I enjoyed listening to this on audio and thank NetGalley, the publisher, Dreamscape Media, and author, Mariah Fredericks, for this Arc.

It’s always both sad and intriguing to read about such a heinous crime of a child abduction in the early 1930’s. I grew up hearing about this sad event in the news or book clubs overtime. It’s definitely important to learn about this in honor of the missing boy Charlie Lindbergh. I was often surprised at how calm and reserved the lovely woman/mother, and talented author and aviator, Anne Morrow Lindbergh appeared bc I would have been a raving crazy lunatic. I’ve read several of her books and highly recommend her. I also wondered how on earth she ended up marrying CL bc they seemed vastly different in personalities and generosity of mind.

This was a highly researched and detailed book that included numerous characters, including the Scottish nanny, Betty, who became a prime suspect to numerous staff members, acquaintances, and people involved with the Lindbergh’s in the slightest way possible.

I enjoyed the Scottish woman narrator Penelope Rawlins a lot and felt very immersed in the story through her eyes and lovely accent.

It’s a compelling read regardless and I highly recommend both the audio and print. As I mentioned, it’s a very detailed story that is based on true facts but dappled with the author’s fictional details. Be sure to listen to the author commentary at the end of the audio!!!! So good!!

Here is a blurb from the publisher Dreamscape Media:
A Scottish immigrant deciphering the rules of her new homeland and its East Coast elite, Betty 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 caring for the child, and warms to the attentions of handsome sailor Henrik, sometimes known as Red. Then, Charlie disappears.

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.

I am of two minds here. The source material is quite well known and has been rehashed over and over. Everyone who knows the story has opinions. I was looking for a new take on the subject and the story being told through the eyes of the nanny was intriguing. When all was said and done, I don’t know if this book added anything to an already well discussed crime. I found myself wishing there was something new here. Sure, some characters and conspiracies were thrown in where they didn’t exist. Still, it was like reading an account of something you saw happen. The nanny herself was a pretty shallow character. She didn’t have a lot to offer and the story didn’t get interesting until the trial. It is really hard to get yourself excited to read when you know not only a child is going to die, but that this was a real child. I wanted to be far more interested in this than I was.

Like the awful gawkers at the trial I expected more drama. Lindbergh and the Morrows were very buttoned up. Only 1 suspect cracked under pressure. I didn't understand why the ransom exchange failed. The toddler was angelic and the nanny had a lovely Scottish accent. I enjoyed it and always appreciate when an historical fiction author tells us at the end which parts were factual. Thank you netgalley for my advance audio copy

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. Recently I had learned more about the Lindbergh baby kidnapping and it broke my heart. As usual for me, when I read or hear about something in history, I have to then research as much about it as possible. This case was no exception. So when I found out a historical fiction version of the story was being brought to us by Mariah Fredericks I was excited. The Lindbergh Nanny is told from the perspective of Betty Gow, the nanny who cared for young Charlie for most of his short life. The two were possibly as close as a mother and son as Betty was often left for long periods of time with the boy. And he was a beautiful little boy. If you haven't seen his pictures, look them up online. The chubby little boy with the beautiful blonde curls! Knowing what Betty, Charlie and his parents looked like in real life, made this book feel so very real. I want to give this book kudos for the pacing. It gives us quite a lot of time with the baby boy and Betty, establishing their connection. Then we have the events of the kidnapping, the discovery of his body a couple months later, and then the trial. It all unfolds very well. The narrator did a great job with the audiobook as well. As always with historical fiction about real people, there are going to be changes made and facts altered. The author gives a couple of nice addendums at the end of the book. They tell about the real Betty Gow and the things the author changed in creating this book. My only minor complaint is that I think there were some pieces of the real story that didn't need to necessarily be changed and I would have liked to have seen those included. Still I really enjoyed this quite a lot and will read more from this author in the future.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5098984235?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

I quit listening to this audiobook after hearing the f-word used a couple times. Don’t need to hear that.

