I started reading this book ages ago & for various reasons, it got put on the back burner because of major life events or other books.

What a delight! Loved the mystery & the characters. Gleason does a phenomenal job weaving fictional & real life characters so seamlessly. It almost doesn't feel like historical fiction, but something that actually happened.

The mystery is well done....tight & not predictable. I can't say enough about the cast of characters. What a terrific variety that all are portrayed with a distinct voice.

I grabbed this book for two main reasons; love the Civil War time period & it was a historical fiction that wasn't a romance. I will definitely be looking to more of this series!

Thanks NetGalley for a free copy to review

This is the second story in the Lincoln's White House Mystery series and it can be read as a standalone. All of the principal characters are back and have their own parts to play in solving the murder of a soldier in the Oval Library of the White House in spring 1861.

Adam Quinn has decided to remain in Washington and assist President Lincoln in these troubling early days of his presidential term and the Civil War. The very real possibility of an invasion by southern forces into the city has everyone on high alert and when a murder occurs and Adam's past collide, he must depend on the investigative skills of George Hilton, Sophia Gates, and Brian Mulcahey. I am eager to read the next installment in this interesting series!

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for an ARC; all opinions are my own.

Thanks Kensington Books for this ARC.

Love the way this series ties into the historical so well it makes you feel like you could have been there. Exciting, full of action, and a little romance too.

If you enjoy historical fiction, this is a great read. The author skillfully weaves true history into her fictional novel that takes place during the Lincoln Presidential era. It's well-plotted with interesting twists and a cast of believable characters. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

1861 and the Civil war has just started. While the opposing army is less than a mile away, all of Washington waits to see the outcome. But the plans of Adam Speed Quinn are interrupted when a body of a Frontier Guard is discovered in the Oval Library. President Lincoln requests that he investigate. Although wishing otherwise for their safety only, he gets help from journalist Sophie Gates, Dr. George Hilton and Southern female Constance Lemagne.
An interesting and well-plotted, well-written mystery which kept my attention throughout. And the characters are well-drawn and mostly likeable, though I am not too sure about Constance.
Although this is the second in the series it can certanly be read as a standalone story and I look forward to the next in the series.

I had read and enjoyed Murder in the Lincoln White House and was looking forward to continuing the series with Murder in the Oval Library, it flowed along well, but did not keep my interest. I did not feel that I got to know the characters any better. However, I did enjoy meeting real historical characters and did appreciate the depth of research.

A nicely done tale of murder in the White House! Adam Quinn is asked by President Lincoln to investigate the murder of one of the guards who moved into the White House to protect him. Working with George Hilton and Sophie Gates, he unravels a mystery. There are cameos by real people from the era (Clara Barton for one). There's also a new potential love interest in Constance. This is well written and a quick read which has a little more depth than I expected. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Fans of historical mysteries- who aren't too hung up on precise details- will like this one.

"Murder in the Oval Library" is the second in the “Lincoln White House” series written by C.M. Gleason, with the protagonist being a frontiersman by the name of Adam Quinn, a friend from Lincoln’s early days who’s endured some personal tragedy in “Bleeding Kansas,” including losing his arm. He finds himself ensconced in the White House as Lincoln begins his presidency, caught up in investigation of the dead bodies that conveniently litter the countryside, including this one, a dead soldier found within the house. A mystery surrounds even that, as Quinn begins his investigations as all around him wait for the “enemy” to cross over from Virginia and take the capitol.

One of the hallmarks of this series is the use of real historical figures. Readers will met James Henry Lane, newly elected senator from the new state of Kansas. Senator Lane was one tough customer, in this book as well as historical records; tough, perhaps a trifle mad (he’ll commit suicide after the war), and certainly dangerous to be around. He will figure prominently. Also found within these pages is Clara Barton (already taking care of soldiers) and the soon to be Confederate spy Rosa Greenhow. These two characters share storylines with Sophie Gates, found in the first book, the erstwhile journalist who is usually a thorn in Quinn’s side. The author definitely likes to populate her books with nonfiction people and events, adding bits of frisson to the plot -- this is a historical mystery after all.

The author does a nice mixture of investigation and subtle romance (two women interact with Quinn), which seems to be a hallmark of historical mysteries these days. I’d prefer more of the former and less of the latter, but that’s a minor quibble. This book is as well written as its predecessor, a comfortable read that should grab readers’ attentions.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Murder In The Oval Library is the second book in the Lincoln’s White House Mystery series.

This is a win-win series for me. I love historical mysteries and the author skillfully weaves actual events from the time into the story.

