The Secret Service was originally started to prevent people from counterfeiting money. It was not until after Lincoln was killed that guarding the president became a priority. A group of counterfeiters met in a bar in 1875, and came up with scheme of stealing Abraham Lincoln's body from his tomb and in return they would demand Benjamin Boyd, a master counterfeiter, be released from prison. The group, would then return Lincoln's body. The Secret Service got involved to prevent the grave robbing from happening by using an informant who was able to worm his way into the good graces of the con men. If you have ever been to Springfield, Illinois and visited Lincoln's grave it is a very unique structure. ( )

3.5 stars. Really kept my kids' attention during a car ride. We all learned a little something. ( )

A group of honorable lawmen stop criminals from stealing Lincoln’s body and holding it for ransom in the late 1870s. Counterfeit money, a low post-Civil War economy, and the Secret Service take center stage

children's nonfiction. Another notable narrative nonfiction from the author who brought us "the notorious benedict arnold" and "bomb." I liked "Bomb" a lot better (more science? more high stakes?), but this was very readable. ( )

Meh. Some of the details were interesting, but overall this moved so slowly I was EXTREMELY bored. Would probably recommend almost any other non-fiction I've read in the last year first, but as it's on a Battle of the Books list for one of our middle schools, I did finish it. ( )