This is an unbelievable book that focuses around the true existence of Betty Gow, the nanny of Charlie Lindbergh, the young child kidnapped and murdered in the 1930s. Throughout the book, we learn of
the nanny as she narrates her days and months with the Lindberghs before and after the kidnapping and during the trial.
We know what happened, and who was convicted of the crime, but now the author gives us a list of those who were on the inside. Was justice really served???
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
details to the novel.
Thanks to Net Galley and
the Publisher St. Martin's Press for this ARC.

This story was a very detailed account and based mostly on truth. That is what makes this so powerful. I didn’t know much about the Lindbergh baby kidnapping before reading this. This story was told from Betty, Charlie’s nanny’s, point of view. Her love for the child and her devastation when he went missing was apparent. The heartbreak she felt when the world turned against her claiming she was the guilty one was awful. The trial scenes were fascinating, and I enjoyed reading them. The narrator did a fantastic job in this audiobook. Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend to anyone who wants to learn more about the Lindbergh kidnapping.

Although this is an interesting topic, I had a hard time connecting to the story, which made it hard to get through this book.

This tells the story of the true crime that took place in Hopewell, New Jersey, in 1932 at the home of the famous Lindbergh aviators involving the kidnapping/murder of their young son, Charlie.
The story is told through the eyes of Betty Gow, the nanny who was in charge of caring for Charlie at the time of the kidnapping. This grabbed my attention instantly with the learning about Betty's poor life growing up and how she came to be with the Lindberghs. The story made me fall in love with little Charlie and my heart breaks for all that knew him. I had first looked into this case after reading Murder on the Orient Express. I knew that at some point some of the Lindbergh staff had been suspected of being involved but did not realize the extent. It seems like everyone has something to gain from the ransom money demanded for little Charlie. While the story was told from Betty's point of view, each character was given an extensive backstory that drew me in. This story moved me and gave me chills. It is sad to know that we will probably never know the complete truth about who all was involved with the kidnapping of this sweet little boy. A heart wrenching but fascinating story!
I also thing the narrator was an excellent choice for this . I enjoyed the authors notes at the end that helped clarify a lot of the fact from fiction in this tale. It seems she has definitely done her research! I hope this author continues to do more books like this! Highly recommend!
Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to listen to an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

The Lindbergh Nanny by Mariah Fredericks is a moving, relatively accurate account of before, during, and after the Lindbergh kidnapping. There have been many theories about what happened, many wondering if the correct man was captured and accused. This is primarily the story of the nanny, Betty Gow, who had come from Scotland, mostly at the behest of her boyfriend, whom she had joined in Detroit. That had not worked out when she discovered she was not special; that he had many women. She interviewed for and was hired by the Lindberghs to care of their son, Charlie. Col. Lindbergh had many strange ideas about how to treat a toddler and Betty tried to follow his rules, even when common sense told her better. She loved this little boy and respected the Lindberghs. Then tragedy struck. For a while they had hope, even paid a ransom. Then everything fell apart as a body was found, not far from the house. Betty was the first to identify the him, hoping to lessen the Lindbergh’s pain, especially if it was not Charlie. The second part of the book was the investigation, how it focused on the employees, and the misery it caused. Betty’s Norwegian boyfriend was deported, although not involved with the kidnapping, caught up in the investigation. It was a time of misery with the police berating them, individually and as a group. The focus turned to what one of them might have said to someone by accident, not knowing what would happen.

This was a well-written, well-researched piece of Americana. The personalities of each of the players was written in to the story so well, it was almost like reading non-fiction, except it was more readable. The striking difference in the lifestyles of the Lindbergh/Morrow servants, regular people, and the Lindberghs was striking. Such a class system in a country that had struggled to eliminate class. Nearly all of the servants were immigrants, and white. Another amazing fact. The police made no effort to be kind or even fair, most of them. They were rude and accusatory and never forgot who their clients were. It was in interesting historical piece. I enjoyed every moment of it. And I learned so much.

