Everyone knows the true case of little Charlie Lindberghs kidnapping but to read about it from the perspective of the nanny, Betty Gow was eye opening.. She was the one that was tasked with identifying the body once found and the experience was horrific and changed her life forever. This novel is a great historical record of what might have happened based on facts and fiction. It was quite entertaining.

3.5 stars

In my teenage years (1960s), I was fascinated to learn everything I could find about the Lindbergh family. My grandmother had shared their story, and I read a couple of Anne Morrow’s books. I found Fredericks’ book, The Lindbergh’s Nanny, to be hot and cold for me. I thought it dragged in spots. Charles child-raising theories using “The Watson Method’ really got to me. The stringent schedule that little Charlie was on including certain times to sit on the potty and hours to be left alone was absurd. Fredericks’ writing made me very emotional when Buddy could not find Charlie where she left him in the yard for his nap one day. I appreciate the notes that Fredericks left the reader at the end of the book. She lets the reader know the facts she followed in the kidnapping and the trial. She told the story through the nanny’s eyes. She also let the reader know what was not true and who she thought was the kidnapper. I am glad I read this book but thought it was a little to dry in several parts.

I was always interested in this story and found The Lindbergh Nanny just as interesting. The most notorious kidnapping told by the woman who was the baby’s nanny. Betty Gow narrates her days with The Lindbergh’ s and the events that took place on this tragic day and days ahead. It was emotional, heartfelt and powerful. I was glued to the pages as this story unfolded and kept me engaged to the very end. A 5 star read.

Scottish immigrant Betty is employed as a nanny for the son of the highly regarded Charles Lindbergh. But when the child disappears while in her care, she becomes a suspect in the kidnapping. Betty tries to determine who of the staff may have participated in an “inside job” in order to clear her own name and reputation. A very interesting delve into the lives of high society of the 1930s

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC! I have known about the Lindbergh kidnapping for a long time now, I just did not know any of the details surrounding it or the outcome of any trial. I enjoyed how this book was written in the perspective of the nanny. I can not imagine the blame that would have been placed upon her by herself and so many others. I do wish that they had described the main characters better, as I did not know anything about them beforehand and this book did not help with that. This book was just ok for me, I felt like the book was a little unfinished for me, although I imagine this is how the entire tragedy was felt by many.

The Lindbergh Nanny tells the story of the 1932 kidnapping of Young Charlie Lindbergh and the ensuing investigation and trial.
Betty Gow has only been in the US for a few years when she’s hired by the Lindberghs. There’s obviously something in her background that she’d prefer to keep hidden. Neither of the Lindberghs are painted in a flattering light. He’s a firm believer in the Watson method of child rearing, a belief that a child should be independent from an early age. She’s content to follow her husband, leaving her child for months. And in typical fashion of the day, no cares at all for the hired help.
The story is told in the first person. Betty isn’t a very deep character or should I say, Fredericks doesn’t make her a fully developed character. She comes across as flat, except for one brief moment during the trial. The story’s pacing is uneven. Frederick takes too long setting up the situation before the kidnapping. She does a good job of laying out the police investigation - who could have had the knowledge to pull off the kidnapping and who had motives; the means they had of finding out information. The story posits that Betty does her own queries, as it was assumed someone on the inside must have been involved in some way. The author also constructs the story so that one of the police officers shares quite a bit of information with her. As this is fiction, Fredericks comes up with her own theory of who the insider was. It’s a sad truth that even those who are innocent get blamed and their lives ruined.
This was an interesting story but not an overly engrossing one. At the end, she spells out the facts vs. constructed fiction. She admits her theory is just that, a theory with only a single fact to back it up.
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

The Lindbergh Nanny has taken me a while to review. So I’d like to thank NetGalley and @minotaur_books for a review copy. and their patience, since the book is now available.

As you might guess this story is of the Lindbergh baby kidnapping but it is told from the nanny's viewpoint.

Here’s why I’ve had trouble writing my review. While I usually love historical novels, this one just didn’t click with me . . . at all. And after trying to analyze it, I think it's the subject and the fact that it was a slow read.

On top of being slow, the characters in no way captured any feelings from me. They were little more than names. But since I wanted to review it, I kept turning the pages.

