Thank you to the publisher for the review copy! This is an excellent, well written and rich story. I say this as a not big fan of historical fiction... Chua's work though feels timeless and present while also valuable in revealing nuanced themes from the past about race and shifts in criminal science. I could tell, in a good way, that this is an author familiar with historical research and how to engage someone in big themes while using well developed plot points and characters to develop the themes (an elegant academic thesis in its own way).

More Noir Than Thriller. This is a *great* detective story set in pre-D-Day 1944 San Francisco that truly reads as more of a noir than an actual thriller. There is quite a bit of mystery and intrigue, but very few murders or even action sequences and really a rather lot of mind games and misdirection. So while it has bone-chilling moments, I really wouldn't market this thing as a "thriller". Beyond that, though, truly a superb book that combines history that many likely didn't know (I know *I* didn't, and American History is one of my stronger non-degree-oriented knowledge sets) with a *just* real enough story that you could believe it could have actually happened, if you were not 100% aware as you're reading it that it is, in fact, historical fiction. Thus, it actually ranks as one of the *stronger* historical fiction tales around - and particularly noteworthy for a debut (in fiction anyway) author. While there is an element of "white guy bad" here, there is also a crucial *good* white guy, which brings enough of a balance to avoid any allegations of *blatant* racism, even as both the story itself and the author's note at the back reveal that there is quite a bit of anti-white animus animating the story. But as this is primarily a story of non-white characters and their struggles during the Japanese Internment Camp era of US History, along with a dose of international intrigue with the addition of several more non-white characters from another prominent region outside of the US but significant during the era (and since), it isn't so truly blatant or pervasive as to really mar the story at all. Indeed, it is only after finishing the book, and particularly while reading the author's note, that the anti-white sentiment is *really* noticeable. So yet again, kudos for hiding in plain site with that one. Overall, this is truly a rather strong (fiction) debut, and it will be interesting to see what the author can do in this space with any sophomore effort. Very much recommended.

I enjoyed the way the author mixed historical facts and fiction, including fictional characters such as Walter Wilkinson who were intended to represent, in part, real people (in this case, unsuccessful presidential candidate Wendell Wilkie). I looked up some of the more unusual information the author included about the Golden Gate Bridge to see if it was factual, which it was. The author does a great job of addressing racial prejudice, especially towards Japanese Americans given when the story takes place, but also towards other minorities. She also addresses racial passing, with a mixed-race lead detective who can “pass” as white and who, as an adult, has taken on his mother’s maiden name (Sullivan) instead of the obviously Spanish/Mexican last name of his father.

The central mystery is quite good, with one of the high society Bainbridge girls the lead suspect in the murder of Wilkinson. The district attorney is elated at the prospect of taking the Bainbridge family down a peg. However, as the story progresses, information comes to light that suggests each of the three Bainbridge girls could be the killer, only to have new information arise that suggests that the Bainbridge girl (Isabella, Nicole, or Cassie) that Detective Sullivan and DA Doogan are focusing on at the time is probably not the killer. And what about Isabella's mother, Sadie, who has significant connections to the Claremont Hotel where the murder took place? And is there any connection to the tragic death years ago of Isabella's sister Iris at the Claremont Hotel? Or is there a Chinese connection, as Madame Chiang Kai-Shek is living in San Francisco at the time and has connections to both the Bainbridge family and Wilkinson? The resolution of the various mysteries is quite good, and somewhat surprising.

In 1940s San Francisco, former presidential candidate Walter Wilkinson is found murdered in his room at the Claremont Hotel. Eyewitness accounts are indicative of a woman’s presence in his room before the murder. Three young women from an affluent and well-connected family - Nicole and Cassie Bainbridge and their cousin Isabella Stafford are among the suspects. In 1930 Isabella’s sister Iris, seven years old at the time, was found dead under suspicious circumstances in the same hotel. Coincidence or is the recent murder somehow connected to the family tragedy?

Detective Al Sullivan of Berkeley P.D., who is half Mexican but passes for white – a fact that helped him secure his position, is tasked with the investigation. A deep dive into Wilkinson’s life reveals his personal connections to key political figures, affluent families including the Bainbridge family, as well as some shady dealings. Who killed Walter Wilkinson and why? Political rivalry or personal grudges?

