Mariah FredericksRecensioni

Ho-hum mystery -- Edith Wharton, the Gilded Age author, discovers the identity of the shooter of a fellow author. Unpleasant or bland characters. In fact, the "Author's note" was the best part of the book. The author delineates fact and fiction in her story.

Adding this because I have spent way too much time and pages trying to connect with the main character. Yes, you, Edith. Abandoned for now

What a disappointment. I just couldn’t read any longer and stopped at page 147. The premise sounded clever and there were many rave reviews, but this just didn’t work for me. I love a good mystery, and all the better if it’s historical fiction. But the main character has to be likable, and this fictional version of the famous writer Edith Wharton was definitely not likable. The author made Wharton a depressing and negative character, and I didn’t care about her or any of the other characters. The story moved very slowly, and overall it was boring.

I can’t recommend this one.

There are mysteries where the investigator is there mostly to move forward the plot, and then there are mysteries where the investigator also learns something about themselves. The Wharton Plot is absolutely the latter -- in investigating the death of then-famous novelist David Graham Phillips, Edith Wharton considers the nature of being a writer, as well as some hard truths about her own personal life. She is marvelously in character -- not always likable, but someone well worth knowing. Many historicals that incorporate real life historical figures as sleuths feel at least a little forced--this one never does. Wharton's natural curiosity and the circumstances that Fredericks sets up make perfect sense. I closed the book feeling like I'd spent time with Wharton herself, and feel inspired to return to her works soon!

Well-researched historical fiction narrated by the nanny or “nurse,” Betty Gow, hired for the first-born son of Anne Morrow and Charles Lindbergh, Charlie, who was, in 1932, abducted from his crib and later found dead. The overwhelming majority of the facts come directly from primary sources, and the two instances where Fredericks deviated from the facts, she explained in her notes at the end of the book. Fascinating story surrounding the tragic events and the ensuing media circus.

Edith is in a quandary. Or rather she is bored with her marriage and her writing. But then a novelist is shot outside the Belmont Hotel and Edith becomes very curious. So curious in fact…she decides to find out exactly what happened.

I enjoyed learning about Edith Wharton. She is a character you will not soon forget. I love her tenacity and her intellect. And, of course, who doesn’t love a murder set in the Gilded Age. Very unique situation, this murder! And I want to know more about it being based on a true story! Who knew!?!? However, this story is a bit slow moving and it goes around and about to get to the “true grit” as I like to say.

I will be honest, I started this book and stopped. I was just not that interested in it. Then I read someone’s review and decided to try again. It still was not as captivating as I like. But, I did enjoy it for the most part.

The narrator, Kitty Hendrix, did a pretty good job. I just believe this story moved too slowly for me.

Need a different take on a famous author…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

I was familiar with Edith Wharton from reading one of her books several years ago, so the title of this grabbed my interest. During her time, she was a prolific writer and the first woman to win a Pulitzer Prize in fiction.

The story opens during a time when Edith had already become known as a successful writer. While enjoying lunch with her editor, she meets another writer and the two immediately clash. However when the writer is later killed in broad daylight, Edith becomes obsessed with finding out what happened. She even manages to get family approval to read his upcoming novel to find out if anything was written that could be a thereat to someone.

Soon, Edith receives some threatening notes and through the notes and interviews with people, she manages to get some clues and eventually solve the murder.

The story moves at a slow pace and Edith is not portrayed very favorably much of the time.
I love a good whodunit, but found this one to be just a tad boring. On the positive side, it did get me motivated to learn more about Edith Wharton and I just might read another of her books in the future.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to give my honest review.

Inspired by the true events of Edith Wharton.

The death of David Graham Phillips was not a random incident, his murder was planned. Phillips’ sister asked Edith Wharton for help in publishing his book. When agreeing to this, Edith did not realize that involvement in the famous writer’s unpublished book would expose her to danger. His great novel was supposed to tell the truth, and there were people who did not want this book to be published.

