1861 and the Civil war has just started. While the opposing army is less than a mile away, all of Washington waits to see the outcome. But the plans of Adam Speed Quinn are interrupted when a body of a Frontier Guard is discovered in the Oval Library. President Lincoln requests that he investigate. Although wishing otherwise for their safety only, he gets help from journalist Sophie Gates, Dr. George Hilton and Southern female Constance Lemagne.
An interesting and well-plotted, well-written mystery which kept my attention throughout. And the characters are well-drawn and mostly likeable, though I am not too sure about Constance.
Although this is the second in the series it can certanly be read as a standalone story and I look forward to the next in the series.
A NetGalley Book ( )

I'm really enjoying this new mystery/historical fiction series. Both books move along at a brisk pace, so I never get bored. I enjoy and root for most of the characters, with the glaring exception of Constance Lemange, who is a syrupy, stereotypical insult to every woman who has ever lived below the Mason-Dixon line. Myself included. If the author wanted to make the Confederates look bad, they did that for themselves; all she had to do was write the truth. There was no need for this posturing little peacock.

The thing I most like about this series is how it shows, without being preachy or intrusive, this particular time in history from so many differing viewpoints: Northern, Southern, white, black, Irish, Eastern, Western, wealthy, poor.

I highly recommend this series to mystery and historical fiction fans. These are fast and fun books that leave you with something to think about at the end- a rare combination. ( )

Well executed insertion of a murder mystery into historical events. ( )

Murder In The Oval Library is the second book in the Lincoln’s White House Mystery series.

This is a win-win series for me. I love historical mysteries and the author skillfully weaves actual events from the time into the story.

Fort Sumter has been fired on and the war has begun. President Lincoln is busily trying to put together an army to protect Washington, DC. from being invaded by Rebels from Virginia. New Senator Jim Lane has about 100 members of his Frontier Guard garrisoned at the White House. The next morning everyone is relieved that an invasion has not occurred, but there is a scream from one of the maids when she finds one of the Frontier Guard has had their throat cut. President Lincoln, once again, calls on Adam Speed to investigate the gruesome murder. In turn, Speed calls on Sophie Gates, a reporter writing as Henry Altman, to help him search for the murderer. Speed also calls on Dr. George Hilton to help with his investigation and provides some shocking information. Sophie also meets Clara Barton and helps her care for the soldiers from Massachusetts who had been injured on their way to DC.

I thought this was a well-plotted and exciting story. Gleason also provides the reader with an interesting and believable cast of characters. What I also found very interesting is how easy it was to get access to the White House. The author may have stretched the truth a little, but I do remember reading in history class about the people lining the White House looking for government jobs. The author has also included in her Author Notes sources that readers might want to check out for more information on the period that the book to place.

I will definitely be watching for the next book in this exciting series. ( )