Charles is missing

A haunting and heartbreaking story about the kidnapping of the toddler Charles Lindbergh Jr., The son of the famous Charles Lindbergh.

The story is told by the Nanny Betsy Gow. The Scottish nanny hired to care for the Lindbergh baby.
This was an interesting story about the Lindbergh's nanny and the events that happened when he was kidnapped. Who was suspect...and who was not. The police questioning and the subsequent arrest of the kidnapper.

It is a story of a famous family and of Mrs. Lindbergh's parents the Morrow's who figured proximately in the story. The staff at both houses, their lives and loves, weaknesses, mistakes and courage. Who could be trusted and who could not. Which staff member was responsible for telling the kidnapper where Charles would be and when the security was the lowest. Was that staff member ever found and punished?

It was a sad story but it was an interesting story especially being told from the side of the Nanny and her insight into the different members of the staff and her thoughts on the family.
I did enjoy reading this book and I would recommend it.

I listened to the audio book and the narrator was wonderful, the accents were very good and was pleasant to listen to. It was a good job on the narration.

Thanks to Mariah Fredericks for writing the story, to Penelope Rawlins for the wonderful narration of the audio books, to Dreamscape Media for publishing it and to NetGalley for making a copy available to me to listen to and review.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC! It’s rare that I read historical fiction and alas, I struggled with this one as a result. I’m sure most people are familiar with the Lindburg story, yet I recalled little about it prior to this novel. It was an interesting story, a story about the Lindburg’s nanny, Betty, the last to see the baby alive. The novel tackles a lot of what if’s and introduces many characters, some of which I had a hard time following. Overall it was an interesting read but not something I thoroughly enjoyed.

I am choosing to not finish this book because I feel like nothing is happening or the story is rather dragging. It’s becoming difficult to keep up with what is happening to who and what. It started off really strong and the first 15% is solid but it’s beginning to just drag for me and I’ve lost interest.

I listened to the audiobook version thanks to Netgalley. Fredericks’s book centers around the 1932 kidnapping of 20-month-old Charles LIndbergh from the family’s New Jersey home. An emotional and compelling story, this book reveals the real loss by a real family and those who served them. It also reveals the destruction experienced by those close to the Lindbergh family.

I didn't know much about this kidnapping case, so I was excited to hear how the author told the story, and to give me facts so I could try to figure out the mystery. Was it someone in the inside? The author skillfully unveiled facts at just the right time and I found myself having to reevaluate my suspect list. I enjoyed the building suspense and believe that the author’s expert choice of first person contributed to the anxiety and suspense I felt.

Not only did Fredericks show us that in the midst of a terrible loss is a great love, but also showed us the real Betty Gow and did her story justice.

The author’s notes tied up any remaining questions I had and raised the quality of the novel for me.

An interesting look at the kidnapping case of the Lindbergh baby. This book is a work of Historical Fiction, but a lot of the real events were used.

What I really liked was the adding in of some of the additional details that may have not been given in the actual records(so many conspiracytheoriesout there), but they give the characters more personality. This is done well without straying to far from actual documented events.

I liked the story from Nanny Betty Gow's perspective since she cared so much for the baby, but was also beared the brunt of a lot of accusations. You really felt for her as a reader when people went digging into her past and every little thing she did. I could feel her warmth through the writing.

Overall, this is a detailed and well researched work of Historical Fiction.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for providing me a copy of this Audiobook for my honest review.

This was such an interesting perspective of this famous kidnapping and murder. The story is told from the POV of the Nanny of the Lindbergh family who was the caretaker for Charlie when he went missing. This book mixes fact and fiction and gives us a glimpse into the lives of the rich and famous. I especially enjoyed the author's note at the end where she described her research as well where the facts stopped and fiction began. The narration of the audiobook was performed beautifully and with emotion. Recommend for fans of historical fiction or even true crime.

I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook by Mariah Fredericks from Dreamscape Media via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity.

I certainly have heard of the kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh Junior and may even have been able to pick out the kidnapper’s name on a multiple choice question, but I didn’t know much more than that.

Betty Gow was Charles Lindbergh’s nanny. This book uses both fact and fiction to paint a fascinating portrait of Betty and her devotion to the little boy even after he was kidnapped. It is also an interesting account of the downstairs help in the huge Lindbergh/Morrow homes.

