Murder in the Oval Library

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Murder in the Oval Library

by C. M. Gleason

Edition: ARC, 2018

Synopsis: April 13, 1861: Rebel troops are across the Potomac River, only 800 feet from the White House and President Lincoln—but a murderer is even closer . . .

With the Confederate Army firing on Fort Sumter, the Civil War has begun—and an invasion of Washington, DC, from Secessionist Virginia seems imminent. As the population evacuates, the President is in desperate need of men to defend the capital.

Lincoln’s trusted aide, Adam Speed Quinn, and Quinn’s old friend from the Bloody Kansas conflict, Senator Jim Lane, hastily assemble a motley crew of just over a hundred men and garrison them in the East Room at the White House itself. Dubbed the Frontier Guard, these rough-and-tumble patriots steel themselves for the inevitable attack. 

But even as dawn breaks with no Rebel strike, a single act of violence intrudes within the White House. One of the Frontier Guard lies dead in the oval library, throat slit ear to ear. There is a murderer among them.

Lincoln promptly assigns Quinn to deal with the matter, who is in turn aided by journalist Sophie Gates and Dr. George Hilton. And to Quinn’s chagrin, the Southern belle Constance Lemagne insists on being involved in the investigation as well. But when Dr. Hilton examines the body, he makes a startling discovery that overturns all Quinn’s assumptions about the murder. With his president at grave risk from without and within, Quinn must act quickly to catch the White House killer . . .

War has been declared. As tensions grow, Adam Quinn is tasked with solving yet another murder on top of protecting Mr. Lincoln. With help from old friends and new, he learns just how close danger can lurk.

This is an excellent follow-up to the first book. Familiar characters return to help Adam follow the clues to the killer. Sophie Gates, a woman journalist, and Dr. George Hilton are among his chief allies to solving the crime. Dr. Hilton is without a doubt one of my favorite characters from these books.

There continues to be a slight triangle of attraction between Adam, Sophie, and Southern belle, Constance Lemange, who is doing her best to help the Confederate cause from Washington DC. This is my least favorite part of this book.

Overall, the plot is well balanced, keeping the tension high with the city under threat and a killer on the loose. Historical figures are woven in expertly, and are presented as they might have been.

I would recommend this to readers looking for a historical mystery.