... a fast-paced thriller that reads more like an episode of 24 set over 150 years ago. Tannor's hunt leads him to unlikely allies, including a Union Major in the War Department and the beautiful leader of a network of Confederate sympahizers.Tarleton's own mission brings him into contact with conspirators of a different sort, led by the famous actor, John Wilkes Booth. Tarleton finds himself hobnobbing with the Washington elite while the group plots to kidnap the President inorder to secure the release of over a thousand Confederate prisoners, unaware of Tarleton's own, more deadly goals.

In The Curse of Cain Powell and Meagher put a new twist on the Lincoln conspiracy.... Powell and Meagher have built their story around a plausible idea, and have constructed a well-paced narrative with just the right mix of action and intrigue. Their heroes include the Confederate agent, Kate St. Claire, who spends her time cultivating contacts in the upper strata of Washington society; and Jack Tanner, a no-nonsense detective in the Confederate provost guard. Their villains are Basil Tarleton, a cold-blooded killer; and John Wilkes Booth, his reluctant cohort who wants only to capture the president. These people move about in a deadly game of cat and mouse, each team set against the other, but both with the ultimate goal of saving the Confederacy. The Curse of Cain is a fast-paced adventure with heart-stopping action and surprises at every turn. It is a great read, and would make an excellent addition to any collection of Civil War literature.