What a fun, engaging and interesting novel! My family is a big fan of the Decoded tv show with Brad Meltzer and this book was the perfect companion to go back and relive those episodes with even more details. We always enjoyed learning about an event in history that we thought we were familiar with, but then Brad Meltzer just turned it upside down, giving us a whole new perspective. This book is the perfect gift for that history buff in your family or a non-fiction fan. Honestly, it is just a great all around engaging novel that I think everyone would enjoy.

I received this book courtesy of Workman Publishing Company through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received an advanced copy of this title from NetGallery for my honest opinion. Brad Meltzer is a huge draw and just his name alone will have readers picking up this title. It was an interesting and easy read. I felt it wasn't too enlightening to me, but I do find conspiracies interested and have a read a quite a bit about them. If you haven't, then I feel this would be a good read to "bring you up to date". Fun read!

Logical Discussion of Popular Conspiracy Theories
I had watched some of the author's programs on television so I was familiar with some of these stories. I enjoyed these theories so much more in book form. The book is a very quick read because of how the author lays it out with all sorts of documentation. Alternate theories are revealed and possibly disproven. There are always several theories with lots of evidence to go along with the discussion. The author lays the theories out with logic and discussion. While nothing is proven (which is why they remain theories), nothing is presented as 'gut feeling', intuition, or any of the other non-logic used in so many books of 'history' that I have read. I love this author's work and enjoyed the book. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

If you’ve ever watched and enjoyed the television show Decoded, you will enjoy this book. Brad Meltzer has taken 10 conspiracy theories that he feels are the greatest of them all, and written them down. He gives you the basic “known” story, and then explains what might be what really happened. If photographs are available, they are included. Copies of written documentation are also included. Mr. Meltzer has done a good job of condensing his hour-long TV show into a concise, well written book. An easy read, I enjoyed this book very much.
I was given an ARC by NetGallery to read in advance, and this is my honest opinion.

One word in particular in the description of this book is undeniably perfect. That word is riveting. Every word and conspiracy in this book was mind grabbing. Any history buff would be thrilled to pick up this book!
As this author is well known it is no doubt that this book is well plotted and well written. Perfect gift for any history lover.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

I volunteered to read this book, through netgalley in exchange, for an honest review. This book is well written. It keeps your attention from the first page. There are many interesting conspiracies decoded in thisbook. This is the second book by Brad Meltzer that I have read. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone and everyone it is interesting. This book will be in stores on November 10, 2020 for $15.95 (USD).

Brad Meltzer is a "must read" for me. This book follows the same format as his media production, Decoded. 10 interesting stories that most of us have heard of a few times or more. Brad has applied his own investigative skills and come up with some very interesting theories. Each story can be read in a sitting, giving you plenty of time to think it over before moving onto the next great mystery.

I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

If you’ve been following my blog for any length of time, you’re probably well aware that I love a good conspiracy book. As a fan of a couple of other Brad Meltzer history/conspiracy books, I figured I would enjoy this one as well.

I was disappointed to find out that this is a re-issue of a book originally published in 2013, with little updated information. Another disappointment was that the majority of the topics in this book are not conspiracies, but mysteries.


The ‘conspiracies’ include:

Did John Wilkes Booth escape capture and live for 40 years after Lincoln’s assassination? (not a conspiracy unless facilitated by other people or organizations)

Was the Confederate Treasury hidden away to fund a new Confederacy in the future? (this would admittedly be a conspiracy on behalf of the Confederate leaders who planned it)

The Georgia Guidestones (definitely mysterious, but not a conspiracy)

What happened to D.B. Cooper? (another mystery, not necessarily a conspiracy)

Where is the White House cornerstone? (mystery, but not a conspiracy)

Hitler’s pursuit of the Spear of Destiny (stretching the limits of conspiracy)

Did Da Vinci’s paintings predict an apocalypse? (not a conspiracy)

Is there any gold in Fort Knox? (government conspiracy)

UFOs/Roswell/Area 51 (government conspiracy to cover up)

JFK Assassination (listed as a conspiracy, but the authors deny any conspiracy)

I gave The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time three stars on Goodreads. I really wanted to love this book but was extremely disappointed that non-conspiracies dominated the list to the exclusion of things like the Business Plot against FDR and the successful Trump/Russia conspiracy.

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

3.75 Hearts I am a big fan of Brad Meltzer. I enjoy the way he writes and puts whatever he is saying into terms we can understand. And never do I feel that he doesn’t believe what he is saying. In this one he is talking about the conspiracies of 10 times in history including Kennedy, Area 51 and more.

In this set of stories he is letting us know what others say may have happened and what he believes himself. But never once does he say “This is the truth” he says what he believes and what the conspiracies are.

I love the history the way Meltzer explains it and I enjoyed this book very much.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

It's a very easy to read, conversational book! There were definitely some formatting issues in my ecopy, which made it a little hard to read (including the photos, which I was sad about!) but Brad Meltzer has a very understandable, fun way of writing.

I enjoy Brad Meltzer's writing and was eager to read this book on The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time: Decoding History's Unsolved Mysteries. Though I had previously been unaware of his Decoders TV show, upon learning that, I could definitely hear a voice-over in my head (similar to Dateline) which is neither a good nor bad thing, it just added to the read.

Many of the conspiracies I was definitely aware of, others were new to me. I did not know that we had our own Stonehenge type site in the US (state of Georgia), and knew nothing about the Spear of Destiny.

