The Hour of Peril: The Secret Plot to Murder Lincoln Before the Civil War

In February 1861, just days before his inauguration, Abraham Lincoln faced a credible assassination threat while traveling by train from Springfield to Washington. Over thirteen days, legendary detective Allan Pinkerton worked to uncover and stop the conspiracy, aided by Kate Warne, America's first female private eye. Pinkerton struggled to piece together the evolving details of the murder plot while contending with Lincoln and his advisors, who doubted the danger was genuine. As time grew short, Pinkerton made a risky decision, betting Lincoln's survival—and the nation's future—on a desperate strategy that seemed to be the only way Lincoln could safely reach the presidency. The "Baltimore Plot" remained shrouded in secrecy and later became controversial. Stashower uncovers this largely untold story from the Civil War era, presenting it with the pace and tension of a thriller. The book won the 2014 Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime, the 2013 Agatha Award for Best Nonfiction, the 2014 Anthony Award for Best Critical or Non-fiction Work, and the 2014 Macavity Award for Best Nonfiction. It was named a Washington Post Notable Nonfiction Book of 2013.