Fort Sumter has been fired on and the war has begun. President Lincoln is busily trying to put together an army to protect Washington, DC. from being invaded by Rebels from Virginia. New Senator Jim Lane has about 100 members of his Frontier Guard garrisoned at the White House. The next morning everyone is relieved that an invasion has not occurred, but there is a scream from one of the maids when she finds one of the Frontier Guard has had their throat cut. President Lincoln, once again, calls on Adam Speed to investigate the gruesome murder. In turn, Speed calls on Sophie Gates, a reporter writing as Henry Altman, to help him search for the murderer. Speed also calls on Dr. George Hilton to help with his investigation and provides some shocking information. Sophie also meets Clara Barton and helps her care for the soldiers from Massachusetts who had been injured on their way to DC.

I thought this was a well-plotted and exciting story. Gleason also provides the reader with an interesting and believable cast of characters. What I also found very interesting is how easy it was to get access to the White House. The author may have stretched the truth a little, but I do remember reading in history class about the people lining the White House looking for government jobs. The author has also included in her Author Notes sources that readers might want to check out for more information on the period that the book to place.

I will definitely be watching for the next book in this exciting series.

War has been declared. As tensions grow, Adam Quinn is tasked with solving yet another murder on top of protecting Mr. Lincoln. With help from old friends and new, he learns just how close danger can lurk.

This is an excellent follow-up to the first book. Familiar characters return to help Adam follow the clues to the killer. Sophie Gates, a woman journalist, and Dr. George Hilton are among his chief allies to solving the crime. Dr. Hilton is without a doubt one of my favorite characters from these books.

There continues to be a slight triangle of attraction between Adam, Sophie, and Southern belle, Constance Lemange, who is doing her best to help the Confederate cause from Washington DC. This is my least favorite part of this book.

Overall, the plot is well balanced, keeping the tension high with the city under threat and a killer on the loose. Historical figures are woven in expertly, and are presented as they might have been.

I would recommend this to readers looking for a historical mystery.

As the clouds of war begin to gather and the United States is facing a civil war, a body is discovered in the oval library in the President’s House in Washington, DC. For anyone who enjoys a mystery in an historic setting, Murder in the Oval Library will be very satisfying.

Weaving historical facts and characters with fictional men and women is not an easy task. However, C.M. Gleason does a wonderful job describing the increasing tensions in Washington as the war looms. Her attention to detail, descriptions of the city, clothing and even the food that is served all adds to the atmosphere of the story.

While the mystery itself felt a bit flat, I was still intrigued with the historical tidbits and it’s always a good thing when I can add to my knowledge and appreciation of our country’s history.

Well done Ms Gleason.

Many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

The year is 1861; Lincoln has been inaugurated; the South has started to succeed; the country is on the brink of a civil war. Oh, and a body is found in the Oval Office of the Whitehouse.

Abraham Lincoln assigns Adam Speed Quinn the task of digging for the truth. Sophie Gates, an independent reporter writing for the New York Times, appoints herself as his assistant. Together they will need to put together the pieces of a puzzle that will only become more complicated once Washington DC is invaded by the Rebels from the South.

The story was a fun read and held this reader’s attention for the duration of the book. Well worth my time.

A “Note From The Author” does a good job of helping to connect the story to the historical events in the days immediately following the inauguration. What was disappointing was that events discussed in the book could not be verified through Google, etc. As I have said in earlier reviews, the ability to follow up with a bit of independent research is what makes an historical novel particularly interesting. The brief essay at the end ties the book to some of that history, but it also leaves some questions unanswered.

Having said that, I have ordered an earlier title by the same author written with the same characters and similar sitting. I do not expect to be disappointed.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions are mine alone.

I was really intrigued when I came across Murder in the Oval Library by C.M Gleason. I have a hard time turning down a novel based on history but shrouded in fiction. However, upon finishing the book i felt a little cheated. Overall the story telling was interesting and the characters were fun to follow but the ending left me somewhat underwhelmed. It felt like when there is a big build up and then the reveal happens and everyone is looking around going “is that it?”. There are some minor tweaks and other story changes that could probably make this a really strong novel. I would be interested in reading additional stories in this series but would need to be more wowed next time or would have to move on.

Thanks to C.M Gleason and Kensington for providing me with an advanced reading copy.

This book is an amazing mixture of history and mystery. The author has recreated Washington D.C, in the time of the Civil War with great clarity and interweaves interesting historical nuggets throughout the story, giving the book added importance. The characters, from President Lincoln and the protaganist Adam Quinn down all feel real and all have a stake in the war, which gives this book a deepening sense of drama. Don't miss this one!