William Martin is one of my favorite historical novelist. In THE LINCOLN LETTER he continued to be so. Taking his main characters, Peter and Evangeline, he spins a tale of a lost notebook, and the cast of characters starting back in 1862. Skipping between present day and the Civil War, he weaves a wonderful story of personalities, intrigues, lost and found, the Civil War, tying discoveries of the present back to the past, and vice versa. This is the third or fourth book I have read of Martin's, and I am never disappointed. I loved Harvard Yard, Cape Cod, Back Bay. Loved them! While the sections of this book about Lincoln and emancipation were very interesting, as a pacifist, I found reading about the Civil War very depressing. I would push the book aside sometimes when I really wanted to be reading. Also, the large quantities of political characters from two different time periods and all their intrigues were somewhat overwhelming and difficult to follow, but then, that seemed to be the point since the characters themselves often seemed somewhat lost as well.I guess if you like the Civil War, and goodness knows plenty of people do, go for it.
What do You think about The Lincoln Letter (2012)?
Moves along nicely, makes a Lincoln non-fiction buff wish there was an iota of possibility.....
—scott
Story was fun and all but I really enjoyed the setting and the drive-by history lesson
—bloodydeath