Combining elements of historical fiction, family drama and classic detective fiction, The Golden Gate by Amy Chua is a skillfully crafted novel with well-thought-out characters (a combination of fictional as well as those based on real people) and meticulously researched and vividly described historical backdrop of WWII era America/ 1940s California- the politics, the socio-economic divide, the racism and class distinction and much more. The 1940s timeline is shared from the perspective of Detective Sullivan with the deposition of the girls’ grandmother, Genevieve Bainbridge as she is questioned about her granddaughters’ possible involvement in the murder, interspersed throughout the narrative along with past events from multiple timelines. The pacing is a tad uneven but not so much that detracts from the overall reading experience. The author weaves these multiple threads, characters and timelines into an atmospheric and absorbing narrative. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and would not hesitate to recommend it to fans of historical fiction and/or fans of hardboiled detective fiction set in that era.

Do read the Author’s Note wherein she discusses the research that went into crafting this story and the different people and historical events that inspired this novel.

I combined my reading with the audiobook narrated by Robb Moreira, Suzanne Toren, and Tim Campbell who have done an incredible job of voicing the characters and bringing the story to life.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for the digital review copy and the ALC of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Oh yes! This book has it all: characters you grow to care about (Al & Miriam), solid writing, California, California history (it could only happen here, in 1944 to be precise), great detail, well researched.

"I love infrastructure, all infrastructure -- roads, dams, tunnels, aqueducts, hydroelectric plants -- the more colossal, the better. But the Golden Gate Bridge is in a class of its own."

Big thanks to the folks at NetGalley for the chance to read an ARC.

Do read this one!

But a great book I loved it because it was really interesting. How was the murder mystery love story and historical book all rolled into one. It was about these very wealthy sisters who had a very interesting history. Everybody had problems in this book. And it took place in a hotel in Berkeley. California Isabel Stanford It was a young girl and her sister. Izzy died while they were playing hiding sick in the hotel. Then the story really took off from their mother named s Adi e had a very bad drinking problem and liked to go out with different men. She was married once, too. Call Stafford It was not a very happy marriage. And it just got worse after the little girl died. The detective had a very interesting story, too. Because he was indestigating everything. But he also changed his name because he was Mexican. Nicole Richmond was the radical. She wanted to be with the third party and Communist in the 30s. Walter was the one who got killed and he had a very interesting background. You'll find out how these tied into all the storage. He turns out he was really need to everybody in the story and a weird gay. The grandmother, this is record ridge. Also had a very interesting history too. And she kept a lot of things quiet and secretively. They also laid important part about the bridge being built, which was called the Golden Gate bridge. They also mentioned t The famous architecture named Julie Morgan. Every chapter had something interesting going on. Between the Japanese being forced to leave their homes. It started in the 30s and it ended in the 40s. Detectives niece also played a really important role too. Because it looked how children were being abused and used.

My history/mystery loving heart is so happy! The world Chua created was fascinating and I ended up spending hours online just reading about the places mentioned! The entire book was a well build mystery plot and while the ending seemed a bit farfetched, the story overall was great.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

I don’t normally reach for historical fiction but once I saw that this was a mix of a ghost story, California history, family tale, and social commentary, I couldn’t pass it up!

I was thoroughly invested from the start. It was captivating following along the detective’s journey in unraveling the connections and relationships surrounding this murder. I think there’s something in it for all types of readers to enjoy here. I think I would’ve loved to have a little more ghosts but the eerie element was definitely there!

The audiobook experience was great. I enjoyed the author & narrator interview at the end.

In the 1930s a young girl is found dead at the Claremont Hotel, ten years later a Presidential candidate is found shot to death in the same hotel. The Golden Gate is a murder mystery that's rich with historical details that bring the story to life.

Historical fiction isn't my typical go-to, but I'm glad I gave this one a try because I really enjoyed it. Having lived in the Bay Area, I loved reading about familiar locations from a historical perspective. The action starts almost immediately -- there wasn't a slow burn leading up to the mystery, there were some exciting and unexpected turns that made the story incredibly engaging. On the other hand, there were a lot of elements crammed into this story -- wealth disparities, the history of a handful of racial/ethnic groups, forensics, and family drama, among others -- that made it feel a bit muddled at times.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press for the arc!

