This was a great story. The history behind the book is creepy yet the story itself is done with grace. I enjoyed reading about Belle, knowing that some characters were real while others were fictional.

I loved Nils’ dedication to his brother. He refuses to give up, no matter what he’s told or what others would have him believe, Nils holds fast and pushes forward. Ingrid is a little more difficult. Her staunch defense is honorable, even if misplaced, but she doesn’t know that.

Seeing the story from all sides made this a book I couldn’t put down.

Liz Tolsma always writes a story I can get lost in. This strange-but-true historical is one of my favorites.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was sent this book by Net Galley because of another book that I reviewed, right now the other book escapes me. So I had no idea what this was about. I mean an offer for a free read one cannot turn down. I started to read it and I thought, ok, not bad, not great. I love the year of the story, 1907. Indiana, ok, good. THEN I really got into it. It massively picked up. Things were happening with twist after twist. The character development was brilliant. The reader really connects with the two main characters. It was only after I finished reading when I was in awe at the ending - one can guess at some things but how we get there is what is so awe inspiring - that I found it all this was based on a true story! The two main characters were fiction but the gold digger herself, the town, time and even details of the crimes were real. Tolsma really brought this real life crime to life! Normally with real crime it can be dry. One reads accounts and it reads like a police blotter at times. But this, this made one feel like one was watching real events. It was not just simple guessing or fiction. In many ways this account could have been how it went down. My advice is to read the book first, do not even look up the real account. When one knows the real story then one spends the whole time looking out for what they already know. Reading should be an adventure. This book first and then check out the true crime. You can thank me later.

Liz Tolsma’s depiction of Belle Gunness and the atrocities that occurred on her big farm in the early 1900s cast suspicion on two people. And left me with just enough suspicion of each of them throughout the book to keep the story engaging and moving at a fast clip.

While the missing men and murders did occur in LaPorte, Indiana, The Gold Digger is told through the eyes of two fictional characters. Despite many hints pointing toward Belle’s culpability, Belle’s sister, Ingrid, refuses to believe the worst of her sister. Nils’s search for his missing brother is what leads him to LaPorte and the strange clues to the mystery on the Gunness farm.

There are some dark parts to this story with somewhat gruesome descriptions (but if you search this woman’s story online, you’ll find even more gruesome details than what is in the book). However, Tolsma also shines a light of truth into the darkness with the blossoming romance between the main characters, Ingrid’s personal growth and confidence, and the faith both she and Nils lean on throughout the ordeal.



Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this audiobook and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

“They were taking a risk. They both wanted answers, but different ones. No matter what happened, one of them would be disappointed. More than that. Likely devastated.”

An interest in forensics has led me to a variety of TV programs and books over the years, because while the crimes themselves were heinous and reprehensible, solving them intrigued me. Considering the lack of both sophisticated equipment and knowledge about DNA until recent years, it seems quite impressive that earlier investigators were able to solve as many cases as they did. The drawback of reading material of this nature is its darkness, which can be nightmare-inducing at times, and this is why I love Barbour’s True Colors (Historical Stories of American Crime) series so much. Able to be read in any order and written by a variety of authors, each story focuses on a major criminal event that occurred in America sometime between the late eighteenth through the early twentieth century. Best of all, these books are not only clean, leaving out the graphic details, but also inspirational, with a faith message in each.

Each True Colors book proves to be fascinating, and “The Gold Digger” by Liz Tolsma is no exception. Even though I was already familiar with the story of Belle Gunness, I was a bit hazy on some aspects of the case, so I still very much enjoyed reading this story. With a story such as this, it is easy to recognize the draw of sinful activities that may and perhaps even do start as one-time events that escalate. The enemy knows that it is more difficult to grow and to mature in our faith walk when we’re isolated, and most of the attacks that happen in this story are perpetrated at night when the victim is alone. Nevertheless, this is when prayers need to become all the louder and more confident, knowing that the God who promises never to leave or forsake us is the same God who created us and who has numbered every hair on our heads.

