Book Review: Lincoln’s Secret Oath by Ted Richardson

Interested in history? Like movies like National Treasure or shows like The Librarians or Warehouse 13? Want to know the secrets behind the secrets? Then step into Ted Richardson’s fantastic Matt Hawkins series – you’ll definitely want to stay awhile!

This is the fourth Matt Hawkins book. I’ve read them all and reviewed the second and third (Abolition of Evil and Geronimo’s Gold). In each book, Richardson takes an element of American history and takes you over, under, and through the facts, fictions, secrets, and lies that underpin the actions of some of our history’s most famous citizens.

I’ve learned something in each book (and I’m a bit of a history buff so have read a fair amount already), and the topics are often sideways trips through things you know/thought you knew and into more obscure elements of Americana. Pair that interesting element with great storytelling skills, fun characters, secret societies and treasure hunting and you wind up with a fabulous series that is as entertaining as it is informative.

This installment takes things in a new direction, and one I was frankly surprised to see. I don’t want to spoil any of the magic, but there’s an entirely new element to the mystery this time, and while I was initially a bit skeptical, I found it as engaging a ride as the previous books in the end. I’m curious if it signals a new direction for the series – if so, I’m good with it. There’s a thoughtful element to each of the Matt Hawkins investigations into our past – a consideration of the popular position on the historical event in question as well as equal time given to less common or more controversial ones. I enjoy that – I like seeing multiple perspectives presented, and since I tend to believe that truth lies somewhere in the middle of what both sides say *actually* happened, I find that this type of exegesis jibes with my personal views. The off-the-beaten-path storyline in this book delivers that type of thoughtful, unusual debate in spades, and that’s probably one of the things I enjoyed the most about this one.

It’s a great series, and I can’t wait to see where Matt, Buzz and their catch-as-catch-can team of experts go next! Thanks to the author for my review copy.