The last part of the book, which dealt more with the investigation, did pique my interest, but still not enough to be able to recommend the book.

However, there are lots of great reviews and ratings, so realize that my 3 stars only mean that the book didn’t have the wow effect I was looking for. You may or may not like it.

I am sure I am in the minority here, but I did not enjoy this book as much as I had hoped to. The story of the kidnapping is told through the eyes of Betty, the child's nanny who was the last person to see young Charlie on the night of the crime. The book starts out ok, introducing the reader to Betty, the Lindbergs and their extended family and servants. From there it loses me, the pacxe stalls, almost stopping and instead of being about the kidnapping I found it becoming about Betty's relationships, past and present and her seemingly endless theories on who kidnapped Charlie. It was no longer a book about the nanny in relation to the kidnapping but a book about the nanny, her relationships and never ending theories about who did the kidnapping. It was no longer centered on the kidnapping and the nanny in relation to the kidnapping, which was what I was expecting from it. Maybe I was expecting too much or the wrong thing. As always these are just my feelings and opinions.
I wish I would have liked it more, but as is I am still going to give it 4 stars. I do not want anyone who is interested in it not to read it because of my personal expectations, I think it is well written and others may really enjoy the flow of the book and the direction it takes, it simply wasn't what I was looking for.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and to Net Galley for the free ARC, I am leaving my honest review in return.

4 Intriguing Stars
* * * * Spoiler Free-A Quick Review
Older generations will know immediately when they heard the name Lindbergh, it brought about two thoughts; first, the fact he was famous for flying, and then they might know about his baby being kidnapped. Charles Lindbergh also became famous for other reasons, too, but the idea of his fame, wealth, and status in the world was major and before there was ever any idea of the way people become famous today.

There was no internet, the news was through short films in movie theaters. Society had rules for how the famous and wealthy behaved and led their lives, and this was never discussed or doubted. It was how things were done.

The Lindbergh Baby by Mariah Fredericks has all of these elements and more. It takes the idea of a new Scottish immigrant whose life has already been more than most could handle and has her become the infamous nanny for this couple. The couple is not what everyone thinks they are. Mr. Lindbergh is strange and the mother is distinct. It takes everything for this nanny to not cross that line of not caring enough and loving the child too much to offend the parents.

The couple leaves the child with this stranger without even knowing her for too long and carries on. Our gal does have a bit of happiness but it soon turns sour fast with this horrific kidnapping...fingers point at her and she is in the thick of the experience.

The research done for this book was extensive and worth it. The writing makes this historic moment come alive.

The kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby has captured the minds of countless people and inspired books and movies. This fictionalized account tells the story from the point of view of the nanny, or nurse as she would have been called at the time, Betty Gow. Betty was a Scottish immigrant with little nanny experience who was quickly captivated by the young Charlie. She is drawn into not only the lives of the Lindberghs--the eccentric "Colonel" and kind Anne Morrow--but also the extended Morrow household (including their help).

This riveting retelling evokes Depression-era New Jersey and New York and shows how the case affected the futures of those who were even tangentially involved. The author introduces a new theory (new to me, at least) of the involvement of house members. Thoroughly enjoyable and riveting. #TheLindberghNanny #NetGalley

The Lindbergh Nanny, by Mariah Fredericks, is a compelling depiction of one of the most famous kidnappings in American history. Told from the point of view of the Nanny, we see the Lindberghs, their family, and staff through the eyes of a young Scottish immigrant. Her affection for the baby is overwhelming, equaled only by the horror of discovering her charge missing. Fredericks takes the reader through the lead-up, the crime, and the aftermath as experienced by the Nanny.

Fredericks is meticulous about her research and details precisely what was fictionalized in the afterword. We see the immigrant experience and the contrast between the upper class and the "help."The biggest issue I have is that so many of the characters that surround this poor, tragic baby are flawed. While the Nanny's character grows and strengthens throughout the novel, most of the others, including the parents, do not. It sometimes made for tough reading.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read a digital ARC.

The Lindbergh Nanny by Mariah Fredericks contained everything that great historical fiction should: fascinating well-developed fictional characters along with some based on real historical figures, an intriguing plot based on history and reasonable conjecture, and a thorough author's note that explains which parts were based on research and which were fictionalized.

