These Honored Dead

A Lincoln and Speed Mystery #1

by Jonathan F. Putnam

Joshua Speed, the enterprising second son of a wealthy plantation owner, has struck off on his own. But before long, he makes a surprising and crucial new acquaintance—a freshly minted lawyer by the name of Abraham Lincoln.

When an orphaned girl from a neighboring town is found murdered and suspicion falls on her aunt, Speed makes it his mission to clear her good name. Of course, he'll need the legal expertise of his unusual new friend. Together, Lincoln and Speed fight to bring justice to their small town. But as more bodies are discovered and the investigation starts to come apart at the seams, there's one question on everyone's does Lincoln have what it takes to crack his first murder case?

Inspired by actual events from the American frontier, Jonathan Putnam's thrilling debut These Honored Dead brings renewed verve and vigor to the historical mystery genre that readers haven't seen since Caleb Carr's The Alienist.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Historical Mystery, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller

297 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2016

About the author

Jonathan Putnam is a writer and attorney. A graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, he is a nationally renowned trial lawyer and a recognized Lincoln scholar. His historical mysteries in the Lincoln & Speed Mystery Series include A House Divided (July 2019); Final Resting Place (published 2018), Perish from the Earth (2017) and These Honored Dead (2016).

Jonathan has given many lectures about Lincoln to historical societies, libraries, bookstores, civic organizations, and lawyer groups around the country. The focus of his Lincoln scholarship is the great president's early professional years, including his defining, lifelong friendship with a well-born Southerner named Joshua Speed.

Reviews

[Kathy Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Narrated by Joshua Speed, this mystery is firmly rooted into the attitudes and behaviors of the Nineteenth Century. It is 1837 and Speed, who runs a general store, is asked if he knows a place where a newly minted lawyer - Abraham Lincoln - can bed down. They end up sharing a bed in the room above the shop where Speed lives with two other men.

When a young woman is murdered, the two need to work together on the case. The woman is the niece of the widowed woman Speed is secretly seeing. When the Widow Harriman falls under suspicion, Speed is determined to clear her name. When her nephew is also murdered, even more suspicion falls on her.

When Speed goes to warn her that she is soon to be arrested, he finds that she has been murdered too. Suspicion then falls on the prominent doctor because he and the Widow Harriman were also in a relationship.

The descriptions of the medical practices of the day were frankly horrifying as were the descriptions of the lifestyles of the indigent in workhouses. Both the medical practices and the workhouse figured prominently in the plot.

The trial scenes were vividly depicted. Because the book was narrated by Speed, I didn't feel that I got nearly enough of Lincoln in the story. The trial scenes gave him a chance to shine with his folksy style.

This was a well-written story filled with great period detail.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book in the Lincoln and Speed series. It is a historical fiction that is based on Lincoln lawyer cases. This book background is early Springfield. Joshua Speed is a son of a wealthy plantation owner who is sent to the town to work in the store. A young lawyer, Abraham Lincoln is his bed partner above the store. Joshua has an affair with a woman store owner, Rebecca Harriman in a nearby town. After it ends she takes in her niece and nephew. Her niece is murdered and later the nephew is also killed. Speed has a surprise as his sister, Martha has convinced their father to allow her to visit her friend, Molly who married the sheriff and is expecting their first child. Martha brings with her a slave who is a midwife.
The Sheriff feels the Widow Harriman is guilty of the murders. Lincoln is her lawyer, his first murder case. The book has many twist and turns before the guilty party is exposed. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK AND SERIES.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first time I have read a book from this author. And he did not disappoint. I am a HUGE Lincoln buff anyways, this was a different kind of book than the other Lincoln books I have read. I absolutely loved every minute of it. The only flaw I have and its a minor one is the beginning was kinda slow. It took a few pages to pick up.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

"These Honored Dead" features historical figures Abraham Lincoln and Joshua Fry Speed (with whom Lincoln shared a bed in a room above a general store). It's 1837, and Speed, shortly after falling in love with strong, intelligent, feisty businesswoman Rebecca Harriman - a widow who has continued to run her husband's store in his absence - meets Lincoln, a newbie to the world of attorneys, and agrees to allow him to bunk with him in a room with two beds - the other occupied by two other fellows.

It's months after Rebecca makes a heartbreaking decision that Joshua sees her again, under tragic circumstances: her niece, Lilly, has been murdered and found in Rebecca's barn. Joshua determines to help clear away any suspicion from Rebecca and find the killer, but the situation grows more and more complex. Throw into the mix a poorhouse with a wicked proprietor; a fire that threatens a stable and another business; more murder; a doctor Lincoln is representing in court who has a dead first wife and a missing second wife and who's in a land dispute; a foreigner at the scene of a crime who ends up with a broken leg while seemingly trying to flee; and Joshua's sister, Martha, who arrives with a slave in a state where slavery is against the law, and there's all kinds of mischief afoot.

