This is my first time reading a historical fiction thriller and I loved it! I went into this without knowing anything about the Lindbergh’s and I would definitely recommend doing so. Not knowing what was going to happen next or who was responsible really added to the suspense of the story. I also really liked being able to compare the real story in the end to this one and the author does a great job of breaking down what was fact and what was fiction at the end of the book.

I felt like this book was all about the plot. The characters that are introduced are done so really on a surface level and I didn’t feel like we get to know any one really well. I did think that this added a lot to the suspense though and as a reader I kept thinking that I didn’t know anyone well enough to completely see them as likely innocent or guilty.

I really enjoyed this book overall and will definitely be diving into some more hist fic mysteries in the future!

The Lindbergh Nanny was such a fascinating, interesting read. I love unique historical fiction that touches on something I think I know about, but in truth know very little. I totally took to google multiple times while I was reading to see pictures and learn more. I think it is so interesting that people still know about this horrific story about a baby with famous parents being kidnapped all these years later. In today’s world of mass media coverage, paparazzi and social media, it’s easy to imagine the media frenzy surrounding such a case, but this happened in the 1930s before all of that existed and it still managed to capture the fascination of Americans everywhere, causing the Lindbergh staff to be scrutinized and cast into the media circus that followed.

This story is told through the eyes of Betty Gow, who is hired to care for Charlie. She has a tainted past and a few secrets, deals with very strict rules on how Charlie’s expected to be raised while they are absent for months on end and very distant from Charlie’s day to day life. Betty loved Charlie. It was interesting experiencing her world and watching the events unfold.

I think fans of historical fiction will love this story. It humanizes something that was just a news story before and makes you question what more happened the night Charlie was kidnapped. It’s well written, with interesting details, yet feels personal at the same time.

Thanks to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the advanced digital copy of the book The Lindbergh Nanny is out now - released on November 15!

I didn’t realize how much I was going to like this book!

It is never easy to read about a missing child. However, the author did an excellent job making the story about the nanny and her interaction with the Lindbergh family instead of sensationalizing the crime itself. I felt sympathetic for the nanny, Betty Gow, and devastated for everyone involved.

This true story of Betty Gow and the Lindbergh family is fascinating to read. It isn’t non-fiction, but it has the feel of a non-fiction book. I enjoyed the unique perspective of hearing the story in Betty Gow’s voice.

I always like author’s notes in historical fiction books to fill in the fact vs. fiction backstory. I appreciate that the author added additional information from her research, it was much appreciated and enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

4.5 rounded up

The Lindbergh Nanny is a blend of fiction and fact surrounding the kidnapping of the Linbergh's son. This stories main focus is about the Nanny that loved Charlie dearly. The author exposes her past, and details how she came to be young Charlie's guardian as his parents traveled the world.

All fingers point to Nanny after the child's disappearance. This emotional story takes the reader through the aftermath and its resolution while giving a glimpse into this couples eccentric lifestyle. I'd never heard of this case, and went down the rabbit hole to look-up information on the case.

Fascinating, in-depth story that explores rumors, facts and new findings.

Thank you Minotaur Books for the complimentary copy.

Very intrigued by the concept of this. Famous kidnapping seen through the eyes of the nanny. At times it felt dull to me and took me a bit to get through.

Thank you NetGalley for eARC in exchange for honest review

When Scottish immigrant Betty Gow is hired as a nanny for little Charlie – the child of the famous Charles Lindbergh – she feels fortunate to land such a prized position. She grows quite fond of little Charlie, although she doesn’t always see eye to eye with Mr. Lindbergh’s style of parenting. Betty also feels a bit of a kinship with Mrs. Lindbergh, who she feels gives in to her husband even when she doesn’t agree. Working in a household for a family alongside other servants isn’t always easy. You hear things, people gossip, and all Betty can do is try to stay neutral. Then, tragedy strikes and suddenly not only is Betty suspected of wrongdoing, but she begins to suspect everyone around her as well.

THE LINDBERGH NANNY by Mariah Fredericks is a masterfully written novel that will keep you up late into the night. The historical detail is spot on and her representation of the characters is perfect. Written through the eyes of the nanny, Betty Gow, you see and feel everything she does. How horrible it must have been to be suspected of such a terrible crime when in reality she adored little Charlie – possibly more than his own parents. You really do feel transported back to that moment in time and see it all as it plays out.

