A true crime thriller — the first book for teens to tell the nearly unknown tale of the brazen attempt to steal Abraham Lincoln’s body!

The action begins in October of 1875, as Secret Service agents raid the Fulton, Illinois, workshop of master counterfeiter Ben Boyd. Soon after Boyd is hauled off to prison, members of his counterfeiting ring gather in the back room of a smoky Chicago saloon to discuss how to spring their ringleader. Their plan: grab Lincoln’s body from its Springfield tomb, stash it in the sand dunes near Lake Michigan, and demand, as a ransom, the release of Ben Boyd –and $200,000 in cash. From here, the action alternates between the conspirators, the Secret Service agents on their trail, and the undercover agent moving back and forth between the two groups. Along the way readers get glimpses into the inner workings of counterfeiting, grave robbing, detective work, and the early days of the Secret Service. The plot moves toward a wild climax as robbers and lawmen converge at Lincoln’s tomb on election night: November 7, 1876.–Description from Amazon.com

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Press (January 1, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0545405726
• ISBN-13: 978-0545405720

You can find this book available for purchase by going here:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0545405726/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

My Review of Lincoln’s Grave Robbers:

Lincoln’s Grave Robbers by Steve Sheinkin was not only an educational read, but an entertaining one at that. I realize that this book was market for kids ten and over, but I felt it might be a little bit advanced for most at age ten. Some of the vocabulary is a bit advanced and there are a few morbid, although historical, descriptions.

Otherwise, this was excellent. I even learned quite a few things I hadn’t known before, such as the original purpose of the CIA, and the problem with fake money being distributed in the late 1800′s.

The setup and background history for how the plot to steal Lincoln’s body does take up a large portion of the book, but I found that made it easier to understand why someone would want to become a grave robber. Rather than just pointing out who did it and what they hoped to accomplish, the author gives a real history of the criminals and what kind of people they were.

I liked that the information was presented in a relaxed format that was fun to read. This book didn’t feel so much like a text book as it did a conversation with an intelligent person.

I think older children would benefit from reading this book, and even adults who like American history or are interested in Lincoln.

This review is based on an ARC copy from the publisher.