The Man from the Train by Bill James and Rachel McCarthy James is subtitled The Solving of a Century-Old Serial Killer Mystery. I chose this book mainly for the link to the Villasca axe murders. Imagine my surprise when some of the murders happened in my own southern state. The writing style is much different from most non-fiction books, but in this instance it works. I felt like the authors are sitting down with me and telling me a story. The book is very well researched. I appreciated how the authors were honest in saying when certain murders did not match or only might match the criteria of the serial killer. I was impressed with the ending of the book. The authors convinced me that they had correctly identified the killer. This book is easily on my list of top ten books for this year.
Nicholas J.C. Pistor's Shooting Lincoln is the story of two pioneers of photography. Matthew Brady and Alexander Gardner began as employer and employee and turned into rivals. The book deals with a variety of topics. It is as much about the Civil War as it is photography and Lincoln. The book is interesting but was a slow read. It covered so many topics including the start of photography in America, Civil War battles, Lincoln's assassination, manhunt for Booth, and the years after the war. I would have enjoyed it more if the story had been more focused. Overall it is a good book for anyone interested in Civil War era history.
disclosure: I received these e-books from NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews. All opinions are my own!
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