I had heard of the Lindbergh kidnapping but didn’t know much about it so this was an interesting read. There is a lot of interesting information about the case that captivated the nation and the author tries to stick to the facts as much as possible. I always love it when an author incorporates real life characters into a book so I really enjoyed that aspect of this novel. Betty Gow is the type of strong female lead that I love to read about in historical fiction. Most of this book was really interesting. The last quarter of the book is not all that exciting but I think the authors intention was to be as true to actual events as possible. There is one big twist near the end that was really interesting!

This is the story of the investigation of the infamous kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh. The story is told from the lens of the toddler's Scottish nanny, Betty Gow, who is not above suspicion.
The Lindbergh Nanny gives snapshots of the Lindbergh family and each staff member that works for the family. In my opinion, the pacing was rather slow, and the story didn't glean anything new relating to the infamous and nearly century old case.
I listened to the audio version which was executed fairly well.
I recommend the novel to readers with little to no knowledge of the kidnapping.

I read this book for NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The LIndbergh Nanny is a nifty blend of history and fiction. The infamous kidnapping is told from the nanny's point of view and we are given a fascinating and in-depth look into the workings of the Lindbergh family and very large staff.. The nanny, Betty Gow, finds herself at the center of this infamous event and we see how the kidnapping of Charlie Lindbergh changes her life.. Although this is a fictionalized account, Mariah Fredericks", thorough research and eye for detail brings a fresh perspective to this tragic event.. The narration was spot on and the nuanced reading made it easy to follow the vast cast of characters.

The Lindbergh Nanny was a book that sounded really interesting. And it was!
This book educated me about history in the US after the great depression. I knew that Charles Lindbergh was a big deal, but I had no idea how big of a deal. The information about Anne Morrow, Lindbergh's wife, and her family were all new to me. Her family had a lot of hired help that was discussed in the book which was fun to learn about.
The book also explains about the life of Betty, the nanny, before, during and after the kidnapping. She was a great nanny for little Charlie, a stable person in his life. She loved him and he loved her. The time in the book before the kidnapping was interesting and fun. The author developing many interesting characters.
The kidnapping is still sad to me all these years later. I had never thought about how many lives were impacted by this one event.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a great job.

I really enjoyed this book! Mariah Fredericks did a fabulous job retelling the story of the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby in 1932. This story is so well written - emotional, thought provoking and very captivating! A must read in 2023. The story is told in first person POV from Betty Gow, the child's nanny. I listened to the audio book version and the narrator Penelope Rawlins did a terrific job! Historical fiction fans - this must be on your TBR list!
A special thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape media for an advance copy.

Absolutely a great book to start my year! This is my first read by Mariah Fredericks, and I want my hands on everything she's written. I loved the inner thoughts of the nanny in this tragic story and the new facts I learned about the Lindbergh family without it being an info dump. The author captivates the scenes, emotions, and horror of this murder case without being insensitive. The narrator did a great job. I was given this book by netgalley but not required to give a good review.

This book was okay. I found some parts a little boring but that’s because I just enjoy reading books aimed towards younger audiences.

I think that if you are older and enjoy history books you will enjoy this one.

I really enjoyed the narrator, their voice was perfect for the main character Betty.
It was also interesting to learn about a time in history that I had never heard of before and now I’m interesting in learning more about it.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC!

Betty is a Scottish immigrant who is ashamed and secretive of why she came to America. Despite this, she wins the trust of world famous aviator Charles Lindbergh and his wife, Anne Morrow Lindbergh enough to become nanny for their beloved Charlie. Betty delights in Charlie and caring for him while creating friendships and relationships with the other Lindbergh household workers.
When Charlie goes missing, the anxieties of those who care for him and the household is at odds with the suspicion of who would have given someone the information by which to take the baby.
Written based on studied information regarding the Lindbergh households, the kidnapping, and subsequent investigations, Mariah Fredericks weaves a mystery and absolution for the Lindbergh's nanny and provides speculation regarding the other household mysteries. A captivating book for anyone who has been interested by this mystery.

#netgalley
#arc
#thelindberghnanny

Reading historical fiction, especially about events one may not familiar with, sometimes makes the reader wonder what's real and what's not. The Lindbergh Nanny's author, Mariah Fredericks, does an excellent job of weaving an interesting story, then explaining exactly which parts are true and where liberties have been taken. It's a compelling tale of Betty Gow, who is hired by Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh to care for their first born son, Charles Jr. Fredericks does a wonderful job of taking Betty through the process of being hired, getting to know the family, and then the sense of loss she has when the baby is kidnapped. I also can't say enough wonderful things about the audiobook narrator, Penelope Rawlins. She is immensely talented, and tackles the job of numerous accents flawlessly. This was a pleasure to listen to, and I will look for more books from this author and narrator.

