The story starts in 1945, in California, when Ellie's father's plane is shot down in WWII. She can't believe he is gone and refuses to accept that he won't be coming home. When his personal effects arrive back home, there is also a stash of letters from a woman, Lillian, in New York. This obviously is not a casual relationship. Ellie and her Aunt Iris travel to New York to find some answers. Ellie finds more answers than she ever dreamed possible. She discovers her Aunt Iris was a Ziegfield Follies showgirl, that she knew Lillian, and they are both hiding a lot of secrets, including a murder of a "goodtime girl." The story switches between 1945 and the 1920s and is a very readable deep mystery, as well as a look at 1920s New York.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

This book is exactly love to read Historical Fiction. It transports you back in time to the Jazz Age and to characters that you like immediately. This book did not disappoint me in the least. I hope that the author continues to write more wonderful books like this one. I am looking forward to seeing what she comes up with next.

I love a novel based on real stories and the sad truth that 72,000 lives were never given proper endings after WWII is a tragedy worth 72,000 novels. Meredith Jaeger has written a well-paced, well-researched novel with an undercurrent of mystery and a unique setting despite how many books from the WWII era have saturated the book market in recent years. The dual timelines take you from 1945 San Francisco, where an ambitious young woman struggles to find her place and use her talents as a journalist in a man’s world, and 1923 New York City within the glamorous Ziegfeld Theater where a riveting, decades-old mystery is unwound.

Ellie gets a letter from the army that her dad's plane had been reported as missing in action, but she can't accept or believe her father is dead, so of course, she starts looking into his disappearance. She discovers love letters that weren't from her mother and the journey begins. Her aunt Iris accompanies her to New York with her own secrets and their bond is one of the best aspects of the novel. I recommend this if you love family history mysteries or stories of generational bonding.

This is a work of Historical fiction that has dual timelines, of 1920’s New York and 1940’s San Francisco and New York. When Ellie and her mother receive notice that her father’s plane has been shot down over the Mediterranean during WWII, Ellie cannot accept that he is dead. When her father’s belongings reveal a secret, Ellie is accompanied by her Aunt Iris New York to get to the truth. In the 1920’s, Iris had her own secrets, as a Ziegfield Follies girl, who became the victim of an abuser. A jazz era unsolved murder mystery is at the heart of Iris’ secrets, which will be uncovered by Ellie. Ellie learns a lot about being her own woman, and not giving in o the pressures to marry. Part mystery, part a well written history of jazz age NY, I recommend this novel and thank NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a goodie. I almost did not request this book (from NetGalley) because I am tired of WWII novels. While one of the timelines in this novel takes place during WWII, I do not consider this a WWII book. The main character's father is a pilot who was lost/presumed dead during a mission. When his personal property was returned to his family, a monumental secret was revealed which is the main plot point of the novel. The other timeline involves the main character's aunt's previous life as a performer with the Ziegfeld Follies. The timelines intertwine beautifully, and each could stand alone as a fascinating mystery. However, they work well together and enhance each other.
This novel is very well thought out. The Ziegfeld story is based on a true, unresolved mystery. The author's interpretation of events was absolutely plausible and engrossing. Her research and narrative brought the time and setting to life. She developed the atmosphere in both timelines such that I could imagine all of the people and places. She did this without extraneous detail, but by creating a mood. This is an example of excellent historical fiction.
I would recommend this book to historical fiction lovers as well as fans of mystery and women's fiction.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge fan of historical fiction, and so I was thrilled to receive an advanced copy of The Pilot's Daughter to review.. I loved this book about a girl searching for a resolution to her quest to find her father, as well as her aunt Iris' hidden secret about her life in the Zeigfreid Follies.

I highly recommend picking this up if you enjoy historical fiction. 5 stars!

I absolutely loved this book! I know it is good historical fiction when I spend a lot of time researching the information on Google and reading about a part of history I hadn't heard of, one that the book has introduced me to. In this case, it was interesting to read about the unsolved murder of a Ziegfeld Follies showgirl and the lifestyle of the showgirls back then.
The story did a good job on the dual timeline between 1923 from Iris's perspective and 1945 from Ellie's timeline where she searches for her dad (WWII pilot) who has been reported missing. The truth of the over 70,000 Americans still accounted for from WWII is haunting, and adds another interesting piece to this story. I enjoyed reading about the glamorous life in NYC during the 1920s.
Over the course of the story, Ellie (the pilot's daughter) finds her backbone, determined to get answers of her father's life, risking her job at the newspaper, and her "well placed" engagement. I loved her relationship with her aunt, Iris, a woman who had her own secret past. A woman who, along with Ellie, takes the precarious journey to resolve the past so they can move on with their lives.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this book.

