Thank you Netgalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read a free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

I have heard about the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby but did not know a lot of the facts surrounding the event. This was a very well done true crime based, historical fiction told from the perspective of the baby's nanny, Betty Gow from Scotland.

One of the things that works really well for me was that all of the characters and likely suspects that worked or lived in the home were well developed prior to the kidnapping which added to the suspense and tension of whether this was an inside job. I liked Betty Gow and believe that the author really showed the emotional journey that she must have been on before, during and after the kidnapping. To have withstood such drive for anonymity, to have received such hatred and vitriol and then to be vindicated in the end was a roller coaster ride in and of itself.

Highly recommend!

I really enjoyed this book! I loved that it focuses mainly on Betty Gow, the Lindbergh's nanny. Fredericks really makes the time period come alive for the reader. Betty Gow was a remarkable woman. Charlie's kidnapping and the aftermath was such a tragedy. This book was very moving and very well done.

I sadly wasn't as enthralled as I wanted to be with this one. I love the story of Lindbergh and the kidnapping but I couldn't get fully hooked. I wonder if it was just the reading mood that I was in while I was working through it but it could also be because of how much of the history I know. I still think that many historical fiction readers will really enjoy it though as it is still well written and gives a fairly good overview of the life in that house.

The Lindbergh Nanny is just a captivating and enthralling novel! From page 1 to the very end, Mariah Fredericks keeps you in suspense, engaged and rather addicted to keep turning the pages to find out what happens. Prior to reading this novel, I had never heard of the Lindbergh Kidnapping and I had no idea who the Lindbergh family even was. I was so impressed with how the author presented each character and tried her best to stick to historical facts as much as possible, but when she veered towards the non-factual parts of the characters and their involvement, it was so well done.

The main character is the Nanny "Nurse" Betty Gow. Her character is real person and she is such an interesting and fun character. The book is told from Betty's perspective. I love that the author does such a good job at explaining Betty's backstory, how she came to be in this position, touched on her time with the sweet boy Charlie prior to his abduction, and what followed in her life after the abduction. The author also leaves no loose ends in this novel and I appreciate that so much! The entire book is one long mystery, filled with subtle clues and you as the reader will find yourself trying to solve the mystery of who abducted and murdered baby Lindbergh.

For those that love a good plot, suspense, mystery, true-crime and historical fiction, this book is a must read!

Mariah Frederick's The Lindbergh Nanny takes the facts of the true Lindbergh case and retells it from the perspective of the nanny. The story follows Betty from right before she was hired as the Lindbergh nanny, explores her past, and dives deep into the life as the Lindbergh help. The writing is enticing and the story compelling. For lovers of true crime, this is a must read and impossible to put down.

The Lindbergh Nanny by Mariah Fredericks is an impressive, compelling novel about America’s most notorious kidnapping through the eyes of the woman who found herself at the heart of this deadly crime.

I couldn't look away from my Kindle once I started this entertaining story.
Set in the twentieth century. New Jersey in 1932, I was immediately sucked into this gripoing historical/crime fiction.
The characters I instantly felt connected to and immediately to a liking to.
I loved Betty, her strength and heart just poured off the pages.
A well paced story that is both authentic and atmospheric.
The mystery is so entertaining to read, and this historical setting had some really intriguing takes and details that were really fascinating to read.
A mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat. A setting I was just in awe over. I didn't want this to end when it did.

Fans of historical mysteries should enjoy this title. Mariah Fredericks does a phenomenal job creating an engaging situation for Betty.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Minotaur Books,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
I will post my review to my blog, platforms, BookBub, B&N, Kobo and Waterstone closer to pub date.

This is an amazing book that centers around the true existence of Betty Gow, the nanny (or nurse) of Charlie Lindbergh, the young child kidnapped and murdered in the 1930s. I found the book to be well written as it captured my full attention quickly. All of the characters were well developed and it was evident from the very beginning that this was a totally different point of view of the story of the most famous kidnapping in America. Highly recommend this read as well as the author’s notes where she explains what is factual and what she changed or invented in the writing of the book. This book is a true gem of historical fiction.

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an ARC of this book.

This is a story about the kidnapping and murder of Charles Lindbergh, Jr., from the Nanny's (Betty Gow) point of view. It is a very atmospheric tale and the author certainly gives the reader a sense of time and place. The author takes the reader inside the lives of the rich and famous and their help...An upstairs|downstairs kind of situation. I loved the intimate details about Betty Gow's life and how much she cared for and loved that baby.