Betty Gow is "The Lindbergh Nanny," the nurse for little Charlie Lindbergh, son of famous Charles Lindbergh and his wife Anne Morrow Lindbergh, who were a nationally known super couple in 1932. Their toddler son disappeared from his crib on March 1, and three months later his body was found near their home. A man was convicted of the crime, but there were enough loose ends that many people still speculate that either the wrong man was convicted or that he at least had help. I am familiar with some of the history, but telling this story from Ms. Gow's perspective allowed the author some room for logical conclusions on how events may have played out.

Betty came across as an earnest and loving caretaker for Charlie. She was trusted by the Lindberghs even though she was mercilessly grilled by law enforcement and the opposing attorneys. We see her grief mixed with understandable guilt when her job was to care for the baby only to have the unimaginable happen when she was actually elsewhere in the house.

I will recommend this to readers who like historical fiction from the 1930's, especially about the Lindberghs.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Well written historical fiction.The Lindbergh kidnapping always interested me to have a child of a famous couple taken from their home was truly horrifying.Reading about it from the nanny’s eyes drew me in.Really interesting read the characters come alive.#netgalley #thelindberghnanny

I've read many good to great books on the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby but this is the first one I have ever come across told from the nanny's POV. It adds so much more to a story that I would have thought had no more to be added.

There are many books that give us the details of how the parents felt in the days after their baby was kidnapped but I can't imagine the horror that was felt by the nanny. The person trusted with the safety and security of the baby. She underwent questioning by law enforcement but the harshest judgements came from those closest to her. She loved the child too but was not allowed to grieve, the suspicions and comments made her fear for herself as real as her fear for the child.

Mariah Fredericks obviously found this well publicized event as fascinating as many readers did. Her research shows in the depth of the character's real feelings and the very real pictures she wove of the event and it's aftermath. A great read that I didn't know I needed until I read it.

This book is historical fiction mixed with a bit of mystery, which is probably obvious from the subject matter. I frankly didn’t know much about the Lindbergh case other than it made kidnapping across state lines a federal crime in the 1930s. This book does cover a great deal of the movements of staff and family and gives some background on motivation. Betty is a great heroine, but I felt the beginning of the story dragged a bit in the lead up. If you have any interest in the Lindbergh case, check this out. (Obviously the later work and beliefs of Charles Lindbergh are not discussed other than in the author’s note to condemn them.)

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. Betty Gow, a formerly obscure young woman, now known around the world by another name: the Lindbergh Nanny, soon becomes a target of the investigation. Even though her name is soon cleared, she becomes infamous. She moves back home to Scotland, but hate mail continues to follow her there, and she is unable to get a job in any profession. Betty is determined to find answers to what really happened that night and clear her name, and find justice for her sweet little Charlie.
This book was really interesting. I had only read a little about the case, so I found the deep dive into the story fascinating. I felt so much compassion for Betty. She was treated horribly by the public at large for a crime she didn't commit. There are still so many things we will never know about what happened, but this account was written with as many facts as were available. If you are a fan of historical fiction, then you should check this out.

Having long been fascinated and curious about the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby I was really looking forward to this read. Betty, the young nanny hired by the family to care for a very young Charlie had a very interesting back story that is slowly revealed. Almost the entire staff for the Lindberghs were from other countries which I found very interesting. It did amaze me that the Lindbergh’s seemed totally comfortable leaving Charlie with a new nanny for extended periods of time. Mr. Lindbergh’s rules seemed very harsh, especially the way he expected young Charlie to be treated. The fact that they never even considered leaving bigger clothes or money to purchase bigger clothes shocked me.
Once I reached the actual kidnapping I did not want to put the book down. Coincidence or devious plot I wondered time after time, where anyone and everyone seemed to be connected to the kidnapping. I cannot imagine what it felt like to be an employee, especially Betty, in that household where the police and public sentiment decided you were guilty. I found it odd that they continued to employ Betty after they found Charlie.
Such a heartbreaking story that captured the interest of the entire nation. After finishing the book I find myself wanting to know the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth but unfortunately that can never be. Thank you to Mariah Fredericks, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for providing me with an arc of this book, published today, and giving me something to ponder and something to further research to sate my curiosity. Job well done.