Edith Wharton did not warm my heart. She was rich, had a sharp tongue and didn't care about others. Her marriage was falling apart, and her writing career was not going well when she found herself in the middle of a murder mystery. I enjoyed reading about life in New York during the Gilded Age. It was a story that would lead the reader through the life of the famous author, her involvement in the crime and end the novel with an unexpected ending.

I requested a review copy of The Wharton Plot because—Edith Wharton as a detective? I needed to see what the author did with that set-up.

What the author did is write an interesting novel that hovers at the intersection of fictionalized history and mystery. This isn't a novel that blew me away, but it did keep me reading. I didn't really engage with the fictionalized history aspect of the novel (it is based on real events): too many characters focused on themselves and on the status of others. The mystery was interesting, but not the heart of the novel. Rather, the mystery served as a means for the writer to explore her sense of who Wharton was.

If you're a reader of gilded age fiction, you may want to check this title out. If your focus is on complex, whodunnit plotting, you may find it disappointing.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss; the opinions are my own.

Our two-mile square town’s library has visitors who scan the shelves and hide books that they find objectionable. So, when I recently gave away fifty books through the city’s “shares” page, I was surprised that no one was offended that some of those books were LGBTQ stories.

Back in Edith Wharton’s day, Anthony Comstock’s New York Society for the Suppression of Vice exposed writers whose work he found offensive. In The Wharton Plot, Comstock tells Edith Wharton that all fiction is suspect, for fiction is fantasy and allows people to create their own morals. He noted that fifteen women “exposed by the Society have taken their own lives,” which seemed like justice to him.

The theme of book banning is at the heart of this murder mystery.

Readers are swept into the Gilded Age world of New York City’s elite where “most of life was spent pretending one liked someone one loathed, lavishly praising a mediocre effort, or remaining silent.” One of the people Wharton meets is another author who she instantly dislikes. The next day, he is murdered on the street. Wharton becomes obsessed with discovering who killed him, and why. The man’s publisher allows her to read the manuscript of the forthcoming book that apparently offended the murderer. She then receives letters similar to the ones the author had received before his murder.

Wharton visits her dear friend Henry James for advice. She carries her beloved dog everywhere. She supervises care for her invalided husband Teddy, while maintaining separate lives as much as possible. She bundles in her furs and investigates.

I enjoyed the characters and the world of the novel, and especially how the author connected Wharton’s world to today’s. The newly strung electric wires strung everywhere, bringing instant connection but not happiness. The pressure of market demands and opinion on the publishing world. Gun violence. Money controlling American politics.

I sped through the book in two sittings.

Thanks to the publisher for a free book.

Reason read: To Kill a Bookworm bookclub pick

Well it was a good book but then it just ended but did not end. I think the author had a good idea but tried to put way too much into the book. I was thrown by the elephant in the room (book). Historical fiction set in NYC during the early 1900s and told by a lady's maid. The author tries to cover social issues of privilege and social climbing as well as abuse of the working class. It was free of unnecessary sexual details and bad language so that is a plus.
Rating C-

This was my least favorite of this series, but it was still a good read. It seemed to drag a bit in the middle, but I’ll be honest, that could have just been my mood. The ending was satisfying. I look forward to the next in the series

This story was an intriguing one and it made me think. The plot was well developed and the author did a fabulous job of interweaving social issues into the story seamlessly. I’m not sure I’ll read more of the series, but that’s not necessarily to do with the writer, but more that these days life is so full of tragedies, I rather prefer my fiction to be more fluffy

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for this review copy!

It’s always satisfying to read a well-written historical fiction book, especially when it’s about an event that is integral to American history (the Federal Kidnapping Act was created as a result of this heinous crime). I didn’t know that much about the Lindbergh kidnapping, only that the famous aviator lost his 1-year-old child Charlie, and the baby was never seen alive again. I also was reminded that this took place in central NJ, close to where I live. Learning as I read makes a book more appealing, and this novel did not disappoint.

