Chasing King's Killer: The Hunt for Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Assassin by James L. Swanson (review)

Reprising his edge-of-seat analysis of the manhunts following the fatal shootings of Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy, Swanson tosses YA readers into another grim you-are-there recreation. The first section provides background on Dr. King's career for context or as a systematic refresher for readers already familiar with King's biography. The second section traces the "Collision Course" with King traversed by escaped convict James Earl Ray, as the felon (thus far, largely nonviolent and apolitical) wanders the continent without goal or direction, and then for reasons never fully understood, targets Dr. King for assassination. When the two stories draw together, Swanson's narrative skills come into full play as he nimbly juggles the assassination and its aftermath through the ever-shifting foci of Ray, King, King's Memphis entourage, the local police, the FBI, President Johnson, Canadian authorities, Scotland Yard and Heathrow police, and witnesses and hoaxers. Black and white photos are compelling, and those of Ray in particular are well selected to demonstrate just how easily his Everyman features could blend into multiple populations and help him elude detection. Extensive back matter includes a timeline of Ray's criminal life, annotated bibliographic resources for each chapter, topical bibliographies, an index, and a list of places to visit in connection with King's life and death. EB