s Killer, is both exciting and humdrum. At the begging of the book, it does get very interesting. The lead is very descriptive on how Booth is going to kill Lincoln. For example, in the book it says “Booth and his henchmen planned, like highway robbers, to ambus...more Chasing Lincoln’s Killer is one of those books that strike your attention and then you almost have to read it.But the book has its up and its downs. The book exaggerate an little, but the book can be superior. In the book Chasing Lincoln’s Killer, is both exciting and humdrum. At the begging of the book, it does get very interesting. The lead is very descriptive on how Booth is going to kill Lincoln. For example, in the book it says “Booth and his henchmen planned, like highway robbers, to ambush Lincoln’s carriage at gunpoint on a deserted road as he rode home to the Executive Mansion.” At this point I am thinking that the book should fairly acceptable.
James L. Swanson is a reasonably good writer. He can draw attention to the reader. I think he did a very good job on keeping the lead good. But at about the middle of the book, it starts to drag off on the excitement. The book had everything on the killer of Lincoln’s killer. Booth, hated the 16th president of the Untied Sates. So he planned to kill him. Along the way, he gathered other henchman's to help him finish the job with him. While he killed Lincoln at Fords Theater, other assistants would kill the vice president and the Secretary of State.
The whole entire book was about 190 pages. From about pages 5-100 were extremely swell. The pages were all about Booth planning and killing the president. Once he killed the president, he had to bail, and do it fast since witnesses had seen him. But on the plus side, he had successfully killed Lincoln, but now he worried about how the other companions did, and what had happened to his leg. His leg was on fire. He had to see a doctor but he had to get away all in one. So he did not worry about it. Since he got away without anyone following him down the road, he had to wait at H street for his other allies. None of the accomplices showed up so Booth decided leave. While no one knew about the assassination.
Booth had gotten a person to hold a horse Booth had gotten to escape faster. After getting out of the ally quick, he hopped on the horse and rode away to H Street where all of his henchmen and him were going to meet up after all of the assassinations. No one showed, so Booth thought it would be a good idea to leave H Street and go on without anyone with him. How do you think that would end up?
While reading this book I realized something. I now understand that historical fiction is made for people who like to read about history and fiction all in one book. I am in that category. If you are one of those people who like to read things like this, I advise you to read this great book! The book could have had a little more detail on what Booth was thinking when he was about to kill Lincoln. But over all, the book is great pleasing. I would like to read more of James L. Swanson books! My impression on him now is wonderful! (less)

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Mar 02, 2011 Natalie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Okay, so I liked this book and there was a lot of new and interesting information. It's interesting to note that there were two other assassination attempts, both of which failed, and other men involved in the assassinations. The writer wrote it in a way that was very engaging. But the last half of the book was a bit odd. It seemed like the author was sympathizing with Booth. He even compared him to Christ in two instances I can think of. That's what really got me.

After thinking about it a whil...more Okay, so I liked this book and there was a lot of new and interesting information. It's interesting to note that there were two other assassination attempts, both of which failed, and other men involved in the assassinations. The writer wrote it in a way that was very engaging. But the last half of the book was a bit odd. It seemed like the author was sympathizing with Booth. He even compared him to Christ in two instances I can think of. That's what really got me.

After thinking about it a while I can see why he wanted to portray Booth that way. He wanted us to see that he was a human being. He had a family who loved him. In his own mind he thought he was doing the right thing. He'd never murdered a man before. At first he was planning on just kidnapping Lincoln. But then the war ended. We have no way of knowing how the country was in that time. Brother fighting against brother for what they thought was right. Emotions were high and loyalties were strong. The South had such a strong culture loyalty and hospitality. It was crazy how much that played into people helping Booth. So I can see why Swanson portrayed him that way and could get past it, except those references to Christ really get me, that he would compare an assassin to Him.

After researching Swanson more it sounds like he really loves Lincoln, even shares his birthday. But he didn't say much about him. It even made me think he didn't like Lincoln that much. I guess he was just focusing on Booth. Swanson is also very dramatic in his telling of history. It helps the reader get into it, but, for my taste, he overdid his puns and cliches and all that.

