Please note that I received this book via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating or review.

So not a bad historical nonfiction, just ultimately not gripping enough. Sometimes Starobin goes a bit paint by numbers with things. Only a few times does the subject matters in question come fully alive. We jump from the 1900s to the Alaska statehood and he tries to drive parallels between Alaska then and now that I really didn't see the linkages. 

"A Most Wicked Conspiracy" follows Alexander John McKenzie, a lawman and politician that settled in (now) North Dakota. The book jumps around a bit, but focuses on McKenzie after he goes to what is now Alaska (Nome) in the 1900s. He sets up his own little fiefdom in Nome which allowed him to steal gold mines from the owners and have himself appointed as the owner and operators of said mine. McKenzie and his cohorts were definitely sleazy and even involves President McKinley (yeah when I was reading I found myself going wait is this Alexander or the President?) involved with this scheme. Starobin tries to set the stage a bit with going into the claim jumping that seemed the way to go in the area. You can get why people were upset though with what McKenzie did. 

The setting of Alaska during the 1900s was interesting and Starobin definitely has done his research. You feel at times you are at one of the gold mines. That said, the political intrigues and the back and forths and even McKenzie's history and marriages started to go a bit stale for me after a while. 

The ending leaves you a bit in the wind since there's no great reckoning (in my eyes) for some of the major players in this one. 

A really solid history book that doesn’t quite come alive for me. This was a bit of a chore to get through since some authors can really engage you with historical nonfiction. It takes a gift I have realized. Still this was an interesting look at something famous that had repercussions for Alaska and some key players in American history.

I am at chapter 14. This is still dry. I think it’s because I don’t care about claim jumping or the legal fallout from said jumping. I would think I would be in heaven. Historical nonfiction getting into the 1900s in Nome, Alaska and instead I’m yawning through this.

Like most historical nonfiction books this is dry. 

I haven't done one of these in a while, but here are the books on tap:

Got this in hardback copy and will finally fulfill my next square for Snakes & Ladders. Grins sheepishly. 

Got this in ebook form from my local library.

Trying to whittle down my NetGalley TBRs this weekend too. This looks really interesting.

Another NetGalley read. Want to end with a romance.

I think four books is doable, we will see.