** spoiler alert ** “Sic semper tyrannis.” “Thus always to tyrants.” With those words, one of America’s greatest presidents was shot and killed. The novel, “Manhunt”, by James L. Swanson, follows Lincoln’s killer, along with his co-conspirators, as they flee from the men that seek to hunt them down. Though just a recount of historical events, Swanson portrays this killing as a premeditated disaster, rather than some violent act carried out by a single madman.
Swanson truly begins his novel by following Booth as he makes his way in a decidedly Northern. Always a Southern at heart, Booth is obviously bitter at Lincoln for all that he’s done. It’s shown that Booth is part of a group of Confederates, who secretly plan to kidnap Lincoln, and secret him back to the Southern states. However, this plan falls through, and all Booth has to show for his hard work is left over resentment and bitter feelings toward the North, and all their victories. It escalated, and soon enough, Booth wanted to kill Lincoln. However, he wasn’t alone. The only reason Booth was able to accomplish anything, and get away from death for so long, was because he had his friends, and that’s what James Swanson manages to show perfectly.