This story is told in the first person of the nanny herself, Betty Gow. Her love for Lindbergh Jr. is greatly professed and makes the story all the more poignant. Lindbergh Sr. is described as a gruff, sometimes joyless man while his wife seems content to live in his shadow. Gow feels guilty because she thinks Charlie is bonded with her, stronger than with either of his parents. She takes her job seriously and blames herself for not being there for Charlie, preventing the kidnapping.

Gow is written as a sympathetic character, while the others in the Lindbergh’s circle of servants are all potentially unreliable narrators. Gow does her best to try to find the guilty party while being questioned by the police multiple times. She never gives up hope until she finally identifies his body at the morgue. Her emotions are what makes her character stand out; ironically enough, Lindbergh Sr. is written as a man who despises emotions. Gow sees him as somewhat of an automaton, more interested in engines and science rather than his human wife and child. Despite her misgivings, she tries to win his favor, both before and after Charlie is kidnapped.

All the Lindbergh servants start turning on each other, laying blame back and forth until I wasn’t sure who was telling the truth or not. I definitely think I enjoyed the book more by not knowing who, if any, of the servants were to blame. Each character is described well and their motivations for orchestrating the kidnapping seem accurate. The author creates suspense as she advances the plot and I was completely enthralled with how I developed emotions towards the characters, especially Violet. I thoroughly disliked her and was frustrated when Gow tried to sympathize with her. I believe she must have been suffering with depression or some other affliction, considering her actions towards the end of the book.

The author also did an excellent job of describing the inside of the houses as well as the surrounding landscape. I found it interesting that Hopewell NJ was noted as being far away from the beaten path, while now it’s quite populated.

As the story came to an end, I found chapter 31 to be one of my favorites. As Gow takes a final visit to the house in Hopewell, the desolation is apparent:

She uses her old keys to unlock the door. Inside the air is stale with dust and emptiness. Much of the furniture has been left behind. It’s been covered in cloth. The sofa, the coffee table, the grandfather clock – all bodies dressed for burial and eternal silence. Elsie and I part to explore the rooms we can bear. I step into the kitchen, which is empty, the cabinet doors all open for some reason. Peek into the servants’ sitting room, where there is only a chair and the card table. One lamp with its plug pulled out. There are memories to be conjured if I want to. I find I don’t want to. Better to leave these as blank, meaningless spaces. Like the sofa and the clock, cover the feelings in anesthetizing white cloth. And leave them behind.

This paragraph sums up Gow’s emptiness, a hole that cannot ever be filled, a chapter in her life best left alone lest the utter insanity of it take her over.

THE LINDBERGH NANNY examines this tragedy from another point of view, and Fredericks does an excellent job. Even if you are familiar with aspects of this story, you will enjoy this book.

Great historical mystery set in 1910-11 New York City's high society as viewed through the eyes of a ladies maid.

DNF

As a Scottish immigrant, Betty Gow has to prove she can handle the jobs she is offered. Interviewing to be a nanny for the Lindberghs (and kind of around the Morrows as well) is a big deal and she isn't sure how things went until she is offered the job. It's the year before the kidnapping and honestly, I was anxious to get to that main event and found some of the gossip and goings on around the servants for the Lindberghs and Morrows a bit much. But it was hard to find jobs during the Depression and not only was the aviator and senator's family hiring, but they also had multiple residences and the young family was building a home of their own. I like learning new historical tidbits while reading fiction and I had no idea that Anne's younger sister had been the subject of a kidnapping attempt via a threatening letter in 1929 while at boarding school. Did this become a way to make a living during the Depression? Anyway, it was an okay read, especially if you have an interest in this family.

Betty Gow was the nanny who loved and took care of Charles Lindbergh Jr. in 1932, when he was kidnapped. Using a number of sources the author gives you an inside look at the household at the time of the event. The police were sure that someone inside the house helped the kidnapper either for money or unwittingly. For while they focused on Betty Gow, the last person to see Charlie alive. If you are interested in a non-fiction accounting of this crime I suggest the book Kidnap: The Shocking Story of the Lindbergh Case by George Waller.

