The untold story of Lincoln’s Assassination

1864, Washington City. One has to be careful with talk of secession, of Confederate whispers falling on Northern ears. Better to

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Hanging Mary is well researched, but the novel's greatest quality is its empathetic narrators, especially Nora. Her passion and self-sacrifice create a humanizing view of some of U.S. history's greatest villains. In Higginbotham’s hands, this little-known woman is heroic and riveting.


The author’s success lies not only in developing individual characters but also in capturing the overall mood of the capital with swings of jubilation and despair...Compelling narrators carry readers through complex events while leaving many questions open for discussion. A fine choice for historical fiction fans, particularly book club members, who will appreciate the reading group guide.

“In Hanging Mary, Susan Higginbotham creates a compelling and vivid portrait of the women caught up in the events surrounding Lincoln’s assassination. I will not soon forget Mary, Anna, or Nora, the real woman Higginbotham so deftly brings to life. This is my favorite kind of historical fiction: evocative, deeply moving, and meticulously researched.” - Jillian Cantor, author of Margot and The Hours Count

“Hanging Mary is extensively researched with a fresh view inside 1865 Washington, DC, as well as taking a “you-are-there” peek into the lives of the boarders of the infamous house on H Street. Ms. Higginbotham knows the period well and breathes life into the characters of Mary Surratt, daughter Anna, and young boarder Nora Fitzpatrick, as they fall under the charm of the charismatic actor John Wilkes Booth, only to view the horrifying build-up to the assassination of President Lincoln.” - Betty Ownsbey, author of Alias “Paine”: Lewis Thornton Powell, the Mystery Man of the Lincoln Conspiracy

“An expert at weaving history with threads of a compelling story, Susan Higginbotham gives literary voice and humanity to a woman remembered only for her ties to Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. The stirring intimacy of the prose dares the reader to believe the title hints merely at an aim, not a reality. You’ll be wondering until the last page if history is being re-written. Well done.” - Susan Meissner, author of Secrets of a Charmed Life

“Meticulously researched and skillfully written, Hanging Mary draws the reader into the shadowy world of John Wilkes Booth’s assassination of Abraham Lincoln.” - Amy Belding Brown, author of Mr. Emerson’s Wife and Flight of the Sparrow