Christmas 1905 arrives with deadly force when a bomb explodes at the garden gate of Idaho's former governor, killing him instantly. The assassination sends shockwaves through America and draws legendary Pinkerton detective James McParland into the investigation. McParland hatches a bold scheme to kidnap radical union leader "Big Bill" Haywood from Colorado and drag him to Idaho to face murder charges. The explosive case reaches the highest levels of power, engaging President Theodore Roosevelt and Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes. In the courtroom, flamboyant prosecutor William Borah squares off against Clarence Darrow, the passionate young defender of working people. The trial becomes a battleground between capital and labor in the raw, acquisitive West, where class warfare simmers just below the surface. Lukas captures an entire nation at the turn of the century, torn between hope and fear as it hurtles into the modern age.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, mystery, crime, political-thriller, american-history
Vibes: atmospheric, fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, high-stakes, investigative-journalism
Setting: Colorado, Idaho, United States
Period: 1905, Turn of the 20th Century
Paperback · Touchstone Books