The Girl in the Green Dress by Mariah Fredricks

This story is an interesting take on the life of the real Morris Markey, newspaper writer and author. Fredericks puts him in the center of a crime story in NYC in the 1920s. The best part is how she incorporates Morris’s investigation of this murder with Zelda and F Scott Fitzgerald-all fiction.

The Fitzgerald party animals keep bringing Markey into the fold. Their love of excitement, especially for Zelda, propels the story. Markey wants a byline and Zelda needs something fun to ease her boredom from the same old people and parties. She is there to help Morris solve the murder mystery.

There are some red herrings to keep you alert. Is it murder or suicide? Other players, including the girl in the green dress, add to the story as you get a feel for life in the Big Apple during prohibition and the advent of flappers. A four and a half stars from me, which I’ll bump up to a five for its originality.

Secrets, crime, complicated love and the influence of powerful wealth. It’s all there.

This book is based on true history from 1920 when Morris Markey, a news reporter, was investigating a murder that caused a stir with readers in NYC. Many were holding their breath to find out who killed a wealthy man, Joseph Elwell, owner of racehorses and known for prevailing in bridge games.

Zelda, wife of the famous writer Scott Fitzgerald, helped Markey find clues along with a girl who had been with Elwell in a dazzling green dress. He was certain this beautiful woman would be able to reveal what happened to this man who was shot in the head.

The news reporter was aiming to get a byline and while he was seeking the truth, he found that it was difficult finding reliable sources. Markey was caught up in conspiracy speculations. At the same time, he was reliving disturbing memories from the men who died in WWI. It's a well-researched story that glues you to the pages with the constant flow of suspense.

But behind the murder, there was another side of history. A wealthy millionaire formed a group of private citizens that assisted the Department of Justice monitoring and arresting anyone that didn’t fit their description of the American Way, mainly German sympathizers who didn’t support the war effort. They would go into restaurants, movie theaters and people homes. Innocent people were locked away and some were killed for personal gain. They would claim they were fighting crime; making our country safe. This happened in the past – but felt very familiar.

The characters made the plot convincing by creating a strong emotional response. There was so much to think about with a book that showed the influence of wealthy men who used their power for their own benefit. And then there was the importance of truth and responsibility. It’s a good book based on our past cleverly mixed in with a complex mystery.

My thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read a copy of this advanced book with an expected release date of September 2, 2025.

This book was a ‘barely started it and dnf’d it real quick’ book, Unfortunately. Either this era book isn’t for me or it was not good timing to read it. I just couldn’t get into it. Besides it being written in the 1920’s time period the way the pov’s were written had me distracted & thinking about every other thing besides the book🥴 Fantastic writer & I’ll absolutely read more by Frederick’s but this was a miss for me.

Interesting premise, started to drag and lose my interest around 40% in… the blurb sounds so good but the book doesn’t live up to that.

Review also on goodreads

The Girl in the Green Dress by Mariah Fredericks
A Mystery Featuring Zelda Fitzgerald

I knew of F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald but I didn't know anything about author and former journalist, Morris Markey or the 1920 murder of man of many talents, Joseph Elwell. The deaths of Joseph Elwell (1920) and Morris Markey (1951) bookend the timeline of this story and the author does a good job of pulling me into Elwell's murder just as the fictionalized real life Morris Markey is pulled into the murder. Morris's motivation concerning the murder is that he's trying to make his name as a writer, get his byline on articles, especially on the front page of the newspaper he works for, but also, he saw Elwell not long before his murder and can't let go of who he saw, a girl in a green dress.

Markey's small boarding house room is across the street from Elwell's abode and he saw Elwell with the young woman in the green dress the night Elwell was murdered. Mesmerized by this city and those he has rubbed elbows with earlier in the evening, Markey just knows this could be his big story if he hustles and makes it so. Morris is also enamored with Zelda but everyone is enamored with Zelda, least of all Zelda herself. She's bored, wants fun, excitement and attention, Markey wants his big story, so they use each other in different ways to work towards what they each want.

