** spoiler alert ** 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.