I highly recommend this novel – if you love biographical fiction, you will enjoy this novel.

The famous kidnapping of Charlie, the Lindbergh's baby, is seen through the eyes of his nanny, Betty. The investigators into Charlie's disappearance naturally look at Betty as a suspect, and she tries to find out the truth to clear herself.

Based partially on transcripts and known facts and partially on the author's imagination, this novel paints a portrait of the young woman tasked with caring for the infant son of America's hero, Charles Lindbergh. Partly out of loyalty to her young charge whom she loved and partly out of self-preservation as the entire household comes under suspicion when it becomes evident an insider had to be in on the crime, Betty Gow is determined to find out what really happened. This book is both a gripping tale of a young woman caught up in tragic circumstances beyond her control and a fascinating insider's look at "the crime of the century."

Interesting look at the Lindbergh kidnapping from the point of view of the nanny. Which isn't something I have read before so it was neat.

The Lindbergh Nanny - Mariah Fredericks
I didn't know much about the Lindbergh's or the Lindbergh Baby though I had heard it mentioned here and there. So I was glad to read The Lindbergh Nanny by Mariah Fredericks. Though this is a story of historical fiction, there are many truths to this tale as well. This book introduces us to Betty Gow, little Charlie's nanny, her relationship with Charlie, the Lindbergh's and the staff. I found it all very interesting and I can't imagine how Betty must have felt knowing she was the last one (besides the killer) to see the baby alive. She had grown so close with him, almost as if he were her own child at times. I do think some of the characters in the story seem a bit far-fetched and I have no idea of the authenticity of these characters. But it did make the story quite interesting. I ended up doing a bit of my own research on the Lindbergh's after I had read this book. If you enjoy historical fiction and remember the Lindbergh Baby, you should definitely check out The Lindbergh Nanny.

I had high hopes for this. But the plot was like wading through mud. In fact, I found the endnotes--about the real nanny and the fact vs fiction in the book--more interesting than the novel itself.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had such grand hopes for this book. I love historical fiction, and have always wondered about the Lindbergh baby. But this book did not come close to meeting my expectations. The writing was dull, the storyline boring. It read more like a textbook.

The Lindbergh Nanny by Mariah Fredericks is a great historical fiction that kept me engaged and on my toes from beginning to end.

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. This is her story.

I knew of the case in general, but honestly I knew little else. By reading this I have learned so much! The author does a fantastic job creating a fictional story based on true elements, facts, and people. Her ability to weave fiction into fact, and make it real, raw, and evoke such emotions, is beyond impressive.

I loved the information at the end regarding the end of Betty’s life and the author’s use of fact vs fiction. It added a lot of important detail to the novel.

I highly recommend this gem!

I received a copy of this book as an E-ARC from NetGalley. Many thanks to the publisher.

The Lindbergh Nanny tells the story of Charles Lindbergh Jr. who was kidnapped in 1932 out of his nursery while under the care of his nanny, Betty Gow.

The author did a great job of developing the characters of Charles, Anne Morrow-Lindbergh and Betty Gow as well as the entire staff that worked within the Lindbergh home. The personalities came through very effectively and I enjoying reading from Betty Gow's perspective.

The plot itself though was a bit of a disappointment. I expected more development regarding the perpetrator of the crime. I realize that the nanny, Betty Gow was to be our focus but the plot itself developed so much tension at the time of the kidnapping that I assumed that the conclusion would be filled with just as much tension. I wanted more development around our villain. I think an alternative POV inside the head of the kidnapper or using one of the police officers to share details about the perpetrator would've heightened the tension at the trial. I would've preferred that the book capture more of the tension of the overall mystery and deliver that to readers. The resolution of the perpetrator was way too fast and the author almost came across as not wanting to describe this information.

At one point in the middle of the book I grew bored with police officers questioning so many members of the staff. While I realize this is important in an investigation it also slowed down the book.

