James Swanson's Manhunt is one of the best real-history narratives I have ever read. It is truly like stepping into a time machine!
I do think that the author may have taken some creative license with the dialogue, because like someone had written previously, no one exactly knows what people were speaking verbatum, gesturing, and thinking nearly 150 years ago. He used quite a bit of quotes from many sources and in fact a huge chunk of the back of the book is all references. So the reader can just assume that he describes is pretty much what happened.
My favorite thing about the assassination scene is the way you are transported into Booth's mind. I could practically smell the pipe smoke and old wood, and imagined the dark candle-lamp lit passageways of Ford's Theater. Then there was the suspense of when JWB was waiting for the exact opportune moment, mixed with snippets of the actual dialouge of the play "Our American Cousin." I won't go into anymore because it's so good!
One thing that bugged me is something someone else had posted. The author really lays on the praise of Booth, and goes on and on about how great of a "thespian" he was. Well, news flash, he was a killer. It kind of gave me the heebies the way he kept making parallels between JWB and the Lord Jesus. After the fifth Booth/Christ metaphor, I groaned inwardly at the book. I don't get the sense of hero-worship.
There was one co-conspirator who definitely aroused my sympathy, and that was David Herold. The more I read about him as the story went on, the more I found him oddly endearing. He certainly didn't deserve to be hung! He was immature, impulsive and foolish, the equivalent of today's juvenile delinquent. I made the mistake of looking him up and found a picture of him- and was so sad! Poor Davey, he will always be my boo...
And that reminds me, the epilogue was sort of short. I would have wanted to hear more details of the events leading up to the hanging of the four conspirators. I would have wanted to know more about any possible defense in their trial, and details about why some were to die and some were to be imprisoned. It left me hanging... oops, no pun intended. But then there is Swanson's other book, which makes me think he did that intentially so we will buy it and find out! So I am off to get a copy soon!
In all, this was an intriguing book- even for those who aren't like me and don't love history!
Get more detail about Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer (P.S.).
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