The characters engaged and interested me, and the story/mystery were easy to follow despite the many threads. The romance between Rebecca and Joshua felt rushed and a bit fake, and the conclusion, while it was well written enough and I understood it, didn't leave me feeling quite satisfied, but overall the story amounted to a good effort that interested me enough to pick up another book if there were to be a series.

[Lorraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Springfield, Illinois. March 1837. Jonathan F Putnam ‘s debut novel These Honored Dead (Lincoln and Speed Mystery #1) is a historical fiction novel which springs from historical fact. Abraham Lincoln and Joshua Speed were ‘lifelong’ friends who met in 1837 when Lincoln (who had been admitted to the bar by Judge Wilson, an ancestor of my late husband) arrived in Springfield, he need a place to stay. Lincoln ended up sharing a bed with Joshua Speed. Joshua Speed ran the A. Y. Ellis & Co. dry goods store with a progressively very silent partner which was located in downtown Springfield. Lincoln thanks to Speed is about to try his first murder trial. Can he win? The reader gets to know Lincoln from his early days in Springfield. Definitely read the Historical Note at the end of the novel (after you read the novel, of course). It provides fascinating facts of the USA IN 1837, one being Springfield was on the edge of the frontier. The author, trial lawyer turned writer, has huge interest in Abraham Lincoln as have I. This series consists of 4 books. On to book 2. 3.5 stars.

[Peter A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Local, independent bookstores through authors talking about their books can exposed you to books you might not otherwise read. My local bookstore is One More Page, in Falls Church, Virginia. A few weeks ago, on a Friday night, Johnathan Putnam gave a talk about his new book Perish from the Earth. He also talked about his transition from being an attorney to a writer. It is clear from his talk and the book that, as good authors do, he has done a great deal of research about the lead protagonists, Joshua Speed and Abraham Lincoln, at the time of their real-life friendship, namely 1837 in Springfield Illinois. As Putnam explained, this is a point in time in Lincoln’s career where he (Lincoln) is not fully formed in the way we think of him today (seeing him as the President that preserved the United States during our civil war).

As with other authors of historical fiction, Putnam takes some liberty about details of Lincoln’s and Speed’s role in the events, as portrayed in the book, and at the same time stays true to what we know about the time, people, customs, and laws. The author also wanted to put Speed in the foreground and as the narrator, giving him (the author) a bit more literary freedom (most of us know little about Speed).

After deciding to read the author’s book, it turns out that the new and second book of the series was sold out, so I purchased a copy of the first one, These Honored Dead. This first Speed-Lincoln mystery begins to introduce us, the readers, to Springfield in 1837, as a frontier town; and to the idea of differences in laws between Illinois and Kentucky with respect to slavery, which was allowed in the latter but not the former. And it allows us to see a bit of how people interacted as communities.

The driving force of the story is around the serial deaths of members of a family, and trying to determine who did it. There is a court scene, where Lincoln is in his first murder case. And there is a wonderful story twist at the end.

One way to judge a book is whether or not a reader will decide to read the next one by the author. I will!

As the author stated in his talk, he is trying to portray the time and place, knowing what we know about the national history, which is of course unknown to the characters in the book. I look forward to seeing how this developed in the second book. There are at least four books in this series of Speed-Lincoln mysteries! The very positive reviews of the first book lead to extending the author’s contract!

Hope others will enjoy reading books of this series.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1837, Abraham Lincoln, a newly minted lawyer, finds his way to Springfield and boards with the young merchant Joshua Speed. The two effortlessly strike a friendship, but Speed fails to mention his shaky relationship with the widow Rebecca Harriman, who soon becomes a disreputable figure. When her niece is murdered, she’s the prime suspect, until two more murders follow. While Joshua seeks the truth, Lincoln undertakes his first murder case, in which he defends a man he believes to be innocent.

These Honored Dead is a well-researched debut, based on real-life historical figures, including but not limited to Abraham Lincoln. The author presents a solid mystery, but the spirit of the novel emerges through the gripping trial. Readers will become engrossed by Lincoln’s folksy humor and dramatic speeches, and see how frontier justice differs from the law of today. Propelled by bold words and bold actions by an amateur lawyer and a merchant turned amateur sleuth, the story reaches a clever but plausible resolution. It is sure to breed curiosity towards what might have really happened during these historical events.

[Carla Hostetter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this story as an audio book which increased my pleasure as the narrator did such a great job not only with Speed's slightly Southern voice as well as the women, but got Lincoln's known to be high pitched voice right, too. For a mystery, this starts slowly, building the characters and the setting in meticulous historical detail. When triple murders do occur, Lincoln, new at law, takes on the defense of a man he is sure is innocent but won't say so after the other prime suspects dies. Most of the book is actually Speed trying to find evidence to stop several injustices. I caught on to the killer before the reveal, but it comes late in the book. Lincoln does not act out of his character and mostly expounds on the laws of the times, not only for murder but the Illinois Black Code. While slavery was banned in the state, blacks could not testify in court or serve on a jury. Even the end notes were interesting with an amazing number of the characters being real but not as well-known as Lincoln and this includes Speed himself.

[kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book!! Well written. I thoroughly enjoyed it! A good historical novel which I was intrigued by the time period. It’s about Lincoln and his early years as a new lawyer. I can’t wait for the rest of the books! I know there are at least two of them as of this time!

[Audiobook Accomplice (Gillian) · Rating 4 out of 5]

History come to life. With just a smidgen of sex and mayhem thrown in!
My Full Review

[Becky Loader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Joshua Speed was Lincoln's friend and roommate in Springfield when they were youngish men. The story is told from Speed's perspective as a son from a good family who has declined to read law and has entered the dry goods profession. Lincoln is a minor character, even though he gets to be defense attorney at a murder trial.

There are three murders in the neighboring area which all involve Speed's recently ex-paramour. He and his sister attempt to find the identity of the murderer and go on several expeditions that are based on actual occurrences of the 1830's in Springfield.

For a Harvard graduate and a lawyer, Putnam slings quite a few anachronisms into a book set in the 1830's. For instance, Alfred Nobel didn't invent dynamite until the 1860's.

All in all, a fast summer read, but don't confuse fiction with history.

[Brett Milam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did you know Abraham Lincoln got the idea for his famous stovepipe hat from a humble shopkeeper, and his friend, Joshua Speed, as a budding lawyer in Springfield, Illinois? Well, he did in Jonathan F. Putnam’s delightful 2016 fictional account of Lincoln, These Honored Dead. While it’s a fictional story about Lincoln and the aforementioned Speed helping to solve a series of murders in Springfield during the Panic of 1837 (the panic was related to a financial crisis, not the murders), Putnam did a lot of research and incorporated real people from Lincoln’s life and people embedded in Springfield at the time, and built off of real anecdotes. Indeed, Joshua Speed, and the entire Speed family (Joshua’s older brother, James, was appointed by Lincoln to be U.S. Attorney General), were friends of Lincoln’s. Joshua and Lincoln, in real life, as in the book, quite literally shared a bed during their time in Springfield. As someone who in the last few years has become obsessed with devouring all things Lincoln and the Civil War period (including the lead-up and Reconstruction), I had to grab this book when I saw it at a used book sale. Granted, I was leery at first: was this going to be an overwrought gimmick that doesn’t work? I’m happy to report that is not the case at all. Joshua is more the lead in this story, with Lincoln as the supporting character. But with Putnam’s extensive research and staying close to real history, while adding obviously fictional flourishes, this made for a serious, fun rendering of history! I would go as far as to say, it was one of my favorite reads of the year, much to my pleasant surprise. More people need to know about Putnam’s book and support it, in my humble opinion.

Even the title, These Honored Dead, which is a great title in and of itself, but of course, works well for a murder-mystery story as well, is a play off of Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg Address. Excuse me the indulgence of reproducing the full quote here, and if it doesn’t give you goosebumps, check that you are still alive.

“It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Emphasize is mine so you see where “these honored dead” is in the quote.

Joshua Speed partly owns or invested in a general store in Springfield, leaving behind prospects on his farm in Louisville (where they owned many slaves), but somewhat bad timing given the worst financial crisis up to that time is about to hit the United States. A fellow merchant, Rachel, who is a relatively recent widow, comes down from a nearby settlement, and they take up a torrid affair. Meanwhile, Stephen Logan inquires of Speed if his new lawyer friend, Abraham Lincoln, can take the berth (bed) opening Speed has above the store. Speed, reluctant at first given prior inhabitants of said berth, agrees after meeting Lincoln.

Rachel then takes in her niece, Lilly, who is 17, and her nephew, Jesse, who is 10, after both are pushed out of the poorhouse. She even takes on their debts to ensure as much. I believe both parents, or at least, the dad, died. Shortly thereafter, Lilly is found with her throat slit in Rachel’s barn. The local prosecutor, and soon, the sheriff, believe Rachel must be the culprit. They don’t really have a motive, but they did find a second Bowie knife — the same knife used to kill Lilly — on Rachel’s property. She also can’t or won’t account for her whereabouts that night. Speed is in a panic to help solve the murder so as to acquit Rachel of any suspicions. He doesn’t think she did it, surely. Rachel isn’t much help though because she wants to be a strong, independent woman, not reliant upon anyone else, and in this case, much to her literal downfall.

See, where I thought the book was heading was that Lincoln would inevitably defend Rachel at Speed’s insistence, and being the great orator he is (or would become), Lincoln would successfully defend her against the charges of murder. But phew, Putnam had more to come! Because soon, Jesse is killed after being bludgeoned with a stone. Related to all of this, not long after that, a Prussian traveling through crashes his cart and breaks his leg. He’s helped by the local, famous doctor, Dr. Patterson, and his daughter, Jane. In fact, Dr. Patterson does a new fangled treatment for the Prussian’s leg instead of amputating it, he puts a cast on it! (For all his know-how and being on the cutting edge, as a “modern man of medicine,” Dr. Patterson sadly still believed in bloodletting!) All of that to say, Speed figures perhaps it was the Prussian who killed Lilly and then Jesse. After all, he found Jesse’s corpse in the Prussian’s carriage. But after interrogating him, he doesn’t think him a murderer.