So, I would definitely recommend this book. It's very interesting and easy to read, but I could do with a little bit less dramatization. Booth was an actor so Swanson kept making remarks about playing a part and drawing his last breath on the stage of life, and it started to drive me crazy! But other than that, it really was a good read. Lots of interesting information. (less)

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Feb 13, 2011 Scott Taylor rated it 5 of 5 stars

Picked up this book on a lark, just wanted something non-fiction. Plus it was read by Richard Thomas, one of my favorite all-time actors. This book on CD was fantastic. Cannot recommend high enough. Best book on CD I've listened to this year.

As implied by the title, the subject matter primarily regards the events that occurred directly after Lincoln was shot, until the time Booth was caught. Stanton, Booth, etc. What is not immediately apparent by just the title is that the story is about Fanny...more

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Feb 08, 2011 Terry Lucas rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was reading the chapter where Booth is about to shoot Lincoln and I found myself sitting tensely in the chair with the book close to my face and hurredly turning the pages to find out if he gets away with it, or does he get caught! Hellooo-oooo!!!
This book is so well written that it swoops you up into the excitement and blood-pumping emotions of the aftermath of Lincoln's assassination. Booth is not demonized, nor is he glorified. This is an interesting recount of what was going on around Was...more

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Dec 12, 2010 Gabrielle Parilla added it

I am still in the process of reading Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer. Personally, Manhunt is not a book I would have chosen to read, but it was one of the books assigned for my history class. So far, I think it is pretty interesting. Lincoln's assassination thus far, has been an obscure topic for me. Therefore beginning this book, I do not have much prior insight on what I am going to be learning about, but the context and historical aspects are simple to understand, and easy to r...more

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Nov 30, 2010 Holden Sarda rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: school-books

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This book recalls the tale of the days prior to Lincoln’s assassination, all the way up until the twelfth day in which he was captured, giving the perspective and concerns of both the Union members, John Wilkes Booth and his accomplices.
James L. Swanson’s ‘Manhunt The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer’ truly does cast John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of the long-late 16th president of America, in a different light than what is usually displayed in common discussions. When one hears the name John...more This book recalls the tale of the days prior to Lincoln’s assassination, all the way up until the twelfth day in which he was captured, giving the perspective and concerns of both the Union members, John Wilkes Booth and his accomplices.
James L. Swanson’s ‘Manhunt The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer’ truly does cast John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of the long-late 16th president of America, in a different light than what is usually displayed in common discussions. When one hears the name John Wilkes Booth, an image of a thoughtless, savage, and bloodthirsty assassin typically comes to mind. However, John Wilkes Booth was anything but this in his mannerisms. Instead, he was more of a devoted theatrical performer who desired the victory of his seceded confederacy. He fancied himself as a gentleman and a confederate, and his actions clearly display these fancies.
As James L. Swanson displays John Wilkes Booth as anything but thoughtless, he provides clear evidence for this. Lincoln’s assassination was not a ‘spur of the moment opportunity’ that this confederate managed to take advantage of. No, it was merely a modification to a plan that had already been made. Originally, John Wilkes Booth and his associates, including Dr. Samuel Mudd, had planned to kidnap the unfortunate Union president. However, their goal went unachieved as the Union took a final victory against their rebellious counterparts. John Wilkes Booth had planned on an escape route once they had taken the president captive, a route that would lead into the Southern territories. The thespian had planned on using the very same route to serve as his way out of Virginia after he had assassinated the President, the vice-president, and the secretary. Unfortunately for Booth, although he had made his plans well, the other present accomplices failed to accomplish their tasks, leaving Booth and David Herold, another accomplice, alone to the trail that lied before them.
John Wilkes Booth is not a savage, although his crimes would say otherwise, but is, instead, a gentleman. He is a gentleman due to the fact that he compensated all that he came across for their services, despite his act of murder and prone to a defensive violent stance near the end of his travel. Although he had committed this act of murder, he desired no blood to be shed unless it was absolutely necessary, which he saw fit when he plotted to take the life of Abraham Lincoln. This wish also re-iterates the point that John Wilkes Booth was not bloodthirsty; and proves this point, as well.