I think the author was able to capture young Zelda well at this point in her life. In my eyes, her life story is a very sad one and you can see that sadness and her unwellness peeking through in this novel. All is not well in Zelda's world and her young marriage is already broken. Morris is a blank slate for me but I did enjoy his urge to sleuth, not so much his willingness to mold a story from incomplete or incorrect facts. In this story he is just twenty one but he's comparing himself to everyone else, especially the not much older F. Scott Fitzgerald and finding himself coming up very short. He made me feel just as Zelda made me feel, to be so young and so unhappy that they hadn't made it yet, hadn't accomplished great things yet, made me sad for them. They seemed to set themselves up to feel like failures so early in life although Zelda for a different reason than Morris, with their very different backgrounds and mental and emotional issues.

The mystery is interesting and we see how facts can be misinterpreted, misrepresented, and flat out made up and how motivations that aren't ethical can cause harm for a long time to come. In the end, I'm not sure who did what but then that's real life, too. Sometimes we never really know these things, life can be a mystery in so many ways.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books, SMP Early Readers, and NetGalley for this ARC.

I received a copy for review purposes. All opinions are honest and mine alone.


Jazz age NYC, F. Scott & Zelda - it’s a party. The war is ending and so is the siege of Spanish Flu; time to roar in the 1920’s!

It’s a bit unusual but got me invested to start with, author, Mariah Fredericks, begins the book with the ending. To be perfectly honest, by the time I finished the book, I had completely forgotten about it. It’s only a chapter long in 1950 and then we are set back 30 years to 1920 and find Morris Markey bemoaning his professional status in comparison to that of F. Scott Fitzgerald. He’s at a party and having girl trouble. This 21 year old, transplant from Atlanta, is also looking for a story to establish himself as a reporter extraordinaire. He NEEDS a story.

Markey gets his wish when his neighbor is murdered. It’s here the book title comes into play as he observed a woman wearing a green and silver dress entering Joseph Elwell’s apartment the night before. Elwell is rich, handsome, drives a fancy car, has race horses, plays cars and invests successfully in the stock market. Finding his killer will be the story Markey needed to establish himself at The Daily News.

For the first ten chapters, author, Mariah Fredericks, keeps the action moving at a rapid pace. Markey investigates and partners with Zelda Fitzgerald to open society doors. I was tuned in and looking forward to a rollicking good time solving this closed house murder mystery that’s loosely based on historical events and figures.

Once Markey is convinced to solve the murder, not just report on it, there’s a notable downshift in energy. I’m crediting some of that to the discovery process, including character development, but IMO, there are too many scenes and secondary characters that aren’t needed. A good editor could tighten up the storyline and give readers an experience that’s more in keeping with the main characters and their lifestyles.

Zelda and Markey are an intriguing partnership with F. Scott making only a few, but important, appearances. Both characters struggle with mental health issues that are veiled by social status, behavior, job expectations, other people and the minutiae of daily life.

Slightly above cozy level, THE GIRL IN THE GREEN DRESS is a good read for those interested in 1920’s NYC, Historical Mysteries and Fiction or Literary Adjacent Fiction. Sexual and Violent content is a very soft PG, maybe even G. Language is PG containing a smattering of soft expletives and only 1 participled f-bomb, to which I ask the author, Why? SMH…📚

Read and Reviewed from a NetGalley eARC, via Kindle, with thanks

Morris Markey is a reporter when his neighbor, Joe Elwell, is found dead. Morris is one of the first to arrive on the scene after hearing the screams of Elwell's housekeeper. Elwell has been found shot in the head with every door and window in the house shut and locked. Late the night before, Markey had seen Elwell return home with a beautiful woman in a green dress. Markey is certain she must have killed Elwell, so he begins searching for this mysterious woman. He enlists the help of Zelda Fitzgerald as a way of penetrating the world of the wealthy. As he begins interviewing people, he discovers there were quite a few who wanted Elwell dead. Can he uncover the murderer and make a name for himself?

I have a bit of a celebrity crush on Zelda Fitzgerald, so when I saw she was one of the characters, I immediately wanted to read this book. It did not disappoint. I have read quite a few fiction and non-fiction books about Scott and Zelda. Fredericks portrayed her true-to-character. In fact, there were times she reminded me of Daisy Buchanan. I enjoyed working through the mystery along with Markey, never able to figure out whodunnit. The twist near the end was brilliant. The author does include an afterword where she tells you which elements of the story was true and which were embellished. If you love the Fitzgeralds, The Great Gatsby, and/or the 1920s, you may want to give this one a read!

Unusual mystery. Most of the book is exploring the past of the victim. The author wove real people into the story and made it relate to actual events. I enjoyed the book. Fredericks wove the historical facts in well with the characters and the story moved along well.

