Murder in the Lincoln Bedroom

Eleanor Roosevelt #19

by Elliott Roosevelt

It is 1943 and upon the eve of the Trident Conference-a highly classified council attended by FDR, Winston Churchill, and Dwight Eisenhower with the purpose of planning an invasion of Western Europe-the White House is aflutter with preparations and the presence of extra Secret Service agents and soldiers. When a body is discovered in the Lincoln Bedroom while the conferees are still in session, Eleanor Roosevelt knows that in order to keep the murder (as well as the Conference) a secret from the prying eyes of the press, not to mention foreign agents, she must solve it herself.

Eleanor soon learns that the victim, Paul Weyrich, was a White House employee-one of the President's top advisors-who had been having an affair with his secretary. At first glance, it looks to be a crime of passion, instigated by Mr. Weyrich's refusal to marry his secretary. However, the deeper Eleanor digs into the case, the more clouded and uncertain the investigation becomes. Gradually, Eleanor discovers that the victim was part of a plot to assassinate the President, and she embarks on a daring plan to trap the assassin, using FDR as bait. Eleanor's skills will be put to the ultimate test as she must race to solve the mystery before the assassin strikes again.

As the intrepid and charming Mrs. Roosevelt engages in her latest bit of Hawkshawing, readers are treated to all the historical re-creation and rich storytelling that have become hallmarks of the series. This satisfying wartime whodunit starring America's First Lady of Mystery is a warmly rewarding look at a fascinating era, and at a woman beloved by her family and her country-Eleanor Roosevelt.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Historical Mystery, Crime

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Elliott Roosevelt (September 23, 1910 – October 27, 1990) was an United States Army Air Forces officer and an author. Roosevelt was a son of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.

Reviews

[Ellen Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1943, the Trident Conference was held in the White House. A White House employee, advisor to the President, is found dead in the Lincoln Bedroom. Some of the prominent persons mentioned in the book are General Dwight Eisenhower, Winston Churchill and his daughter Sarah Churchill, Harry and Bess Truman, and J. Edgar Hoover. Eleanor gets involved in the investigation of two murders along with the police and Secret Service. Strange ways to access the White House, and several groups of persons who hate FDR and would like to assassinate him are discovered. I like this series and the time in history it portrays.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the midst of a top-secret conference among President Franklin Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and General Dwight Eisenhower, a White House employee, Paul Weyrich, is found dead in the Lincoln Bedroom, bludgeoned by the proverbial blunt instrument. The corpse has a .32 revolver in his pocket, which raises several troubling questions: How was Weyrich able to smuggle a gun into the White House amidst tight wartime security, and for what purpose? Why was Weyrich killed? And is the killer someone who also wotks in the Executive Mansion?

Once again, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt engages her formidable sleuthing skills to find the answers, with the assistance of the D.C. Police and the Secret Service.

Lots of 1943 period details and celebrity name-dropping. (Who knew that Jack Benny was actually Benjamin Kubelsky? Certainly not I.)

[Marsha Valance · Rating 3 out of 5]

This historical mystery brings World War II Washington, D.C.,vividly to life. The White House and its surroundings come alive in our imaginations, along with their inhabitants: "Government Girls", American Bundists, New Dealers, FDR, Churchill, Generals Marshall & Eisenhower and Eleanor herself. We see Eleanor in all her idealism (fighting for truth, exposing prejudice and backroom dealings, standing up to her husband), both in person and in her newspaper column “My Day”, which also solicited civilian help in winning the war. When a White House staffer and a "Government Girl" are brutally murdered, Eleanor investigates. As she uncovers various threads linking the victims with various Nazi sympathizers, the First Lady sees the emerging pattern, and solves the mystery.
This is a fascinating look at the nation's capital during World War II, as well as a fast-moving, well-plotted mystery.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in 1943, the history includes a description of Churchill's visit to the White House with his daughter Sarah to meet with the president and top military leaders of both countries to make decisions about the war. Stalin was calling for a second front immediately as he struggled to contain the Germans on his front. The mystery is the unexplained death of a White House lawyer who was dealing with plans for the United Nations. His body is found in the Lincoln bedroom, which was not a bedroom in Lincoln's day but an office where he signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This book, more than the others, brings out how much Roosevelt was hated by a large proportion of the population. No one likes change, but drastic change is even harder to deal with, whether needed or not, and Roosevelts thirteen years in office was a time of great changes.

