Thank you to NetGalley, the author Mariah Fredericks and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

Historical fiction is my JAM and this book did not disappoint at all. Over the summer I listened to a podcast about America's greatest mysteries and the Lindbergh kidnapping was one of the episodes. I was intrigued as I had heard of the kidnapping but didn't know a lot about it.

Once I saw this title and that it was from the perspective of the nanny I had to request it. We often forget that there are other people involved on the peripheral of any true crime case. I thought the author did an excellent job of marrying the facts of the case and also giving her own perspective of what could have happened.

Excellent job! Highly recommend for anyone that love a good re-telling of history.

I have always been fascinated by the Lindbergh kidnapping. The public intrigue and people's obsession with what happened and who did it. If you were questioned, you were an immediate suspect in everyone's mind. Mariah Fredericks chooses to tell the story through Charlie's nanny, Betty Gow. A young woman from Scotland, whose love for the boy oozes from the pages. You know she is devastated beyond words. Especially since she was the last one to see the little boy, and the first to discover he had disappeared. You are taken through that day as Betty ticks through every person she saw or talked to. Everyone shrouded in deceit and a possible suspect. The heartbreak and the emotion that Betty goes through as they search for months for Charlie and the years after as they search high and low for the person or people responsible. Will have your stomach in knots and your mind whizzing until the final pages.

Fredericks does a phenomenal job of mixing fact with fiction to bring Betty to life. To imagine what she went through and how she was feeling is perfectly portrayed. This is a gripping story that will have you sitting at the edge of your seat. Thank you to Mariah Fredericks and Minotaur Books for this fantastic read.

I think this will be a popular selection for book clubs as there are so many different topics and themes to discuss. Historical fiction and mystery readers will scoop this off the shelves at the library!

A historical fiction account of the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby told from the POV of the nanny. This started strong and was interesting, but ultimately it just spent too long on the “missing” part of the story and gave the trial short shrift.

This is the story of the famous kidnapping of the young Lindbergh child told through the eyes of the child’s nanny, Betty Gow. Overall, I found the story to be fascinating, although the pacing was a little off. Be sure to read the author’s notes at the end — interesting! 3.5 stars

The Lindbergh Nanny by Mariah Fredericks is an engaging historical fiction novel which is based on actual events and people. The book revolves around a singular event, the 1932 kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh Jr at the tender age of 20 months from the families New Jersey home.

This is a very emotional and engaging book. Mariah Fredericks has an absolute gift for writing. She vividly captures the heartbreak, the mystery and the intrigue of this truly sad American story. This story is compellingly told. This story is very heartbreaking and depicts the real loss of an American icon’s son. The angle of the story is about the people who worked for the Lindbergh and Morrow families.

While I knew some information about the story, I dismissed any preconceived notions I had and let Ms. Fredericks lead the way. The author deftly reveals facts at just the right time. I found myself rethinking who could have done this. I was completely taken in by the building suspense.

The characters are wonderfully portrayed and are extremely well developed. The reader learns more about Mr and Mrs. Lindbergh, Senator and Mrs. Morrow and their employees. While I had never heard of Betty Gow, the nanny, Ms. Fredericks makes her come to life. Her love, her worries, her guilt, her angst, her self doubt, her determination is astonishing. Betty Gow was a woman who was crucified by the press and the police.

The author’s notes at the end of the novel is a must read. They are informative and enlightening. Ms. Fredericks is open and honest about the truth and the fiction. These notes tied up any remaining questions I had and just made the novel that much better.

I was completely sucked into this book. The author’s writing draws you in and keeps you so involved in the story that you find you have been reading for hours even though it’s way past when you should have been sleeping. Extremely well done. I can’t wait to see what Mariah Fredericks has in store for us next.

I would like to thank Mariah Fredericks, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Thank you Minotaur Books & NetGalley for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own!]

This was all new to me! I never heard of Betty Gow or the nickname before. So I was definitely intrigued while reading. It took a bit for me to become fully invested in the beginning. Once I got past the point of the author setting up the background and all the characters, then the pace picked up.

It talked a lot about the happenings with the other staff members and the interactions with the baby. But it makes sense, given this is the nanny’s perspective and she would know the ins and outs. We saw the ups and downs while working for the Lindbergh family, the relationship she had with Baby Charlie, and the aftermath that followed the kidnapping. How the heartbreak, the investigation, and the media affected everyone, especially Betty.

Overall, this was a fascinating read. I liked the authors note at the end that provided even more information on the real Betty Gow and how the author separated fact from fiction to tell this story!

