History Decoded: The Ten Greatest Conspiracies of All Time

“Sure to keep readers enthralled and conspiracy theorists encouraged to continue to dig for the truth.” —Publishers Weekly

“Another probe of conspiracy theories is History Decoded: The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time, a lively and cleverly packaged exploration. Adapted from the History Channel program Brad Meltzer’s Decoded, the book presents conspiracies in countdown format: 10, 9, 8 . . . with Kennedy’s assassination in the number-one spot. Authors Meltzer and Keith Ferrell review the top ten theories pointing to a conspiracy in JFK’s death. Among them (at #9): the fact that the findings of the US House of Representatives’ Select Committee on Assassinations, released in 1979, differed from those of the Warren Commission.” —BookPage

“Meltzer gains credibility by not being afraid to admit that definitive answers are elusive. This isn’t one of those conspiracy books that pretends to look at all the evidence, all the while offering a conclusion based on its author’s agenda. The goal here is to assess the evidence behind these historical mysteries, to separate (where possible) fact from speculation, and to see where we stand. We leave the book no more certain about the truth than when we started but with a lot to think about.” —Booklist

“From a prolific novelist and legal analyst, a bemused look at the hidden conspiracies threaded throughout American history—the companion volume to the History Channel show. With the assistance of Ferrell, Meltzer begins by asserting that, although conspiracy theory can provide a shaky lens for examining our times, ‘someone must ask the hard questions, especially of our elected officials as well as powerful men who become members of so-called secret societies.’ He thus advances an expansive acceptance regarding both controversial and obscure footnotes to various historical narratives, coupled with a keen sense of how a belief in conspiracies has become central to our political life…The prose is lively and casually amusing…making these compact narratives seem breezily accessible but also less intellectually weighty. Slick and engaging but lightweight—a good impulse read for fans of secret histories.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Audiobook listeners will recognize the voice of award-winning narrator Scott Brick. His work is some of the strongest in the business, and this performance is no exception. A worthy, light alternative to traditional history.” —Library Journal (audio review)

“Scott Brick, Meltzer’s top choice for his thriller fiction, performs the author’s latest work, which takes a long, hard look at ten of American history’s greatest mysteries and tries to solve them. One example is the mystery of what happened to the notorious airline hijacker D.B. Cooper, who disappeared after parachuting from the plane. Brick’s finely honed delivery keeps the complex stories straight. His trustworthy voice, like that of a newscaster, adds to the enjoyment of the program. While some mysteries are not solved completely, with close examination and new information, listeners are allowed to make up their own minds about possible outcomes.” —AudioFile