All of the items chosen to make the list were attention worthy, and I learned alot reading this book. If you're looking for a lightweight non-fiction read that will inform and entertain you simultaneously, this is a good choice.

My thanks to NetGalley and Workman Plough Publishing for allowing me to read a review copy of the book. Publication is set for 11/10/2020. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Being a fan of Decoded - I was excited to take some of these conspiracies a little further.

This book was more of a hardcopy of the television show - no new light shed on them.

I enjoyed reading - hope to see more like this in the future!

This was a fun little book with descriptions and introductions of ten conspiracies from around the world. I was glad to be able to read and harken back to when you could have fun with conspiracy theories and thinking about "What if" without having to deal with the bleak hell that is 2020 and QAnon cultists. I also didn't know that we had lost the cornerstone to the White House, so that was cool. If you're already into conspiracy theories, this isn't the book for you. A little bit of extra info might be present, or pictures of primary documents might be new for you, but on the whole this is an introductory work for those who hadn't read or dealt too far down the rabbit hole yet.

Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of this title from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Brad Meltzer, and Workman Publishing Company for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

One would think that I might tire reading about conspiracies, as we are in the midst of some doozies in the form of COVID-19 and the 2020 US Presidential Election. That being said, when I noticed Brad Meltzer was putting something together, I could not help myself. A longtime fan of Metlzer’s fiction work, I was eager to see what he would uncover, which might prove to be highly entertaining and easier to digest, while still being non-fiction. Likely pleasing to many who love conspiracies, but perhaps a little too primer for my liking.

Brad Meltzer has spread himself out greatly over the last number of years, including a television project called Decoded, which explores conspiracy theories. This book is almost a published account of ten of the largest conspiracies that Meltzer and his team discovered. They look at John Wilkes Booth’s life post- Lincoln assassination, a supposed gold cache still hidden throughout the US as part of a Confederate stockpile, and even the truth behind what’s actually going on in Fort Knox. Meltzer and his team offer some interesting theories, seeking to balance them out for everyone to feel appeased, without getting too meaty in their analysis. Tossing out a few more, which include Roswell and Area 51, as well as the JFK Assassination, Meltzer and his team seek to win over a larger audience by pulling back the proverbial curtain and tossing out many ideas that could hold some truth to them. Interesting, for sure, but not what I would call a compelling read for me.

While I have never had an issue with Brad Meltzer and his writing, I may stick to his fiction going forward. While I love his inquisitive mind and how he could likely weave it into a great piece of fiction, I found this too ‘made for television’ to really hold my attention. It read almost like a script for one of his shows (admittedly, I have not seen it, so I cannot speak with confidence). The theories are sound and the proof seems plausible, but this is a primer and I needed more meat. I have been forced to digest so many conspiracies of late (see above) that I want proof and not just supposition. Presented well, this will appeal to those who have a strong love of Meltzer’s television work and I applaud him for targeting his audience. For me, just not a stellar piece.

Kudos, Mr. Meltzer, for a great effort and some significant work. I hope many find something they enjoyed herein.

A good intro into the world of major conspiracies, although it only scratches the surface. I like that it gives the basics of what you need to know, and possibly inspiring the reader to research a bit more into their favorites. I did find the writing style a bit too juvenile at times, although I appreciate that it is working to appeal to a broad audience.

The 10 Greatest Conspiracy Theories of All Time by Brad Meltzer was received directly from the publisher and I chose to review it. Unless you live under a rock, you have probably heard of Brad Meltzer, either from his books or television shows and appearances. Conspiracy theories are a hobby of mine and often times I spout them just to see what reaction I get, such as “we never landed on the moon.” This book lists 10 conspiracy theories and gives “facts” presented by both sides and then the author's team theory on the subject. Leaving you, the reader to decide on what you want to believe. My moon theory is not one in the book though, so there is no convincing me. Anyway, if you or someone you know enjoys reading about conspiracy theories or know someone who might need to be schooled on Freemasons or the Kennedy or Lincoln assassinations, give this book a read.

5 stars

While I thoroughly enjoyed Brad Meltzer's show "Decoded", this book was underwhelming. It was a rehash of conspiracies covered on the show and didn't provide any new information or insight. The prose read much like a transcription from the show. As a fan of Meltzer's fiction thrillers, this left me wanting more and feeling that there wasn't a real draw to this book if someone has been a follower of the TV show.
Some of these conspiracies covered have been done before and a few left me scratching my head on why they were included, especially, DB Cooper and Fort Knox. I do understand you can't do a conspiracy book without including Area 51 and the Kennedy assassination however these were both handled well with a bit of a twist of how they are traditionally covered.

Brad Meltzer "decodes" some of the greatest conspiracies in history. JFK, Lincoln, the Spear of Destiny are just a few stories in this riviting book, looked at as only the Decoded master can do. Whether of not all your questions are answered, all the stories make you think about what you thought you knew, and maybe get some new information you didn't know.

I enjoyed Brad Meltzer’s television series Decoded and enjoy his novels. This is the perfect marriage. The stories are interesting, fast paced and include photographic evidence. Highly recommended for history buffs :)

I love Brad Meltzer's work and I was intrigued to see he'd written a book on conspiracy theories. It was a fascinating mix of theories, some familiar to me (Kennedy and Lincoln) and some new ones (Confederate gold and Area 51) I liked the wealth of detail and research that went into this book and found myself being caught up in the sometimes improbable theories (even though I'm not a conspiracy theorist.) It is a tribute to Mr Meltzer's writing that he could draw me in. A captivating book and I read it in one sitting, was sorry to see it end. Highly recommend.