Echoing the sentiment of Jesus’ parable of the rich fool as found in Luke 12, “The Gold Digger” exposes the raw and evil root of greed and how it negatively affects relationships. To people living in the early twentieth century, without the means of immediate communication with others regarding business and especially personal matters, family was essential. So, it seems, was keeping secrets. Ingrid Storset, Belle Gunness’ fictional sister, ruminates on the thought that “When you didn’t have family, you didn’t have anything.” As an immigrant to America, her only relative and friend is her sister, Belle; Ingrid has great difficulty in speaking with others and lives under Belle’s shadow. When the threats begin, however, Ingrid starts to wonder whom she should trust, especially as “a stranger in a strange land.” This is the current status of all of us who belong to the Lord as we await His return.

Tolsma employs chilling, clever foreshadowing throughout the narrative. It often has a double meaning, and for those who do not know the story beforehand, it is definitely worth a re-read so as to pick up on all of the delightful literary clues scattered throughout the work, pointing toward what will happen.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

This is one of those books that you can’t stop reading.
Fascinating in a terrible way, history so awful you wish it would be fiction.
Ingrid is such a sweet lady. Her sister Belle has set her up with her own confectioner's shop, so she could do what she'd always wanted to do, and be close to her Belle and her kids.
Belle is in search of a husband, and Ingrid doesn't understand why she's not finding one. In Ingrid's eyes, Belle would make someone a great wife. Hardworking, loving, and she's got a nice farm, in addition to her sweet children.
Then Nils shows up in town trying to figure out what happened to his brother Sven. Ingrid tries to convince him that he left town in search of better things, because he didn't want to do the hard work that would be required with living on a farm.
As Nils searches for truth, Ingrid is determined to be loyal to her sister.
Liz Tolsma does such a good job at bringing this event to life.
The crime is felt, and shown, without too many descriptive details, without being too gory. And yet, it was enough. I think if I wouldn't have had any inkling what was coming, it might have been too much. That is the awfulness of this happening. This was one of those events in history that I had never even heard of.
Sobering, eye opening, and well worth reading.
Be forewarned - just plan to read this book all in one sitting, so don't start until you can read it all!!
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Liz Tolsma does such a wonderful job of turning historical facts into compelling fiction! Her research is excellent, and the fictional elements sort of fill in the "what-ifs" in the real story. She sets the scene in such a way that I could visualize all the places, and adds details that anchor the reader in the time period.
Belle Gunness was such a harrowing villain. I could just feel shivers every time you knew she was lying and that terrible things were happening. This story paints her as quite the silver-tongued liar. Everything just came so easy to her - including the horrible acts she committed.
Ms. Tolsma also writes dynamic characters of faith - they are realistic in their doubts and struggles, but experience the transformative power that faith in God can bring to the most hopeless situations. The inclusion of clean romance makes for very well-rounded stories with a little of everything.
For anyone concerned about content, there are no graphic scenes, and no descriptions of any of the murders, just some descriptions of things that were found in the investigation. Nothing too over the top.

The Gold Digger, by Liz Tolsma, is volume nine in the True Color series published by Barbour Publishing. This series is written by different authors and each book focuses on an unusual crime in history. This story takes place in 1907 in Indiana. Belle lives on a farm she and her second husband had. Now years after his death she is advertising for a husband. She convinces the men to bring money with them to help save her farm. But none of the men stay around very long.

This is an interesting story to read. It is full of suspense with why the men do not stay and where do they go when they leave. Even though Belle is the main character of the story, I found I enjoyed her sister Ingrid much better. She is such a positive and loving person. She thinks the best of others even when things look suspicious. I also enjoyed the character of Nils, who will do what ever he can to find his missing brother. I appreciate the information the author gives at the end of the story that gives the real accounting of this crime.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from Celebrate Lit through NetGalley, this is my honest review.