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Nov 30, 2010 Austin Clapp rated it 1 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 17, 2010 Brendon rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. In the book Manhunt , the author, James Swanson, attempts to steer you away from the popular opinion on John Wilkes Booth – the famous assassin of Abraham Lincoln. Most people believe Booth to be a terrible cold-blooded man for the crime that he committed. To kill the president of the United States is a horrendous act that could only be carried out by horrendous people – that’s the public opinion.
Swanson uses this book to lead the reader’s thoughts away from popular opinion. Writing in a format...more In the book Manhunt , the author, James Swanson, attempts to steer you away from the popular opinion on John Wilkes Booth – the famous assassin of Abraham Lincoln. Most people believe Booth to be a terrible cold-blooded man for the crime that he committed. To kill the president of the United States is a horrendous act that could only be carried out by horrendous people – that’s the public opinion.
Swanson uses this book to lead the reader’s thoughts away from popular opinion. Writing in a format of a common mystery book in which the author uses their skill to make the reader sympathize for the antagonist of the story. At one point he made note that Booth himself, when talking to a Confederate soldier, “confided to William Jett that he thought the murder ‘was nothing to brag about’.” Swanson takes every turn to humanize this man who has been continuously dehumanized by generation after generation.
There is one quote during the beginning of this book that summed up the basics of John Wilkes Booth easily, "Twenty-six years old, impossibly vain, preening, emotionally flamboyant, possessed of raw talent and splendid élan, and a star member of this celebrated theatrical family — the Barrymores of their day — John Wilkes Booth was willing to throw away fame, wealth and promise for his cause.” While this quote does mention a few of Booth’s faults, it also mentions his most important aspect – the willingness to throw the life he knew away for the sake of what he believed. This is something that greatly aided the view of Booth – in my opinion – as most people seeming take to admiring those that have such determined personalities.
Another part of this book that I believe greatly redeemed the character of Lincoln’s famous murderer was how many people came to his aid. This was not a lone killer acting out of nothing more than his own gain – it was a man acting for a larger group of people. John Wilkes Booth was nothing more than the “trigger” of the Confederate gun. Numerous people helped shelter him from manhunters, a few – such as Dr. Samuel Mudd and Thomas Jones, were put into situations in which they had great opportunities to sell the criminal out, yet they did not. They stay loyal to the man that – if found sheltered by them – could have had them hanged. Thomas Jones, a man who had lost almost everything – had the chance for $100,000 but refused to “betray the man whose hand I had taken, whose confidence I had won, and to whom I promised succor” believe that he would have been “of all traitors, the most abject and despicable”.
Although, when I finished this book, I still believe Booth to be one of American history’s greatest antagonists – I couldn’t find myself to condemn him as I once did. When I first picked up this book, my only thoughts were that I wanted to get it done and over with as soon as possible. Yet as I read it, every page seemed to interest me. It is not a simple book on history – it is a story, one that was created to change the thoughts of the public and succeeded.
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Oct 14, 2010 Alex Machado rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Manhunt: The Twelve-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer by James L. Swanson is by far the best non-fiction book I have ever read. It takes you through the mind of John Wilkes Booth, the infamous assassin of President Lincoln and then drags you with them as they escape.

This book started off with some background information which was great for me, who didn’t know all too much about that time period, before jumping into non-stop action. You are presented with actual letters and posters from that time pe...more Manhunt: The Twelve-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer by James L. Swanson is by far the best non-fiction book I have ever read. It takes you through the mind of John Wilkes Booth, the infamous assassin of President Lincoln and then drags you with them as they escape.

This book started off with some background information which was great for me, who didn’t know all too much about that time period, before jumping into non-stop action. You are presented with actual letters and posters from that time period and learn the different views of Booth.
You watch over J.W.B’s shoulder as he plans the murder, and then executes it in the ultimate heist, assassinating the president. Knowingly and willingly, John started the countdown for his death date as soon as he pulled the trigger that sent a led ball into Lincolns head. For the time being though, he manipulated his way out of harm because he is a well known “handsome” celebrity who people lend their hand to.
Throughout Booth’s escape, he met up with a few accomplices. The one thing that surprised me the most, was the loyalty of a confederate soldier. A handful of confederates had the chance to turn Booth in and earn $100,000. That’s 4 times more than the president made at that time but the confederates would not take “blood money.” Thomas Jones, one of the greatest contributors to John’s escape. Crossing the Potomac river was no easy thing, and without a doubt, it would have been impossible with this loyal confederate.
As a side story to this feat, you get to read Booth’s Journal that he kept. He talked a lot about Shakespeare and his and connected his writings to plays and described what he did in his opinion. You also get to see pictures of many different accomplices which for me, helped and made the story better.
The style of Swanson’s writing made this book all the more better. He made sure you informed, and went from present to past to present to future to present and it definitely made the story twist. Once a character was no longer part of the story, he would explain how they turned up, for instance Jones, who 20 years later told his part of the story so it did not die.
To enhance his writing, Swanson used thousands of literary devices. The whole book kept you moving and filled you with expert writing, every word drawing you in closer. Describing the city, one is able to picture the all the aspects and James literally drew Lincolns assassination into your mind.