This is a mystery novel set in San Francisco during the 1940s. I particularly enjoyed the setting as a lot takes place at the Claremont Hotel in Berkeley. Chua creates an atmosphere in her novel that feels like an old mystery movie. I liked the character of Al Sullivan - a man who is still exploring his mixed race identity. I didn't know how the murder would be resolved or who were the villains. Chua keeps the reader guessing and includes some creepy details and misleading clues. I thought this was a well-paced (slow to moderate) and interesting mystery story that touches on a lot of different social and economic issues of that time.

The Golden Gate was a fascinating read that included so much history of that area of California. I so enjoyed learning about the Claremont Hotel. The Bainbridge sisters fit right into that scenario. The book began with the mystery surrounding the death of a child…accidental or not….many years earlier and then the murder of a presidential candidate, both occurring at the Claremont. .There was so much history packed into this read that I want to read more about. I found myself torn with continuing the story or doing research on google on bits of history that piqued my interest. At times I feel that distracted me from the storyline of the book.
I liked the detective, although he seemed very naive. I loved his niece, Miriam, and was so happy with the way their relationship progressed. I admit to being confused at times with the Bainbridge women, trying to keep them straight.
The end of the book filled in some of the information that I was hoping to research as well as including a list of resources for many of the historic topics. Three and a half stars.
Many many thanks to Amy Chua, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read an arc of this debut novel, published on September 19th.

From my blog: Always With a Book

This is Amy Chua’s debut fiction novel and I have to say…I am a fan! She has written a well-researched historical thriller that kept me engaged from page one and I do hope she continues to write fiction because I definitely would love to read more from her!

I love historical thrillers and this one really was on point and completely drew me in. I of course loved the murder mystery and this one really kept me guessing all the way until the very end. There was misdirection, conflicting evidence and unreliability among the suspects. And yet, through all that, our steadfast detective was determined to get to the bottom of things! I loved Detective Al Sullivan & would love to see more of him in future books!

I also appreciated the way the setting was such an integral part of this book. I learned so much from reading this, and this is one of the reasons why I love reading historical fiction. The author really used the time and place – Berkeley, California in 1944 – to her advantage to weave historical facts and little-known bits of history into her story to make it that much richer, all the while creating such a vivid story. I’m not all that familiar with Berkeley, now or in the past, so to have it come alive on the page was just amazing. For instance, I didn’t realize that Madam Chiang Kai-Shek visited there during WWII, nor did I know that this area was the ship-building capital of the country at the time.

I highly recommend this historical thriller. It’s got a little something for everyone – a murder mystery, family drama, social history and one seriously good story! I can’t wait to see what’s next from this author!

An enjoyable historical mystery in the vein of Agatha Christie. The murder of a politician in 1940s California leads detective Al Sullivan to investigate. While the crime at first appears tied to one of his many political adversaries and groups, Sullivan becomes intrigued by the death of a 7 year old girl at the same hotel a decade earlier. Sullivan becomes entangled with the girls remaining family, all heiresses to a vast fortune. How the two deaths are connected is the propulsive undercurrent that drives Sullivan. In the background is commentary on race and class in 1940s America, many of the same issues that still plague America today. A sharp twisted plot, sympathetic characters, realistic dialogue and writing make for an enjoyable fall read. A solid debut!

I love a good detective “who dunit” but even better when I learn something. The Golden Gate takes place in the San Francisco/Oakland Hills area on the 30’s and 40’s. There are two major voices. One is the family matriarch recounting and protecting details of her daughter and granddaughters’ lives including the tragic death of one granddaughter. While the other voice is Detective Al trying to solve a mystery at the glamorous Claremont Hotel. The writing had a good pace with twists and social norms, mores and laws of the time. Very good read.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy. Can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next.

A few weeks ago, I received an email from David Lat's substack Original Jurisdiction. The email contained an interview with Yale Law professor Amy Chua, known to some the Tiger Mom for her book Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mom. David's interview, however, centered around Amy's newest book--a novel set in the 1930s and 1940s in San Francisco. The novel, entitled The Golden Gate, was published last week.

Intrigued, I requested an advanced copy of the book on NetGalley, which I received. David said he consumed the book in two days, an impressive feat for a dad of two young kids. As the mom of two young kids who is also teaching first year legal writing, I was skeptical that I could finish the book in a timely manner. Fortunately (for this review) and unfortunately (for the rest of my life), I had a few days of not feeling well. This allowed me to cuddle on the couch with my cats and my kindle and devour The Golden Gate in three days.