This is an interesting book with dual timelines, one being the early twenties highlighting the Ziegfeld Follies with the other being World War II. I especially enjoyed the earlier timeline since I hadn’t read a lot about this era. All the characters feelings and emotions seemed so real especially Ellie as she matured as the novel progressed. In her quest to find her missing father she learned about the hardships of her Aunt Iris and discovered her new life as secrets were revealed. A murder mystery added to the intrigue which in the author’s notes was never solved. Great story and writing makes this another winner from this author!#ThePilot’sDaughter #MeredithJaeger #NetGalley

An interesting dual time novel with both time periods being in the past. World War II and the roaring 20s. I loved that the murder mystery in this book spanned almost 20 years.

Scheduled to post 12/26/21.

While THE PILOT'S DAUGHTER isn't in my normal wheelhouse of book reading, when Dutton approached me to review the book, two things sold me: 1. that it's Meredith Jaeger (I loooooooooooved BOARDWALK SUMMER) and 2. New York City in the Jazz Age (also mixed with some World War II stuff). So yeah, let's see what this is all about, shall we?

WE SHALL.

I loved THE PILOT'S DAUGHTER. Jaeger knows how to write an engaging, entrancing story that hooks you in from word one and drags you through to the very end. It's a multi-layered story that just reveals more and more secrets the more layers you pull back. You thought Ellie's father's affair was it, huh? Boy are you in for a ride.

I love how gilded Jaeger made New York City in the 20s. As much as I personally love to romanticize that era, it was all a veneer and Iris, Ellie's aunt, experienced that first hand, and it was horrific and difficult to read. It was abundantly clear that women were things to own in the 20s, things to prance around like sussed up dolls and dispose of when they weren't shiny and new anymore. Jaeger did an excellent job of laying that message out bear without ever actually saying it.

I also loved Ellie's evolution throughout the story, going from having the rug yanked out from under her about her father to waking up to her own rather precarious situation that started to mirror Iris's a little too closely. Ellie goes on this rollercoaster of emotions, the same as Iris, but they're riding in very different cars on parallel tracks. All of the twists and turns each woman takes ultimately ends them in the same place: exactly where they need to be.

THE PILOT'S DAUGHTER is a story that kept me turning the pages, had me in tears, and had me riveted to my seat the whole way through. I didn't want to stop reading and I sooooooooo wanted more story at the end (so cruel to end it there!). Can't I just follow Ellie and Iris around for a few more books? Please?

It's historical fiction about two women taking a ride through their pasts and making stark realizations about themselves and the world they live in. I think a lot of women at this time took similar journeys and we don't see nearly enough of them. THE PILOT'S DAUGHTER is definitely a book that will get re-read. Jaeger's storytelling is addicting and at this point I'll read anything she writes. She's just an amazing storyteller. 

5

As a lover of all things gilded age, I absolutely loved The Pilot's Daughter. Not only are the characters complicated and masterfully crafted, but the idea of bringing together the Ziegfeld Follies and a missing aircraft pilot is unique and fresh. I loved the characters of Ellie, a modern woman struggling to find her place in a society that's not quite ready for all that she wants to be, and Iris, a woman who is hiding what she considers to be a shameful past, only to realize that the past might not be quite as she thinks. A little bit historical fiction, a little bit mystery, and a whole lot of fun, the Pilot's Daughter is the perfect book to curl up with on a cold winter day!

Thank you so much for the opportunity to review!

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It’s 1945 and Ellie Morgan, dreams of becoming a journalist. But when her beloved father's plane is shot down over the Adriatic Sea and may not be coming home from the war. Her life is turned upside down. When her father’s personal effects are shipped home, she finds love letters from a woman who is not her mother. Ellie and her Aunt Iris decide to go to New York and learn more about this mystery woman who has been writing to her father. But what she wants to know and the truths she does find are very different!

There are so many layers to the secrets and the discoveries in this book and Meredith Jaeger brings them together beautifully! The strength and determination of the woman in this book is something to admire! Even with two timelines the story moves seamlessly between them! Really a great story!