Louise Benchley would be too polite and constrained to say so, but she believes her forthcoming marriage to William Tyler, the social event of the season, will be a disaster. Not in the sense of the Titanic, which has just sunk — this is 1912, the New York of the Four Hundred — but the confidence of everyone around her that the match is unsinkable has her especially worried.

And why not? Louise knows nothing about marriage, certainly nothing about sex, for her mother has made sure not to tell her. Consequently, the young fiancée turns to her maid, Jane Prescott, who’s rubbed elbows with life in very close quarters. Yet there’s a limit to what the anxious, self-effacing bride-to-be can absorb, and Jane hesitates to enlighten when her employer won’t.

But that problem soon fades in light of another: a nanny hired by the groom’s uncle has been found dead, her throat cut. Since said uncle has earned notoriety for arresting members of the Black Hand, an underworld group of Italian origin — and since the murder victim was Italian — the family immediately assumes it’s a gang revenge killing, and so does the press.

However, Jane’s not convinced, and as a lady’s maid, she has access to information, domestic conflicts, and secrets that the family wishes to cover up, and which the newspapers can’t penetrate. Jane also has several motivations to pursue the case. She’s determined to do justice by the victim, whom she liked, and whose only crime, she thinks, was to love the children she cared for. The prejudice against immigrants in general, Italians in particular, offends Jane to the core, as does most of the gentry’s refusal to grant the crime any importance, especially compared with the anticipated nuptials.

Conversely, she’s convinced that Louise’s desire to call off the wedding, perhaps using the tragedy as an excuse, would deny the young woman her first and best chance at happiness. Note the character-driven aspects to our sleuth’s quest, which informs the novel throughout, not just when it's convenient, and perhaps run deeper than those of your average mystery.

Moreover, Fredericks handles these motivations with subtlety. Jane cares passionately, but the author knows better than to let her protagonist lecture or indulge in earnestness; rather, she’s quietly persuasive, mostly for the reader’s eyes alone. Jane’s outlook has been forged by life and takes a practical, rather than a crusader’s, view, so she has no need to trumpet anything—which fits her discretion as lady’s maid. That’s one reason Death of a New American stands out, but there are others.

With gentle humor, Fredericks pokes fun at the mores and beliefs of the upper crust, whether their fears that the new tunnel from Manhattan to Queens under the East River will collapse — what a horror, since they can’t swim.

I love the scene where William’s younger sister, a sophomore at Vassar, enjoys shocking her elders with the outlandish ideas of the sociologist Emile Durkheim, and how the conversation evolves into discussion of “unpleasant emotions.” A true lady, say the matriarchs, simply refuses to feel anything like envy or resentment. Jane, who knows better, also knows to keep her mouth firmly shut.

Everywhere, Fredericks folds the time and place deftly into the characters’ lives and the story, so that the era feels inhabited. She clearly loves and knows her native city, whether to describe the evolution of Herald Square, its rival (and successor) Times Square, or the streets of Little Italy.

With admirable touch and generosity, Fredericks lets you think along with her sleuth, hiding nothing, resorting to no tricks or sudden revelations. Death of a New American is an utterly satisfying mystery.

Jane Prescott, lady’s maid to wealthy socialite Mrs. Louise Tyler, has just returned from an exhausting trip to Europe in June 1914, during which they attended a wedding. Much to Jane’s dismay, the pros and cons of marriage are on her mind, considering that Leo Hirschfeld, a musician who might or might not have been courting her the previous summer, has married, after insisting he wouldn’t. Then too, the Tylers seem, well, maybe not unhappy with each other, but out of sorts. Bored, maybe.

No boredom allowed when Leo invites Mrs. Tyler to a rehearsal of a ragtime musical for which he’s written the score, and whose cast so happens to include his new bride. Mrs. Tyler has no idea she’s being cultivated as a potential investor in the show. But Jane, who wasn’t born yesterday, realizes that the flirtatious Leo, who can’t abide the idea that someone might resent him, especially if she has every reason to, hopes to get back into her good graces.