Joining in on the investigation, by the way, is Martha Speed, Joshua’s sister, who came up from Louisville to visit. She becomes friendly with Jane, is helping the sheriff’s wife deliver her baby (with the help of her slave, Phillis, who becomes pivotal later!), and is quite audacious beyond what would be considered her station at the time in matters of talk among men and her own know-how with the law. My brain thought she was the soon-to-be wife of Abraham Lincoln until I remembered that that is Mary Todd, not Martha Todd. Ope.

I mentioned where I thought the book was heading with Lincoln defending Rachel. Welp. That was upended about a third of the way into the book when Rachel herself is strangled to death and Speed finds her body. She was just on the cusp of being arrested for the two murders by the sheriff. I was stunned! Now what?! As it turned out, the prosecutor intercepted a letter that Rachel sent to … Dr. Patterson, that hinted at some sort of union and conspiracy of sorts between the two. At first, the prosecutor saw it as indication of Rachel’s guilt, but with her death, turned it around as indication of Dr. Patterson’s guilt. He’s promptly arrested and tried for the three murders. So, Lincoln is defending Patterson (who he was already defending in a prior land dispute), not Rachel in the last third of the book. Given Putnam was an attorney for many years, it’s not surprise the trial portion of the book not only read authentically, but was riveting! I also just love a legal thriller, which the book turned into. Particularly fun was the accoutrements one would expect of an 1830s courtroom: the judge smoking through copious cigars, all the jurors being white men who owned property and were of a certain age, and the spectators rowdily calling for Patterson to hang.

During the excitement of the trial, Speed, who now thinks Patterson should hang, too, is still trying to figure out the what and why of it all. He especially is flabbergasted when Lincoln reveals to him and Martha that Dr. Patterson confessed to the murders on account of gonorrhea-inspired episodic madness. In other words, their defense is going to be that Dr. Patterson killed the three people out of insanity, and thus, cannot be found guilty of such crimes. When he testifies on his own behalf later, Dr. Patterson actually argues he was trying to find a cure for the “depression of the spirits” that resides in the head, hence the cutting of the throat (relieve the blood pressure on the brain), bludgeoning of the head (knock it out of them), and strangling (depriving the depression of air). During a moment of chaos when the sheriff’s wife’s baby is due, the blackguard operator of a nearby poorhouse, kidnaps Phillis, which inadvertently brings along Martha and Jane, as Martha was trying to stop it. Lincoln had warned Speed to have Phillis registered in Illinois (a free state), otherwise he’d have no proof of connection to Phillis. That resulted in an argument about slavery, with the Speeds more on the side of slavery given that they literally owned slaves versus Lincoln. I think that sentiment might have been about 20 years early for Lincoln’s evolving thinking on the slavery question and abolition, but for the purposes of the story, I liked it’s inclusion here. But I digress. So, of course, Speed goes after the blackguard to rescue Martha, but also because Jane is set to testify on her dad’s behalf and also because he knows Phillis overheard something between Jane and Dr. Patterson and he’s curious as to what it was. He’s able to reconnect with Martha and Jane, who went to a nearby tavern, but Phillis was put inside the poorhouse. After knocking out the blackguard, Joshua, Martha, and Jane go inside to rescue Phillis. That’s when the brave and daring Phillis reveals what she overheard between Jane and Dr. Patterson, while Dr. Patterson was in the local jail during court recess. “I’ll not cover for your madness again.” They figured she heard wrong and it was Jane saying that to Dr. Patterson. Jane tries to play it off, but then essentially fesses up in a read-between-the-lines way to killing all three because Lilly, who was her childhood friend, knew she had killed her stepmother and when she arrived in Springfield after leaving the poorhouse, tried to blackmail Jane over it. Jane is the crazy one! She tries to shoot Phillis, but Martha and Joshua intervene, and either inadvertently or purposefully, Jane shoots herself dead.

However, there is no way to clear up the matter for the purposes of the trial! Obviously, even in a free state like Illinois, a Black person, much less a slave, is not going to be allowed to testify as to what she heard. This also gets Joshua marinating on the injustice of it all as it concerns Blacks. So, instead, Martha concocts a plan whereby the Prussian, in cahoots with Dr. Patterson, would make it seem like they escaped, tied up Martha, and absconded. The trial can’t be finished then. That’s a play off a real life anecdote from Lincoln’s attorney days, Putnam explained in his Historical Note. Lincoln was representing Melissa Goings, who was charged with killing her abusive husband. She fled during a recess in the trial, and when the judge asked Lincoln if he encouraged her flight, he is said to have responded, “Your Honor, I did not chase her off. She simply asked me where she could get a good drink of water, and I said Tennessee has mighty fine drinkin’ water.” That’s amazing. And he’s the one, in our story here, who planted the seed in Martha’s head for her little scheme with the Prussian.