At its most basic level, The Golden Gate is a double murder mystery--jumping between the tragic death of a young girl in the 1930s and the murder of a notable politician in 1944. Both deaths occurred at the Claremont Hotel. But the novel is so much more than simply a murder mystery--it is a thoughtful, meticulously researched, look at many of the complicated issues of that time (and the present) like race and racial identity, prejudice, gender, social status, mental health, politics, and policing practices. The story is told primarily from the perspective of Al Sullivan (or Alejo Gutiérrez), the detective assigned to solve the second murder, and Mrs. Bainbridge, the matriarch of a wealthy San Francisco family. Mrs. Bainbridge's granddaughters are implicated in the murder, and her narration comes through in a deposition and a later factual narrative that she wrote for the district attorney.

I don’t want to give away too much of the story #nospoilers, so let me tell you what I loved about the book. In short, nearly everything.

First, it was a gripping story. I definitely wanted to figure out whodunnit, and the author certainly kept me guessing.

Second, the writing and research was phenomenal. While I expect a Yale Law professor to meticulously research her academic writing, I don’t think that I was prepared for the level of careful detail I saw in a novel. I highly recommend reading the author note at the end of the book for additional resources and further context about the story. But what made the writing and research extra impressive was how accessible it was to the average reader. I would recommend this book both to lawyer friends and to friends who just like a good mystery. The most lawyerly part of the novel was a brief discussion about incorporation and the exclusionary rule, and even that section was accessible to nonlawyers.

Third, the author addressed controversial, complex topics in extremely thoughtful ways. Her characters were complex—there were few overt “good guys” and “bad guys.” In fact, my opinion of the characters morphed as I read the book. Her characters dealt with difficult questions. Perhaps the most poignant for me was Detective Sullivan’s complex approach to his identity. I appreciated how the topic was personal to the author—it is personal to me as well.

This wouldn’t be a good review if I didn’t point out something that could have been improved. Although I am a bit hard pressed to identify I defect, I will say that the last 25% of the novel dragged a bit (until I got to about 90% finished).

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the free e-ARC, and thank you Amy Chua for an excellent read!

I really enjoyed this novel and it's blend of mystery, crime drama, and historical fiction. The police and investigation angle sort of gave me vibes of classic police dramas (think Dick Tracy), all set against a backdrop of Depression-era and WWII San Francisco. The novel was full of interesting historical facts (history of the Golden Gate Bridge, Japanese internment, Madame Chiang Kai-shek, Redwood forests, Mexican deportations in the 1930s, indigenous peoples of California, and more). I learned a lot, plus was sucked into the mystery as we investigated a murder at the Claremont Hotel (and also a death at the hotel more than a decade before that).

There were a LOT of players - Japanese and Chinese immigrants, policemen and lawyers, Communists, a wealthy family and their offspring, blue-collar workers, a prominent businessman and more. That was sort of the fun – how did they all connect? Somehow it all worked. The novel also touches on bigger issues of race and class, passing as Caucasian, a “white savior” complex – issues that are still relevant in the present day.

I highly recommend this book for a page-turning mystery where you’ll learn something, too!

THE GOLDEN GATE is Amy Chua's debut novel, which completely amazes me as it is so well written ! It is a fascinating multi-layered historical mystery set in Berkeley, California in 1944. Walter Wilkinson, is an extremely wealthy industrialist and presidential candidate, who has been found brutally murdered in his hotel room at the illustrious Claremont Hotel. Berkeley Homicide Detective, Al Sullivan, who was having a drink with a lovely young lady at the Claremont that evening, takes on the murder investigation. It is clear that Wilkinson’s death was not just a random attack, he is a man that has quite a few enemies, so the murderer definitely had motive, and being at a hotel with do many people, a great place to blend in. The investigation takes a twist when it's revealed that there was another high-profile death at the Claremont, 15 years prior, of a little girl. Seven-year-old Iris Stafford, one of the youngest members of one of the wealthiest families in San Francisco, the Bainbridges, was found dead at the bottom of a hotel laundry chute. Is there be a connection between the two deaths? Are the remaining Bainbridge heiresses - Iris’ sister, her twin cousins or the family matriarch, their grandmother, Genevieve, involved with the recent murder? Set during the Waning years of World War II, with the awful internment of Japanese citizens in camps, the extreme labor strikes and awful discrimination against persons of color - Mexicans, Asians and Blacks, the story portrays the unsettled times of San Francisco’s past. The historical aspects were wonderfully woven along with the plot. I enjoyed hearing the various points of view, beginning with Genevieve’s point deposition to the District Attorney. This was an amazing first novel from Amy Chua and I really look forward to reading more from her.