Another thing that the author did well was telling Booth’s side of the story. For the most part, people would know him as the man who murdered the president, but there was also the part of his side. If you looked at Booth’s perspective, some would be inclined to take his side in the murder. You get intrigued with the way he would look at things and then even start believing what he believed.

In all, I would suggest this book to anyone who needs/wants to learn more about the confederates, the union or even Abraham Lincoln. Also if anyone has time to read, this book will definitely grab him or her and pull them in. Once I started reading it, I couldn’t stop. James L. Swanson did a great job of capturing detail’s that bring you back to ride alongside John Wilkes Booth as he escapes half of the country.

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Oct 13, 2010 Maira rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Manhunt: The Twelve-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer by James L. Swanson is a story that dives into the mind of the famous murderer of President Lincoln, John Wilkes Booth. It will keep you intrigued from the beginning to end the story will take you on a journey with the assassin and many different characters.

This book was very fascinating to me and very fast passed in the beginning; it immediately got to the act of murder fulfilled and executed by John Booth. It carefully explains how he planned...more Manhunt: The Twelve-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer by James L. Swanson is a story that dives into the mind of the famous murderer of President Lincoln, John Wilkes Booth. It will keep you intrigued from the beginning to end the story will take you on a journey with the assassin and many different characters.

This book was very fascinating to me and very fast passed in the beginning; it immediately got to the act of murder fulfilled and executed by John Booth. It carefully explains how he planned out each step of the murder and how his friends and collogues helped him plan and try to execute the attack of several other officials that night. This helped keep the book exciting and kept me wanting to read more.
It then continues on with the escape and the twelve days after the murder with extreme detail, facts, and actual articles plus much more. I found the story was easier supported and understood when the author James L. Swanson used actual captions and statements from Booth and the diary he had kept among other news clippings, letters, etc.

An example of this is when Swanson had writing segments from Booth’s Diary explaining his careful thoughts behind his actions, you even get to read his actual vendetta among other entries about the death and how he felt. Another is all of the newspaper articles that were put into the story and you can see the price range for Booth go up as the time goes on and the change in information on the manhunt. These artifacts helped me see what the news was like and how different a murder now would be handled compared to Lincolns assassination in 1865.

I also enjoyed how Swanson expanded more on every character that Booth had encountered along his journey. Someone that specifically stood out to me was his sister Asia Booth, her character helped add depth to Booth and helped me not just subject him into just an angry, Confederate murderer.

She helped send the reader memories from the Booth children’s childhood together and how they used to play together in the woods. At first this was difficult for me to think of the presidents murderer as an innocent child once that had just laughed and played but it helped give me a clearer view on Booth and who the man really was.

This was another thing Swanson did well; he helped expose a completely different side of the story to me. This novel helped me expand my horizon and made me think of a completely different perspective on a story I’ve heard many times before. Every character helped add layers of intriguing information and depth to the story. Towards the end of the novel I found myself completely enthralled in Booth’s mind and thoughts and I was completely involved in the story.

Overall I would have to say that this story is a well-written, action adventure that I would recommend to any adults looking for more information on the famous murder, and is looking to read a remarkable narrative on one man who had changed history.
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About James L. Swanson

James Swanson is the Edgar Award-winning author of the New York Times bestseller Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer. Swanson has degrees in history from the University of Chicago, where he was a student of John Hope Franklin, and in law from the University of California, Los Angeles.

He has held a number of government and think-tank posts in Washington, D.C., including at the United St...more

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Books by James L. Swanson

Bloody Crimes: The Chase for Jefferson Davis and the Death Pageant for Lincoln's Corpse

Bloody Times: The Funeral of Abraham Lincoln and the Manhunt for Jefferson Davis

Lincoln's Assassins: Their Trial and Execution

$Chasing Lincoln\’s Killer and Bloody Times: The Funeral for Abraham Lincoln and the Manhunt for Jefferson Davis (2 Book Set)$

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