Virtual Blog Tour Review: The Assassination of Govenor Boggs by Rod Miller

The Assassination of Governor Boggs by Rod Miller

On May 6 1842 a bullet ripped through the window of Lilburn Boggs parlour window severely injuring him to the point where he was announced dead. He survived it and recovered but was sure that the shooter was Porter Rockwell, a known bodyguard for Joseph Smith, the prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Boggs had a reputation for persecuting the Mormons and upholding those that did, eventually leading to his extermination order of all Mormons. It was no wonder, after the massacre of Hauns Mill and the Saints being forced to leave behind all their property and goods and travel in the winter, that suspicion would fall upon the Mormons.

In this novel, Boggs' son hires detective Calvin Pogue to track down the gunman twenty five years after the incident, and after the death of his father.  Although the statute of limitations has run out and Rockwell was declared not guilty in a court of law, Bill Boggs is convinced he did it. He's looking for proof now just so the family can know.

We follow Pogue's progress as he makes his way back to where it all began and follows the trail to Salt Lake City where he eventually interviews Porter Rockwell.

I found the book to be well balanced. It was neither pro-Mormon nor anti-Mormon and the detective himself had no feelings one way or the other. He was interested in the truth.

It was also well written and had nice touches, such as Porter Rockwell's recollections interspersed with the detectives interviews, the constant ache in Pogue's injured leg that needed to be readjusted all the time, and his lookout for all things horsey to send back to his daughter Emily Elizabeth in Chicago. The author was good about giving our detective a background, although I found it surprising that he would relay his personal background to his client. That was the one thing that seemed off to me and I wonder if the information could have been given another way. Usually I like characters telling each other things, but in this instance it seemed out of place. However, the personal problems in his family life gave the detective another layer as he struggles with his own personal decisions while he tries to track down the truth. Like all good fictional detectives this guy has his idiosyncrasies and imperfections.

This is not a mystery. There's no tada moment where the detective reveals all. Nor is this a suspense thriller. No wagon chases or shootouts here. What it is, is a thoughtful look at an event in history that has never been solved.

I was frustrated by one thing. Although several characters expressed resentment towards the Mormons, the reasons why the resentment started weren't explained or why they felt justified in their persecution. Certainly after the Danites came into existence they would have had concern, but the Danites were formed because of the persecution. I was waiting for a character to express why his hatred for the Mormons existed.

Over all a good solid historical novel that doesn't make either side look like angels.

To visit the book's website and read more reviews of this book go to The Assassination of Governor Boggs.

Books by Rod Miller