The narrator was Penelope Rawlins who was so good I thought it was multiple narrators. She deserves every honor she can get for portraying Betty with an excellent Scottish accent and all the others with appropriate accents, without resorting to funny voices. She is the best narrator I’ve listened to of late.

I was invited to listen a free e-ARC of the audio version The Lindbergh Nanny by Dreamscape Media, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #DreamscapeMedia #PenelopeRawlins #MariahFredericks #TheLindberghNanny

I am obsessed with the Lindbergh baby case, and when I saw the advance synopsis, I knew this would be a must read/must listen, and it didn’t disappoint. This fresh take from the new perspective of Betty Gow, aka The Lindbergh Nanny, alternates between heartbreaking and leaving you questioning everything you thought you knew. We all know the basic facts of this tragic story, but, told from Betty Gow’s point of view, it again becomes intriguing and compelling.

I went into this not knowing any of the Lindbergh personal history. I know it's fiction, but I really dislike the Lindbergh's. Anne annoyed me, but I also felt like she was just following along. The nanny, Betty Gow, was a great character. I guess with fiction she can be, but I'd like to believe that she was as sweet and caring in real life too. Good writing. Great narration. Story was well put together. If we could give 3.5 starts I would. The reason the stars are in the 3s is because I feel like there were moments that were very slow and misleading. I thought the story was going to go a certain way and then it didn't. Also, I thought leading up to the baby's kidnapping I was intrigued, meanwhile during I saw less of Betty as the focus was just on the actual facts. I did enjoy that in the end there was a resolution, unlike in real life.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the arc!

4.5/5
Warning Spoilers
I would first like to state that I dislike Charles Lindbergh greatly! He’s such a tool! He thinks he is gods gift the the earth ugh barf! Let the child be independent, what the fuck he is less then a year old. His joke to move the baby!! What is his problem, he’s a fucking prick. But to put him in the closet in the room she really shouldn’t have gone in. Asshole! If he wasn’t actually this foolish then bravo to Mariah Fredericks for eliciting such a response from me!

Ok now that that rant is over let’s continue with the review! I listen to this on audio book and I absolutely loved the narrator Penelope Rawlins! She did such a good job representing the emotions that Betty was going through whether she was dealing with her brothers death or the kidnapping.

This was a wonderfully written novel and it had me hooked from the very first chapter. Betty’s relationship with Charles was wonderful to listen to and the hardships she had to deal with were enormous. From being stranded in Maine with Charles to the actual kidnapping I loved listening to her story and how she grew through out.

Thank you NetGalley, Penelope Rawlins and dreamscape media for an advanced copy to listen to. These are my honest thoughts and review.

Dear The Lindbergh Nanny,
You are one of the reasons I love historical fiction. I didn't really know much about the kidnapping of Charlie Lindbergh. I didn't know that his body was found, that his death was deemed accidental, or that his killer was even caught. All I knew was that Lindberg was famous, and that his baby was kidnapped. You taught me so much about the infamous case, and how muddied all of it was for those closest to the Lindbergh family. I loved getting to know Betty Gaow and her struggles with responsibility and guilt related to the crime. I was angered, but sadly not surprised, at the treatment of both Betty and Violet by the police and the media, villanizing them both because of lifestyle choices. I have stayed away from historical fiction for a while, but you got me over my slump and I am looking forward to diving back into the genre

Very well written account of an event I'd heard of but didn't know much about. It kept me guessing. Loved it!

I enjoy contemporary true crime, but I’ve never looked into the Lindbergh case. This book has great accurate details, but mixes them in with excellent storytelling.

Betty Gow has immigrated to the United States and has a bit of a storied past. She finds work nannying for the Lindberghs and becomes known as the Lindbergh nanny. A good chunk of this book covers her time as their nanny before Charlie Lindbergh goes missing. After that, suspicion falls on Betty.

Consider this a content warning: As a mom of a child around this age, the whole book made me uneasy; that’s a personal problem. Specifically, you go into this story knowing that the little boy is going to die. It’s painful to listen to Betty talk about how fond she is of him, and describe his little curls and antics. It felt like the ascent on a roller coaster; I knew the bottom was about to fall out of my stomach.

