I am not a conspiracy theorist, but the title of this book caught my eye and I was intrigued. Brad Meltzer, noted non-fiction author, has compiled historical facts and theories in his new book, "The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time." While some of the conspiracies were too far-fetched for me, I especially enjoyed the sections on Kennedy's and Lincoln's assassinations. There were some facts that I had simply never heard of, and they made me think.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I want to thank Brad Meltzer, Workman Publishing Company, and NetGalley for a advanced copy of The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time in exchange for an honest review. Now, I will be upfront in saying that I am a huge fan of conspiracy theories, but not a huge fan of history books. I have been wanted to shift more into the genre and I believe this book was the best transition. I simply couldn’t put it down.

Each conspiracy was explored inside and out. Even theories I thought I knew such as the assassination of John F. Kennedy or Area 51 brought new, excited facts to light. It was easy to follow and did not feel like a textbook simply stating fact after fact.

One of my favorite aspects of this book is the images that are included throughout. Each picture truly added to the theories and expands your thinking and belief on the subject. Metzler did a fantastic job compiling these.

Overall, I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone interested in conspiracy theories, history or looking to read more from the history genre.

I’ve read some of Mr. Meltzer’s fiction (although I couldn’t name you a single title) and I am sort of a sucker for conspiracy theories, so I was happy to receive a copy of The Ten Greatest Conspiracies of All Time from Workman Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Some of the obvious choices are included: JFK, Area 51, D.B. Cooper. There are also some I hadn’t thought much about (Confederate gold), but I found most of the chapters held my interest and taught me a few things.

Meltzer provides what he sees as the most likely explanation for each after reviewing the evidence and various theories. I went into it quite certain that Lee Harvey Oswald was NOT a lone gunman and that D.B. Cooper walked away with a bunch of money, and was glad to read Mr. Meltzer’s take on these (even if he’s wrong!). Three stars.

Meltzer's The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time is more successful in certain sections than others. A lot of the book is based off his hit series on the History Channel, Decoded. In fact, he discusses aspects of the show in the D.B. Cooper section (and rightfully so). I never got into the tv show. I always found it to be clunky with a professor and engineer doing field work and Meltzer offering the real meat of the show. He is more at home writing here in this book.

Does he sometimes rely on cliches and the same intros (What if I were to tell you...)? Absolutely, but he knows how to hold readers in suspense and keep them interested. The D.B. Cooper section is probably one of the most memorable in the book, and Meltzer makes a compelling case. I had always believed Cooper probably died before he landed, but the alternate evidence is surprisingly strong. I also found the theories he lays out for John Wilkes Booth escaping and living under an alternate identity believable. Again, I always dismissed previous theories as weak or outright preposterous. Not to say I believe his theory 100 percent, but I'm definitely intrigued enough to look into the matter at greater length.

Interestingly, the JFK section was one of the more disappointing aspects of the book. Meltzer is somewhat dismissive of alternative theories to the classic lone gunman theory. I also suspect JFK has been covered by others countless times and in far more depth than Meltzer, so it just kind of feels like it wasn't worth the effort. He actually had a creative idea: use a top 10 countdown to the best conspiracy theories about JFK. However, again, if you're at all familiar with JFK, this will be review.

Overall, Meltzer digs into some of the most well-known conspiracies and allows the theories to be heard, for the most part. The book really shines in some of the lesser-known conspiracies (Georgia Guidestones) and in ones that aren't given a lot of consideration (John Wilkes Booth). Some will find this too far-fetched to hold their attention, but for serious fans of history, those interested in potential alternative histories and those who appreciate Meltzer's writing, this should be lively reading.

This was an enjoyable read! It was fast-paced, well-researched and full of facts and interesting perspectives. For anyone who enjoys a good conspiracy theory, but also the facts, this is a great, balanced read!

I was hope this was one of Brads fiction books. I don’t believe in conspiracy theories. Sometimes things happen no reason or conspiracy behind it.

Entertaining book, quick read and I learned quite a bit. I liked the quick snapshot of each conspiracy and somewhat irreverent prose. It’s an interesting format of a countdown, very pop culture.

Fascinating list of conspiracies and controversial historical topics. The book is told in a highly readable, chat-like format, almost like you are being told a story. There are lots of pictures and photos contained in the book. People will love reading about the evidence related to these topics and coming to their own conclusions.

I gave this book three stars because half of the "Great Conspiracies" were of some interest. The others were silly ideas along the lines of the movie National Treasure. I did find the stories about John Wilkes Booth, D B Cooper and UFO's to be somewhat factual and worth reading.
My biggest complaint with this book is that it read like the script of a television show that features sensational ideas to be broadcast late at night. The author is the spokesperson for a show called Decoded. It felt like he lifted the book straight from the television script with little editing.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Although I am not a believer in all conspiracies, some of the 10 were definitely on my list. Some of the conspiracies. I never realized were real things. Like, whoever thought Fort Knox was empty? Brad Meltzer made this book informative but highly entertaining, as well. It would make a great addition to any library, including a personal one. I highly recommend it.

