CBC Radio's Information Morning history columnist Dianne Marshall is well known for the lively and surprising true stories she tells about Nova Scotia's past. Now the best of them have been gathered together in this enjoyable book.

The stories cover 250 years of Nova Scotia history, often featuring people who don't make it into conventional history books. These incredible accounts include: the plot to assassinate US President Abraham Lincoln using germ warfare, hatched by several prominent Halifax businessmen and a visiting American doctor; a posse of 1,000 armed men swarming the city after a burglary, firing so many shots that some First World War vets thought war had broken out at home; and the story of Halifax madam Julia Donovan, whose prison term for keeping a bawdy house was commuted to a $100 fine in return for her work to elect the city's next mayor. Other stories in the collection feature characters from rum-running days at Smuggler's Cove in Digby County, and ghost-busters in Antigonish County.

Dianne Marshall has an eye for character, a firm knowledge of historical context and a focus on what makes a good story. She brings many ordinary Nova Scotians with extraordinary experiences back to life in this readable collection.