Would recommend if you like historical fiction and true crime, I enjoyed the narration of the Audiobook as well.

The Lindbergh Nanny by Mariah Fredericks
Narrated by Penelope Rawlins

I've known about the Lindbergh baby kidnapping for as long as I can remember but there is really little that I knew about it other than that his father and mother were wealthy and famous and that the story is so very sad. With this audiobook I was thrown into the center of the baby's life via Betty Gow, the nanny of Charlie. The story is told to us by Betty and even though she is flawed she is also well meaning and she loved baby Charlie as if he were her own.

Since listening to the book I have researched the Lindbergh baby kidnapping and I think the author did a fine job with this book. It's easy to understand how hard life was for Betty and the people on the lower rungs of society, especially those who came from other countries, looking for a chance to start over and work toward a better life than they had before. Really though, a servant's life didn't have much chance of turning into something more. It's understandable that Betty would want to find comfort and a feeling of being wanted as the girlfriend of handsome Henry, a Norwegian sailor.

When we meet Betty, so much has already gone wrong for her that the story seems imbued with a sense of dread and foreboding. The strict and hands off way that Charles Lindbergh wanted his baby raised was disconcerting as was the fact that both parents were willing to go off for long periods of time, leaving their in the hands of a brand new nanny who was a stranger to them just a short time earlier. Yet Betty had to walk the tightrope of giving Charlie the love and attention a baby deserves without letting it become evident that the little boy couldn't help but be more attached to the nanny that spent so much time with him than he was to his absentee mother.

Penelope Rawlins does a wonderful job of narrating this story. Betty is living such an emotional roller coaster throughout the book. There are guilt feeling for things in the past, there is hope that this time she can get it right both with her job and with a new beau, temporary as she thinks he'll be for her. There is the love that she feels for baby Charlie and the tightrope she must walk around Charles Lindbergh and his wife. There are all the social pitfalls that come with being seen as too standoffish or two chummy with the other servants. Despite the upsetting subject matter, I enjoyed watching Betty do her best to caretake little Charlie and later to do what she can to ferret out the insider that might have allowed this crime to happen.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for this ARC.

THE LINDBERGH NANNY
Mariah Fredericks

I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t this.

THE LINDBERGH NANNY written by Mariah Fredericks is a historical fiction mystery that is not wholly fictitious and inherently not mysterious. The book is loosely based on the 1932 Lindbergh kidnapping case, specifically the Lindbergh’s nanny-Betty Gow, and her involvement.

It took me a good amount of time to latch on to the story.

The first thing I noticed was a lack of connection with the characters. It was almost as if you were reading from behind a veil. I cannot imagine anything more emotionally driven than the situation these characters were in, yet they were tepid, flat, emotionless, and seemed to be going through the motions. I can only assume that it was intentional that we interpret their behavior this way.

However intentional it was, it read like it was researched and came across at first as a rather dry and boring reading experience. Once I caught on to the writing style and reconciled with the fact that I’d be questioning my memory of the case throughout the duration of the book, I settled into a groove and enjoyed the rest of my time.

In conclusion, I felt that the author struggled with the constraints of writing a fictional novel about historical people. Knowing what to keep true to fact and what details to fictionalize for effect is key for this kind of material. I don’t know that the author was 100% successful.

Thanks to Dreamscape Media, Netgalley, and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for the advanced copies!

THE LINDBERGH NANNY...⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Lindbergh Nanny by Mariah Fredericks was a most compelling and gripping retelling of the infamous Lindbergh baby kidnapping. It examined the role that Betty Gow, the baby’s nanny, had in the heartbreaking and awful crime. Marian Fredericks was able to blend enough facts with fiction to make this historical fiction novel believable and suspenseful. I listened to the audiobook that was performed by Penelope Rawlings. She was able to insert just the right amount of emotions and clarity into her performance to make it an enjoyable experience. The story was told from the perspective of baby Charlie’s nanny, Betty Gow.