Thank you Dutton Books for sharing this book with me!

San Francisco, 1945; It's the final days of the war, and Ellie Morgan is a secretary at a newspaper. She lives with her mother Clara and Ellie and her longtime fiancee Tom are planning their future wedding. But then the news comes that her father, a war pilot, has crashed into the sea in Europe. And Ellie and her mother are devasted, because he meant everything to them. But shortly after the news of his death some of his pilots belongings arrive at their home, and Ellie finds his pilot jacket, and some letters tucked in one of the pockets of it. The letters are written by her father William to a lady called Lillian. Ellie and her mother don't know anyone by that name, so she immediately knows her dad was also seeing someone else. Not telling her mom anything, she seeks help from her aunt Lillian, her mom's sister. Iris tells her she knew this Lillian from the time they where revue dancers in New York in the 1920's Together they step on a train to New York City to find Lillian and to hear more about her father's affair with her. During their search they find out a lot about the shady and dark side and secrets of the revue girls of New York.

This book is so beautiful!! I never have read a book by Meredith Jaeger before (altough I have a copy of her previous book Boardwalk Summer) so I didn't know what to expect when I got a review copy of this book. But I can totally say this book blew me away! It is beautifully written and the storyline is just fantastic. The chapters alternated between Ellie's pov in the present time and Iris' in the past, when she and Lillian where show dancers. It was all beauty on stage but behind the scenes there where a lot of shady things going on. Without revealing to many spoilers, the mystery and sleuthing was very entertaining and the wrap up of the story leaves the reader without any questions, so overall, don't miss out on this beauty of a book!!

Meredith Jaeger’s third split-time novel takes readers from coast to coast on a journey of self-discovery for lead character Ellie Morgan. I’d not heard of Jaeger prior to reading The Pilot’s Daughter, but the cover alone made this book almost too good to pass up. Add in a murder and a mystery, which may or may not be related, and I was excited to grab a copy of the Uncorrected eBook File for review.

Oh, my goodness. This is a book I had to read in one sitting, compelling me to stay up into the early morning hours in an out-of-town hotel room, while my husband snored softly beside me. From the opening prelude set in 1923 about a squeaky dumbwaiter, I was hooked. Whose perspective was this? I had to read it a couple of times after finishing the book to realize. Perspective is an important feature in this novel: while Ellie’s chapters are written in the third person, her aunt’s chapters are told as though Iris herself is telling her story. Thus we, the reader, learn information about Iris’s past the same time as her niece does.

It’s Iris’s story that got to me the most. Ellie’s is revealing, as she comes to understand who she is and what she’s capable of, but the story Iris tells stole the show for me. It’s chilling, almost brutal at times, as Iris discovers that power has no limits and goes from naïve dancer to terrified starlet. There were times I wanted to skip past her chapters simply because of their horrific nature. I knew, though, that they were written for a reason, so I kept going with my heart in my mouth. It’s obvious that Iris escaped her circumstances, but how?

I knew it was a five-star read the moment I reached the end. Desperate not to wake my slumbering husband, I scuttled through to the hotel room’s bathroom so I could wipe my eyes and splash my face. The Pilot’s Daughter had left me an emotional wreck.

Disclaimer: Although I received an Uncorrected eBook File of this book from the publisher, the opinions above are my own.

THE PILOT'S DAUGHTER
BY MEREDITH JAEGER

Right away when I started reading this it became clear to me that this was my kind of book. It takes place in both 1945 and 1922, and into 1923. Ellie and her mother's sister who is her Aunt Iris alternate chapter's but their stories take place side by side. This is one of my favorite reads of 2021. Once I started reading this compulsively interesting historical novel, I couldn't stop. I read it right through from beginning to end. I thought that the ending was a little drawn out but that is my only critique.