I loved this book. Can you tell?! I need more Lincoln and Speed stories. Come on, Putnam! This was just delightful, rich in historical intrigue, a genuinely puzzling and surprising whodunit, and to top it off, it turned into a compelling legal thriller. It had everything I’d want in a book. I can’t recommend These Honored Dead enough. This is no Lincoln-spurred gimmick book; it’s the real deal.

[Arlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't know that Lincoln here was Abraham Lincoln. Nice courtroom scenes.

[Beth Levitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent read with interesting plot twists and fine historical research. The author also captures Lincoln’s spirit perfectly. Highly recommend and intend to read more by this author.

[Amber · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book did earn it's second star back with its climax so it did have some redeeming features, but for the most part, it's a boring read even though the novel itself is not that long. The sudden affair by page 18 felt so contrived and, well, inconceivable that it started on a sour note.

This book's jacket puts a heavy emphasis on Abraham Lincoln as a young lawyer as a character, but for the most part he just isn't present, which honestly drags the novel down because Speed isn't that interesting of a character, and it breaks the promise to the reader. I kind of wish we were in Martha's head instead.

The mystery wasn't much of a mystery that in turn made the book feel longer than it was. Is it well-written structurally, sure, but story-wise, this just needed more action and less traveling.

[Elisabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay

It's an OK story. It held my interest until the end, and I've no trouble putting down books that aren't worth reading. But it would benefit from a proofread to comb out the few glaring (I'm not sure what to call them, bigger than typos but not major plot holes). In any case, a critical re-read. It's obvious there are follow on volumes. Lincoln is a rather wooden supporting character. I didn't really get a sense of him. The plot is ok. So overall, worth finishing if you find it in your hands, but not worth crossing the street to lay your hands on.

[Angie Boyter · Rating 4 out of 5]

See my Amazon review: https://www.amazon.com/review/R1RUBO5...

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked his writing style. Straight forward. No flowery prose. Interesting description of "Lincoln. Not what I expected for a portrayal of his legal career.

[Cornerofmadness · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think some of the buzz around this book gave me unrealistic expectations. It made it sound like Lincoln and Speed would be Sherlock and Watson and this is far more like a John Grisham courtroom drama. Which, fair enough because Lincoln (and the author) was a lawyer. My bigger disappointment wasn't that Lincoln wasn't out there solving mysteries it was that he's really not that much of a presence in the novel. It's told first person from Speed's point of view and I have to say I didn't like Speed much.

Some other reviewer said it would have been better with Martha, Speed's younger sister as the protagonist. Yes, she was far more interesting but bound by the huge restrictions placed on young women (or women in general) at this time period. The issues with Speed are he wasn't that interesting and the fact there were some real life problems with him that are reflected in the text.

Like most amateur sleuths, Speed is drawn into the case when his would-be love interest is suspected of murdering a family member and he is out to clear her name. As more bodies drop, things get more dire. It sounds like it could be a riproaring investigation but honestly it's not. Speed doesn't do much investigating at all and some of it just falls into his lap.

Lincoln is there to illustrate how American court of law has changed (Martha too, like when she's annoyed that women can't be jurors) Back then a case might last one or two days and you were hung almost immediately. PoC couldn't even give evidence no matter what they had witnessed. And Lincoln was given 2 days to prepare his case which was considered generous. We can only imagine how many innocent people were hung in those days given all this.

The ending was at least a bit more exciting and I enjoyed the author's historical notes, such as the fact Lincoln had been charged with helping defendants escape if he thought they were innocent but were unlikely to be judged that way.

So spoilers here. What I didn't like about Speed is unfortunately from real life. He was raised wealthy and the family had about 60 slaves. He saw nothing wrong with it and he and Lincoln did argue bitterly about it (there are letters to that effect). That is a major plot point when his sister's slave, who had been brought along as a midwife for Martha's friend, the wife of the sheriff, is taken. Speed doesn't care about her or why she was taken (as he wanted Lincoln to lose because he thought the person was guilty and the slave might have evidence to the contrary) He was more annoyed that Phillis, the slave, wasn't more grateful to him for helping her because slaves should be grateful for all their white masters do for them.

So you can see why this makes Speed a less than likable protagonist. In real life, Lincoln lamented Speed's love for slavery (even if Speed did side with the North and Lincoln in the war). Putnam can't really change that. Speed and slavery are part of history. It might have been better had it not been a plot point but it was so that might make a reader uncomfortable but maybe that's the point. It should make us uncomfortable.

[L.W. Clay · Rating 5 out of 5]

If this book is any indication as to what Mr Putnam has to offer for his Lincoln/Speed books, count me IN! I'm a Fan.

