I have read several books by this author and enjoyed them thoroughly. This was good, but not one of her better books in my opinion. Kate Chase, daughter of Salmon Chase - one of A. Lincoln's cabinet, was her father's hostess during his political career. This book follows her life in that role and as a wife to former RI Senator turned junior Congressman. There was a rivalry between Mrs. Lincoln and Kate Chase as society "head" in Washington during the Lincoln administration. Really not much basis for the rivalry between them, but the book goes into detail of Chase's political ambitions and the events "behind the scenes" of the Civil War.