My favorite part of the book was actually the author's notes which gave more information regarding Betty Gow after the trial was completed and her return to Scotland. She described Betty Gow as very thoughtful, caring woman who endured a lot under heavy scrutiny.

The Lindbergh Nanny
Mariah Fredricks

⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book didn’t kept my attention at all, I really had to force myself to finish it. I think it got more interesting toward the end when it came to the the trial that must of been the most interesting part.

3.5 stars
The re-telling of the kidnapping of 20 month old Charlie from the home of his American hero father Charles and mother, Anne Morrow Lindbergh. Through the eyes of Betty Gow, the nanny, we see her feelings of loss and guilt as she becomes the target of the media.
We are allowed behind the scenes of other staff members and witness their weaknesses and foibles in dealing with the famous family. There was a slow build-up to the actual event and given so much info on Betty's background, family, past romances, it almost ground to a halt for me. This cast of unsymapthetic characters, who eventually betrayed someone, were hard to tolerate even though I did complete the book.
Several insights of Charles Lindbergh's character and beliefs on raising a child, left me cold and did not put him in the grieving father category. The life that he and Anne led, is probably not uncommon among the rich and famous even today, but it was portrayed in a way that made them appear somewhat heartless. And yet, Lindbergh is still considered an American hero.
It was a long book to me, and although I appreciated the author's combination of fact and fiction, I would not say that it is one of my favourite reads for the year. If you are a history buff, you might enjoy the description of the culture within the household, the houses and the expectations of the staff both of themselves and from their employers.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #MinotaurBooks for the opportunity to read another telling of this historical story.

In 1927, Charles Lindbergh made the first non-stop flight from New York to Paris. He is immediately an international hero. In Mariah Frederick's novel, THE LINDBERGH NANNY (Minotaur) Charles Lindbergh, Jr. is kidnapped in 1932, and the eyes of the world are once again on the Lindberg family.

Betty Gow, Charles Lindbergh Jr.'s nanny, an immigrant with a troubled past, believes she is so lucky to be taking care of little Charles. But soon, Betty becomes suspect number one for what she did or didn't do. Her name and photo are slapped across newspapers around the world and she becomes the target of public scorn.

Mariah Fredricks writes a novel true to the tragic story and creates a narrative which is compelling. She produces a story with human characters, which will hook readers and have them caring. While reading I found myself in Betty's place. It was fabulous until it wasn't. Unlike much historical fiction, there isn't a dual timeline and THE LINDBERGH NANNY is fresh.

Whoa, what a page-turner!
Fascinating, and heart-rending, this is historical fiction about the “Crime of the Century.” That was the kidnapping and the murder of Charles Lindbergh, Jr. The story is told through the eyes and voice of Charlie’s nanny that was caring for him at the time he was taken. The readers will smile as Bettie’s relationship with the child develops into love, they will feel teary and gasp as the events of the kidnapping and murder unfold. And they will mentally cheer for this young woman as she endures being a witness at the trial of the kidnapper…
Such a beautiful little life cut short…I wonder what Little Charlie would have been like as he grew up…
I learned a lot from this novel that I hadn’t known before. Such as, the rather harsh method of child-rearing that the Lindbergh’s ascribed to; no coddling or excess attention allowed, so the child will grow up to be independent. And I was not aware that the Lindberghs had another baby afterwards.
Excellent, unputdownable, historical fiction.
*I received a digital copy from Netgalley in return for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.*

I thought this was a fantastic book! The writing is very impressive, with great skill focused ON the nanny, versus the famous Lindbergh family. I thought this took so much skill and excellent writing. While at parts this book dragged on for me (it could be b/c I was reading it on Kindle), I thought Fredericks did a phenomenal job revealing to the reader the inner life of the Lindbergh nanny. Thank you for allowing me to read and review it!

Excellent book that I just couldn't put down. I've heard of the Lindbergh baby kidnapping, but had never read anything about it although I think I saw a TV show about it years ago.

I found out so many things and while some things were adding to flesh out the story, those are discussed at the back of the book. The author obviously did a lot of research and has taken that research and packaged it so it would appeal to many readers.

I'm not a big historical fiction fan, but this book fascinated me. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or anyone who has the slightest interest in this case.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and publisher for an ARC at my request.