"Broadway Butterfly" by Sara DiVello is a riveting historical fiction novel that brilliantly transports readers to the glittering world of 1920s Broadway, with its dazzling lights, soaring ambitions, and shadowy secrets. DiVello masterfully blends real historical events with a richly imagined narrative, crafting a tale that is as captivating as it is informative, making it an absolute must-read for fans of the genre.

The novel centers around the mysterious and true story of the unsolved murder of a Broadway starlet, ingeniously weaving together the perspectives of three women whose lives are entangled in the intrigue and glamour of the theater world. DiVello's characters are meticulously crafted, with each woman providing a unique lens through which the era's complexities, including its social and cultural nuances, are explored.

DiVello's prose is lush and evocative, effectively capturing the essence of the Roaring Twenties. From the speakeasies bubbling with illegal liquor to the smoky jazz clubs and the opulent theaters, the setting is so vividly rendered that readers will feel as though they have stepped back in time. The author's attention to detail is impeccable, from the flapper fashion to the slang of the era, creating an immersive experience that is both entertaining and educational.

What sets "Broadway Butterfly" apart is DiVello's ability to seamlessly blend suspense with historical detail. The novel is as much a mystery as it is a historical narrative, with twists and turns that keep the pages turning. The suspense is skillfully built, leading to a resolution that is both satisfying and thought-provoking, leaving readers to ponder the intricacies of fame, fortune, and the price of ambition.

The themes of female empowerment and resilience shine through the novel. DiVello gives voice to women who dare to dream big and challenge the constraints of their time, making "Broadway Butterfly" not only a celebration of the era's glitz and glamour but also a tribute to the spirit of the women who inhabited it. The interplay between the characters, each striving for success and navigating the trials of their personal lives against the backdrop of a male-dominated society, adds depth and relevance to the narrative.

In conclusion, "Broadway Butterfly" by Sara DiVello is a dazzling and meticulously researched novel that offers readers a window into the vibrant world of 1920s Broadway. With its compelling blend of mystery, history, and drama, coupled with DiVello's exquisite storytelling and rich character development, this novel is a triumphant addition to the historical fiction genre. It's a story that not only entertains but also resonates, making it a perfect read for anyone fascinated by history, mystery, or the magic of Broadway.

This one is a historical fiction meets murder mystery in NYC. The writing will transport you back to the 1920s where you can easily picture everything happening and the surroundings.
When a model/flapper is murdered we follow the investigation from different perspectives surrounding the case. It was really interesting to read about the drama surrounding the case. You can tell the author did a lot of research into this story.
I loved Julia, the crime reporter. I was rooting for her throughout this one. Proud of her perseverance during this time period where reporting was a man’s domain. She would stop digging into this case even when she’s ordered to and even attacked.

I did find this story long but I also needed to know what was going to happen. I really loved the author’s note and going to the author’s website to learn more about the real characters.

Thanks so much to Sara for sending me an advanced copy of her book via NetGalley.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Great true crime novel set in one of my favorite eras, the 1920’s.
A fast paced and well written and researched novel that I really enjoyed reading.

I'm going to come back to this one...will update my review when I do. I tried to get into it and found that I'm not currently in the right mindset for Broadway Butterfly. I love the premise though and hope to finish it sometime soon!

I love books set in historical time periods and a mystery/crime thriller in the 20's sounds like so much fun.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publishers, and Sara DiVello for the ARC of Broadway Butterfly.

Broadway Butterfly is set in NYC during the 1920's and is a thrilling look into the unsolved murder of the local "broadway butterfly". Dot King was found dead in her Midtown apartment with a chloroform bottle beside her. There were also many of her high priced jewels missing from her safe. From the moment the body was found, this murder had its citizens on edge as they looked for the murderer.

The words and tone which author Sara Divello uses throughout this story is completely captivating. It did me a bit to get fully invested but once I did I couldn't put it down. Each chapter is from the point of view of those involved in trying to solve this case: the chief investigator, the young female crime reporter, Dot King's black maid who was the one to find the body, and a wealthy high society woman. Each of them has their opinions what actually happened the night Dot King was murdered. I enjoyed taking each one in and breaking it down to see the actual truth.

Everything was honestly so corrupt in 1920's NYC and this story in a great representation of that. The way it intertwines the perceived glitz and glimmer of high society / flapper lifestyle with the darkness and danger of the seedy underground. It shows just how desperate some people were to either get to the top or to stay on top. You can also see the racism and sexism of this era in history.

Broadway Butterfly would be enjoyed by fellow lovers of historical fiction. The analysis of race, gender, and class are so well done through out the story. There are also aspects of a mystery and a thriller through out the story. The murder of Dot King was never truly solved but I think this is a great representation of what may have happened. Unfortunately, we will never know the whole truth.

Broadway Butterfly takes the reader to the roaring 1920's where the brutal murder of Dot King remains unsolved. A young and ambitious journalist, Julia Harpman is determined to find justice for Dot as she chases wealthy socialites, bootleggers, dancers and others involved with the glitzy and the sordid side of Broadway. As a female trying to find answers in a male-dominated industry, this book focused a lot on Julia's struggles and triumphs at finding the truth. The story takes plenty of twists and turns as Julia finds more lies hidden under buried truths.

