Synopses & Reviews
“One of the most exciting thrillers I have read in a long, long time. This is historical fiction at its best.”—Brad Thor, author of
The ApostleWashington, D.C., 1861: As the United States teeters on the brink of civil war, Colonel Charles P. Rook organizes security in the nations capitol and monitors the death threats pouring in to the White House. He surrounds Abraham Lincoln with bodyguards, covers rooftops with sharpshooters, and investigates rumors of conspiracy fomented by secessionists. Yet amidst the chaos and confusion, a mysterious killer slips into the teeming city. Hired by a wealthy Southern planter to eliminate President Lincoln and destroy the Union once and for all, the assassin catches Rooks attention by cutting down anyone who gets in his way.
As the bodies begin to pile up, Rook realizes he is caught in a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse with a cold-blooded killer who will stop at nothing to complete his mission. Rooks only hope is Portia, a runaway slave who holds the key to the assassins identity—if she can stay alive long enough to deliver it. Packed with dynamic characters, rich period detail, and a chillingly sinister villain, The First Assassin is a riveting thriller for fans of historical fiction.
“Utterly compelling, the novel sweeps the reader along multiple storylines which converge at one point, one moment, where history pivots on its axis. A skilled writer of nonfiction, Miller uses his knowledge and research to create a powerful thriller.”—Robert Ferrigno, author of Heart of the Assassin
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Editor's Choice: Engrossing . . . delicious. --Tony Hillerman
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Rare and memorable.
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Vibrant and compelling.
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"Starred Review: Enthralling . . . sublime." Publishers Weekly
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"Starred Review: A triumph." Booklist
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"Editor's Choice: Engrossing . . . delicious." New York Times Book Review
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"Rare and memorable." Wall Street Journal
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"Vibrant and compelling." Los Angeles Times
Synopsis
How is tonight different from all other nights? For Jacob Rappaport, a Jewish soldier in the Union army, it is a question his commanders have answered for him: on Passover in 1862 he is ordered to murder his own uncle, who is plotting to assassinate President Lincoln.
After that night, will Jacob ever speak for himself? The answer comes when his commanders send him on another mission'"this time not to murder a spy but to marry one.
A page-turner rich with romance and the history of America (North and South), this is a book only Dara Horn could have written. Full of insight and surprise, layered with meaning, it is a brilliant parable of the moral divide that still haunts us: between those who value family first and those dedicated, at any cost, to social and racial justice for all.
Synopsis
How is tonight different from all other nights? For Jacob Rappaport, a Jewish soldier in the Union army during the Civil War, it is a question his commanders have already answered for him--on Passover, 1862, he is ordered to murder his own uncle in New Orleans, who is plotting to assassinate President Lincoln. After this harrowing mission, Jacob is recruited to pursue another enemy agent, the daughter of a Virginia family friend. But this time, his assignment isn't to murder the spy, but to marry her. Their marriage, with its riveting and horrifying consequences, reveals the deep divisions that still haunt American life today.
Based on real personalities such as Judah Benjamin, the Confederacy's Jewish secretary of state and spymaster, and on historical facts and events ranging from an African American spy network to the dramatic self-destruction of the city of Richmond, All Other Nights is a gripping and suspenseful story of men and women driven to the extreme limits of loyalty and betrayal. It is also a brilliant parable of the rift in America that lingers a century and a half later: between those who value family and tradition first, and those dedicated, at any cost, to social and racial justice for all.
In this eagerly awaited third novel, award-winning author Dara Horn brings us page-turning storytelling at its best. Layered with meaning, All Other Nights reinvents the most American of subjects with originality and insight.
Synopsis
For Jacob Rappaport, a Jewish soldier in the Union Army, it is a question his commanders have answered for him: on Passover, 1862, he is ordered to murder his own uncle, who is plotting to assassinate Abraham Lincoln. After this harrowing mission, Jacob is recruited to pursue another enemy agent--this time not to murder the spy, but to marry her. Based on real historical figures, this eagerly awaited novel from award-winning author Dara Horn delivers multilayered, page-turning storytelling at its best.
Synopsis
"Slam-bang... superb... masterful... gripping... marvelous."--
Synopsis
Packed with dynamic characters, rich period detail, and a chillingly sinister villain, The First Assassin is a riveting thriller for fans of historical fiction.
About the Author
John J. Miller is the author of The Big Scrum: How Teddy Roosevelt Saved Football. He writes for National Review, the Wall Street Journal, and other publications. The First Assassin, a Civil War thriller published in 2010, is his first novel. His nonfiction books include Our Oldest Enemy, A Gift of Freedom, and The Unmaking of Americans. The Chronicle of Higher Education has called him "one of the best literary journalists in the country." A native of Detroit, he lives with his family in Prince William County, Virginia.