When Baby Charlie was born to aviators Charles Lindbergh and Anne Marrow Lindbergh, they began to search for a nanny. Betty Gow, a Scottish immigrant, had learned about their search and applied for the position. She had heard about the position from a friend who was working in the Marrow household at the time. Although Betty’s experience of caring for babies was not extensive, she was hired by the Lindberghs. Charles and Anne Lindbergh were insistent that Betty follow the routines and practices they saw as the best way to raise Charlie. Both parents did not want their son coddled. They wanted Charlie to grow into an independent and strong child. Although Betty did not agree with all the instructions she was given, she went along with the parent wishes. Charles and Anne Lindbergh were not willing to give up their flying excursions just because they had a baby now. Betty was left with baby Charlie for long periods of time while his parents were off on their trips. She grew to love and care very deeply for Baby Charlie over time.

In March of 1932, Charlie had turned twenty months. The Lindberghs were staying in their new home in New Jersey. Betty had been on a vacation but was called back to help Mrs. Lindbergh. Mrs. Lindbergh asked Betty to return a little earlier than planned because she was feeling ill from a bad cold and she was pregnant with the couple’s second child. The Lindberghs had decided to stay in their new home a little earlier than they had planned. Betty was more than happy to return and help Mrs. Lindbergh. On that particular night, Betty and Mrs. Lindbergh together had put Charlie in his crib for the night. It was cold in Charlie’s bedroom so Betty had devised something warmer for him to wear. It was discovered that the window in Charlie’s bedroom had been left open. When Betty tried to close it she discovered that the wood around the window was warped and prevented the window from being closed completely. Betty and Mrs. Lindbergh left little Charlie in his crib. Betty returned to Charlie’s bedroom to check on him at approximately ten o’clock that evening. When Betty entered Charlie’s room she discovered that Charlie was not in his crib. After a frantic search of the entire house, it was determined that little Charlie had been kidnapped. A ransom note was later discovered demanding a great sum of money for Charlie’s return. The local police were called in and everyone was questioned. It was the start of a criminal investigation. No one was exempt from being put under scrutiny or from the grueling and unending line of questioning. Betty Gow was under suspicion. After all, she spent the most time with Charlie and was the last to see him in his crib. The detectives were relentless in their questions that they asked Betty. They probed into her questionable past. Betty knew she was under investigation and had to try and figure out who had orchestrated this horrific crime. Would Betty be able to navigate her way around all the possible suspects in time to discover who the kidnapper was? Could someone that had been employed by either the Lindberghs or the Morrows have been involved? Betty was determined to figure it out.

The Lindbergh Nanny was fast paced and well plotted. The characters, both real and fictional, were well developed and believable. Mariah Fredericks brilliantly blended just the right amount of fact with fiction to make The Lindbergh Nanny an enjoyable read. Her research was impeccable. I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook of The Lindbergh Nanny and highly recommend it.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media LLC for allowing me to listen to The Lindbergh Nanny by Mariah Fredericks through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

✨ The Lindbergh Nanny ✨⁣
⁣⁣
⁣In 1932, twenty month old Charles Lindbergh Jr. was kidnapped from his crib- never to be seen alive again. The Lindbergh Nanny tells the story of the young women who was caring for him at the time- Betty Gow. ⁣
⁣⁣
⁣The case soon makes international news- shooting Betty into fame and the intense interest of both the police and the public. Betty must find the truth about what happened that night- both to clear her own name and find justice for young Charlie. ⁣
⁣⁣
⁣While this book blends historical fact with fiction, you can tell the author did a ton of research. It was emotional, gripping and thoughtful. The events surround little Charlie’s disappearance are vividly described and the characters are well developed.⁣
⁣⁣
⁣I enjoyed this heartbreaking tale and recommend it to historical fiction readers! Four stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⁣
⁣⁣
⁣Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. It publishes tomorrow- November 15, 2022.