I didn't realize that this was based on a true story when I first picked it up. I think that was why the ending left me a bit unsatisfied. But the book was well written and well-researched as I felt I was truly living during those times with those dodgy characters,

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for a review copy of this novel. It was released on August 1, 2023 and is available now.

Broadway Butterfly is set in New York in the roaring twenties and is a true crime novel that was based on one of the most notorious unsolved murders in this era. The book I was excited to read but sadly I did not love it like I had hoped to because it has repetition and was way too long I thought. The book was still a well done book that I would recommend to people who like true crime books and I still enjoyed reading this. Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for this book in exchange of my honest review.

I really liked this book, it was different than anything else I've read which was a breath of fresh air. I will be recommending this to my friends, and auto buy this author!

Broadway Butterfly is written by Sara DiVello. This is the first book that I have read by this author, and it will not be my last. This book is carefully researched and based off the murder of flapper, Dot King. She is found dead in her Midtown apartment, a bottle of chloroform beside her and a fortune in jewels missing. To this day, this crime is still unsolved.

The cast of characters to bring this part of history to life include a female investigative reporter who wants to get to the bottom of it to one that will defy social norms to bring justice for Dot. The author has told the story beautifully. It's a shame that this was never solved.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read a copy of this book - all thoughts are my own.

Sara DiVello's debut novel is chock full of twists and turns and you'll wonder "who did it" long past the last page. This is a perfect read for lovers of true crime and those obsessed with New York in the wild 1920s!

New York in the Roaring Twenties—a riveting true-crime novel, based on one of the most notorious unsolved murders of the era, where power, politics, and secrets conspire to bury the truth. Manhattan, 1923. Scandalous flapper Dot King is found dead in her Midtown apartment, a bottle of chloroform beside her and a fortune in jewels missing. Dot’s headline-making murder grips the city. It also draws a clutch of lovers, parasites, and justice seekers into one of the city’s most mesmerizing mysteries. Among Daily News crime reporter Julia Harpman, chasing the story while navigating a male-dominated industry; righteous NYPD detective John D. Coughlin, struggling against city corruption; and Ella Bradford, the victim’s Harlem maid, closest confidante, and keeper of secrets. Adding fuel to the already volatile a politically connected Philadelphia socialite, an Atlantic City bootlegger, Dot’s dicey gigolo lover, a sultry Broadway dancer, and a cagey sugar daddy guarding secrets of his own. From Broadway’s glittering lights to its sordid underbelly to the machinations of the country’s most powerful men, Julia embarks on a quest for justice. What she discovers, twist after breathtaking twist, might be even more nefarious than murder.

I thoroughly enjoyed this 1920s mystery and I have to say it was a whirlwind full of twists and turns. While reading, I felt l was living in the story. One of my favorite historical fiction but also true crime books I've read in 2023

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC and the opportunity to review the true-crime story.

When well-known and scandalous flapper Dot King is found murdered in her apartment, the police and journalists begin the hunt for her murderer. The story really follows Julia Harpman, an unusual and hungry New York crime reporter, and her dogged pursuit of the killer. Too soon, though, those in power--with positions, money, and reputations to protect--weasel their way out from under the microscope, shifting focus from one to another in a series of spiteful and questionable maneuvers that the police and reporters are unable to unravel.

The book keeps the reader guessing as the mystery keeps Harpman off her center (whose career flourishes with her reportage) and confounds NYPD Detective John Coughlin (whose career ultimately suffers by stymied attempts at solving the crime).

Though I was frustrated by the ending, I'm sure my frustration was nothing compared to the frustration of the reporter and detectives, not to mention King's family. I enjoyed the constant twists and turns, the guessing, thinking I had it figured out one minute and then finding myself thwarted the next.

Intriguing and well written true crime novel. I knew going in that this was based on a true story but I didn't realize that it would be open ended - no big reveal or resolution. Basically it's an extensive examination of the actual case with fictional enhancement.

It's an interesting narrative but had I known going in that there would be no real solution/ending I probably wouldn't have read it.

BOTTOM LINE: Use your own judgement. If you're someone who likes True Crime Podcasts that give you all the clues then leave it up to you to decide what really happened then this would be perfect for you. If you prefer to have some resolution then you might want to pass on this one.

This was a good book, though I found it a tad long. Dot King is found by her maid deceased on her bed, there are a number of people that may have wanted to end her life and the NYPD Detective Coughlin is tasked with finding who did it. Coughlin is one POV, there are two others, a female journalist, Julia Harpman and the wife of one of the suspects (though you don't find that out until much later in the story). There are also snippets from the maid, she is black and the racism she is subject to throughout her interaction with the police is very sad. Julia makes the most headway with turning up clues and putting pressure on the police to solve the case, but there are people in high places that don't want it solved. Julia was the most fleshed out character, she was the only female crime reporter for the New York Daily News and had to constantly fight to get her story in the paper. Obviously the ending is somewhat anticlimactic since the case has never been solved. The writing in this book is exceptional, it's clear the author spent a lot of time researching the details. Overall a very good book and I would recommend. Thanks to #Netgalley and #Thomas & Mercer for the ARC.