This starts out with Ellie who is clearly a Daddy's girl intercepts a package of love letters returned by the military with a box of his personal belongings. It is 1945 and she has been corresponding with other heartbroken military wives who were notified by telegram that the airplane went down over the Adriatic Ocean. Ellie's mother had always been critical of her growing up and Ellie's love for her father is deep and palpable. It is memories of her and her father always doing things together and Ellie's mother is a shell of her former self zonked out on barbiturates. Ellie goes to her Aunt Iris to tell her that there were love letters returned from the military from a woman named Lillian and a potential sister that devastates Ellie. Lilian and her daughter Lucy live in New York City and Iris and Ellie decide to take a trip there although Iris is reluctant to go at first because she is harboring her own secret life which took place back in the 1920's. The novel begins in San Francisco where Ellie and her mother and her Aunt Iris live. I knew that I was going to love this heart felt historical novel because of its setting being both San Francisco and New York City. Both of these two cities are portrayed with all of the places and landmarks that make them so fascinating in the time period of this historical novel in 1945 and even today.

I thought that the time periods captured the cultural nuances of both the setting and the character's of both Ellie and her Aunt Iris's constraints and limitations that these two women faced to be historically accurate. That contributed to how real these two woman felt to me and what kept me so captivated and spellbound while reading this excellent historical novel. Both women's struggles and achievements come alive on the pages. In 1945, while Ellie is working as a secretary for the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper she longs for the chance to write her own column. She has ideas but women back then were held back from being able to use their talents because the men were the one's who were mistakenly credited with all the recognition. Ellie is relegated to fetching her bosses coffee and other mundane tasks while she doesn't receive credit with her name published with the articles that she has written for a particular fellow employee who is a man. He lets her write the assignment but then takes all of the credit by publishing her columns with his name on the byline taking all of the credit while not doing the actual reporting. Women back then were thought to only have the skills to write Society pieces or recipes. Ellie's own mother, Clara takes this viewpoint and tells her daughter that she shouldn't expect to publish her writing but pursue a secretarial position at the Chronicle. Ellie is a strong female protagonist and I loved that she wanted more for herself and along with not accepting the status quo goes on to not lose hope that her Dad perished in the airplane he was piloting. Her strong will and beliefs is what leads the narrative for her to not listen to Tom the man she is engaged to and his advice to not pursue answers to the questions that she has about who this second family is that her father was involved with. Her fiancee doesn't want a public scandal because he comes from a higher society on the social ladder because his family in Atlanta are rich and his ancestors are considered of a higher caste since they weren't immigrants like Ellie's grandparents who were blue collared workers. Ellie's ability to go against the social normal expectations is what made her such an interesting character to me. Her moxie to talk her Aunt Iris to go with her to New York City and find out who this unknown woman Lillian was to her father brings the timeline of the novel to go back in time when her Aunt Iris lived in New York City in 1922 and 1923.

In 1922, New York City was where Iris's characterization is so well crafted by this Author, Meredith Jaeger. I loved this era so much and it is another reason why I had to read this novel. I felt like I was a silent background character marveling at all of the iconic buildings and the adventurous Jazz age. Iris was the principal dancer in the Ziegfeld Follies. I loved learning about what it was like during this time period. I didn't know what these women wore to perform and this was something that is so well depicted in this novel. New York City was the epicenter and place to be during the Jazz age during the 1920's. I had of course heard of the Ziegfeld Follies showgirls but now I have a greater understanding of what they wore and what the criteria was to be able to perform as one. This part of history is of particular interest to me and Meredith Jaeger did such a marvelous job of bringing this time period alive. Iris has hidden the fact that she was a performer in the Follies from her family up to the point where her and Ellie are tracking down Lillian. Iris tells her story to Ellie and the warm and affectionate relationship between these two woman is redeeming and I loved that they both had so much warmth and mutual respect for each other. Iris has met Ellie's father William back while she was a dancer and she is pretending to be employed by a law firm because she fears getting shunned by Ellie's mother Clara and her parents and she does share with Ellie that she was present when William met Lillian. She never expected that Lillian would engage in going after her younger sister's husband. There is a man who is married who Iris gets involved with who showers her in exquisite jewels and she pays a high price as the relationship evolves.

For me this historical novel far exceeds my expectations with its vivid descriptions of New York City's landmarks such as Grand Central Terminal and its library. They were exactly how I imagined their grandeur to be that I have read in other novels. The speakeasies and the lights in a city that celebrated a twenty four hour lifestyle was so richly written and brought to life and I am very impressed by this book. The writing is just so magnificent and I enjoyed this immensely. The drawback is knowing that my next reading experience will pale after this. I hope that isn't the case but I never expected this to be so magnificent. You will be enticed by this storytelling and this is a favorite that I can't recommend highly enough. I love when I am dazzled by discovering the talent of a brand new Author to me that ticks off all of the important aspects of drawing me in to a lavish era that has piqued my curiosity and I am rewarded with a wonderful reading experience. I very highly recommend this to all lovers of historical fiction. There is also a mystery and thriller aspect to this as it delves into a real life cold case of an unsolved murder.

