Lincoln's Grave Robbers (Scholastic Focus)

By: Steve Sheinkin

Narrated by: Will Patton

A true crime thriller - the first book for teens to tell the nearly unknown tale of the brazen attempt to steal Abraham Lincoln's body!

The action begins in October of 1875, as Secret Service agents raid the Fulton, Illinois, workshop of master counterfeiter Ben Boyd. Soon after Boyd is hauled off to prison, members of his counterfeiting ring gather in the back room of a smoky Chicago saloon to discuss how to spring their ringleader. Their plan: grab Lincoln's body from its Springfield tomb, stash it in the sand dunes near Lake Michigan, and demand, as a ransom, the release of Ben Boyd - and $200,000 in cash. From here, the action alternates between the conspirators, the Secret Service agents on their trail, and the undercover agent moving back and forth between the two groups. Along the way readers get glimpses into the inner workings of counterfeiting, grave robbing, detective work, and the early days of the Secret Service. The plot moves toward a wild climax as robbers and lawmen converge at Lincoln's tomb on election night: November 7, 1876.

©2013 Steve Sheinkin (P)2013 Scholastic Inc.

my thoughts on Lincoln’s grave robbers

well I thought this book was interesting to read but in some parts I was lost in what was happening so I wouldn’t say this is my favorite book I’ve read.

Another great adventure from history

Steve manages to thread large amounts of history into a thriller --or is it the other way around?. Our history texts simply move on after Lincoln's assassination. Steve shows us there are some compelling stories to be told after Lincoln's death.

Maybe intended for children, but I like it, too!

I've always been fascinated with the Civil War and the Lincolns, and this is a good addition to my collection of books about them. Yes, there are lots of characters to keep straight, which is why I usually own the paper or Kindle edition as well. Will Patton does an excellent job of making this more mystery than just a dry reading of historical facts.

Not only does it have elements of mystery, action and adventure, there's a happy-ever-after element. Unlike followers of the William Herndon version of Lincoln's life with his wife, Mary, I happen to believe that theirs was a deep and abiding love. Their story should end with their resting beside each other through eternity.

Another go-to book for me!

A solid 5 stars!

Not as good as the first book we listened to- Chasing Lincoln's Killer but still a solid 5 stars. My kids ages 8-13 were fascinated!

Fascinating!

I was a little intimidated by the cast of characters at the beginning but had no trouble following along. I loved the story and the information about counterfeiting, as well as the follow up with the guard of the memorial.