The Girl in the Green Dress by Mariah Fredericks. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this advanced reader copy. This book sounded like the bees knees! Jazz Age New York City - flappers - bathtub gin! Sadly, it was a total dud. Morris Markey has been struggling to make his mark as a journalist since the end of the Great War. It’s 1920, and he’s writing for the tabloid, the Daily News. One night as he returns from yet another gin soaked party, he spies a gorgeous creature in a shimmering green dress. She’s with his neighbor, Joseph, a man about town known for his card games and pony gambling. Morris discovers Joseph Elwell shot dead the next morning! Could the lovely gal in green be the culprit? Morris races all over Manhattan trying to solve the case in order to finally get a byline. He meets F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, the paparazzi faves. Soon Zelda is sleuthing with Morris. It all bordered a bit on the ridiculous. We meet so many extraneous characters & I just couldn’t keep everyone straight. I finished this novel albeit it was a struggle. Skip this one. #whatiread #bookstagram #reading #whatsinyourbeachbag #bookworm #bookgram #thegirlinthegreendress #jazzage #books #netgalley #goodreads #skipthisone

This book was a nice mystery.

What was good: I loved the main two characters of Morris Markey and Zelda Fitzgerald. They made me want to read more about that point in history. The writing was also great. I liked the voice and the flow of the story.


What could have been better: There were a lot of minor characters. The seemed to flit in and out of the story. I almost wish there was a character guide in the front so I could keep some of the characters straight. The ending was underwhelming to me. It just seemed too complicated to arrive at the murderer.

Thanks to Netgalley for this advance reader copy in exchange for a review. All opinions stated are my own.
For lovers of mystery, historical fiction, and the roaring 20s, this book is for you. Based on true cases, there is plenty of intrigue. The beginning of the book launches you straight in to the mystery. There are plenty of real folks to keep you latched on. The ending is satisfying, even though the real cases were never solved.
I liked it, but TBT mystery is not my genre.
3.5*

This historical fiction story explores the death of Joseph Elwell during the jazz age and the 1920s. Zelda Fitzgerald and Morris Markey play prominent roles in the story. The story takes place after Markey returns from World War I. He heads off to New York to make a writer of himself. He witnesses Joseph Elwell returning home and the next morning is alerted to screaming from Elwell’s dwelling.
Markey then tries to determine who killed Elwell and to use the story to propel in in the news industry.

I found the book well-written but sad. Both Markey and Elwell were murdered in real life and are the basis of this story.

I recommend the story but don’t be looking for a happy ending.

I found the description intriguing and am glad Netgalley allowed me to read this ARC. These are my opinions.

DNF @ 62%

Journalist Morris Markey is searching for his next scoop when his neighbor, a gambler named Joseph Elwell, is murdered by someone who has the keys to his home. Hoping to progress in his career, he joins forces with Zelda Fitzgerald to try to figure out who killed the man before they strike again.

I think I might just not be the right type of reader for this book. Since the title had Zelda's name in it and the blurb mentioned her before it mentioned Markey, I erroneously assumed it would be partially from Zelda's point of view. As it is, more than half of the way through the book there's no POV from Zelda, and she seems more like a side than a main character. I also didn't find Markey as a character terribly sympathetic or compelling. The book became more interesting when the American Protective League was introduced, but it still didn't keep my interest very well. None of the characters are sympathetic — I found myself not even knowing enough about Zelda at 62% of the way through the book to find her sympathetic enough to finish the book. As it is, it appears the book relies on including numerous famous people to make the book interesting, but it didn't grip me like I would expect a murder mystery to. It felt very repetitive as well.

The Girl in the Green Dress is a historical novel set in 1920 New York. After the shocking murder of gambler Joseph Elwell, New Yorker writer Morris Markey investigates - with the help of Zelda Fitzgerald.

I wanted to read this novel because I love historical fiction and find the 1920's especially interesting.

This was a well done historical mystery. The case was interesting, and I found Morris and Zelda's work together interesting. I also, of course, loved the wonderfully evoked Jazz Age glimpse of NYC!

Highly recommended for historical fiction - historical mystery fans. 5 stars!

