I have a hard time rating this book because I have mixed feelings on it. I didn’t know much about the Lindbergh Baby case before reading this book and I think that allowed me to enjoy it a bit more than I may have.

The things done well in this book are done REALLY well. The number one thing being the research. Fredericks definitely put A LOT of time into her research and it’s an incredibly accurate telling of the events (with of course some fictional liberties to tell a story). She even has a Fact Vs Fiction section at the end that goes into even more detail about where she made changes and simplified things. I respect how much work, time, and effort she put into making this book accurate. The second thing that is done really well is the writing. There is absolutely no doubt that Fredericks is a good writer. She weaves a fact and fiction so well together and has a wonderful ability to make you feel like you’re in the story.

I think telling the story from Betty Gow’s perspective was really smart. It made for a compelling and interesting book. Betty was relatable and likable. It wasn’t hard to like her or care about her story/role in the events. She was someone you wanted to root for and you wanted her to get to the bottom of what happened to baby Charles.

The reason I have mixed feelings on this book is because I did find that the story was slow-moving. The kidnapping doesn’t happen until probably 3/4 of the way through the book. I can understand this – Fredericks was building a story and narrative. The whole point was to get to know Betty and her relationship with the baby. However, I did think that it dragged on for a bit. I also felt that once it got to the trial, it was a lot of information dumping to try to wrap up the events. I also did feel some emotion was lacking in the story. Since this is a true story based on a tragedy, I did expect it to be a little more emotional.

With all this being said, I did enjoy the book overall and it was really well-written. I would absolutely read another book by Fredericks. If you like historical fiction, especially based on real events, then I definitely recommend giving this one a read.

I did not even know this was a real life story so I had to look it up. The author really did their research for this book which is extremely important to me as a reader. The author did a phenomenal job blending facts and fiction for this historical fiction novel. I truly did enjoy this read!

I've recently read some of Anne Morrow's writings and letters, and was intrigued enough to pick up this book knowing that it is historical fiction. Based on Anne's writings and further research, this book is more of an 'inspired by a true story' novel, and unfortunately was just average for me.

Read this for book club. Thought it would be more of a thriller/historical fiction novel. It was very slow moving. The story pacing was just not my style. It took way too long to set up the main part of the story. The writing was good, very good descriptive writing. The last 20% of the book was better, but I didn’t find myself totally invested in the story. It helped that it was based on real events and it’s so sad what happened to the Lindbergh’s first son. Overall it was an okay book but not one of my favorites.

In 1932 the famous aviator, Charles Lindbergh, suffered a parent’s worst nightmare – the kidnapping of his son. The family were told most children were returned after a ransom was paid. The case got national attention and the staff was under intense scrutiny. How had someone slipped into the nursery and stolen the child? Were employees of the Lindbergh’s complicit?

This is the fictional story of what it might have been like for Betty, the young woman who was the child’s nanny. She was a dedicated caregiver and devastated by the crime. The probe of her actions, her past and her associations, puts the young girl into a stressful situation. But she’s not the only one they question and suspect.

Fredericks explores Betty’s life before and after the kidnapping, her relationship with the Lindberghs and the upheaval caused by the kidnapping. Even today questions persist about just how the crime occurred. Here Fredericks imagines the circumstances and the impact on those in the household.

The story is very engaging. Almost everyone has heard of the infamous crime but are not familiar with the specifics. Learning about the family dynamics and the staff makes the tragedy more of a human story with the strong characters and touching relationships like the one Betty has with the little boy Charlie. Readers will be drawn to the young woman as the story unfolds of her job as nanny and her friendships inside and outside the house. A fascinating story about a crime that is steeped in mystery.

This was an interesting read! It definitely had me wondering if it really did happen that way and I love books that get me thinking and makes me wonder! I enjoyed getting to know the main character and the pace of the story was just right! Good read!

The Lindbergh Nanny is the perfect example of historical fiction. Mariah Fredericks takes the reader on a journey from the perspective of the nanny that some could argue loved Charlie Lindbergh more than anyone else. The liberties taken with the facts in mind are gripping, twisting, and constantly making the reader wonder if there was even more to the story. A must read for fans of Fiona Davis, Marie Benedict, and Beatriz Williams.

I've tried multiple times, but I always wind up putting this book down and moving on to something else. Ultimately, the writing style just doesn't work for me.

DNF

As I was starting to read the book, I was surprised to find the author’s note on thé first page. It specifically said what happened to thé baby and who was charged for thé kidnapping.