Jonathan F Putnam takes the facts of a case and spruces them up, adding a little here and a little there, filling in some details until... voila! - a magnificent murder mystery! Lloyd James is phenomenal at voicing these characters, to the point that I listened to his female voice to be sure it was really him and I only knew it was him because Audible told me so (well, at first you could tell, but toward the end, he was nailing it!).

Okay, the story is so riveting! This is the first book in the series, so we start out with Joshua Speed (who is the narrator) meeting Abe Lincoln for the very first time. I really enjoyed the way Putnam crafted the story around what it might have been like, those two meeting for the very first time... how Lincoln had to order a special bed, and other details that made it so real.

Before too long, the murder happens and Lincoln is pulled in. Putnam has his wry sense of humor as he tells about Lincoln explaining how he hasn't lost a murder case yet... he hasn't HAD a murder case yet, but he hasn't lost one! Each little detail Putnam puts in (I won't spoil the fun) deepens the richness of the story.

The murder is of a young girl, and the aunt eventually is blamed. The thing is, young Speed has recently taken up with said aunt, so he's pushing Lincoln to vindicate his new love interest. More murders happen, each where the aunt could very well have done them. It's not looking good. Speed is desperate now.

Throw in some slave stealing, to which Lincoln has a BIG problem in this book, (This author paints Lincoln as an abolitionist, but there is proof that he wasn't, that he wasn't all about freeing the slaves, but just stopping the war and keeping the country unified) and a great trial, and you've got one masterpiece of historical fiction.

At the end, we are told of every bit of information that Putnam worked with that is true, the historical evidence in its totality to backup this novel, including the details of the murders and Lincoln's trial history. It's extremely fascinating, and Putnam puts it all together. DEFINITELY a worthwhile credit! I'll probably read it again sometime. I really liked this one.

[Oswego Public Library District]

In 1837, Abraham Lincoln, a newly minted lawyer, finds his way to Springfield and boards with the young merchant Joshua Speed. The two effortlessly strike a friendship, but Speed fails to mention his shaky relationship with the widow Rebecca Harriman, who soon becomes a disreputable figure. When her niece is murdered, she’s the prime suspect, until two more murders follow. While Joshua seeks the truth, Lincoln undertakes his first murder case, in which he defends a man he believes to be innocent.

These Honored Dead is a well-researched debut, based on real-life historical figures, including but not limited to Abraham Lincoln. The author presents a solid mystery, but the spirit of the novel emerges through the gripping trial. Readers will become engrossed by Lincoln’s folksy humor and dramatic speeches, and see how frontier justice differs from the law of today. Propelled by bold words and bold actions by an amateur lawyer and a merchant turned amateur sleuth, the story reaches a clever but plausible resolution. It is sure to breed curiosity towards what might have really happened during these historical events. –AD

Click here to place a hold: These Honored Dead .

Enjoyed this? Try the next Lincoln and Speed mystery: Perish from the Earth .

