The First Assassin

Set in Washington, D.C., in 1861, as the nation edges toward civil war, Colonel Charles P. Rook is tasked with protecting President Lincoln amid mounting threats and conspiracy rumors. When a mysterious killer, hired by a Southern planter, begins eliminating obstacles to his mission, Rook must navigate a dangerous game of cat and mouse, with the help of a runaway slave named Portia who may hold the key to unmasking the assassin. Filled with detailed period settings and compelling characters, this historical thriller unfolds a tense chase through one of the nation’s most turbulent times.