Naturally, she has no intention of joining Mrs. Tyler at the theater; just as obviously, she must, because her employer needs a chaperone, and Louise relies on her. Further, you know that one visit won’t be enough, so Mrs. Tyler begins regularly attending rehearsals, while Jane works backstage. She also has to sit through watching Leo’s better half, a voluptuous airhead whose only talent seems to be walking downstairs in a suggestive way. Mrs. Tyler really has no idea how much Jane puts up with for her sake.

Readers familiar with the Jane Prescott mystery series know that someone will soon wind up dead, and Jane will solve the crime. You don’t need a crystal ball (or the jacket flap) to guess that the victim will be Sidney Warburton, the show’s producer. A ruthless, exploitive tyrant who takes pride in seducing other men’s wives, Warburton gets shot in a bathroom stall at Rector’s restaurant during a cast party.

This backdrop may sound familiar for a mystery, but Fredericks makes it her own. Warburton’s not a pure monster; he’s helped many people, given them a chance in a cutthroat theatrical world. Not only does his generosity, however self-interested, flesh him out, it complicates the question of motive. Though just about every member of cast and crew has suffered his vitriol and humiliating behavior, he’s also their bread and butter; even, in cases, their rescuer.

Moreover, Fredericks knows her historical and theatrical ground, whether we’re talking about what the theater district looked like in 1914, or what went on there. To this theater historian and lifelong devotee, she’s conjured up what makes actors tick, the glamour and what lies behind it, and an unsophisticated public’s fear (and admiration) of the theater as institution and lifestyle. Several characters’ names or reputations evoke stars from the era. I recognize a bit of David Belasco, theatrical innovator and hack, in Warburton.

I like Fredericks’s re-creation of Rector’s (a real place) and the cast-party murder scene, in which the killer must be present, yet plausibly escapes notice. It’s a clever blend of two mystery traditions, the locked room and the clue in plain sight. For further depth, always welcome, the author explores whether love is what it looks like, and whether you can separate it from physical passion. Along the way, the dialogue crackles with wit — I don’t recall laughing as much reading the other Jane Prescott mysteries — as you might expect from theater folk.

Accordingly, Fredericks has loosened Jane’s corset a notch, and though that makes sense for the story, I stumbled over that, remembering her from previous episodes as a more cautious, demure woman of her time. Another significant character reveals a different sort of shift, which feels contrived — a rare slip for the author. The unnecessary, perhaps deliberately misleading, prologue is at least short enough not to annoy too much. And though the narrative includes the approach of the European war, which makes sense, the mixture doesn’t always flow smoothly, nor are the details always historically accurate.

But Death of a Showman is a delicious, poignant treat.

When Betty is hired on as a nanny, she is excited to work for the famous Lindbergh's. She quickly gets to know the household and comes to love Charlie Junior. She finds Charles and his wife a bit aloof and cold. After starting a relationship with a charismatic sailor, it seems that Betty's life is right on course. However, one night Charlie Junior disappears and a ransom note is left behind.

This book was hard to put down. The characters were well developed and realistic. I felt a real affinity for Betty. The plot unraveled nicely, building up the story each step of the way. Overall, highly recommended.

The Lindbergh Nanny by Mariah Fredericks is a story based on true facts of the kidnapping and murder of Charles Lindbergh's son in 1932.

The novel's main character is Betty Gow, the Lindbergh nanny. Betty loved Charles Jr. and took care of him 24/7 even when the parents went on their many jaunts around the world. Betty is Scottish and came to America at her brother Billy's encouragement.

Betty, because of her close proximity to the child is soon perceived as a suspect after the kidnapping. Even though it was not true, although it was suspected that it was an inside job, it still changed Betty's life.

After she identifies the body, she goes back home to Scotland away from the suspicions that she was somehow involved. Even in Scotland she is looked at as a suspect until the trial. She returns to America for the trial and upon seeing the suspect, Richard Hauptman, she recognizes him as having been in the house at some point. He was apprehended after spending some of the ransom money.

This book has a lot of different characters, those living and working in the Lindbergh and Morrow households. Some are likeable and some are not and that is where some of the suspicion comes from.

