Bloody Crimes: The Chase for Jefferson Davis and the Death Pageant for Lincolns Corpse Audiobook, by James L. Swanson Play Audiobook Sample

Bloody Crimes: The Chase for Jefferson Davis and the Death Pageant for Lincoln's Corpse Audiobook

Bloody Crimes: The Chase for Jefferson Davis and the Death Pageant for Lincolns Corpse Audiobook, by James L. Swanson Play Audiobook Sample
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Read By: Richard Thomas Publisher: HarperAudio Listen Time: at 1.0x Speed 8.50 hours at 1.5x Speed 6.38 hours at 2.0x Speed Release Date: September 2010 Format: Unabridged Audiobook ISBN: 9780061988608

Quick Stats About this Audiobook

Total Audiobook Chapters:

13

Longest Chapter Length:

88:03 minutes

Shortest Chapter Length:

29:40 minutes

Average Chapter Length:

58:48 minutes

Audiobooks by this Author:

8

Other Audiobooks Written by James L. Swanson: > View All...

Publisher Description

In Bloody Crimes, James L. Swanson—the Edgar® Award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of Manhunt—brings to life two epic events of the Civil War era: the thrilling chase to apprehend Confederate president Jefferson Davis in the wake of the Lincoln assassination and the momentous  20 -day funeral that took Abraham Lincoln’s body home to Springfield. A true tale full of fascinating twists and turns, and lavishly illustrated with dozens of rare historical images—some never before seen—Bloody Crimes is a fascinating companion to Swanson’s Manhunt and  a riveting true-crime thriller that will electrify civil war buffs, general readers, and everyone in between.

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"Yes, I know that I have been reading a lot of books about dead Presidents lately, but I couldn't resist this one when I saw it in the library. This book is a juxtaposition of two stories. The first is an account of the final two weeks of Abraham Lincoln's presidency, his assassination, and the 20 days from his death until his burial in Springfield, Illinois. The second is the tale of the chase for the President of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis, from when he fled Richmond on April 2, 1865 until his capture in Georgia the next month. These stories are told in parallel lines and the chapters jump back and forth between the account of the Lincoln funeral train and the hunt for Jefferson Davis. As Lincoln's train headed north making numerous stops along the way where his casket was paraded through city after city and opened at each stop so that a grieving nation could pay honor to his rapidly deterioring embalmed corpse, Jefferson Davis headed south trying to evade Union troops who were searching for him and trying to escape across the Mississippi River, to Cuba, or to Mexico. An interesting account of the end of the Civil War and the elevation of two men. Lincoln, because of his assassination became a secular saint, and Jefferson Davis, imprisoned for two years and then released on parole to prevent him from becoming a martyr became the living symbol of the South's lost cause. Rich in detail, this book captures the mood of the country, in both the north and the south, at the end of the long and bloody Civil War."

— Judy (4 out of 5 stars)

Quotes

  • “A haunting masterpiece. James Swanson has written a thrilling book of death and longing, of defeat and resurrection.”

    — Harlan Coben, #1 New York Times bestselling author
  • “James Swanson is a giant. With his instant classic Manhunt, and its triumphant follow up Bloody Crimes, Swanson proves beyond all doubt that he is a master of historical true-crime epic…Bloody Crimes is irresistibly captivating. I highly recommend it.”

    — Vincent Bugliosi, New York Times bestselling author
  • “With the publication of Bloody Crimes, James L. Swanson emerges as one of America’s greatest historians. Swanson recounts the closing drama of the Civil War with hair-raising precision and the vivid narrative drive of a top-tier novelist. A grand tour de force!”

    — Douglas Brinkley, New York Times bestselling author
  • “James Swanson has done it again. Bloody Crimes is a moving, evocative trip back in time to the tumultuous spring of 1865. Swanson’s meticulous research and sparkling prose make it an essential companion to his award winning bestseller, Manhunt.”

    — Michael Burlingame, author of Abraham Lincoln: A Life

Awards

  • A New York Times bestseller
  • An Amazon Best Book of the Month, October 2010
  • A Publishers Weekly bestseller
  • A Wall Street Journal bestseller
  • A Washington Post bestseller

Bloody Crimes Listener Reviews

Overall Performance: 3.75 out of 53.75 out of 53.75 out of 53.75 out of 53.75 out of 5 (3.75)
5 Stars: 7
4 Stars: 10
3 Stars: 8
2 Stars: 3
1 Stars: 0
Narration: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 (0.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Story: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 (0.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Write a Review
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Well written and enjoyable book. I recommend this one to those who enjoy reading about our civil war. "

    — John, 1/20/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " I loved Swanson's previous title, Manhunt. Bloody Crimes is well-written and a very interesting look at Lincoln's death and subsequent funeral and transport back to Illinois. It also alternates the story by tracking the flight of Confederate president Jefferson Davis. The stories are interesting and included a fair amount of information I had not read before. Bloody Crimes lacks the intensity and drama of Manhunt, but Swanson still is a very good storyteller. I recommend it for history buffs, Civil War in particular. "