This book begins with a bang (no pun intended) in 1920 with the death of Joseph Elwell and the question of whether this was a murder or suicide. Morris Markey, a newspaper journalist, lived in the same neighborhood in New York as Elwell. Markey's following of this murder investigation and his news stories along the way got him his by-line in the newspaper, and eventually he "became famous." These facts are true. A lot of the storyline is fiction. I loved the way the green dress was described by Markey - looked like the green of money. It was interesting to read about the women Markey ended up interviewing during the investigation. A big part of the story was Markey's interaction with F. Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda. The stories were very much in line with what I had read about this couple in the past. It turns out Markey never met this couple in real life.

I certainly didn't expect how the story ended. I liked the struggle Markey went through in determining what was true or not and the moral aspect of truth telling. I highly recommend this book and want to thank NetGalley, Mariah Fredericks and the publisher for providing an advance copy of this book for my honest opinion.

“The Girl in the Green Dress”, a who-done-it by Mariah Frederick, is an intriguing historical fiction novel about the unsolved deaths of Joseph Elwell and New Yorker writer Morris Markey. The story takes place in the 1920’s among the wealthy, partying, jazz-loving, and gambling crowd including Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Morris and Zelda team up to solve Elwell’s murder with no shortage of suspects and plot twists. Zelda is looking for excitement and Morris is looking to make a name for himself as a young reporter. I enjoyed this story inspired by real events and people, and embellished by the author’s knowledge of the time period. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC copy of this enjoyable book.

The Girl in the Green Dress is a compelling and captivating read that was fascinating from beginning to end.

The book delves into a true unsolved murder of Joseph Elwell during the 1920's often referred to as The Jazz Age.

Morris Markey a writer has just moved to New York when he witnesses Joseph entering his apartment with the girl in the green dress and he is never seen again.

Teaming up with Zelda Fitzgerald the duo put their heads together and try and solve the mystery.

Mariah Fredericks writes beautifully and The Girl in The Green Dress is no exception.

I loved the setting of the book along with the mystery of who kiilled Joseph Elwell.

I highly recommend you get your copy and settle in for a fascinating read .

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for the privilege of reading and reviewing The Girl in The Green Dress.

Set in 1920s New York, The Girl in the Green Dress is a historical mystery that blends fact and fiction into a noir homage to the Jazz Age. When notorious playboy Joseph Elwell is found dead in his locked townhouse, two unlikely southerners—Zelda Fitzgerald and journalist Morris Markey—find themselves swept into the mystery.

Zelda, bored with her marriage and restless for excitement, sees the investigation as her next adventure. Markey, desperate for a breakout story and haunted by the war, sees it as a career-saving opportunity. Their dynamic is charming, chaotic, and brilliant. They dive into New York's underworld of nightclubs, scandalous affairs, and secrets. But the real mystery lies in the elusive woman in the green dress.

Zelda's character is larger than life, frustrating, and impossible to ignore. The pacing does lag in places, but if you enjoy historical fiction with complex characters and glamour, this one’s worth the read.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

The Girl in the Green Dress explores the true mystery set in 1920s New York, involving the unsolved murder of the gambler Joseph Elwell.

Morris Markey arrives in New York to become a writer, and is searching for a story that would give him his big break. He happens to live across from Joseph Elwell and witnesses Joseph entering his building with a gorgeous woman dressed in a green dress. Shortly after, Joseph’s murder is announced by a screaming housekeeper. Morris skillfully makes his way inside Joseph’s house before anyone else to gain as much information as possible.

Morris approaches the Fitzgeralds as they were the last ones to see Joseph alive, right before his murder. Zelda Fitzgerald is more than happy to join the forces with Morris as it gives her a purpose in her life which she feels is missing.

This story offers scenarios and methodical search through clues. It might be an engaging read for those who like delving into scenarios and analyzing them without much action or pace. The writing is quite descriptive.

The novel captures the vibrant atmosphere of the period with themes of fame and desire, the parties and overindulgences, the famous and yet troubled life of Zelda, and Markey’s PTSD.

Personally, I struggled to connect with the characters as I prefer deeper character-development. But on the other hand, it is a standard with mystery stories.

The story mixes real people and events with fiction, for example, Morris Markey and Zelda Fitzgerald never met. Personally, I prefer true stories to stick to the facts as much as possible. This is a huge mix of facts and fiction and is a personal preference.

Wow!! A historical novel based on real facts told in the most beautiful way! I loved this book and the beautiful story told!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.