There is still speculation that Hauptman did not do it alone that he had had help from someone in the household. He was convicted and sentenced to death by electrocution in 1936.

I love a good historical novel based in part on facts. Mariah has done a wonderful job of putting all the pieces of the case together. Written with knowledge and compassion it makes for a great read.

I give the book 5 stars!

Since the Lindbergh kidnapping happened years before I was born, I never really knew very much about it. I was a bit reluctant to read this since I have two new grand babies, but there was very little detail about what happened to the Lindbergh baby and the writing was more factual than emotional.

The story is told through the eyes of Betty Gow, the Scottish nanny that was hired by the Lindbergh family. She had a few secrets and in the beginning readers might wonder what role she might have played in the kidnapping. The entire staff was suspect for a time, as the detectives felt that someone on the inside may have provided important information to the kidnappers.

The story follows Betty from the time of her hiring until years after the kidnapping. Once the police investigation began, I felt the story passed a bit, but most of the way I was completely engaged in finding out who took the baby.

This was one of those historical fiction novels that led me to the computer to find out more about the Lindbergh family and Betty Gow.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to provide an honest review and recommend The Lindbergh Nanny to other readers.

Not just anyone can become the nanny to the famous Lindbergh baby, but Betty Gow feels she is more than up to the challenge. The little boy in her charge quickly captures her heart as she struggles to adjust to the eccentric life of Colonel and Mrs. Lindbergh. Then, young Charlie disappears and all eyes are on the Lindbergh nanny as a suspect.

I was excited to listen to this one because I’ve heard about the case before. At the time, it was considered the Crime of the Century. Getting to see the story from the point of view of the nanny was an intriguing idea since I didn’t know that much about her. It really was heartbreaking to watch as she fell in love with the toddler, knowing what was coming.

That being said, while it was full of details of the time and family, there wasn’t anything new. I didn’t learn anything new. I’m also not a fan of characters solving the case that the FBI couldn’t. The theory that the author offered was interesting, but I wasn’t convinced.

This was a well written book. The narrator did a good job capturing the voices of each character and making each one distinct. I would recommend this to readers who enjoy fiction based on fact.

I received a free copy from NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own.½

I had heard about the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby but knew very little about the details of what really happened. This well researched novel about the Lindbergh family is told from the perspective of the baby's nanny Betty Gow. We learn about the family, the way the parents wanted the baby treated and the servants who made up the staff at the Lindbergh's home. After the kidnapping, we learn about the investigation and how Betty quickly becomes one of the suspects and gains the anger of the American public during what the media referred to as the crime of the century.

Betty is an immigrant from Scotland and takes a job as the nanny for the Lindbergh baby, Charlie. At this time, Charles Lindbergh was revered in America because of his nonstop solo flight to from New York to Paris in 1927. He's married to Anne Morrow Lindbergh, a very wealthy member of high society. Their son Charles was born in 1930. The kidnapping of young Charlie happened on March 1, 1932. The family complied with the ransom notes and tried to do whatever they could to get their young son back. The baby's body was discovered in May, 1932.

Betty is a very attentive nanny to the baby and they become very fond of each other to the point that Charlie's mom is jealous when the baby reaches for Betty instead of his mom. Betty starts dating a sailor who has recently immigrated. Life seems to be going well for the Lindbergh family until the night that Charlie disappears from the second floor of the house. Betty quickly became one of the main suspects in the kidnapping and was interviewed extensively by the police and FBI. She is devastated at the child's disappearance and tries to figure out on her own who was responsible for the crime. Even after the trial when a man is tried and found guilty, the American public still believes that Betty had some part in the crime.

The author did extensive research and her characters are all based on real people. Of course, since this is historical FICTION, there are situations and conversations that only exist on the pages of the book. I read a lot about the kidnapping after I read the book and was impressed with how closely the book followed the actual events and people. The entire story had a different feel since it was told by the nanny and was more emotional since she was close to the child. Be sure to read the author's notes at the end of the book about the research that went into this story. This book is a well written interesting part of our American history.