The book brought to life the every day lives of people living in 1930’s Including how important immigrants were to the running of the country and I found the glimpse into police work at that time quite interesting.

An unreserved 5/5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the audioARC of this novel.

Betty is a Scottish immigrant who is now working in the Lindbergh Household. While trying to navigate the family and the life they live, the Baby is kidnapped! Now, she must figure out who took the child as she is now seen as the primary suspect. Can she solve the mystery and save herself?

I requested a digital copy in order to sample the prose on my phone (since I don't have a eReader) before requesting a physical copy for review. My review will be based on the physical ARC I read (if I qualify)

The Lindbergh Nanny is a well-researched fictional account of the Lindbergh baby kidnapping. Told from the point of Nanny Betty, it takes us through the days that lead up to the kidnapping, during the kidnapping, and after it throughout the trail.

There are plenty of secrets that add to the mystery of the kidnapping, not to mention the heartbreak of losing a child to a kidnapping. I feel most of the heartache belonged to the people who cared for the child and were around him, and that was the staff. Not only in this story, but in others I have read that took place during this time period, it seemed like a normal thing for wealthy parents to rarely see their children and leave the upbringing to the Nanny and the rest of the staff. I am not denying the parent's heartbreak at the loss of their child, I just imagined it had a more profound effect on those that saw him more closely.

It does read extraordinarily well, and there were many times I had to bring myself back to the fact that this was a work of fiction, with a bit of truth woven in, the lines blur many times. The Nanny, Betty, is based on the real Nurse Nanny that took care of baby Charlie, so in a way, this is her story as much as a story of the kidnapping. The writer is fantastic at helping us feel her pain, heartache, and the extreme amount of guilt she had when the baby was taken on her watch. We also get her opinion on who the kidnapper was.

Well written, and an interesting take on a historical moment in time. It did not matter that I knew a bit about the real kidnapping, that I knew how it ended up, it was still a great read. The author also includes notes for us at the end of the story that helps with what is real in the story and what has been added. This book is wonderful for any historical fiction fan, or lover of history and I would even include True Crime lovers.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this audio ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: November 15, 2022

A well-written historical fiction telling of one of the most notorious kidnapping cases of the 20th century. This is written from the nanny’s POV and will keep you guessing along the way. The narrator brought this to life and kept me coming back for more!

The Lindbergh baby kidnapping is one of the most notorious cases of the 20th century and while the evidence against the killer was quite compelling and resulted in a conviction that resulted with a sentence of death, the tragedy still fascinates many and the internet is packed with rumors, speculation and theories around what happened.

The Lindbergh Nanny by Mariah Fredericksburg is a well researched, well written work of historical fiction that brings a fascinating perspective to this tragic event. Weaving together fact with fiction, the story comes to life through the voice of Betty Gow, the Scottish nurse (nanny) that was hired to care for baby Charlie. The author has created a riveting, thought provoking and emotional read. The characters are well developed and despite knowing the outcome, I simply couldn’t put it down.

The author’s notes clearly identified areas in the story where she took liberties with fact and fiction and the updates to the life of Betty Gow after her return to Scotland were appreciated and provided satisfying closure.

Penelope Rawlings did a fantastic job narrating this story. She really brought it to life and I look forward to listening to other books she has narrated. Recommend this title to fans of historical fiction and bookclub discussion groups.

I would like to thank the Publisher, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance listening copy. It is my pleasure to leave and honest review and all opinions are my own.

Publication date 15-Nov-2022

Charles Lindbergh, Jr. was kidnapped from his home in New Jersey in 1932. His kidnapping made international headlines. Betty Gow, later known as the Lindbergh Nanny, was caring for Charles the night he was taken. She, along with other staff that night is thoroughly questioned, and Betty was considered a suspect.

This book blends fact and fiction in the telling of the kidnapping and the Nanny that loved him. The author did extensive research, and it shows. Most have heard of the Lindberg kidnapping, and this book takes a fresh look at the kidnapping.

I enjoyed how the author told the story and I also enjoyed the narrator of the audiobook. I enjoy books about real people and events and this one was a winner in my book!

Beautifully written, I found this book to be compelling and well thought out. This was my first book by the author and I look forward to reading/listening to more of her work!

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.

