A House Divided
A Lincoln and Speed Mystery
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- $16.99
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
The new arrival of a woman named Mary Todd wedges a rift between Abraham Lincoln and Joshua Speed, but they must resolve their differences if they stand any chance of cracking one of the most harrowing murder cases they have ever faced.
In the winter of 1839, a sensational disappearance rocks Springfield, Illinois, as headlines announce a local man has accused his two brothers of murder. Not one to pass up an opportunity, Abraham Lincoln takes up the case of the accused with the assistance of his best friend Joshua Speed to search for evidence of innocence.
But just as soon as they begin, Lincoln and Speed find their friendship at grave risk of rupture as they vie for the hand a beautiful new arrival in town: an ambitious, outspoken young woman named Mary Todd. As the trial arrives, can Lincoln and Speed put aside their differences to work together for justice once more? An innocent man’s life may be in the balance—and nothing is as it seems.
Re-imagining one of the greatest unsolved murder mysteries from Abraham Lincoln’s real-life trial cases, A House Divided is the most captivating Lincoln and Speed mystery yet from expert Lincoln scholar Jonathan F. Putnam.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Set in 1839, Putnam's entertaining fourth mystery featuring friends and roommates Abe Lincoln and Joshua Speed (after 2018's Final Resting Place) makes creative use of an actual case from the future president's early legal career. A dangerous winter storm almost claims Speed's life, but he's saved from the icy downpour by Archibald Trailor, a carpenter who's been doing work for Lincoln. Speed looks to return the favor after Archibald is accused by his own brother, Henry, of having committed a murder along with his other sibling, William. Flynn Fisher, who came to Springfield, Ill., to discuss a business venture with the Trailor brothers, has gone missing, and Henry claims that he was suffocated by Archibald and William. Lincoln ends up representing Archibald, and he and Speed investigate the allegations. The real-life rivalry between Speed and Lincoln over Mary Todd adds human interest. While the mystery isn't that gripping, Putnam still excels at painting a convincing portrait of the younger Lincoln.