March 1, 1932, Charlie Lindenberg Jr. was taken from his room in the Lindberghs' Hopewell, New Jersey house that was under construction. That is all you need to know about the famous Lindenberg kidnapping to follow this novel. 

The narrator (playing Scotswoman/Nanny, Betty Gow) did a phenomenal accent and was engaging to listen to. The novel follows Betty as she tries to suss out who was a probable suspect(s) in the crime.

The author did a great job blending history and fiction to make this novel realistic sharing the viewpoint of the woman who saw him last, his nanny. Based on true facts but has fictional details you learn so much about The Lindbergh family's travels and lifestyle.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Lindbergh Nanny gives a view of this historical event from a fresh point of view. To have the opportunity to get to know the true nature of the people involved from the viewpoint of a central character is rare. Betty's courage and ethics coupled with her ability to comprehend and appreciate the sient intentions of those around her makes for a compelling page turner.
The narration is perfect for the characters and make this novel one that is hard to put down

THE LINDBERGH NANNY is a powerful propulsive novel about America's most notorious kidnapping through the eyes of the woman who found herself at the heart of this deadly crime.

Betty Got is the nanny to toddler Charles Lindbergh Jr, son to the Lindbergh family during the infamous kidnapping that takes place in 1932. I enjoyed this story, and while I knew little about the history of the kidnapping crime, I thought the plot was engaging and well paced.

I listened to the book on audio and really enjoyed the narration. While it was a sad tragedy in history, the author really did the research and it really came off as a true crime novel.

*many thanks to Dreamscape Media and netgalley for the gifted copy for review

This book is the story of the nanny, Betty Gow, who watched over toddler Charles Lindbergh Jr, the son of the Charles and Anne Lindbergh, during the time he was kidnapped in 1932. While the account is mostly fiction, it is based on true fact. The audio of this novel is delightful with several different members of the Lindbergh staff, who were friendly with Miss Gow, all conversing in their various accents.

I was not familiar with the story, other than the basics, so I found the tale and its its historic context interesting, Betty Gow is a charming and witty narrator, and you can't help empathizing with her character, given her love for her charge and her desire to do the best she can under strenuous circumstances.

The beginning of the book is rather slow, as it takes a while to set up the story prior to the kidnapping. Also, I didn't recognize the significance of all of Betty's social encounters in the early parts of the story because I wasn't aware of how big of a part these characters would play later during the kidnapping investigation. It was also a bit of a challenge for me to keep track of all of the staff in this audio version, and, for this reason, I think I would have preferred reading over listening.

If the case interests you and you enjoy historical fiction, I would recommend that you listen to or read this book. I expect you will enjoy it and find it well worth your time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape for providing an audiobook of this title in exchange for an honest review.

What an incredible behind the scenes look at one of the nations most infamous kidnapping cases. Admittedly I knew very little about the kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh Jr and the story behind the massive investigation into his disappearance. This was an incredible retelling of that horrific event told through the eyes of the nanny Betty Gow, how she met the Lindbergh's, the care they wanted for their child and the accusations that were hurled at her by the media. While this is considered a fictional book I was surprised by how closely it aligned with actual events. This was such an enjoyable to listen to and a fascinating yet horrific story that needed to be told.

I like the concept here and wanted to love the audiobook, but it’s not for me. Fans of historical fiction may disagree with me. Of course we need to know who the fictionalized Betty Gow is, and I did root for her. I believed she cared about Charlie and would defend him, and loved the scene where someone tried to push into the Lindbergh home. But it was just taking too long for my taste to get to the kidnapping and its aftermath. Anne Morrow Lindbergh seemed like she could be a fascinating character but I didn’t get to see enough. Charles, OTOH, I saw more than enough of, thanks. He is terrible. I really appreciate the Fact vs Fiction section at the end of the book.

Thank you to the author, Net Galley, and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

I enjoyed the Lindbergh Nanny. I knew of the kidnaping but not that much. It was interesting to learn more about it through Betty Gow, the nanny. I like the narrator and think she did a great job. It is such a sad tragic story. I like books that make me want to learn more about the story. And I did that with this book. I learned more about the Lindbergh's--I didn't know they had more children. If you like historical fiction and mysteries read this book.

