A House Divided: A Lincoln and Speed Mystery

Set in 1839, Putnam’s entertaining fourth mystery featuring friends and roommates Abe Lincoln and Joshua Speed (after 2018’s Final Resting Place) makes creative use of an actual case from the future president’s early legal career. A dangerous winter storm almost claims Speed’s life, but he’s saved from the icy downpour by Archibald Trailor, a carpenter who’s been doing work for Lincoln. Speed looks to return the favor after Archibald is accused by his own brother, Henry, of having committed a murder along with his other sibling, William. Flynn Fisher, who came to Springfield, Ill., to discuss a business venture with the Trailor brothers, has gone missing, and Henry claims that he was suffocated by Archibald and William. Lincoln ends up representing Archibald, and he and Speed investigate the allegations. The real-life rivalry between Speed and Lincoln over Mary Todd adds human interest. While the mystery isn’t that gripping, Putnam still excels at painting a convincing portrait of the younger Lincoln. [em]Agent: Scott Miller, Trident Media Group. (July) [/em]