The Reluctant Assassin

By Preston Darby

Book Overview

While refurbishing an old ranch building in San Angelo, Texas, the author Preston Darby and his long time friend Ken Casper find the mummified human remains hidden between the walls of the structure. An autopsy reveals the memoirs of John Wilkes Booth secreted in the abdominal cavity. The memoirs disclose the scheme between Booth and his collaborators to kidnap President Abraham Lincoln. But the story also reveals that their plans were discovered by a greater conspiracy of high-ranking Union officials whose plan was much more insidious...to assassinate the President. Reluctantly and in order to save himself, Booth agreed to be the one to pull the trigger, but foils the groups plan to silence him after the deed by escaping. The conspirators incorrectly identify a body as Booth, and promptly hang his accomplices before the true masterminds' identities can be revealed. Thus, begins the tale of Booth's years traveling the world, encountering a host of notable characters, and living a secret lie.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1477831479
• ISBN13: 9781477831472
• Release Date: July 2013
• Publisher: Amazon Publishing
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Enjoyable

An enjoyable amble through the American West with a courageous ending. The tale reveals the fabled Booth's character weaknesses and strengths in a way that makes the man quite human. I look forward to another story by this author.

I loved it!

The Forrest Gump scenario is applied to John Wilkes Booth in this really entertaining book. Booth interacts with significant characters of the era giving insight into himself and Mark Twain, Wyatt Earp, Noel Coward, and assorted others. The Post Civil War era of the West is brought into clear focus through the complex mind of a misunderstood villain. I loved it!

Great "what if" story

I wouldn't usually pick up a "western" novel to read, but I'm glad I did this time. The title intrigued me enough to read further and I wasn't dissapointed. As I read through Booth's exploits, I wondered what all he hadn't done after he fled Ford's Theater. He sure left his relunctancy behind. This is a quick-reading story full of amazingly exciting (yet improbable and, alas, fictional) tales.