Blackwood, whose novel The Year of the Hangman (2002) was set in an alternate-history world, follows the outline of history more closely here--up to a point. In fall 1864 Joseph and his father appear on the Washington stage in a skillfully performed mind-reading act. Their success eases the family's poverty and leads to Joseph crossing paths with fellow actor John Wilkes Booth and with President Lincoln, whose wife is attracted by the boy's supposed clairvoyance. Although their act is based on a verbal code, Joseph comes to believe that Cassandra, a girl who lives in the same boardinghouse as his family, actually does have psychic abilities. When she foretells the shooting of President Lincoln in a theater box, Joseph feels compelled to take action. The narrator's distinctive persona is that of an author who addresses the reader directly from time to time to explain what he is doing and, in some cases, why. Some readers will find this fascinating, while others will simply want to get on with a compelling story, which speeds along to a climax that few will forget. Pair this with Anna Myers' Assassin (2005). Readers looking for more factual information about Booth may want to try James Cross Giblin's excellent Good Brother, Bad Brother: The Story of Edwin Booth and John Wilkes Booth (2005).

Joseph and his father pose as mentalists under a stage name, but their showbiz act pales when Joseph meets Cassandra, who has the true gift of second sight. She foretells Lincoln's assassination, forcing Joseph to try to prevent this horror. The strong historical setting and intricate characterizations prove more vivid than plot, although Blackwood's deviations from history create suspense.

More brilliantly re-envisioned history from the author of Year of the Hangman (2002), this time set in brawling, bustling Civil War Washington. Using present tense and authorial interjections delivered in a tone of mystery, Blackwood shepherds readers into the theatrical world, where, after years of hardship, Nicholas Ehrlich and his teenaged son Joseph are enjoying a rapid rise, buoyed by their ingeniously designed new mind-reading act. Understandably dazzled by the public's adulation and the chance to hang out with the renowned likes of John Wilkes Booth, Joseph is nonetheless able to keep his sense of perspective (usually), thanks to his friend Cassandra, a frail orphan who really is gifted with second sight—and whose fragmentary visions of President Lincoln are taking on an increasingly ominous cast. But how to persuade anyone to believe her? The suspense really begins to rev up when Joseph begins catching whiffs of conspiracy from more earthly quarters. Blackwood draws almost exclusively upon historical people and events, sets them in the most vivid evocation of the time and place since Jennifer Armstrong's Dreams of Mairhe Mehan (1999) and caps his mesmerizing thriller with a stunning twist. (Historical fiction. 11-13)

Gr 5-8-Blackwood weaves an absorbing tale of espionage, conspiracy, and political intrigue. Set in Washington, DC, in 1864, the story focuses on Nicholas and Joseph Ehrlich, a father and son who develop a mind-reading act using a secret coded alphabet. They become successful performers who skillfully trick audiences into believing that they have extraordinary powers. Through their show-business career, they become acquainted with John Wilkes Booth and other political activists. Eventually Joseph meets Cassandra Quinn, a girl who seems to have true powers of clairvoyance. Through her "second sight," she senses that something terrible is going to happen to President Lincoln, and Joseph becomes involved with her in trying to prevent a catastrophe. It is at this juncture that Blackwood begins to twist history with some surprising results. This is a well-researched, engrossing story grounded in historical detail. Many true historical figures interact with the fleshed-out fictional characters that move the story along. Overall, the narrator's conversational, candid asides are refreshing and entertaining, but at times they do interrupt the narrative flow. This is a minor drawback in an otherwise gripping tale that could be used as a springboard for some interesting class discussions.-Renee Steinberg, formerly at Fieldstone Middle School, Montvale, NJ Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

The Civil War is the backdrop of this novel, without becoming the focal point, as noted historical fiction author Blackwood asks another "what if?" question here. What if one knew about the plot to assassinate President Lincoln? Would one be brave enough to change the course of history? Joseph, an ordinary boy, faces those questions. Joseph and his father work in theaters in Washington, D.C., performing an incredible mind-reading hoax. Just when his name circulates among the crowds and people begin asking him for his autograph, Joseph meets a younger girl, Clara. She has second sight and believes that Joseph experiences the same powers. She begins to have disturbing visions about the president. When visiting Clara to discuss these visions, Joseph meets the famous actor John Wilkes Booth. Later a meeting with the president inflates Joseph's ego and in time gives him hope that he can warn Lincoln of Clara's shocking visions. Can they actually stop assassins from committing the crime that will forever change the country? This fast-paced book is slowed by the interruptions of the narrator's explanations, which often seem obvious and add nothing of substance to the story. The story is made more interesting by the use of real events and actual characters from the era. Give this book to readers of historical fiction and those who hold an interest in the Civil War era.-Jennifer Rummel.