Excerpt
from A House Divided
The
new arrival of a woman named Mary Todd wedges a rift between
Abraham Lincoln and Joshua Speed, but they must resolve their
differences if they stand any chance of cracking one of the
most harrowing murder cases they have ever faced.
In
the winter of 1839, a sensational disappearance rocks Springfield,
Illinois, as headlines announce a local man has accused his
two brothers of murder. Not one to pass up an opportunity,
Abraham Lincoln takes up the case of the accused with the
assistance of his best friend Joshua Speed to search for evidence
of innocence.
But
just as soon as they begin, Lincoln and Speed find their friendship
at grave risk of rupture as they vie for the hand a beautiful
new arrival in town: an ambitious, outspoken young woman named
Mary Todd. As the trial arrives, can Lincoln and Speed put
aside their differences to work together for justice once
more? An innocent man’s life may be in the balance?and
nothing is as it seems.
Re-imagining
one of the greatest unsolved murder mysteries from Abraham
Lincoln’s real-life trial cases, A House Divided is
the most captivating Lincoln and Speed mystery yet from expert
Lincoln scholar Jonathan F. Putnam.
When
I received my copy of “A House Divided” I was
ready for a return visit to Abraham Lincoln’s life in
1839. I found a quiet room with a comfortable chair and made
certain that my cell phone was silenced so that I could dive
right in and savor each chapter, each paragraph, and each
and every word.
Over
the span of four books, Jonathan F. Putnam has become my favorite
contemporary author of historical fiction. Once again Putnam
has done an amazing amount of research and has found the perfect
tone and words to impart the information to readers in a manner
that provides context while simultaneously stirring the imagination.
Where
there is darkness, there is also light. Where men are evil,
there are also men who are moral and kind. Putnam deftly infuses
contrast into his work and in this reader’s opinion
is earning his place as a master of historical fiction.
A
House Divided is a satisfying and thoroughly enjoyable
read.
Reviews
of other titles in this series
Perish
From The Earth
Final Resting Place
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