A picture-book account of how Allen Pinkerton formed the first U.S. detective agency in the mid–19 th century culminates in his prevention of an assassination plot against Abraham Lincoln shortly after he was elected president. After brief biographical information about Pinkerton, the author describes the development of the Pinkerton Method, things considered standard for private eyes today, such as undercover work. The second half of the book deals with Pinkerton’s investigation of an 1860 plot by secessionists to assassinate Lincoln in Baltimore. How Pinkerton and his staff, which included several female detectives, first uncovered and then foiled the plot with the complete cooperation of President Lincoln reads like a good mystery, with twists and turns. The faux woodcut illustrations printed in shades of orange and purple give the book a jaunty and appealing look. (Ages 8–11)

This wonderfully illustrated children’s biography of the great nineteenth-century detective “evokes a mysterious and exciting old-fashioned tale of espionage” (School Library Journal).

Everyone knows the story of Abraham Lincoln, but few know anything about the spy who saved his life on the way to his 1861 inauguration! In The Eye That Never Sleeps, award-winning author and illustrator Marissa Moss reveals the true story of Allen Pinkerton.

A poor Scottish immigrant, Pinkerton became the first police detective in Chicago before opening the country’s most successful detective agency. He solved more than 300 murders and recover millions of dollars in stolen money. However, his greatest contribution was foiling an assassination plot against Abraham Lincoln.

The Eye That Never Sleeps is illustrated with a contemporary cartoon style, mixing art and text in a way that appeals to readers of all ages. The book also includes a bibliography and a timeline.