2.5 stars

This is one of the reasons why I love historical fiction, reading history through the eyes of a witness, though one not really publicised much. I knew about the Lindbergh kidnapping but not in great details.

It is evident that the author did her research and knew about the era. Betty Gow is or was the nanny for Charles Lindbergh Jr, and had been in her care for over a year before he went missing. I was immersed in the story for the first half , I got to know Betty, experience the way of life for this family, as they navigated through their notoriety. How the fans stalked their homes just to get a glimpse into this family’s life.

But the last half things really slowed down for me and I struggled to stay connected. The story is told only from the point of view of Betty, it would have been nice to to hear from other people. Much of the last half revolves around the case and suspicion falls on the household staff (for a number of reasons), at times repetitive and slow.

The author notes at the end were interesting, which verified her research and passion for the story, however, for me, it was a miss, but please take that with a grain of salt as their are so many four and five star ratings for this book.

My thanks to Minotaur Books for a digital arc via NetGalleyShelf in exchange for an honest review.

Because this one is based on real events, I am not going to hold back on “spoilers.” The basics of the case, for those who are not familiar:

Charles Lindbergh and his wife, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, were super famous. They tried to mostly keep their first-born, Charles Jr., out of the public eye. When Charles Jr. was 20 months old, he was kidnapped from his crib while all the adults of the house were home. A broken ladder was found nearby, which was assumed to be how the kidnapper got into his second floor bedroom. There was a ransom note left. The Lindberghs paid the ransom, but the baby was not returned at that time. His body was later found in the woods near the house. The police kept trying to find out who did it, even after the body was found, by tracking the bills that had been used to pay the ransom. Eventually, they arrested and tried a German immigrant who had no known ties to the family.

In this retelling, the kidnapping takes place around 40% into the book, and the baby’s body is found at around 60%. Which brings me to my only struggle here: there is a lot of backstory presented before the “big event.” But really, while it felt like a lot while getting through the first 4o% – during the investigation, every little detail comes back up to be questioned. So, in reality, that immense background is necessary.

While this story is told from the nanny’s perspective, it really shines a light on the lives of all the “help” that work for both the Lindberghs and the Morrows. (As in, Charles Lindbergh’s in-laws.)

The house where the kidnapping took place was actually still being built, so the family was often staying at the Morrow’s estate instead. The Morrow property had a gate and a guard out front, so it made sense to target the other house. But, who knew when the Lindberghs would be there? This becomes a central question. While the man eventually arrested for the kidnapping had no known connections to the family, the idea is that someone on the inside had to have leaked the whereabouts/schedule of the baby – intentionally or by just being careless.

So everyone inside the house becomes a suspect. As does any romantic partners they have, people they may have been out drinking with that night, etc. And, if a character was drunk that night… what are the odds they’ll remember everything accurately, anyway? This spreads suspicion on so many characters. One, Violet Sharpe, even commits suicide. Was she hiding something, or just overwhelmed by the pressures put on the staff by the police?

We do eventually get all the way through the trial, in which our main character, Betty Gow, is ultimately exonerated. But even she continues to question those around her.

The writer presents the story with the assumption that the man accused really was the kidnapper, but he had an unwitting accomplice on the inside. I don’t think we’ll ever really know the details on that, as most of the real people are now deceased (and some were already deceased by the time of the trial). But it makes for a compelling read, nonetheless – especially for fans of true crime.

This was a gripping and devastating story that kept me glued to its pages. Set in the 1930’s, it follows Betty Gow, an immigrant from Scotland, who is hired to be the nanny to the Lindbergh family. Most of us has heard of the Lindbergh kidnapping, about Little Charlie’s fate, but this story is told in the POV of Charlie’s nanny, Betty, whom the 20 month old was under care on that horrific night. This not only shows a deep insight into Betty who was a suspect, but the Lindbergh’s strange relationship, especially Charles odd belief’s about Hitler and the cruel rules they had Betty follow in caring for the baby. This book turned out to be quite interesting by painting the Lindbergh’s in another light! Recommend. 4.5 stars — Pub. 11/15/22

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.