The book was so interesting and the characters jumped off the page because there was enough backstory to get a real feel for them. Even though I knew the ending, as everyone does, Mariah Fredericks manages to keep the reader engaged through the entirety of the book.

The two sections at the end of the book, about the real Betty Gow and separating fact from fiction was enlightening and I appreciated the author's research for the book and the recommendations for other reads about the case. This was very well done and I recommend it to any historical fiction lover.

This book was everything I wanted it to be. It had me turned pages without even realizing. It was so good!

I really enjoyed this one. This takes place in the 1930s when Charles Lindbergh's son was kidnapped and murdered. I knew nothing about the case when I picked up the book. Of course I looked online so I would know things before starting the book. What is interesting is that someone was convicted but the guy had no known association with the Lindberghs. Most people assume there had to be a person on the inside that helped but the guy did not give anyone up, which I find odd. If he was going down why wouldn't he give up someone that helped him. The whole affair was very bizarre and this book is about the nanny, Betty Gow, but it also tells the story of the rest of the staff. The Lindberghs stayed at multiple houses and they were not supposed to be at that house that night. How did the kidnapper know they were at that house? Very interesting. I would love to read more books about this case.

"Frightening, really, how stupid you can be about people you care for."

"Never rely on other people to get you where you want to go."

Thank you to Netgalley for the Earc of this book. It is told from the perspective of the Lindbergh nanny. This is a time in history I knew little about.

Charlie Lindbergh’s kidnapping is perhaps one of the most notorious in American history. When he went missing from his crib the nation was in uproar.

Told from the perspective of Betty Gow, Charlie’s nanny, we learn all about the Lindbergh’s and the events leading to his disappearance. Charles Lindbergh was famous for his nonstop thirty three and a half hour flight across the Atlantic from New York to Paris solo. It takes someone with discipline to manage a flight like that alone, and that discipline carried through to his parenting style. Betty wasn’t too sure of some of the choices the Lindbergh’s made with their son, but she was not there to judge, and she loved taking care of the little boy. When he went missing the nation was in turmoil and determined to find him and his kidnapper.

So many people were in and out of the Lindbergh’s day to day life. The police had tons of suspects and we follow along as Betty also desperately tries to figure out what went wrong and whether she is to blame in any way.

I wanted to like this novel more, but mostly it seemed to just carry along. The momentum was lacking and all the side stories a bit distracting, though I see the reason for several of them as they helped rule character’s out as suspects in the kidnapping. Overall, The Lindbergh Nanny was a solid read, but I could have used a bit faster pacing.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Mariah Fredericks for the advanced copy of the book. The Lindbergh Nanny comes out on November 15th. All opinions are my own.

This book is a partly true account of the kidnapping of baby Charles Jr. Lindbergh. The story takes place in 1932 when his dad, famous aviator Charles Linbergh and his wife Anne Morrow Lindbergh go through the awful trauma of losing their son. Many people are suspects, especially the baby's nanny Betty Gow and her new boyfriend. The author does tell at the end of the book which parts were taken from factual accounts and which parts were improvised for continuity.
I really enjoyed the way this was written and I thank the author publisher and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Historical fiction about the Lindbergh baby kidnapping. We follow Betty Gow baby Charles nanny and other servants that were considered suspects by police, if not by Mr. and Mrs Lindbergh. The author certainly has done her research and has written a very compelling book. Did they get it right? Was it a false conviction? Did the perpetrator get help from the inside? Good author notes at the end. Thanks to #NetGalley and Minotaur books for this advance copy.

This was an interesting book based on a real person who was part of the Lindbergh household when Charles Lindbergh Jr was kidnapped, it provides a real insight into how people reacted to the kidnapping. Betty Gow is a recent immigrant from Scotland, she had followed a fellow she had been seeing and when he suggested she come over she went. But things didn't go like she thought and she soon found herself single and unemployed. Her brother comes to her aid and gets her an interview for a position in the Lindbergh household, though her experience as a 'nurse' (really a nanny) was very limited. She does however get the job and finds herself quite taken with young Charles (and big Charles too), he's easy to look after and she gets along with the other staff (of which there are around 30). Big Charles does not want young Charles to grow up coddled and insists that he not be held and that he be left alone. This led to a bit of an unsettling episode when Betty had placed Charles outside in his basket and left him for an extended period of time, when she came out to get him, he was nowhere to be found, frantic her and Mrs Lindbergh search the house and finally ask big Charles who had hidden him in a closet. The night of the kidnapping Betty and Mrs Lindbergh could not get a window shutter to close, later that night someone came through that window and kidnapped the child. Betty comes under intense questioning by the police, she's the number 1 suspect and remains so for quite some time. This was a very good story told very well, I would highly recommend. Thanks to #Netgalley and #Minotaur for the ARC.