[A Reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a big fan of historical mystery fiction, so when I learned of this series, I was quite eager to get ahold of this book. I was also buoyed by the many positive reviews, including dust jacket blurbs by other authors whose books I’ve enjoyed. However, sadly I was rather disappointed. First, this really isn’t a “Lincoln and Speed mystery” as the billing suggests. Lincoln is barely in the story and sadly when he does appear is written as a wooden, character with virtually no personality. He is not fleshed out and is one dimensional and stiff. Lincoln was known to be folksy and gregarious. We get none of that. He was also renowned for his storytelling and analogies and the one instance we see of this is when he is in court yet the analogy is not only a poor one, but historically inaccurate. Lincoln discusses piloting a steamboat upriver and while celebrating at the dock with liquor (Abe didn’t drink) he was told to come quickly to pilot it back down river since the water level was dropping. Lincoln did not pilot the boat upriver. He was an assistant pilot on the trip back down only, and although the boat did need to be taken downstream due to the water level dropping, it was a week after the boat docked upriver, not hours later as depicted in the story.
It is a rather bizarre choice to make Speed the “investigator” in this story. It is true that Speed became Lincoln’s good friend and was his roommate in Springfield but he was a retailer, a merchant— hardly the fodder for a detective or investigator. Another of Lincoln’s roommates was William Herndon, who would later become Abe’s law partner. If the author felt the need to make someone other than Lincoln the main protagonist in the mystery, Herndon would’ve been a better choice. He even could’ve crafted the sense that Herndon decided to study law due to his involvement in the story’s mystery.
The story is filled with sentiments and dialogue that do not fit the time period. There is no Midwestern folksy speech, these people sound modern. Also the mores of the time period are often missing. (Spoiler Alert) Speed has an ongoing affair with a woman. At the time of the story she would’ve been considered “loose” and yet we get no sense of that. Further, later we find she is also having a long term relationship with an older man, a doctor. So she is even looser than Speed first imagined. But does this bother him? Not a bit. When she turns up dead he keeps relating how honorable she was; which is rather ridiculous. Also, although slavery is mentioned a number of times, and a slave a character is in the story, the “N word” is never used. I understand limiting its usage. It’s a vile word. However, even detestable, racist characters do not use it at all in the story, which harms the accuracy and believably of the yarn.
The plot meanders and is listlessly slow. It is also filled with further insensitivities to the time period. Another reviewer points out that the characters travel dozens of miles quickly and often—like they’re jumping in the car to run out somewhere. Travel was slow back then. A character in the story is a Prussian who apparently was a real person. Yet his presence in the story makes little sense and he often acts in illogical ways. For instance, at one point he is about to leave town to continue his tour of the American West, even though his leg is in a cast and the doctor in town is the one who put his leg in the cast, and since it’s a “modern’ technique, he’s the only one who can remove it. Later, at the end of the story he abets the doctor’s fleeing justice by going with him on his escape for just this reason. How then could he have tried to leave town ½ way through the story? (without the doctor)
There are some editing errors, such the same paragraph appearing twice in a row. The writing is rather amateurish and the love scenes extremely corny.
I mentioned that the story meanders, and it does, but the “twist” at the end is one that is entirely overused as a plot device. (More spoilers ahead) The doctor is accused of murdering three people. He denies it, then ½ way through the trial, admits it. Why? Can you guess? I sure could. To protect the actual guilty party. Speed had been convinced the doctor was the murderer and vehemently wants him to hang. BUT once he learns that the doctor was covering for someone else, he helps him escape justice. This is idiotic. The doctor’s covering for the other person (his daughter) led to the death of three additional people. She had killed his second wife. Why? Because he daughter is insane (despite showing zero signs of this in the story) a malady of which her father is aware. Yet he covered for her. She then murdered a teenage girl. Then a young boy. Then the woman who was the lover of both Speed and the doctor. By the end of the book Speed is in the doctor’s camp and as mentioned, helps him escape. Earlier he is seething with hatred for him for allegedly killing the three people for which he is standing trial. Yet by the end, Speed now does not hold him culpable at all for any of the deaths, even though the doctor could’ve prevented all three by diming out his daughter as a psychopath after she murdered his second wife. Later the doctor, apparently a real person, starts an insane asylum in New York; despite still being a fugitive from justice, accused of committing three homicides. The backstory of this doctor is of course fictitious but not only would it have prevented him from prospering in NY but the idea that he is now somehow a champion of mental health is ridiculous given he is tangentially responsible for three of the murders his daughter committed.
I had high hopes for this book. Given that this was the author’s first, perhaps his writing skills improved with the subsequent stories in the series. I’m not sure I’ll ever venture to discover if this is the case as I found this book frustratingly bad. Again- the plot meandered, the protagonist is a bizarre choice, the speech patterns and morals are anachronistic, and the “twist” is an over-used and transparent device. Lastly, Lincoln was little more than a side character with almost no personality.
I understand that I am overly critical in this review but I’ve read many great books in this genre and am always looking for more. So it is profoundly disappointing that I really doubt I can continue with the other 3 books in the series. If readers are after better material in the historical/mystery fiction category I have some recommendations. For the American Revolution- the Fox and Shelby Series, beginning with The Saratoga Deception. For the Civil War Era, try the Abel Jones books, beginning with Faded Coat of Blue.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm really torn about this book. The mystery was interesting, the characterization was good. I didn't see the ending coming. Overall, it was a promising first book in a series, and it left me interested to read more.

But.

The thing I keep coming back to is the treatment of slavery, and I can't decide what I think about the way it was handled. I don't think the author, or the book as a whole, is suggesting that slavery was ok. Lincoln, characteristically, spoke against it clearly. The portrayal of Phillis did not romanticize slavery at all. It seemed to be reasonably historically accurate.

But the POV character, Speed, was a Southerner whose family owned slaves, and who was quite clear about the fact that he saw no problem with that whatsoever. His treatment of Phillis was callous until he realized that she had knowledge that he needed. He argued for the continuation of slavery in a conversation with Lincoln. And yet he was the character we were supposed to identify most closely with throughout the story. It was unsettling. It would be unrealistic for a man with a background like Speed's to have any sort of enlightened views on race. But a hero who defends slavery is grotesque.

This is the first in a series. If I had to guess, I'd say that subsequent books will show a gradual evolution in his thinking. (That is a guess; I haven't read any others yet.) But don't know that I'm willing to go on that journey. Joshua Speed was a real person, and I don't know what his actual trajectory was; if he remained a close friend of Lincoln's I imagine he ended up on the right side eventually. But I'm not sure that I want to read about it.