Unfortunately this book was not what I was expecting or hoping for when I requested it.
I found it very slow and boring and stopped reading at about 40%.
Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to read it. I hope it does well but it just wasn’t for me at this time.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: November 15, 2022
Betty Gow left her home in Scotland to follow a man to Detroit, a man who ultimately ended up betraying her. Now, Betty is desperate to find herself again and stand on her own two feet, so she takes a job as a nanny for Charles and Anne Lindbergh, providing care for their young son, Charlie. Thrust into sudden infamy as the “Lindbergh Nanny”, Betty finds herself fitting in with the young family, and completely adoring baby Charlie. But one night in 1932, young Charlie is snatched right from his bed and everyone, including Betty, is a suspect. Betty knows she is innocent, even though it doesn’t look that way, and she is forced to examine all of her colleagues and friends in a new light, in order to save herself.
“The Lindbergh Nanny” by Mariah Fredericks is, for all intents and purposes, a fiction novel. It is, obviously, based on real events and is even based on real people (including the nanny named Betty, who served the Lindberghs and was investigated when young Charlie went missing) but Fredericks admits to taking liberties with certain events and characters.
“Nanny” is told entirely from the perspective of Betty, and the reader learns about her upbringing, and the disastrous relationship that brought her to the United States, which ultimately thrust her into infamy. Betty is spunky, likable and completely charming, and I was instantly captivated by her. Fredericks ensures that all of the characters are equally suspicious (even though the real culprit has long since been found out), which provided intense intrigue and drama to an already rich plot.
I do not know much about the Lindbergh case, so this novel provided me with previously unknown information, which I always appreciate. “Nanny” starts from Betty’s employment, and continues through the kidnapping and trial of the assumed suspect, so not a single event is missed. Fredericks is a talented writer, and the fact that “Nanny” is only her second adult novel was a shock to me. She definitely has the writing chops to go a long way and I hope she continues writing in this genre. Fredericks brings a fresh new voice to the Lindbergh trial, providing compassion and humanity to such a devastating crime.

Its hard not to have it heard of the Lindberghs and tragic death of their son. The viewpoint of the situation from the nanny's point of view is rather interesting. Her unique view gives light to the Lindbergh couple and their life. Interesting read.

Most people have heard of the most famous baby to go missing in the United States. With all the money the Lindbergh family had, they still couldn't ascertain what happened to their son. As with most crimes, the first suspects were those closest to the family. Mariah Fredricks gives us the Lindbergh Nanny, a historical fiction book told from Betty Gow's perspective. She was the last to be with the baby and the first to discover him missing.

From the book blurb: "Suddenly a suspect in the eyes of both the media and the public, Betty must find the truth about what really happened that night, in order to clear her own name—and to find justice for the child she loves."

First sentence: I can see the house. But not all of it and certainly not how you get there from here.

This is my first book from Mariah Fredrick and I very much enjoyed it. Part historical fiction and part mystery, Fredrick gives us an insiders look into the Lindbergh family. I must admit that I hadn't given much thought about the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby before reading this book and yet, I was masterfully sucked in within the first few chapters of Fredricks book. From the very first sentence, I knew this would be an upstairs downstairs look into the 1930s opulent life and tragedy of the Lindbergh family.

Betty Gow, a scottish immigrant, must learn the rules of her new homeland. She finds Colonel Lindbergh eccentric and often odd, Mrs. Lindbergh kind yet nervous, and Charlie simply a darling. Far from home and bruised from a love affair gone horribly wrong, Betty finds comfort in her care for Charles Jr. and warms to the attentions of handsome sailor Henrik, sometimes known as Red. Then the unthinkable happens and Charlie disappears.

Fredricks Gow demonstrates strength and dignity, as well as showing her fears and vulnerability throughout the novel. She is wholely likeable.

Fredricks is a master at characterization. I love how she portrays the entire household staff, as well as the Morrows and Lindberghs. I suspected everyone at some point in the novel, This is a MUST read for anyone who has heard the story of the Lindberghs or just loves a good historical fiction tale. Read the book and then stay to read more in the fact vs fiction from Fredricks at the very end. There's no doubt Fredricks has done her research.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St.Martins Press Minotaur Books and Mariah Fredricks for a gripping story, taken from the real-life headlines of the past.

The Lindbergh Nanny is a historical fiction about the kidnapping and murder of Charles Lindbergh Jr. told from the perspective of the nanny, Betty Gow. I don’t know much about this story, so this was a very interesting read for me. I found the details in the end notes about what the author embellished and what she took from fact from other books to be quite helpful. Overall, this was an interesting take on the story and makes me wonder what really did happen, as it bears repeating that the full details and people involved in the case may never be known. I was extremely into the characters as they were very well written with lots of depth. Overall an interesting story for someone who doesn’t know much about the case!
Thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was really interesting. I knew the story of the Lindbergh baby and it's always interested me and so this title already had my attention.

I was captivated from the start, drawn into the time period and the storyline. I believe that this book is a great book for anyone that looks historical fiction and has an interesting in this tragic but interesting case.