Sara DiVello’s BROADWAY BUTTERFLY is a step back a century into the past and a look into the real life murder of Ms. Dottie King, the Broadway Butterfly. It is a fascinating look at racism, sexism, societal ‘place’ and one reporter’s unwillingness to accept facts that just don’t add up.

When Ella Bradford finds her employer dead, the police call it a suicide and no investigation is initiated, leading to a terribly contaminated scene. Commander John Coughlin, however think that things just don’t look right. He starts an investigation and is hounded by Julia Harpman, first woman crime reporter for the DAILY NEWS, who also feels like things seem fishy. Coughlin interrogates Miss Dottie’s paramour Albert Guimares, who has physically abused her in the past, but what about the mysterious and rich ‘Marshall’, her secret lover.? When the DA brings him in for questioning, the press goes into overdrive as everyone is trying to figure out who he is.

Meanwhile, Frances Stotesbury Mitchell is in Palm Beach preparing for a luncheon for President Harding . Then, just days before the event, her husband contacts her and tells her to come home to New York immediately.

As Julia continues to dig into the mystery, we meet many people from Ms Dottie’s life that all seem to have a different piece of the puzzle which no one has bothered to put together. With Julia’s investigation and Coughlin’s not agreeing with the DA’s assessment of the case, we follow parallel investigations. We meet mobsters, the son of the US Attorney General, showgirls and others involved.The ONLY problem I had was that there were just so many names to try to keep track of.

I really enjoyed this one. The fact that it’s based on true crime and happened during the roaring 20’s makes it even better. The fact that the Stotesbury Mansion (Whitemarsh Hall) is only 16 miles from me made it even more interesting. (The parts that remain are part of a wedding venue now). I could just feel myself back in that time; slipping into the nightclubs of the Jazz age and feel the swish of the flapper dresses. I like the author’s writing style and will definitely look into her other books.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

I absolutely loved this book! Set in NYC in the 1920’s and based on the true events of the unsolved Dot King case, DiVello transports her readers back in time with a story that’s as immersive as it is captivating. I knew nothing about this case before I started and felt as if I was truly living through these events, and chasing down leads in this complex case. I absolutely loved it!

I was really excited about this book, the cover art alone drew me in (totally judged a book by its cover!) Overall it was just ok for me. It felt too long and there were points where I was losing interest because of this. I didn’t really feel invested in any of the characters for much of the story. I did start to get into it more toward the end but then was totally disappointed when there was really no conclusion! I did not know prior to reading that it was based on a true story. I did like all of the additional information that the author linked at the end, she clearly did her research and then some. Her passion for this project is commendable if nothing else. And as many have said, this felt more like a historical fiction book rather than a thriller.

I was so excited to read Broadway Butterfly by Sara DiVello since I first heard about it! The author's research really shows in this telling of the murder of Dot King who was murdered in 1923 in New York City. It's a true story about a case that has never been solved. A lot of the story is told through Julia Harpman who was a reporter when women weren't really part of this field at all. She did not want to give up on finding justice for Dot. Her maid Ella is one of the only people that really knows all of Dot's secrets. Detective John Coughlin has two suspects but the corruption in his own department makes solving this case impossible. I thought I had it figured out but then new information points you in another direction. I can't wait to see what Sara DiVello writes about next!

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.

It’s a murder mystery that takes place in 1920’s Manhattan and, like “The Great Gatsby,” revels in the excesses of the Jazz Age. Flappers, Tycoons, Broadway gigolos and lowlifes, “High Society” types, a crusading female reporter, crooked politicians at the highest levels of government, a loyal African American ladies' maid, and tough, ham-fisted NYPD detectives all combine to make this a work Damon Runyon might have envied (although it doesn’t attempt to copy him or his colorful language).

Someone has murdered model and Broadway “It Girl” Dot King in her bed in the apartment where her “sugar daddy” was keeping her. Was it the sugar daddy himself? Or her violent lover who beat her whenever she refused to do his bidding? Or was it maybe someone else – someone having something to do with the immense sums of cash Dot had been depositing into her bank accounts?

Author Sara DiVello has given us a well-written, well-researched story, based on an actual case, that takes us from New York City to Philadelphia to Palm Beach and back. Her characters are compelling. Her treatment of some of the social issues of the time, including racism and sexism, call to mind issues we still face today. Readers who enjoy tales of the “Roaring Twenties” should find much to enjoy here.

"Broadway Butterfly" is not the kind of book I would usually select, but It was amazing! The story Draws inspiration from a real crime in 1923, the book masterfully unravels and makes for an immersive reading experience. The characters are complex and well developed which ensures that readers remain invested, while the true crime undertones lend a haunting mystery. It's a must-read for enthusiasts of unsolved mysteries and true crime, blending historical events with compelling storytelling. I thoroughly enjoyed reading "Broadway Butterfly" and cant wait to read more from this author. 4 stars!