Lincoln's Grave Robbers by Steve Sheinkin

Don't you just love a good book that you can' t put down? Especially a thriller crime story?  I absolutely found one in Lincoln's Grave Robbers by Steve Sheinkin (Lexile: 930; Interest Level: Grades 4-8)!  I am not usually a fan of nonfiction, but this story is so well-written and so intriguing that I was sucked right in, and even had to go do some research on my own because I couldn't believe some of what the author said was real!  (It totally was!)

So, this story starts out with some information about the founding of the Secret Service.  I thought they were created to guard the President, but the Secret Service was really created to stop counterfeiters (people who make fake money).  In 1864, about half of the money in circulation was fake. This is important because one of the main characters in this crime story works for the Secret Service, and while he is tracking down some bad guys, he uncovers a plot to steal Abe Lincoln's body from it's grave in Springfield, Illinois!  Yep, this part is real, too!  (I looked it up!) 

The author uses journal entries, letters, newspaper articles, and photographs to tell this remarkable true, historical crime story.  It is definitely one of the best books I have read recently!  If you like crime stories, history, nonfiction, and action, you will enjoy this story as much as I did! (224 pages)

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