As I was looking forward for somekind of suspense, I no longer felt interested in thé story. I Wonder why it was done this way and not as an afterthought.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me a complimentary e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

As a Scottish immigrant, Betty Gow has to prove she can handle the jobs she is offered. Interviewing to be a nanny for the Lindbergh family 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.

It took me awhile to start this book, knowing the subject matter and the “end of the story.” But this was really well done and I found the angle of the story, focused on the nurse of baby Charles, to be a fresh perspective. I would recommend this. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Absolutely loved this book! So intriguing and I could not put it down. I loved how we got to see the point of view from the Nanny. If you’re interested in the Lindbergh case, then this book is a must have.

I have always had a deep interest in the Lindbergh kidnapping and this book, albeit a novel, presents a different view of the crime. I'm grateful for this perspective.

I really enjoyed this, its one true story that I didn't know much about going in to. I loved the nanny's story perspective and the audiobook was great. I listened to this in just over a day.

I went in not knowing the story at all. The fact that the baby was kidnapped right out of his crib was shocking for a family of such influence at the time. I do love the true crime and the mystery surrounding the story so I was captivated from the first page. I loved traveling back in time and exploring the mystery and am now even more curious to know "who did it."

When the most famous toddler in America, Charles Lindbergh, Jr., is kidnapped from his family home in New Jersey in 1932, the case makes international headlines. Already celebrated for his flight across the Atlantic, his father, Charles, Sr., is the country’s golden boy, with his wealthy, lovely wife, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, by his side. But there’s someone else in their household—Betty Gow, a formerly obscure young woman, now known around the world by another name: the Lindbergh Nanny.

I've always been intrigued with the Lindbergh case, so when I saw this book, I knew I'd have to read it. It was an entertaining read that had enough facts to pull the story together and enough fiction to make it entertaining.

Historical fiction is probably my favorite genre so this book intrigued me from the start. It was very interesting and well written. A little long in some places but it told a unique story that I have not read about before.

This was an interesting historical fiction novel.

The book is narrated by Charlie Lindbergh's nanny, Betty Gow before he was kidnapped and months later found dead.

in 1939, Betty Gow is taking care of the baby when he disappears from his crib at night. A ramson note is left behind. When the police start investigating the crime, they immediately zoom in on Betty and make her a suspect. She was the last person to see the baby alive, she was a single woman going out with a Norwegian sailor named Henry, and she was a foreigner.

In Betty's words, she describes how she got the position of a nanny. She didn't like Charles Lindbergh. She thought he was an odd man. She especially didn't like the way he treated baby Charlie. The child's mother, Anne Morrow was a nice woman but Betty couldn't understand how she could leave the child for weeks at a time and then wondered why the child would cling to the nanny and not to her when she came back.

The Lindbergh Nanny had my attention from the very first page since it's based on a truly horrible crime with too many unanswered questions. Was it an inside job? Probably. Do I believe Betty had something to do with it? I doubt it.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Minotaur Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The kidnapping of the Lindbergh Baby was the crime of the century. One that so shook the world that stories of the child snatching still reverberate today, nearly 100 years later. Mariah Fredericks dives into the mystery of what happened to little Charles Lindbergh in her new novel, The Lindbergh Nanny, which examines the crime through the eyes of the child's caretaker, Betty Gow.

The book follows Betty as she takes on the job of caring for the son of "American royalty" - Charles Lindbergh and wife Anne Morrow - and delves into her personal and professional relationships throughout her years spent in the Lindbergh home. This novel is primarily an exposition of Betty's own life, with her work as the Lindbergh nanny always hovering in the background. It concludes with the kidnapping of young Charles from his bedroom, and the subsequent investigation into his disappearance. It examines how Betty, who was the last person to see Charles before he was taken, was considered a suspect, and how she blamed herself for the crime in that she left the bedroom shutters unlatched, thus allowing easy access to Charles' bedroom.

The Lindbergh Nanny is one of those historical novels that keeps readers on the periphery of a well-known event, inviting them to follow along as the events play out, but never really building intimacy between the characters and reader. I personally prefer greater characterization in my historical fiction novels - I want to see notable people brought vividly to life - but if you like historical fiction that almost nearly reads as nonfiction, The Lindbergh Nanny may be right up your alley. Fredericks does embellish a bit in her narrative, as outlined in the Author's Note, but many other details of Betty's time as the Lindbergh's nanny are kept true to the record.

Liked it enough. It’s not bad but it didn’t dazzle me as much as I had expected. Didn’t enjoy the first person POV. I did appreciate a new perspective in history overall.