I have read some of Meltzer's fiction and non fiction books before. How could I pass up on the his choice of the 10 greatest conspiracies of all time. This is a short (214 pages) book with lots of pictures. Each conspiracy gets one chapter. I expected the assassination of JFK and UFOs at Roswell, NM and was not disappointed. I was less familiar with the Spear of Destiny or had no idea the location of the cornerstone of the White house is a mystery.

Meltzer has a folksy writing style. He talks to you like you were sitting down together at a bar chatting. He doesn't solve the mysteries but gives you basic information and in some cases pokes at what is right or wrong with certain theories. I really liked how in discussing JFK's assassination he pointed out that Americans idea of who was behind the killing changes as our enemies change.

This book felt like it was a companion guide to his tv show on the History Channel called Decoded. He mentions the people on his show as if it was current but the show was 2010-2012. So I am guessing this is a reboot of a previous book or gathering of ideas presented in his show. I recently read his "The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington' (2019) and maybe this was a followup.

I am sure it will be fixed before release but the format did not do well in the Kindle app on my iPad. I almost gave up reading before trying it on NetGalley app where found I could see all the photos and inserts appropriatly.

Thanks to NetGalley and Workman Publishing for the ARC ebook in exchange for honest review.

Delightful read that was not convoluted or confusing but rather was engaging and enjoyable. You do not have to believe in conspiracies around every corner to pick up this book and enjoy the read. Nothing less was expected from Meltzer to be honest.

What a great book! I am an active history buff and have read a lot history books. I also have lived a lot of places around the world during my time in the military and being an Army brat. I have also watched just about every history program on this book’s subjects. With that background, once I saw the title of this book and read the intro, I thought I would not learn anything new. However, after reading the first few chapters I was surprised to find the author has added new facts that I had not known before. At the end of each chapter the author introduces a possible way to solve the conspiracy or to provide a new way to investigate it. In the chapter about John Wilkes Booth, Lincoln’s assassin, the author gives a very simple solution to solve it. I would love to give more details, but you will need to read it to find out.
This book was fun to read and I learned something new from it. What else would you want from a book. I highly recommend this book.

Brad Meltzer, who knows how to write a good conspiracy novel, tells us about real conspiracies from history. While I will argue, that the greatest conspiracies are those, no one will ever know about, the stories in this book are still great and are told and explained clearly and interestingly. Illustrations are also helping to flesh out these real stories.

I enjoyed this book, but probably mostly because I like Brad Meltzer very much. As another reviewer said, it seems a little dated and like many of the shows I've seen.
I did enjoy the sections on Lincoln and Area 52 very much.
Thank you Netgalley and publishers for allowing me to review this book.
#The10GreatestConspiraciesofAllTime #NetGalley

This was an engaging book. It thoroughly examines each event, offers different explanations and the primary sources included make the stories stand out. My favorite was the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. I listened to a local podcast that reported John Wiles Booth ended up in my home state of Oklahoma and this was also reported in the book. Other conspiracies were Area 51, JFK's assassination and the Confederacy's gold.

This is a really interesting read. I do not get in to the while conspiracy theory stuff but this book made me think and even change my mind about a couple of things. It is very well written and researched. The only problem I has was the way it was formatted. I am sure the final copy will take care of it.

As a huge fan of Brad Meltzer, I really wanted to love this book. I really did. However, as a fan of Brad Meltzer, I had watched his Decoded series on the History channel, and this felt more like a recap of the show than a book standing alone. I repeatedly found myself wishing that there was additional information perhaps found after the show went to air, but never seemed to find any. For anyone who hasn't seen the show, this would be an excellent book. It has lots of information about each conspiracy and grounds them in reality. I'm not much of a conspiracy theorist myself, and Meltzer introduces the book and admits he isn't either. But these possibilities have almost too much coincidence to just be merely that, coincidence. If you're a history buff, a conspiracy theorist, or simply fan of Meltzer, I would recommend it.

Fascinating look at some interesting conspiracies. Melzer is a great writer and kept my interest the whole time.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

***Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Expected release date November 10, 2020.***

3 - 3.5 stars

I've read and enjoyed a few of Brad Meltzer's books before, so I was looking forward to this one.also. Unfortunately, the formatting of the proof copy that I received made it difficult to follow some of the material. The information that I did follow was entertaining, and would probably be worth a re-read after a print copy comes out.