Wow! Just wow! These True Crime stories just boggle my mind! Great job Liz Tolsma coming up with filler surrounding the facts! This was an interesting read! You will not want to put this book down for long.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the Publisher and was under no obligation to post a favorable review.

I read The Gold Digger in a matter of days because this true crime fiction was very intriguing. Tolsma does a good job of writing a suspenseful story while making several scenarios plausible along the way. The fictional characters the author added are endearing people who begin to chase clues together. Amidst uncertain circumstances, an unlikely romance develops. They face tragedy and still find hope to face the future. Tolsma’s research into this historical crime is evident making this another great addition to the True Color Crime series. I’m glad to see that she will be writing another upcoming book for the series. I was given a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I very much enjoyed this well-written novel of murders committed in early 1900’s America. The murderer and most victims are real people; the author also discloses which characters are of her design. At times it seems clear who the killer was but there is just enough doubt regarding another person. The characters are well-defined through realistic dialog and actions, and the author’s research into the true crime and history of the time show the accuracy of the novel. Faith in the Lord is evident through the prayers and actions of several characters.

Belle has a pig farm that she inherited from her second husband. Twice widowed, she has taken in homeless children and raises them as her own. Her sister Ingrid is somewhat of a newcomer to America, having come from their native Norway five years earlier. Belle purchased a building in LaPorte, Indiana, and gifted the use of the storefront and upstairs apartment to Ingrid to open a candy store. Ingrid is painfully shy and doesn’t speak English well, but she can’t turn away the gift from her sister. Ingrid’s dream is to be a photographer, and this building has a basement she can use as a darkroom.

Belle has advertised for men with a goal of marriage in various Norwegian newspapers in the Midwest. Several men have come to meet her and see the farm, but each one left shortly after arrival. A former farmhand, Ray, still hangs out by the farm as he wants to be her next husband as she had once promised. Even though she fired him, he is still obsessed with her.

There are very few motorcars in LaPorte; the second unfamiliar one recently seen in town arrived and a young Norwegian man came to get directions from her. Nils, who owns a motorcar dealership in Detroit, is looking for his brother Sven, who had gone to Belle’s and not been heard from since. Their ailing mother is very worried, as it isn’t like Sven to be out of touch so long. Ingrid remembers Sven and his automobile, as Sven was a very nice man who left as the others had. She told Nils how to find the farm.

Over the next few weeks, Nils, with Ingrid’s help, exhausts leads searching for Sven, and will have to return to Detroit without him. Jennie, the teen who Belle took in several years ago, is gone. Belle claims to have sent her to a finishing school in California but refuses to share her address. Someone set fire to the candy shop with Ingrid sleeping upstairs.

The author’s talent for writing Christian suspense and historical novels is evident. The mystery is written with excellence as one tries to discover what really happened to the missing men and other unusual occurrences. The characters, faith, and suspense make this a truly worthy addition to Barbour’s multi-author True Colors series. The end is satisfying with loose ends tied up as much as was in the real events. I highly recommend this to anyone who is a fan of the author or series, Christian suspense with roots in true crime, and potential for romance.

From a thankful heart: I received a copy of this novel from NetGalley and Celebrate Lit, and this is my honest review.

The World is Full of Depraved People

A truly horrific tale of greed and deception, Liz Tolsma has given us a look at a horrendous crime from the turn of the twentieth century that many of us have never heard of. The Gold Digger offers a look into not only cultural issues that we might not be aware of (did you know that there were Norwegian papers people subscribed to at that time?) but also shows how blinded we can make ourselves to things we don't want to be true.

Certain elements, such as the sister's inability to see the obvious, may feel far-fetched until you really look at what is happening and try to imagine someone you only know as loving and caring actually doing something so horrific.  Add to that a world where there weren't TV shows bombarding you with this kind of sensationalism, a life of poverty that prevented you from reading dime novels (there are some advantages to poverty, I suppose), and it starts to make some sense. Many characters ignored the obvious because the obvious was just so implausible.

So what about this story?  Good?  Bad?  Indifferent?

