if you're not a law student or Law & Order buff this book probably isn't for you. But I loved it, not least because it's about core LDS history without being apologetic or anti-Mormon. And it helps that I read most of it while on a trip to Nauvoo. If you love LDS history and you love legal procedural stuff, this is a great book. Otherwise... you should probably take a pass. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is that it's not totally accessible to the average reader. ( )

Despite the clear title, Carthage Conspiracy: The Trial of the Accused Assassins of Joseph Smith, I was expecting something different. I guess I was expecting a biography of the people involved, and maybe some reflection about the ultimate fate of the church, the Smith family, etc. But what I got was just what the title suggests - the trial. First the effort to identify the people responsible. Then all about the legal system of Hancock county Illinois at the time, and the political and social makeup of the area. Then finally the actual trial process. If I were a legal scholar, it would probably be interesting. But I am rather bored by the whole trial process. The part before and after is what I was interested in, so I don't think that I will finish this one. I may give it another glance through, but that's it. ( )