I have limited experience with Historical Fiction, however this book was totally gripping. Somehow in my years of schooling I had never heard of the famous Lindbergh family, and to be honest I think that was a good thing. I went into this novel with no expectations, bias or knowing how it would turn out.
After I finished your can bet it built my interest in knowing more about the case and the event surrounding the Lindbergh kidnapping.
This book has a long list of characters which was initially difficult for me to keep up with, and they are all very vague/mysterious. Fredericks does a great job of dropping little nuggets of suspense as you move through the book.
By the end of the book I wanted to stand up and cheer for our main character. The author's notes and commentary at the end of the book brought the book full circle for me. She provides great insight to actual events and what she created. She also offers some resources if you want to read more. I would love to know more about the eccentric parenting stye the Lindbergh's ascribed too.....I believe he was a bit off his rocker on that.
The only downside was it was a little slow for me and at times confusing. But that may just be my scattered brain at times. But trust me you don't want to miss this one!

Thank you NetGally for this advanced copy read. I was not reimbursed or influenced for this honest review.

I felt this was a well researched book about the time and events surrounding this tragic event which was a major news story of the time.
The Lindbergh’s were such complicated and flawed people and this was an interesting take on this event. That still fascinates people today
Thanks for letting me review this book to Netgalley and the publisher

Did you know who the Lindbergh nanny was?

I had never heard her name nor of the nanny herself.

In this detailed, thoughtful book, we learn of the nanny as she narrates her days and months with the Lindberghs before and after the kidnapping and during the trial.

We also learn how the Lindberghs lived, how they endured the investigation and outcome, and about their servants and the world that held out hope along with them.

Betty Gow, the nanny, was perfect for telling the story.

You could feel her emotions from the minute she arrived for the interview, her love for Charlie, her sadness, her fear, and her anguish when she finds his crib is empty, and how much she gave up in her personal life for this job.

THE LINDBERGH NANNY is an excellent, well-researched, fictionalized account of this tragic event.

The author notes at the end give additional information. 4/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

The Lindbergh Nanny by Mariah Fredericks

A golden-haired cherub child, an ambassador’s daughter, and a world hero—Charlie, Anne, and Charles Lindbergh—undisputed 1930s paparazzi glamour darlings become press victims when kidnappers steal their baby; their household staff is suspect of the caper; and they are thought complicit in the notorious affair in Mariah Fredericks latest historical fiction, “The Lindberg Nanny.”

Persuasive, balanced, compassionate, and well-researched, “Nanny” proposes alternative insights into how the kidnapping of 20-month-old Charlie Lindbergh occurred told through protagonist Scottish Nanny Betty Gow based on court testimony and correspondence. Although the historical record is explicit on “Lucky Lindy’s” startling views on eugenics (genetic perfection like that sought by the Nazis), I admire the author for only alluding to the man’s rigid nature rather than prejudicing the reader.

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The Book Maven Reviews

STAR RATING ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: “The Lindbergh Nanny”
Author: Mariah Fredericks
Genre: Mysteries & Thrillers | Historical Fiction (Adult)
Publication Date: 14 November 2022
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

My sincere thanks and appreciation goes to NetGalley, Author Mariah Fredericks, and Publisher St. Martin’s Press for this Advance Reader’s Copy (ARC) for review.

#TheLindberghNanny @StMartinsPress #StMartinsPress #NetGalley @NetGalley @TwitterBooks #TwitterBooks @BookRiot #BookRiot @maven_book

I was fairly excited to read this book as it covers a period of history I am not overly familiar with. Mariah Fredericks writes in such a way that is informative but is ultimately bland. You can tell a fair amount of research went into writing this book but unfortunately it felt like reading a bulleted list of facts. I found the character of Betty to be very focused on observing others without any in-depth development of her own. Even her "sordid" past with gangsters was so difficult to get through because it was forgettably bland. I did not get any real sense for any of the other characters, real or fictionalized. Finally, it took me months to get through this book (not my usual) because it just wasn't a story I was drawn into. Overall, not a bad story but easily three times longer than necessary.