While it has a few things that bother me (tiny things that either are or feel anachronistic) Liz Tolsma manages to tell a truly gruesome story without the kind of gory details that replay themselves in your mind indefinitely.  Most of the ugliness is off-page in that we don't watch the murders take place, and Tolsma works hard to show the horror without spraying you with the residue of it.

Recommended for readers who love true crime, suspense, and mystery as well as those who like a nice dollop of romance at the end.  Very sweet and well-infused romance.  Very sweet. ;) Thrilled I had a chance to read it, and grateful for the free review copy.

The Gold Digger is another addition to the True Colors series, about true crimes, and I have read some very disturbing ones and this one is near the top. Here we have a woman, Belle Gunness who keeps collecting men for husbands and children like some people collect baseball cards. Except the men are nowhere to be found and the children sometimes go missing too.

In this story, her sister Ingrid believes the best about her sister and is rather shocked when a man comes to town looking for his missing brother. Ingrid at first is rather naïve when it comes to her sister and lets Belle explain things away or Ingrid will explain it away in her own mind. But Ingrid grows in her character, and she and Nils Lindherud are the bright spots in this disturbing historical account.

What makes this one so creepy is the secrets that still abound about this old crime and the questions that still have never been answered. I will not say anything more, but be sure to read the author's notes at the end on this disturbing crime.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

This is a very good one. Although, if you sensitive to some things you might want to proceed with caution. For me this book was right up my ally, since I love shows like Forensic Files. I actually looked up more information about this book before I even finished it because I found it so interesting.

Liz did a wonderful job bringing this story to life. The characters are well developed and honestly if you didn’t know how this story turned out it would keep you guessing.

It is truly a tragedy. The senseless death of so many men and the others that were taken all because of selfishness.

If you enjoy this type of story I highly recommend this book.

A copy of this book was given to me through the Celebrate Lit Team. All opinions are my own.

I have read now three out of the twelve books from the True Colors series and I must say that this may be my favorite when it comes to suspense and mystery!! Wowza! It was like reading something out of the movie Misery. Anyone remember that movie? That's what this felt like except this was a true story. That is what I enjoy about this series. It is based on true crimes that have happened in history. This was also my first book by Liz Tolsma and I must say I really enjoyed her writing. Very descriptive and engaging. This is definitely one of those books that is hard to put down as you want to know what is happening next and who the culprit is.

This story is about Belle Gunness a widower twice-over in La Porte, IN. She runs a hog farm and has a sister Ingrid. Ingrid is shy and getting adjusted at being in a new country. She loves her sister and doesn't see the peculiarities that surround her. Her sister is always in search of a new husband and puts ads in the paper. Men come to the farm but mysteriously enough they never stay and no one sees them go. Not even the former farm hand Ray who is obsessed with Belle and will do pretty much anything to get her attention.

When Nils brother goes missing after answering one of the ads, Nils comes to find out where he is. He meets Ingrid and they strike up a friendship. We do get some romance between Nils and Ingrid but that definitely is not the focus of the book. However it is sweet and needed to balance out the other parts of the story.

Now if you are looking for a cozy mystery this is not your book. This book definitely is definitely strange, terrifying and twisted. It is unresolved so this is definitely not going to leave you with a happy ending. I am so glad that the author put an Afterword in this story. It was needed to understand the history of the story a bit more.

I have really,really enjoyed reading the True Colors series. A True crime series by Barbour Publishing. They have put out a new book in this series every month for the past year.
The Gold Digger absolutely captivated my attention as I read it or should I say speed read it. The further into the book I got the more it captivated me like when something bad happens but you can't tear yourself away from it and must continue to find out more details about it.
I knew how it would turn out but The Gold Digger brilliantly took my breath away!
The author does an amazing job of captivating readers to continue til the last word is consumed.
I highly recommend this and every book by this author.