    — Anne, 1/12/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " An enthralling audio book that tells the stories of Jefferson Davis and Abraham Lincoln with style and grace. I gained a lot more respect for Davis then I had before and learned a few things about Lincoln I didn't know. It made me want to go back and listen to Manhunt to fill in the gaps of the story only hinted at here. Richard Thomas did a decent job as the narrator though it was a very dry reading of the book. "

    — Jacqueline, 1/9/2014
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " So I loved the first book by Mr Swanson so I was so excited for this one. It was very slow and the content just wasn't very interesting to me. I was good to know a little more about Jefferson Davis but outside of that nothing to great. "

    — Spence, 1/9/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " James L. Swanson knocked it out of the park again! "

    — Joel, 1/1/2014
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " I am so glad I am done with this book. I picked it up for a history book review thinking it would be interesting. It was, to a point. I can only read so much about Lincoln's funeral train. He wasn't even alive for it, and it was all the same. The only reason I gave it two stars was because the half about Jefferson Davis was intriguing. He's a Civil War figure you never hear much about. "

    — Rachel, 12/31/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " A poignant and heartbreaking recounting of the final ends of two of America's greatest leaders. This book is a fast read, in spite of its scholasticism. I strongly recommend it. "

    — Cassondra, 12/21/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Swanson seamlessly weaves the intertwined search for Jeff Davis and the public mourning of Lincoln in his second book. Well worth the read for no other reason than its thoughtful depiction of Jeff Davis as equally devoted to his political beliefs as Lincoln was. "

    — Phyllis, 12/10/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " A bit of a slog, actually. I enjoyed Manhunt, though. "

    — Kelly, 11/30/2013
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " I feel smarter for having read Bloody Crimes, but it was a slog at times. I probably wouldn't recommend it to anyone who wasn't keenly interested in Civil War history, and even then I would steer them to Swanson's Manhunt first. "

    — Kristin, 11/5/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " A perfect follow up to a great book. "

    — Larry, 8/11/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Excellent insight into Lincoln's funeral procession throughout the Union and the hunt for Davis. This book delves into many areas that are not discussed with the "weekend" Civil War buff. I highly recommend this book and author "

    — Tracey, 1/20/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " A unique look at the two men who defined our nation during the Civil War, their deaths and legends and interesting look at how we view both of these men today. The conversational and narrative style of the writer made this book easy to read and at times hard to put down. "

    — Jamie, 12/6/2012
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Good detail...I liked Manhunt better. "

    — Deb, 8/22/2012
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " This was not quite as good as his earlier book, Manhunt, but still interesting. "

    — Sheila, 5/5/2012
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " This book seems like a compendium of previous books written by the author. I've not read its predecessors, and enjoyed this one, it covered the two presidents who existed during the Spring of 1865. I learned a little about the subject. "

    — George, 4/10/2012
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " A lot of info I wasn't aware of, especially the bio data on Jefferson Davis. "

    — Dad, 4/3/2012
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Very informative. Occasionally Blah-boring. Varina Davis! "

    — Keith, 9/1/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Kind of an odd book, rather like two books crammed into one. The two topics are pretty interesting and I was amazed by the heights of mourning that were held for Lincoln. "

    — Zazzu, 6/26/2011
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Fascinating reading for history lovers. "

    — Tori, 4/30/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Swanson makes history sexy. Period. I know what you are thinking: "Really, Nicci? Parallel journeys of Davis and Lincoln being entertaining AND informative? You have lost your marbles." But really I tell you--Swanson makes history sexy. "

    — Nicole, 3/18/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " I liked the book by the author concerning the chase of Booth a lot more. "

    — Jim, 3/18/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Fascinating followup to Swanson's Manhunt. "

    — Bernadette, 3/15/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " I can't think of a book that is better researched. I thought it was fascinating to learn of the journey of Abraham Lincoln's corpse on its way to its final resting place. I learned alot about the confederate states and Jefferson Davis, as well. "

    — Karen, 2/28/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Swanson seamlessly weaves the intertwined search for Jeff Davis and the public mourning of Lincoln in his second book. Well worth the read for no other reason than its thoughtful depiction of Jeff Davis as equally devoted to his political beliefs as Lincoln was. "

    — Phyllis, 2/27/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Full of interesting details but the events are never particularly gripping or moving. "

    — Brendan, 2/20/2011
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Fascinating detail about Abe and Jeff. "

    — Jim, 2/15/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Fascinating. Especially the part about how Lincoln went from a man to a saint overnight. "

    — Francha, 2/10/2011

About James L. Swanson

James L. Swanson is the Edgar Award-winning author of the New York Times bestseller Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer. His other books include the acclaimed photographic history Lincoln’s Assassins: Their Trial and Execution, as well as Chasing Lincoln’s Killer, and adaptations of Manhunt and Bloody Crimes for young readers. Swanson was born on Lincoln’s birthday.

About Richard Thomas

Richard Thomas, a film and television actor, is best known for his role as John-Boy Walton on the CBS television series, The Waltons. His performance earned him a Primetime Emmy, as well as two Golden Globe nominations. Also an audiobook narrator, he has read numerous books, including John Grisham’s Theodore Boone series.