Detective Al Sullivan was called to the Claremont Hotel when shots were fired at politician Walter Wilkinson. He was shaken but unharmed. Hours later Sullivan was called back to view Wilkinson’s body. His investigation leads him to Isabella, Cassie and Nicole, the three Bainbridge heiresses. One of the women was identified leaving the victim’s room at the time of the shooting, but the witness could not say which heiress it was. In 1930 the Claremont was the site of a tragedy when Isabella’s sister Iris died in a fall down the laundry chute. The sisters had matching dolls and Iris’ doll was found in Wilkinson’s room with only his fingerprints on it. As Sullivan investigates the death in 1944, he keeps finding connections to Iris’ death. Amy Chua alternates Sullivan’s investigation with the deposition of Genevieve Bainbridge, the girls’ grandmother. DA Doogan has threatened the arrest of all three women if she does not reveal who was responsible. Her deposition goes back to her own marriage and the history of the family to better understand the heiresses.

This is not only a family history, but the history of San Francisco. As war rages around the world, Chua deals with the treatment of Japanese Americans and their internment. Sullivan’s mother was American but his father was Mexican and he has encountered the racism against non-whites. Madam Chiang Kai-Shek is introduced as an acquaintance of the victim. Her appearance explains America’s changing attitude toward China at the time as her husband and Mao struggle for control of the country. Each of these elements are seamlessly blended into the mystery surrounding Wilkinson’s death. Each of the Bainbridge women hold secrets that could point to their guilt and Chua keeps you guessing to the very end. I would like to thank St. Martin’s - Minotaur Books for providing this book for my review..

A very interesting book comprising a family, mystery, and history of San Francisco.
I liked the grandmother and three granddaughters story angle the best.
The investigator was old school: nose to the grindstone and lots of pavement pounding to get to the bottom of,the story.
The author’s note was quite extensive with additional resources to explore.

In 1944, Berkeley Homicide Detective Al Sullivan is called to the Claremont Hotel as a presidential hopeful has been murdered. The top suspects are the granddaughters of an affluent family who happened to have been involved in the death of a child at the hotel in 1930.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

If you enjoyed Susan Elia MacNeal's Mother Daughter Traitor Spy (read my review), then you will want to pick up Amy Chua's debut novel The Golden Gate.

The Golden Gate is a murder mystery, but it is also about racism, immigration, capitalism, communism, fascism, and the history of California.

The story is mostly set in 1944 and focuses on the murder of presidential hopeful Walter Wilkinson. However, there are flashbacks to the day 1930 when 8-year-old Iris is found dead in the hotel.

I really enjoyed the writing. While the story skips between Al Sullivan's investigation, Iris's death, and the written "deposition" of Genevieve Bainbridge, the matriarch of the Bainbridge family and grandmother to Iris, Isabella, Cassie, and Nicole, it flows seamlessly.

This is Chua's debut novel, she has written several nonfiction books focused largely on history. As such, she pulled quite a bit of California's history into the story. Sullivan was a history major in college as well as being a Mexican-American (he passes for white though) and so he reflects on some of California's history such as the fur trade, gold rush, the building of the Golden Gate Bridge, etc. A few times it almost veered into info dump territory, but it is so interesting that I didn't mind.

Other aspects of California history such as the fact that Madame Chiang Kai-Shek, the First Lady of China. During WWII, China was our ally against the Japanese. But even so, it seems a little odd that she lived in the U.S. but perhaps it was safer than China.

Since reading Mother Daughter Traitor Spy, I've wondered why there are not more WWII books written about the West Coast, but then they would have to address the internment of the Japanese. Chua doesn't shy away from it but it doesn't take over the story either.

I really loved all the historical facts I learned. Be sure to read the author's note at the end to learn more about the historical details.

Al Sullivan is an interesting character. There is no indication that this is the start of a series and The Golden Gate is a complete stand alone novel as it is. But I would love to delve more in Al Sullivan. He discovered a few things about himself and I would love to see how this plays out for him the future.

If you are looking for an engrossing novel where you also learn some stuff, then this is definitely a book you will want to read.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Tuesday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2023/09/the-golden-gate-by-amy-chua-review.html