This book was amazing! I really enjoyed the dramatized perspective of the nurse/nanny Betty Gow. This kidnapping mystery surrounding Hauptmann acting along or actually being the perpetrator of the crime has always intrigued me.

My favorite section was the afterword from the author pertaining to what was fact and what was fictionalization. This was a very well researched book.

This was very worth the time, and I would recommend this book to any non-fiction reader as well as historical fiction reader.

Thank you very much to Net Galley and the publisher for allowing me an ARC for review. It was greatly appreciated!

Such a heartbreaking story that captured the interest of the entire nation. After finishing the book I find myself wanting to know the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth but unfortunately that can never be. Thank you to Mariah Fredericks, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for providing me with an arc of this book, published today, and giving me something to ponder and something to further research to sate my curiosity. Job well done.

Scottish immigrant, Betty Gow, is hired to care for the infant baby boy of Charles and Anne (Morrow)Lindbergh. This is a well researched book combining fact and fiction as it focuses on the past and present life of Betty, her devotion to young Charlie and his subsequent kidnapping. All employees of the Lindbergh’s household become suspects in Charlie’s kidnapping. When it becomes evident that there had to have been help from an inside source, the most logical suspect is the nanny Betty Gow, the last person to have been with Charlie as she tucked him into bed that night. Without any concrete evidence the media quickly focused on Betty, plastering her photo across newspapers worldwide and as a result she is tried and convicted in the public’s opinion. Betty knows how much she adored little Charlie and is determined to prove her innocence and find out who was behind this heinous crime. The author’s notes at the end of the book separates fact from fiction and provides sources for the reader to go further into the facts of the “crime of the century”.

Thanks to Minotaur for the free book.
Since I first heard of the Lindbergh kidnapping in middle school, this unfortunate tragedy has stuck with me. This book was such an interesting look into this case told from a different perspective. Betty Gow was the one responsible for Charlie Lindbergh's care during the day. This book brought her story to life. With every step along the way, I was involved into this person and her story. I appreciated the viewpoint of the staff and how working for the Lindbergh's might've been and also how they were impacted by this case. It was easy to care for Betty and what happened to her after this tragedy. I also enjoyed the parts of the book that the author took liberties with. I think her theories are interesting and added some answers to the story. At the end, there is a part that goes deep into what is fact vs. fiction, which I appreciated. I recommend this to historical fiction fans.

I have read Mariah Frederick’s Jane Prescott series and absolutely love them and have been looking forward to the next in the series. So when her new book was a stand alone featuring the Lindbergh kidnapping and the nanny involved I was curious and requested it on Netgalley. Thank you Minotaur Books for DRC in exchange for my honest review.

I didn’t know a lot about the family, the nanny or the kidnapping and am glad I didn’t. The books contains much detail about all and could feel a bit dense with the details even with this limited knowledge. I appreciated seeing the events unfold from the nanny’s perspective. What a situation to be in and with a family so adores by the public at the time.

I found this well written but long. At times my mind wondered as I just lost interest in all the details. It could just be where I am in my reading life but I would have enjoyed this more if it was condensed and more concise.

I’m glad I picked up and will certainly be reading future books by the author. Unfortunately this one and I were not a perfect fit.

I struggled getting into this one, and, to be totally honest, it was a DNF for me for NOW. I think given everything going on in my personal life (hello, Hurricane Ian), a serious book like this wasn't something I was able to focus on. Once we get going again and the print copies I ordered roll in, I'm excited to give this one another change and recommend it to readers.

Read/Listen If You Like:
🇺🇸 American Historical Fiction
👶 Child Abduction Stories
💰 Weathly Americans
👩🏼‍🍼 Single POV

My Thoughts:
I did not realize at first that this book was based on an actual event in history. When I found this out I ended up on the FBI website reading all about this child abduction case.

This book was definitely so interesting to get a historical fiction version of something that I didn’t even know happened in American History. I loved that it came from the Nanny’s perspective too as that was unique and you could tell the author truly did a lot of research in order to write this one.

This is my first time reading a historical fiction thriller and I loved it! I went into this without knowing anything about the Lindbergh’s and I would definitely recommend doing so. Not knowing what was going to happen next or who was responsible really added to the suspense of the story. I also really liked being able to compare the real story in the end to this one and the author does a great job of breaking down what was fact and what was fiction at the end of the book.

I felt like this book was all about the plot. The characters that are introduced are done so really on a surface level and I didn’t feel like we get to know any one really well. I did think that this added a lot to the suspense though and as a reader I kept thinking that I didn’t know anyone well enough to completely see them as likely innocent or guilty.

I really enjoyed this book overall and will definitely be diving into some more hist fic mysteries in the future!

The Lindbergh Nanny was such a fascinating, interesting read. I love unique historical fiction that touches on something I think I know about, but in truth know very little. I totally took to google multiple times while I was reading to see pictures and learn more. I think it is so interesting that people still know about this horrific story about a baby with famous parents being kidnapped all these years later. In today’s world of mass media coverage, paparazzi and social media, it’s easy to imagine the media frenzy surrounding such a case, but this happened in the 1930s before all of that existed and it still managed to capture the fascination of Americans everywhere, causing the Lindbergh staff to be scrutinized and cast into the media circus that followed.

This story is told through the eyes of Betty Gow, who is hired to care for Charlie. She has a tainted past and a few secrets, deals with very strict rules on how Charlie’s expected to be raised while they are absent for months on end and very distant from Charlie’s day to day life. Betty loved Charlie. It was interesting experiencing her world and watching the events unfold.

