Hanging Mary

By: Susan Higginbotham

Narrated by: Johanna Parker

Washington City, 1864. One has to be careful with talk of secession, of Confederate whispers falling on Northern ears. Better to speak only when in the company of the trustworthy, like Mrs. Surratt. A widow who runs a small boardinghouse on H Street, Mary Surratt isn't half as committed to the cause as her son, Johnny. If he's not delivering messages or escorting veiled spies, he's inviting home men like John Wilkes Booth, an actor who is even more charming in person than he is on the stage.

But when President Lincoln is killed, the question of what Mary knew becomes more important than anything else. Was she a cold-blooded accomplice? Just how far would she go to help her son?

©2016 Susan Higginbotham (P)2016 Tantor

Critic reviews

"A fine choice for historical fiction fans...." ( Library Journal)

It was history I had not heard.

I liked the history and the way it was told through the eyes of Mary and Nora. The southern voice was very long sometimes . Overall I am glad I listened to the book. The book made me want to learn more of the story.

Loved!!!!

I love everything about this book; from the narrator to the storyline to the immersive experience this books gives you, I can’t recommend it enough.

Entertaining Historical Fiction

A very good story of the Lincoln assassination told from the POV of the women living in the boarding house of Mary Surratt. The main protagonists are Mary, her daughter Anna, and a boarder, Nora Fitzpatrick. Nora is a Union girl who eventually considers Mary like a mother, and Anna a sister. It's excellently written and narrated. It follows the events of the conspiracy through their eyes from the kidnapping plot through the eventual assassination by Booth. The main settings are the house, prisons, the trial and eventually the gallows. It's well-researched and looks at a side of the crime not often examined. What would the conspiracy look like to those around the conspirators but not directly involved in the conspiracy? Yes, Mary knew about a plan by John Surratt and Booth, but did she deserve to hang? It also looks at themes of love, family, and loyalty. This book attempts to answer the question about Mary Surratt, and is very enjoyable Historical Fiction.

too long, and the narration was just okay

I felt as if there was too much build up, the back story could have been shortened. I actually listened to part of the story and then left it for about a year, the only reason I went back to it is because I hate leaving things unfinished. When I finished the book I skipped ahead and then listened to it at 2x speed just to get to the end.

Also, I found one of the main characters, Nora, to be incredibly annoying. But, I am actually wondering if this was in part due to the narration- the narrator made Nora sound whiny and immature, and I wonder if she would have seemed that way if I had read it on my kindle instead.

Disappointing

This story is told from the viewpoints of Mary Suratt herself and one of her young boarders, Nora. Nora's ambition to work in an office and her infatuation with Booth doesn't add much to the story. Mary moans about life's hardships and her bad marriage and shiftless son. Just wasn't an engaging story with these unlikeable characters.