This is a fictional account of the Nanny on duty when the Lindbergh baby was kidnapped. This is the type of historical fiction that I gravitate to. A story of a woman that time has forgotten.

As historical fiction goes, this is your typical format. It lost me a bit with the content. I had trouble connecting with the characters. I found that at times I grew bored with the story. It was almost too clinical- at times the reading felt as shallow as a case file outlining a timeline of events. I wish there would have been some more embellishment and creative license used to convey how tragic this situation was and how complicated the Lindberghs were known to be.

Mariah Fredericks's long fascination with the Lindbergh kidnapping led her to do extensive research about the case, with a particular emphasis on the Morrow and Lindbergh household staffs. She centers her story on Betty Gow, the young Scottish immigrant hired by the Lindberghs to care for their son, but also delves into the lives of other staff members in the two households, searching for clues to which of them might have been the "insider" long believed to have provided information, whether wittingly or not, to the kidnapper. The story is a compelling one, full of clues and red herrings; at different times, I was sure I had figured out where she would be casing blame, only to leap to a different conclusion in a subsequent chapter. In addition to the mystery, Fredericks also gives her readers a detailed portrayal of the lives of this wealthy and famous family, seemingly impacted not at all by the depression that gripped the country in this period.

This was a very slow story and didn’t really capture my attention. The majority of the book is focused on the nanny.

The Lindbergh Nanny by Mariah Fredricks is narrated by Betty Gow, a 26-year-old Scottish immigrant and Lindbergh family nanny. This is. A poignant crime novel that utilizes some facts of the case as it also fictionalizes certain aspects of the 1932 kidnapping of 20-month-old Charles Lindbergh Jr. from the family’s New Jersey home.

There were many who idolizes Charles Lindbergh however Betty was not one of them . Though she was fond of his wife , Ann Morrow and completely adore their child (Charlie) she was underwhelmed by Charles. She thought he was arrogant among other things .
One day Betty leaves Charlie’s nursery window open , when she goes in to check on Charlie she noticed he is not there but she is hopeful that this is just a poor prank devised by Charles Lindbergh. The harsh reality is revealed when the family receives a ransom note and Betty is being considered a person of interest.
Betty is on a desperate quest to find the truth and relinquish herself as being a person of interest.

The audiobook was narrated by Penelope Rawlings , she embodies her character well and the narration sounds authentic. The story itself at times feels as if the pacing is uneven, with an overlong setup and a rushed denouement, but Fredericks creates a suspense for even those familiar with the case by suggesting the real-life culprit had accomplices, thus rendering everyone a suspect.
Historical mystery fans and true crime lovers will be very pleased.

Special thanks to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media and the publisher for a free, audiobook ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.

I like it when a historical fiction book has me researching to find out more about the the topic being written in the book. This book did that not because I didn’t find the details of the story to be correct but because i want to know more or have questions in terms of what I thought I already knew. . One of my favorite ways to read historical fiction is through different points of view or perspective - this book checked all the boxes for me. This book would make a great book club book for people of all ages, races, nationalities and social classes. The characterizations of the Lindbergh’ family was interesting.

" The Lindbergh Nanny" by Mariah Fredericks reimagines what happened when Charles Lindbergh Jr. was kidnapped on March 1st, 1932,. This historical fiction story uses all available information (and some ideas of the author's own) to put forth an interesting version of what may have happened to this baby.
The investigation of the kidnapping stays close to home with the staff being the most scrutinized. Betty Gow was the nanny at the time baby Charlie went missing and the story is told from her point of view. She really cares for Charlie and tries to figure out what happened to him and considers many possibilities.
I enjoyed this audiobook and did not want to stop listening. In the end, I rated it a three but it was a good listen for me.

A beautifully written historical fiction with a bit of mystery woven throughout. I loved the story, and I really loved the narrator. This is, I think, the first audiobook I have read/listened to where I looked up the narrator to see what else she’s done (which is a lot), because she made the experience so enjoyable.
The story is true- this actually happened, and most of the characters actually existed, including the Lindberghs (of course), Betty, Red, and I’m sure others. Don’t look up the kidnapping prior to reading if you don’t want spoilers- it does not veer from the truth. The author did an excellent job of respecting the accuracy of the story while taking her own creative liberties.
I loved this book and will recommend it to others.