Lincoln's Grave Robbers
By Michael Berry,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Fascinating nonfiction account of little-known conspiracy.
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What's the Story?
After master counterfeiter Benjamin Boyd was arrested by the Secret Service in 1875, his confederates devise a plot to steal the remains of President Abraham Lincoln and ransom them for Boyd's release (plus a large amount of cash). It's up to Patrick Tyrrell, Chief Operative of the Chicago District of the Secret Service, to foil the plan. With the aid of Lewis C. Swegles, a career criminal turned double agent, Tyrrell and his men prepare to meet the would-be grave robbers at the run-down Lincoln Monument on a chaotic election night.
Is It Any Good?
LINCOLN'S GRAVE ROBBERS is an exciting, fast-paced and well-researched chronicle of a little-known sidelight of post-Civil War history. It provides the right amount of background on the history of counterfeiting in America, then gets down to the twisty tale of a plot to steal a beloved president's remains. The real-life cast is populated with some fascinating characters, from upright lawmen to conniving counterfeiters to a slippery double agent. Author Steve Sheinkin presents the material with clear prose and an eye for the telling detail.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why the theft of a late U.S. president's body would be so shocking and traumatic to the nation. What do you know about Lincoln that made him especially loved and especially controversial?
How does Author Steve Sheinkin write history in a way that makes it as engaging and entertaining as a good novel? What's the difference between fiction and nonfiction?
Does counterfeiting still occur in the United States? How have changes in technology affected the production of counterfeit bills?
Book Details
- Author: Steve Sheinkin
- Genre: History
- Topics: History
- Book type: Non-Fiction
- Publisher: Scholastic Press
- Publication date: January 1, 2013
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 10 - 14
- Number of pages: 224
- Available on: Nook, Hardback, Kindle
- Award: ALA Best and Notable Books
- Last updated: July 12, 2017
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