Historical fiction about the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby in 1932.
The Lindberghs were a well known, well to do family whose baby was kidnapped in 1932. The investigation spanned many years, resulting in an arrest, but this is an account of the events from the inside of the home.

This is historical fiction, but the author points out that she tries to stick as closely to the details as possible. It is told from the POV of Betty, the child's nanny. She was the last one to see the baby alive and the one to discover he was missing. While someone was arrested and executed for the kidnapping and subsequent death of the infant, there were some details that were never worked out. For example, all of the ransom money was not recovered. There was also a lot of speculation about how the kidnapper knew where to find the baby and thoughts that he may have had a connection on the inside.

I enjoyed learning more about this famous kidnapping. This account is told from the POV of the baby's nanny Betty Gow. It is interesting to hear perspectives from those who lived and worked in the home.

Not having grown up in America, I only knew the outline of the story of the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby, no details.

This novel takes the facts of the story as reported by the press of the time, and creates an explanation of what happened using the real people involved. As the truth was never known, this is a fictionalized plot.

We follow the life of Betty Gow, a young lady from Scotland who becomes the nanny of the young Charles Lindbergh junior. I liked the way the book focused on her, what she sees and does, how she fits into this famous family. After the baby has been kidnapped, we live the investigation through Betty's eyes and we see her start to question her fellow family employees moves and motives, as she suspects one and then another. She comes under considerable scrutiny herself, and we see just how harrowing that was.

I found it a fascinating book, and could see how the conclusions were drawn. My only misgiving was knowing that this is the author's opinion of what may have happened. and assigns acts and even blame to people who's families must have lived with the notoriety of their connections with the Lindbergh family for all of these years. People who may well have been innocent of what this author believes.

I must admit, I did not know much about the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby before reading this book. I knew of it, but I did not know any details. I was intrigued by the idea of this major historical event being retold through the eyes of Betty Gow, the nanny tasked to take care of Charles, Jr., but I had no idea how engrossed I would be as I read this novel. This book is full of detailed research, blended with the author’s own creative ideas based on real possibilities, and weaves a tale of mystery behind what really happened on that fateful night on March 1, 1932.

The character development was fantastic. I felt like I was living through the whole tragedy through Betty Gow’s eyes. Mariah Fredericks does a wonderful job portraying Betty’s strength and dignity, as well as showing her fears and vulnerability throughout the novel. I loved how Fredericks fleshed out the characters of the household staff, as well as the Morrows and Lindberghs. I suspected everyone at some point in the novel, but I refrained from reading the details surrounding the actual kidnapping and trial until after I finished the book. I'm glad that I did, because not knowing the details added to the overall suspense of this book! I also recommend reading the author’s additional notes on the real history of the case vs. what she portrayed in the novel. This was a fascinating take on the Lindbergh kidnapping, and I highly enjoyed it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this advanced copy!

This is a fictional novel, based on the true story of the kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh Jr (son of the famous pilot). It's written from the perspective of his nanny, Betty Gow.

Though there were a few places that were hard to follow and a few characters I couldn't seem to remember who they were, this could have been part of the nature of an e-book - harder to flip back and forth.

Overall, an entertaining read though it got kind of long and drawn out toward the end.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur for the chance to read and review this book prior to release.

Prior to reading this book, I knew of Charles Lindbergh only from what I learned in school about his aviation successes. I had somehow never heard of the story of the kidnapping of his 20 month old son in the 1930s.

This is a historical fiction retelling of the Linbergh's story. There's some truth and some fiction, but I was captivated by the story told from the nanny's perspective.

If you're unfamiliar with the story, do NOT Google it before reading: you will enjoy it much more if you go in blind!

Mariah Fredericks did an excellent job of making the story new and exciting while still respecting that these were real people enduring tragedy. I appreciated how she distinguished between fact and fiction at the end of the book. It's easy to see she really did her research and sought to make this as historically accurate as possible.

This book will be available for purchase on November 15th!

Betty Gow has taken a job to nanny for one of the world’s most famous family, The Lindbergh’s. She is a Scottish immigrant living in New Jersey in 1932. Soon after she takes on the new job, Charles Lindbergh, Jr’s (Charlie) parents take an extended vacation and Betty has all the responsibilities to stay back and watch the young baby.

Betty has also met a young sailor Henrik, known as Red. Soon after Charlie is kidnapped. Betty and Henrick become suspects. Betty must find out what happened to clear their names.

Such a gripping story, taken from the headlines. We all know how the real story ended.

Available November 15th.

This is a fascinating fictional account of the famous Lindbergh kidnapping and the possible role of the baby’s nanny, Betty. I’ve heard of the kidnapping but did not know many details, so this account definitely held my interest and gave a description of the actual people involved. Although this is historical fiction, suspense definitely figures into the plot as well and it moves along quickly. The author notes at the end the accuracy of her fictional account and how in reality, some things were different, which was enlightening and forthright. This will be a huge hit with book clubs.