Manhunt

APPLE BOOKS REVIEW

We all know what happened at Ford’s Theatre on the night Abraham Lincoln was shot—but you’ll be shocked to learn about what happened immediately after. Historian James L. Swanson recounts the 12-day hunt for Lincoln’s assassin John Wilkes Booth in a chase that raced through the farms, forests, and swamps of Maryland and Virginia, ending with a dramatic final showdown befitting an actor turned killer. Don’t expect a dry history lesson here: This is a nail-biting, moment-by-moment account that gets right inside the heads of Booth and those who brought him to justice. And yet through it all, Swanson never abandons his methods as a historian, placing the chase squarely within its context on the heels of the Civil War. Narrator Jonathan Davis interprets the story like a captivating one-man show, giving voice to the eclectic range of characters Booth encountered during his flight. Whether you’re a Civil War buff or just love a good chase, don’t miss Manhunt.