Grand Rapids Author Tobin T. Buhk Releases Latest Title: True Crime in the Civil War

True Crime in the Civil War: Cases of Murder, Treason, Counterfeiting, Massacre, Plunder & Abuse features sixteen chapters and examines more than a dozen criminal cases during the long-standing conflict. It is the second solo title by Michigan author Tobin T. Buhk, who also co-authored two books with Dr. Stephen D. Cohle, Kent County Medical Examiner.

“Crime was rampant, both in the North and the South, during the Civil War,” says Tobin. “In my latest title, I've peeled back the layers to reveal the bloody truth about the Civil War.”

In True Crime in the Civil War, Buhk examines the more inglorious aspects of the conflict, including:

• The murder of Gen. Earl Van Dorn
• The bloody draft riot in Detroit
• Sam Upham’s currency-counterfeiting scheme
• The tyranny of Gen. Benjamin Butler
• Violent raids by William Quantrill and “Bloody Bill” Anderson
• The devastating Fort Pillow Massacre
• The rebel plot to burn New York City
• Horrific prison conditions at Andersonville
• The fate of the Lincoln assassination conspirators

True Crime in the Civil War (320pgs | February 2012 | Stackpole Books | $21.95) is available at retail outlets and online resources now.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tobin T. Buhk is a Grand Rapids-based freelance writer and author of True Crime: Michigan (2011), as well as coauthor (with Dr. Stephen D. Cohle, Kent County Medical Examiner) of Cause of Death: Forensic Files of a Medical Examiner (2007) and Skeletons in the Closet: Tales from the County Morgue (2008).


REVIEWS:

"Crime did not take a holiday during the Civil War, far from it. As Tobin Buhk shows in this fast-paced narrative, the war created new opportunities to gain profits from illegal activities, to settle old scores against personal enemies under the cover of fighting the nation's enemies, to pillage, plunder, and murder amid the carnage and destruction that seemed to offer license to legitimize such crimes. Students of the Civil War will find new information in this readable account." — James M. McPherson, Author of Battle Cry of Freedom

"A rare novelty in the profusion of writing about the Civil War, a volume that takes a different approach." — Susan Branch, Joplin Independent

"Freelance writer Buhk has pulled many famous-and infamous-Civil War crimes into one excellent volume. . . . Easy to read with occasional humorous turns of phrase; highly recommended." — Karen Sandlin Silverman, Library Journal

"Buhk wrote an engaging, well-documented collection of tales . . . It is his efforts at mediating the sources, the "voices," that elevates True Crime in the Civil War above a simplistic version of Cops. . . . Both Civil War aficionados and fans of crime dramas will find much to enjoy.” (Full review here). — Neil West, Armchair General

“A fascination with forensic science led to an interesting hobby for English teacher Tobin Buhk. He has written several books on true cases and the history of forensics. His latest is “True Crime in the Civil War: Cases of Murder, Treason, Counterfeiting, Massacre, Plunder and Abuse.” (Listen to broadcast here). — Matt Olien, Prairie Public Broadcasting


www.TobinBuhk.com