The Lincoln Conspiracy

My husband thought I might enjoy The Lincoln Conspiracy (#300) by Timothy L. O'Brien, and I did, up to a point.  Who doesn't love a conspiracy theory book?  In this case, the question is, was it only John Wilkes Booth and his little group of Southern sympathizers meeting at Mrs. Surrat's boardinghouse who were responsible for Abraham Lincoln's assassination, or were there others pulling the strings?

It's only a month after Lincoln's death in the District when Metropolitan Detective Temple McFadden spots some suspicious activity at the B&O train station while waiting to meet up with two of his friends.  He witnesses a murder, and is trapped between two groups of adversaries fighting over the corpse.  His police instincts kick in, and he extracts a wrapped package from the body.  Suddenly McFadden is the target of both deadly sides.  What's in the package that is so valuable that others are willing (and eager!) to kill for?  Has he made the worst mistake of his life by involving his beloved wife and friends in solving the mystery of the two diaries the package contains?  It's clear they hold a secret connected to the death of Abraham Lincoln...

Without giving anything away, I have to say I found the denouement of The Lincoln Conspiracy a real let down.  After narrowly escaping death in a number of harrowing situations, knowing that his wife Fiona was molested and nearly killed, and that several of his friends die along the way protecting the package, it seems unbelievable to me that the pursuers in the last couple of chapters are suddenly giving Temple material aid to uncover and reveal those mysterious forces behind everything.  It's just a little too glib for me.

The period was very easy to picture for me, since my husband and I are both fans of the BBC import Copper.  The antihero of the series is an Irish born Police Detective in New York City in 1865, as the Civil War is winding down.  He even walks with a cane, as does Temple McFadden, who began his career with the police in New York City.  Both detectives have educated free black friends who play pivotal roles.  The only character in The Lincoln Conspiracy who doesn't have a counterpart in Copper is Fiona McFadden, trained as a physician but unable to practice as a woman.  There really isn't a single admirable female character in the entire cast of Copper I'm sorry to say.  If you know and like this series, you might want to give The Lincoln Conspiracy a try.  Chances are you'll feel right at home.