[Karen GoatKeeper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lincoln never slept in the Lincoln bedroom. It was his Cabinet Room where he signed the Emancipation Proclamation.
A man is found dead in the room while highly secret talks are going on in the White House about plans for D-Day. Eleanor starts digging. The man had a gun with him, something not allowed at the time even for the police. Was he planning to assassinate FDR? Churchill? How did he get the gun into the White House?
Like the others in this series, the book is a fast, easy read filled with interesting historical notes and behind the scene looks at history in the making.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun book. I had not read one of these in years. It was great catching back up with the characters.

I've always liked the writing, and who should know better how to write Eleanor Roosevelt than her son. She's up to sleuthing when it appears that a plot exists to assonate FDR. Especially with secret meetings going on in the White House.

Wish there were more of these books. Easy reads but good plots.

[Kelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun book where Eleanor Roosevelt is the detective when someone is found murdered in the Lincoln Bedroom. Things are even more interesting when you read that the book is written by her son Elliott Roosevelt. I also enjoyed reading about the real places, people and events for example, The Trident Conference. Most likely, I would read another one of these Eleanor Roosevelt mysteries.

[Sherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

#19: in the spring of 1943 a most secret conference of FDR, Churchill, Eisenhower, and to British and American military generals met at the White House. The body of one of FDRs international lawyers is found in the Lincoln Bedroom

[Kent · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the most thought out or complete book of the series, and it comes to a rather quick and abrupt end. But still an enjoyable read.

[Ann Ayer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eleanor was a great main character. Many accurate historical facts about their time in the White House.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

So now I'm learning that Elliott Roosevelt probably had a ghost writer, which makes sense.
This one drove me to watch the PBS bio of Eleanor, about whom I thought I already knew everything but it turns out I'd forgotten a lot.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

This from the Eleanor Roosevelt Murder series authored by her son Elliot Roosevelt. If you like mysteries, politics and history you might really enjoy these books. The basic plot line is that a murder is committed, often in the White House and the First Lady uses her logical prowess to solve the mystery. It is a traditional mystery format where there is a limited list of suspects and you are invited to think along with the detective.
What makes this series particularly interesting is the integration of real historical figures into the stories. Who know what politicians of the past you might encounter.
I am also taken by the idea of an author using his parents as characters in a work of fiction. While he is obviously very admiring of Mr and Mrs Roosevelt, he is open and frank regarding their relationship.
This is one of the better books in the series and I found it highly entertaining.

[Anissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The mystery here revolves around the murder of a White House staffer just outside the President's personal rooms. It's wartime, and the list of suspects is long from potential Nazi spies to homegrown assassins who see FDR as no better than Hitler. The mystery is tightly written, and getting to follow First Lady Eleanor as she works with the police and the Secret Service is lots of fun. She's insightful and witty. If you like Christie's Miss Marple or Jessica Fletcher, you'd probably like Eleanor Roosevelt as a detective.

I've read several of the books in this series, and I adore the way it name drops. One of my favorite exchanges occurs between Humphrey Bogart and the First Lady. The books are full of small moments like this, and the mysteries are of the Doyle/Christie variety more than anything else. If you like historical fiction, this novel and the series as a whole is full of nuggets for you.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great, as always. I have read most of the titles in this series. The descriptions of Washington and the weaving of history into the mystery is great fun. Another feather in the amazing Eleanor Roosevelt's cap. The fact that they were written by her son is even more delicious. Since he has been dead for about ten years, the stories are getting a little thin and short. I'm not sure how many more there are to release, but I will keep on enjoying them.

[Aline Newman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of a series of Eleanor Roosevelt mysteries ostensibly written by her son, Elliott. In truth, many, if not all, were written by a very skilled ghostwriter. That said, I've read several of them and really enjoy their historical insights into the WWII time period and the FDR White House.

[Marcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Her novels all include lots of history of the White House and it's occupants of the time. Fun to read and learn something at the same time

[Janene · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Elliott Roosevelt mysteries are wonderful for letting you see into the life of Eleanor Roosevelt and the political times.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my 3rd or 4th Elliott Rooselvelt book. He writes a good story as will as a little insight into history at that time in history.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was great! having just finished the 2 volumes of Eleanor's biography, everything made even greater sense to me and I had a much greater grasp on the times.

[Toesnorth's mom]

not too great

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read and fun to see how Elliott weaves facts from that era with interesting mystery fiction. I have enjoyed the series thus far.

[NancyS · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting White House and historical information.

[Diane Wachter · Rating 3 out of 5]

HB-B @ 2000, 5/01. WWII, American involvement, Trident Conference, Churchill, FDR and murder. Good.

[Michell Karnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read of Mr. Roosevelt. Eleanor solves another great mystery. As always the story has many historical details which make the story even more enjoyable.

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read. I gather this is from a series.. and I'll be looking for the others.