[Nd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can't believe I wrote half of a review and it all disappeared. Damn it. Okay:
Setting is Springfield, MO. Joshua Speed had struck out to on his own from his wealthy family and was trying to make a go of his general store. Abraham Lincoln arrived in town, a brand new lawyer in need of a place to stay. In the fashion of the day, they ended up bunkmates.
Evidently Joshua Speed was, in fact, a real person and a lifelong friend of the real Abraham Lincoln. The characters in frontier town Springfield and in the mystery are depicted according to the time, the late 1930s, a period of Lincoln's life that is not well document. Joshua's lady love, a strong, self-assertive woman, was managing a general store following her husband's death. She called off their relationship because she knew she could not keep her store going if her reputation was besmirched over Joshua's out of town visits. When two children taken into her care were murdered, one shortly after the other, Speed enlisted Lincoln to take the case.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book readable and the story line was good. Once I started reading, I couldn't stop. Of course, it helped that I was off work with a cold and could read to my heart's content. I felt like the author did his research and, without having lived it, depicted the time and the issues accurately. I found the legal issues of slavery interesting and the description of the poorhouses deplorable. It didn't take me long to figure out who was the killer. I will say I never really picked up on the great friendship between Abraham Lincoln and Joshua Speed. In fact, I thought of this book being more of a Joshua Speed mystery with Lincoln only participating somewhat. I think he had more help from his sister in solving the mystery than Lincoln. It would be interesting to see Lincoln have a more active role in the solving of the murders. Nevertheless, it was an entertaining story and I would recommend it to others to read

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this fun and informative, fictional yet historically accurate depiction of Abraham Lincoln as a young lawyer. Jonathan Putnam, a renowned lawyer in his own right and an amateur Lincoln scholar, has done his research and manages to educate the reader on the time period while writing an entertaining story. According to the afterword, many of the characters are based on actual people and there evidently was a relationship between the Speed family and Abraham Lincoln.

I listened to the audio version read by Lloyd James who does an admirable job with the many voices, male and female alike. It was very easy to listen to. The crime/s is apparently an amalgamation of crimes typical of the time period and the courtroom scenes were riveting. The plot may have had a few holes and hiccups but for a debut novel it is a fine effort. There is a second one in the series in publication and Putnam has contracted to write at least two more. I am looking forward to them.

[Jane Irish Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent mystery. Believable characterization — everything about Abraham Lincoln as presented in this novel is absolutely in line with what we know about him. His friendship with Joshua Speed begins accidentally when Lincoln needs a place to stay, and Speed offers him one (for a fee, of course). Speed is working as a storekeeper for a cousin, and is also a relative newcomer to Springfield. But when the niece of a widow with whom Joshua had had a relationship is murdered, and the aunt Rebecca becomes a suspect, Joshua feels compelled to investigate, and enlists Lincoln's help. They are joined by Speed's younger sister, Martha, also in Springfield, visiting a friend. But why was Lilly killed? What possible motive was there for her death? And when it is followed by further deaths, the solution seems murkier than ever. This is a fascinating look at life on what was then the frontier, especially the position of those on the fringes of society. Highly recommended.

[Richard Koreto · Rating 4 out of 5]

A highly engaging historical mystery. We're treated to not just one, but two real-life historical figures, the young Abraham Lincoln and his close friend—and the book's narrator—Joshua Fry Speed. The book is a treat because we get to see Lincoln long before he achieved any fame, and watch him in action in the courtroom. (The court scenes ring true—the author is a lawyer.) The plot is intriguing and zips along nicely. I particularly liked the author's richly detailed descriptions of 19th century life in the Midwest: even in brief scenes, the settings come to life, as the author takes us through stores and taverns and more. He was especially good in touching on the grim fate of the impoverished at the time, and the increasingly controversial issue of slavery. A great read for fans of historical mysteries.

[Dee Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audible Plus 8 hours 53 min. Narrated by Lloyd James (A+)
4.5 stars
There are three great books I am listening to right now, but after I started to listen to THESE HONORED DEAD, it has taken my full attention. This it is a well-researched historical fiction mystery in which Abraham Lincoln, the young lawyer in Springfield, is retained to represent a doctor accused of brutal crimes. Lincoln plays a subordinate role in the plot, but the other characters represent his friends and acquaintances from that period of his life.

I was not only caught up with the mystery but also in the portrayal of strong female characters and by the reminder of the injustice of slavery and civil laws that disenfranchised any person of color.

The final chapter explains how each of the characters was actually related to Lincoln during his life.

[Tate · Rating 2 out of 5]

The prose is nice but in the context of this book, it seemed overwritten and thus, unbelievable and sometimes laughable. The scenes with Rebecca were too dramatic, to the point of alienating the reader rather than bringing them along.

Make sure you read the bit at the end which gives explains the historical context and the research that went into the book, because that sort of turned it around for me. I like how the story keeps to attitudes of the times with respect to topics such as slavery and women. It adds a bit more depth to the characters because you end up liking them, but not all of them. I can't tell if they really treated attorney-client privilege and confidentiality so flippantly back then though, or if that was just a way to keep the plot moving.