Pub Date 01 Dec 2020
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

3.5 stars- This is the latest book in the True Colors series that pairs the retelling of lesser known true American crime stories with fictional romances. I have learned about a lot of shocking crimes I had never heard of. As a lover of history, I have enjoyed researching these historical events further on my own and have especially found the author’s research notes at the end of each novel very fascinating. It cannot be easy to create a fictional story that revolves around real events.
The true facts of this story are intriguing, shocking and horrifying at the same time. The adage that “truth is stranger than fiction” definitely holds true here. Even though the ultimate outcome of the story was pretty much a given, it was still fascinating to walk through the mystery with Belle’s younger sister Ingrid. The inclusion of the spurned former hired hand Ray added an extra dose of intrigue and difficulty in figuring out how the pieces fit together.
It’s hard to imagine how one would react to odd occurrences and happenings that involve a close family member. Would you be suspicious or completely trusting? I think Ingrid showed a realistic amount of both- some things you just can’t ignore. Her relationship with Nils, the brother of one of Belle’s missing suitors, seemed plausible and was a bright spot to a difficult chain of events.
I think readers will find the story of Belle Gunness intriguing. And the story of Nils and Ingrid is a bright spot of hope in how to handle extreme circumstances. I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book grabbed my attention from the beginning. I felt a darkness throughout the book with a little light trying to break through with Ingrid and Nils blossoming romance. Ingrid thinks the world of her sister, Belle, and knows that she would do anything for her and her family. Nils comes to town searching for his brother, but the information that he is given regarding his brother is not lining up. The author did a great job of keeping me guessing as to what was happening to the men that were visiting Belle. I became very interested in the real story about Belle. Knowing the history made this book that more interesting. I liked seeing the different points of view between Ingrid and Nils. I recommend this book to those that enjoy mystery and books based on true stories.

I couldn’t put this one down! What another great addition to the True Colors True Crimes series, these books never fail to keep me mesmerized! In this one, Belle Gunness provides her sister Ingrid with a confectionary business to entice her to move from her Norwegian home to the USA. Belle lost another husband and needs a replacement to help her in her hog farming and child-rearing, so she searches in the lovelorn columns in the Norwegian papers. Men answer the ad and then disappear mysteriously. Only when a brother of one of the missing men travels to Indiana is the gruesome mystery solved. Being a Hoosier, I was especially captivated as this crime happened in LaPorte, Indiana.

I received a copy of this book from Barbour Publishing through NetGalley and was under no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

I was unfamiliar with the story of Belle Gunness, and Tolsma did an excellent job of bringing this serial killer's story to life. Belle was a large built, Norwegian lady who had emigrated to the United States. Her first two husbands died under suspicious circumstances, and she got life insurance money upon both their deaths. Now she has begun advertising for a mail order groom and includes that if they bring money they can buy into her hog farm. When one man's brother responds to the ad and he doesn't hear anything more from him, Nils heads to Indiana to find answers.

This was a real page turner as more and more suspicious happenings occurred. I loved how Nils and Ingrid, Belle's sister, worked together to try and make sense of what Belle was doing, but Ingrid found it hard to believe her sister could be behind all this. Both Ingrid and Nils had to depend upon their faith to get them through all the strange occurrences. I enjoyed watching Ingrid grow in confidence and speech as Nils supported her. Although this was certainly a creepy story, it was an interesting look at a serial time killer from a earlier period in history.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

I have really appreciated the True Color series, novels about unusual crimes of the past. Tolsma tackles the story of a woman who murdered several men who were potential suitors, stealing their money.

Tolsma has done a good job creating a readable novel revolving around the facts of the crime she details at the end of the book. Her writing style is enjoyable. The only aspect of the novel I did not appreciate was a dream scene. Tolsma began a new chapter with a suspenseful scene that was not identified as a dream until well into the narrative. I do not like that deceptive technique.

I do recommend this novel as an interesting fictional exploration of a crime from over a century ago. Tolsma has added a bit of romance to flesh out the interesting story. You can find out some more about the novel at the True Colors Crime website.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.