The Mysterious Death of Meriwether Lewis

Harrison Hull #1

by Ron Burns

In 1809, Meriwether Lewis, now Louisiana Territory governor, dies mysteriously at an inn, leading his friends, ornithologist Alexander Wilson, and Harrison Hull, an Army captain, to investigate

Genres: Historical Mystery

242 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 1993

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

RON BURNS grew up in Michigan and studied International Affairs and European History at Georgetown University. He has bee a feature write and news editor for United Press International in New York, a columnist for the Philadelphia Bulletin, and a prize-winning crime reporter for the Los Angeles Herald Examiner. He now lives in Santa Monica, CA. Roman Nights was his first novel.

Series:
* Gaius Livinius Severus
* Harrison Hull

Reviews

[Laura McGee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two years after returning from the Lewis and Clark expedition, while serving as governor of the Louisiana Territory Meriwether Lewis killed himself. Or was it murder?! (It was absolutely murder). This is a fun take on this story with a fictional detective story built in!

[Belinda · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was such a disappointment. I was really excited to read a novel based on the supposed suicide of Lewis. Unfortunately, the author spent more time weaving an bizarre and unlikely conspiracy, than actually dealing with the facts of his demise.

[Carole Hardinge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Several years ago we stumbled on the gravesite of Meriwether Lewis while walking on the Natchez Trace. It was then that I discovered this book, but it took me awhile to get around to reading it. Sadly it wasn’t as compelling as I thought it would be. It seemed to read like a conspiracy theory that was tangled up in the political intrigue of that time. Perhaps if I had a better background knowledge of that time in American history I would have enjoyed it more. I was surprised to learn that it is the first book in the Harrison Hull series, which might require a second look, not now.

[Marion · Rating 3 out of 5]

21/2 stars rounded up to 3. Mystery novel with real-life historical figures and events, based on the violent death of Meriwether Lewis October 11, 1809 in a squalid inn outside of Nashville. Much of the action takes place in frontier lawless St Louis. Much mayhem and bloodshed. I had trouble following it sometimes but not a bad yarn.

[Dianne Oliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun!
His supposed suicide is an historical event I have always felt to be unfathomable. I didn't realize it was up for controversy, so I picked this up on a whim, and found it a good tale, and a springboard for perhaps more study.

[Barbara Timmons · Rating 1 out of 5]

A mediocre mystery: lots of murders, unsatisfying ending. Burns can't write a credible female character, and the man mostly talk, drink, cry, and kill each other mercilessly. D+, the plus for a good bit of historical research.