Publication Date: November 2, 2021. This is already Available so please do yourself a favor and get yourself a copy of this. I promise you will not regret it. Enjoy!

Thank you to Net Galley, Meredith Jaeger and Penguin Group Dutton for generously providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. Penguin Group Dutton Publishing is known for publishing high quality content in my humble opinion.

#ThePilotsDaughter #MeredithJaeger #PenguinGroupDuttonPublishing #NetGalley

Ellie’s father is missing in action and presumed dead. Ellie truly cannot believe it. But, when his uniform arrives in the mail, it really hits home. As she is going through his pockets, she discovers a series of letters. And these letters are not from her mother!

Ellie runs to her Aunt Iris. Iris knows a thing or two which she is not telling. However, these two ladies head out to NYC to try and find the mysterious woman, Lillian. This leads Iris to her past which she thought she had left behind.

This is a novel which had me in knots most of the time. Iris’ tale of her time in the follies and her life in NYC is completely captivating. The jewels, the men and the money are floating around from every direction, until there is danger. You will definitely need to read this to find out!

This is part history, part mystery, part family drama with a slice of murder thrown in the mix. Need a novel which will have you glued to the pages…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

A quick read because I couldn’t put it down.. like into the early morning reading and counting how many hours I had to finish/get up for work.. Meredith Jaeger, tells the story of two generations of women, who feel the need to break the mold of what Ladies of the time, should do/be.. Towards the end of WWII, Elle Morgan should be getting ready for the rest of her life. she is engaged, the war is ending and she is finishing up her newspaper job. But her mom and her receive news that her dad is missing at sea.. Elle’s mother falls apart but Elle decides she needs to find out answers.. She will become an investigator for herself.. She asks her aunt to go on the cross country journey to find answers.. to find peace for her and her mother. Iris, her aunt, knows NY a city very well. She has a whole life her niece didn’t know about and once in NY all the secrets start to come out. I loved the characters and the story. I loved the twists and turns and I like how the story told Iris’s story and Elle’s.. This made the story so much better/stronger.. I loved how the two women leaned on each other and how raw and honest they were. The ending was excellent as well.. I haven’t read many 5 star books this year but this one checked off all my requirements for a 5 star read.. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did..

Duel timeline of the 1920’s in NYC and 1945 San Francisco. Interesting fact that this story is based off a real life murder and missing servicemen from WWII.
There is so much going on within the story! You have a cold case murder mystery, family secrets, father missing in action, major scandals going on and a love story that make you wonder about the outcome.
Main character, Ellie, is working as a secretary for a newspaper editor in San Francisco. She’s not very happy with her job but feels it is the best she can do for now. When her father, who is a pilot is reported missing in action, Ellie is filled with grief and wants answers.
Definitely a story filled with fascinating history….
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to give my honest opinion about this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and @penguingroupdutton for this ARC. 1945 - Ellie's finds out her father is MIA in the war. When his personal items arrive, there is a stack of letters from another woman in NYC. When she shows the letters and an enclosed picture, her aunt recognizes the woman as someone she danced with in NYC many years before. They both travel to NYC to get answers to their many questions. I thought this was a good, easy read. #ThePilotsDaughter #MeredithJaeger #PenguinGroupDutton

Unfortunately, this was one of the most poorly written historical fiction books I've ever read ... it seemed not only historically inaccurate but aimless. I'm not sure what story it was trying to tell but nothing meaningful was helped by this being set in the 1920s and 1940s -- everything felt off. Most historical fiction I've read has been meticulously researched and written to capture a time period and the story's place in such time period. This was not it. Hope you have better luck!

The Pilot's Daughter came out this week on November 2, 2021, and you can purchase HERE.

Ellie wanted answers. She wanted witness statements, mission documents, aircraft records, and every single piece of classified information that the army refused to give her. As she climbed the stairs to the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper office, tears pressed against her eyelids. She had been unable to get through to the army officials in charge, the same men who'd sent her mother a Western Union telegram six weeks ago, blowing her life apart like a grenade.