Chasing King's Killer: The Hunt for Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Assassin

by James L. Swanson

Overview

An astonishing account of the assassination of America's most beloved and celebrated civil rights leader, Martin Luther King, by New York Times–bestselling author, James L. Swanson.

NAACP Image Award Nominee
Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year
Kirkus Reviews Best Young Adult Book of the Year*

"[James L. Swanson's] masterful work . . . reveals, in gripping style, how one individual can impact history." —Booklist, starred review

In his meteoric, thirteen-year rise to fame, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led a mass movement for Civil Rights—with his relentless peaceful, non-violent protests, public demonstrations, and eloquent speeches. But as violent threats cast a dark shadow over Dr. King's life, Swanson hones in on James Earl Ray, a bizarre, racist, prison escapee who tragically ends King's life.

As he did in his bestselling Scholastic MG/YA books Chasing LIncoln's Killer and "THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN SHOT!", Swanson transports readers back to one of the most shocking, sad, and terrifying events in American history.

More than eighty photographs, captions, bibliography, various source notes, and index included.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545723343
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	08/17/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	384
File size:	111 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

An astonishing account of the murder of America’s most beloved civil rights leader and the search for his killer, by a New York Times–bestselling author.

On the evening of April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr., stepped onto the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. What happened next—a man in a window, a rifle, and a single shot—was one of the most horrific and tragic events of the twentieth century.

But this book is about more than a murder. It is the story of two men set against the backdrop of the turbulent 1960s—a decade of assassinations, the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War, the counterculture, and the race to the moon. It is the story of King’s heroic life, his tumultuous last year, and his fateful trip to Memphis. But it is also the story of a mysterious, lifelong criminal—James Earl Ray—whose 1967 escape from prison sent him on a strange, year-long journey that unexpectedly climaxed with King’s murder and one of the biggest manhunts in American history.

In an action-packed, minute-by-minute, ticking-clock narrative, James L. Swanson, award-winning New York Times–bestselling author of Manhunt, Chasing Lincoln’s Killer, and “The President Has Been Shot”: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy, weaves together riveting stories of the assassin and the civil rights leader as he transports readers back to one of the most shocking, sad, and frightening days in American history.

Praise for Chasing King’s Killer

Kirkus Reviews Best Young Adult Book of the Year

Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year

Texas Topaz Reading List Top Ten Title for Nonfiction

 “Page-turning nonfiction that captures the tenor of the times with meticulous research and a trove of photographs. Exhaustive, exemplary backmatter further enhances the text. An important contribution to the understanding of a complex period in United States history that still reverberates today.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

 “[Swanson's] masterful work . . . takes on thriller pacing . . . This immersive history reveals, in gripping style, how one individual can impact history.” —Booklist, starred review

 “An absorbing chronicle of the lead-up to and aftermath of the assassination of an American leader . . . Riveting.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

Editorial Reviews

…Swanson offers plenty of context on King's activism and his turbulent times, but frames the book as a manhunt for James Earl Ray. This approach makes education feel more like entertainment, and will prove seductive to even a reluctant older reader.

The New York Times Book Review - Rumaan Alam

Distinctions and Praise for Chasing King's Killer: The Hunt for Martin Luther King Jr.'s Assassin:NAACP Image Award NomineeChicago Public Library Best Book of the YearKirkus Reviews Best Young Adult Book of the Year2020 New Jersey Garden State Teen Book Award NomineeTexas Topaz Reading List Top Ten Title for NonfictionCybils Award Junion High Non-Fiction Finalist* "Page-turning nonfiction that captures the tenor of the times with meticulous research and a trove of photographs. Exhaustive, exemplary backmatter further enhances the text. An important contribution to the understanding of a complex period in United States history that still reverberates today." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review* "....[James L. Swanson's] masterful work, akin to [his] previous success, Chasing Lincoln's Killer... takes on thriller pacing as it portrays, in alternating segments, King's ceaseless work with Ray's escape from prison and eventual plot to assassinate King.... This immersive history reveals, in gripping style, how one individual can impact history." — Booklist, starred review* "An absorbing chronicle of the lead-up to and aftermath of the assassination of an American leader... Riveting." — Publishers Weekly, starred review* "Detailed, well-organized, and vividly illustrated.... A top pick for YA history collections." — School Library Journal, starred review"This new title is a smash hit.... [Swanson's] action-packed pages are captivating.... I would hand this to any reader-from the seasoned to the reluctant. There is something in this book for everyone." — School Library Connection, highly recommended"A must-purchase for library collections." — VOYAPraise for "The President Has Been Shot!": The Assasination of John F. KennedyA YALSA-ALA Excellence in Young Adult Nonfiction Award Finalist"Swanson brings the same immediacy and thrillerlike tension he achieved in Chasing Lincoln's Killer to this harrowing account of the Kennedy assassination."— Publishers Weekly"Swanson charms readers with mesmerizing, little-known facts, making readers the experts and inspiring them to become historians and inquirers." — VOYA Magazine"Reads like a thriller, with intense pacing and an engaging narrative." — School Library Journal"Archival photographs, explicit diagrams of the assassination scene, source notes, and a bibliography that includes conspiracy-focused literature add further value to this strong addition to Kennedy titles." — BooklistPraise for Chasing Lincoln's KillerAn ALA Best Book for Young AdultsBooklist Notable Children's BookRecommended as one of the top children's books about Lincoln by American History Magazine* "This account of Lincoln's assassination and the twelve-day search for his killer reads like a historical thriller."— Publishers Weekly, starred review* "The rich details and suspense are ever present . . . It is a tale of intrigue and an engrossing mystery." — School Library Journal, starred review"It's history that reads like a tragic thriller." — USA Today

From the Publisher

★ 2017-12-03
Swanson, bestselling author of Chasing Lincoln's Killer (2009), here explores all aspects of the murder of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.From the foreword by Congressman John Lewis to the epilogue, this volume places Dr. King and his loss in its historical context. The story begins with a detailed look at an unsuccessful attempt on Dr. King's life, a foreshadowing of what was to come. Dr. King's life and work to gain full civil and economic rights for all Americans are presented briefly, but the crux of the narrative is directed at the assassination; the man behind it, escaped convict James Earl Ray; and the aftermath. Swanson describes the events that brought King to Memphis, Tennessee, as part of a larger push for economic justice. In addition to the real-life thriller aspects of the hunt for Ray after King was shot, Swanson's narrative adds poignant details, such as the experiences of King's heartbroken aides and their reluctance to cooperate with law enforcement as well as the nation's mourning of Dr. King. He also addresses conspiracies around the assassination as well as distrust of the FBI due to their wiretapping of King and other activists. This is page-turning nonfiction that captures the tenor of the times with meticulous research and a trove of photographs. Exhaustive, exemplary backmatter further enhances the text.An important contribution to the understanding of a complex period in United States history that still reverberates today. (Nonfiction. 12-adult)

Kirkus Reviews