I think fans of historical fiction will love this story. It humanizes something that was just a news story before and makes you question what more happened the night Charlie was kidnapped. It’s well written, with interesting details, yet feels personal at the same time.

Thanks to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the advanced digital copy of the book The Lindbergh Nanny is out now - released on November 15!

I didn’t realize how much I was going to like this book!

It is never easy to read about a missing child. However, the author did an excellent job making the story about the nanny and her interaction with the Lindbergh family instead of sensationalizing the crime itself. I felt sympathetic for the nanny, Betty Gow, and devastated for everyone involved.

This true story of Betty Gow and the Lindbergh family is fascinating to read. It isn’t non-fiction, but it has the feel of a non-fiction book. I enjoyed the unique perspective of hearing the story in Betty Gow’s voice.

I always like author’s notes in historical fiction books to fill in the fact vs. fiction backstory. I appreciate that the author added additional information from her research, it was much appreciated and enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

4.5 rounded up

The Lindbergh Nanny is a blend of fiction and fact surrounding the kidnapping of the Linbergh's son. This stories main focus is about the Nanny that loved Charlie dearly. The author exposes her past, and details how she came to be young Charlie's guardian as his parents traveled the world.

All fingers point to Nanny after the child's disappearance. This emotional story takes the reader through the aftermath and its resolution while giving a glimpse into this couples eccentric lifestyle. I'd never heard of this case, and went down the rabbit hole to look-up information on the case.

Fascinating, in-depth story that explores rumors, facts and new findings.

Thank you Minotaur Books for the complimentary copy.

Very intrigued by the concept of this. Famous kidnapping seen through the eyes of the nanny. At times it felt dull to me and took me a bit to get through.

Thank you NetGalley for eARC in exchange for honest review

When Scottish immigrant Betty Gow is hired as a nanny for little Charlie – the child of the famous Charles Lindbergh – she feels fortunate to land such a prized position. She grows quite fond of little Charlie, although she doesn’t always see eye to eye with Mr. Lindbergh’s style of parenting. Betty also feels a bit of a kinship with Mrs. Lindbergh, who she feels gives in to her husband even when she doesn’t agree. Working in a household for a family alongside other servants isn’t always easy. You hear things, people gossip, and all Betty can do is try to stay neutral. Then, tragedy strikes and suddenly not only is Betty suspected of wrongdoing, but she begins to suspect everyone around her as well.

THE LINDBERGH NANNY by Mariah Fredericks is a masterfully written novel that will keep you up late into the night. The historical detail is spot on and her representation of the characters is perfect. Written through the eyes of the nanny, Betty Gow, you see and feel everything she does. How horrible it must have been to be suspected of such a terrible crime when in reality she adored little Charlie – possibly more than his own parents. You really do feel transported back to that moment in time and see it all as it plays out.

I highly recommend this novel – if you love biographical fiction, you will enjoy this novel.

The famous kidnapping of Charlie, the Lindbergh's baby, is seen through the eyes of his nanny, Betty. The investigators into Charlie's disappearance naturally look at Betty as a suspect, and she tries to find out the truth to clear herself.

Based partially on transcripts and known facts and partially on the author's imagination, this novel paints a portrait of the young woman tasked with caring for the infant son of America's hero, Charles Lindbergh. Partly out of loyalty to her young charge whom she loved and partly out of self-preservation as the entire household comes under suspicion when it becomes evident an insider had to be in on the crime, Betty Gow is determined to find out what really happened. This book is both a gripping tale of a young woman caught up in tragic circumstances beyond her control and a fascinating insider's look at "the crime of the century."

Interesting look at the Lindbergh kidnapping from the point of view of the nanny. Which isn't something I have read before so it was neat.

The Lindbergh Nanny - Mariah Fredericks
I didn't know much about the Lindbergh's or the Lindbergh Baby though I had heard it mentioned here and there. So I was glad to read The Lindbergh Nanny by Mariah Fredericks. Though this is a story of historical fiction, there are many truths to this tale as well. This book introduces us to Betty Gow, little Charlie's nanny, her relationship with Charlie, the Lindbergh's and the staff. I found it all very interesting and I can't imagine how Betty must have felt knowing she was the last one (besides the killer) to see the baby alive. She had grown so close with him, almost as if he were her own child at times. I do think some of the characters in the story seem a bit far-fetched and I have no idea of the authenticity of these characters. But it did make the story quite interesting. I ended up doing a bit of my own research on the Lindbergh's after I had read this book. If you enjoy historical fiction and remember the Lindbergh Baby, you should definitely check out The Lindbergh Nanny.

I had high hopes for this. But the plot was like wading through mud. In fact, I found the endnotes--about the real nanny and the fact vs fiction in the book--more interesting than the novel itself.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had such grand hopes for this book. I love historical fiction, and have always wondered about the Lindbergh baby. But this book did not come close to meeting my expectations. The writing was dull, the storyline boring. It read more like a textbook.

The Lindbergh Nanny by Mariah Fredericks is a great historical fiction that kept me engaged and on my toes from beginning to end.

This is an amazing book that centers around the true existence of Betty Gow, the nanny (or nurse) of Charlie Lindbergh, the young child kidnapped and murdered in the 1930s. This is her story.

I knew of the case in general, but honestly I knew little else. By reading this I have learned so much! The author does a fantastic job creating a fictional story based on true elements, facts, and people. Her ability to weave fiction into fact, and make it real, raw, and evoke such emotions, is beyond impressive.

I loved the information at the end regarding the end of Betty’s life and the author’s use of fact vs fiction. It added a lot of important detail to the novel.

I highly recommend this gem!