This book. In this new stand alone book, The Lindbergh Nanny, we deal with the tragic story of the Lindbergh baby and the kidnapping. This book was full of rich character development and stunning research that really bought the story to life. The telling of the story from the view point of the baby’s nanny, Betty Gow, brought another level of emotion and intrigue to the story.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. First off I really liked the narrator. I felt like she did a very good job with all the different accents. Sometimes narrator's are hit and miss when you throw diffrent accents in there.
I really did enjoy this book. I just feel like it is just a bit too long. I honestly think that 5-6 hours of audio could have been cut and the story would have been great. I felt like the story was a bit too long and just needed to get on point more. I enjoyed the character's. I just found myself with a lot of the story bored.

Charles Lindbergh was an American military officer, inventor, and aviator who made the first nonstop flight from New York City to Paris in 1927. Lindbergh's daring trip made him an instant celebrity, and the pilot became a world-famous hero. Lindbergh's wife was Anne Morrow - of the immensely wealthy and powerful Morrow family - and the duo was dubbed 'the couple of the age.'

The Lindberghs' affluence and fame made them a target, and the couple's 20-month-old son Charles Jr. was kidnapped in 1932. Ransom demands followed, and the incident - called 'the crime of the century' - was investigated by a large number of law enforcement officials. Sadly, baby Charles' body was discovered a couple of months or so after the kidnapping, and authorities speculated that the boy was probably (accidentally) killed during the abduction.

The 'crime of the century' has been dissected, discussed, and written about ad infinitum. In this novel, author Mariah Fredericks takes a different approach, depicting the events from the viewpoint of young Charles' nanny, Betty Gow.

Though the book is fiction, Fredericks did her research, and much of the story is based on real people, and actual accounts of the abduction and investigation.


*****

Scotswoman Betty Gow followed her boyfriend Rob Coutts to America, in hopes of getting married. That didn't work out and Betty got the job of nanny to Charles and Anne Lindbergh's son Charles Jr. (Charlie). The Lindberghs were raising their son to be self-sufficient and independent, and Betty was instructed not to coddle the boy. Still, the Lindberghs would be away for months at a time, and Betty formed a strong bond with Charlie, who would cling to his beloved 'Beddy.'

Then on March 1, 1932, Charlie was taken from his room in the Lindberghs' Hopewell, New Jersey house that was under construction. At the time the Lindberghs rarely stayed at the unfinished home, preferring to remain at the Morrow mansion in Englewood, New Jersey. Thus the kidnapper(s) had to KNOW the family was in residence at Hopewell, and had to KNOW where Charlie slept. A ladder was used to access Charlie's bedroom - whose window shutter didn't close properly - and the child was spirited away.

The crime was immediately seen as requiring inside information, and many people came under suspicion, including the Lindberghs' and Morrows' staff: butler, chauffeurs, maids, cooks, housekeeper, handyman, gardener, and so on. Unfortunately for nanny Betty, she was the last person to see Charlie AND she discovered the toddler was missing. Thus Betty was questioned relentlessly, as was her boyfriend, Norwegian sailor Henrik Johnson. The police speculated that - even if the staff members were innocent - their loose lips and carelessness may have aided the kidnapper(s).

The book, narrated from Betty's point of view, explores the crime; the steps taken by investigators; the ransom demands and payments; the assistance offered by gangsters and others; the effects of the inquiries on the people interrogated; the finding of the body; and more. Betty was especially vilified by the press and public, though the Lindberghs insisted their staff was innocent. Nevertheless, the ongoing suspicion ruined many lives and Betty - who returned to Scotland - was viewed askance and never married.

In real life, German-born Bruno Richard Hauptmann was hanged for the abduction and murder of Charles Lindbergh Jr.

In the novel, Betty - who dearly loved little Charlie - tries to suss out who helped Hauptmann. The book names the probable suspect(s), but of course this is speculative.

It's interesting to see 'the crime of the century' from the perspective of the nanny who was so intimately involved with young Charlie. For people interested in the Lindbergh incident, this is a book well worth reading.

The audiobook is narrated by Penelope Rawlins, who does a fine job.

Thanks to Netgalley, Mariah Fredericks, and Dreamscape Media for a copy of the audiobook.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the chance to listen to this audiobook. It was interesting and I am grateful that I got the chance to read it. The narrator did a good job; she reminded me of someone from a show on the BBC.