Solid 3.5 stars - rounded up to 4 since we can't give 1/2 stars .

This was an interesting take on the life of Aimee Crocker. I have read a few of these semi-fictionalized biographies before so this is not a new genre for me. Overall the book guided you through the life of Aimee Crocker - which was someone I did not know about prior to reading this book and this book made me go down a rabbit hole of google to learn more about her. I felt that in this retelling some areas of her life were glossed over and some were more in depth then they needed to be. The writing was a bit stilted for me as some parts felt very matter of fact and verged on dryness for me and I felt a bit bored by the story.

Aimee (neé Amy) Crocker was one of the most colorful American heiresses of the late 19th, early 20th centuries. With her menagerie of husbands, penchant for mysticism, and riotous parties, any book attempting to portray her is a daunting undertaking. However, Greer Macallister masters this intriguing woman’s life, in this glittering historical fiction.

This book was wonderful. Sprinkled with the spooky & mysticism, colorful just like Crocker’s life was, and fast-paced (again, like Crocker’s life), Macallister didn’t shy away from the flamboyance of Crocker’s life. Macallister provided context and filled in the gaps (fictionally, of course) for how this larger-than-life lady navigated the world.

Crocker would be easy to “write off,” pun intended, due to her extravagance, wealth, and “kooky” proclivities. However, Macallister made her real - a real person, with loves, losses, pain, successes, and so much more. With American heiresses, they were often villainized characters in newspapers, much like modern celebrities, but who were people. Macallister brought that humanity, without sacrificing the woman defying society’s expectations.

One beautiful note to add is the epigraphs Macallister includes from Crocker, herself. It really lends Crocker’s personality to the book, and is a sweet homage to a woman who defied society and played by her own rules

A captivating historical fiction novel that combines true life events with a bit of the supernatural. The author does an excellent job of capturing the essence of the late19th and early 20th centuries immersing the reader in a world of opulence and intrigue. The life of Aimee Crocker was well researched and the story is rich in historical detail.
Many thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Aimee Crocker’s Scandalous Life

The Thirteenth Husband by Greer Macallister is a partly fictionalized biography of the socialite Aimee Crocker. Set in the late 1800s and early 20th century, the book follows Aimee's extravagant and licentious life as she travels the world, tears through millions of dollars, and marries a series of husbands. The narrative begins with Aimee as a spirited teen chafing at the strict social restrictions of her time and evolves into a tale of lavish dinners, parties, and mysticism, giving readers a glimpse of her scandalous adventures.

Overall, The Thirteenth Husband is a fascinating read for those interested in historical fiction and the lives of unconventional women. Greer Macallister does an excellent job of bringing Aimee Crocker's story to life, making it both captivating and thought-provoking. The book’s strengths lie in its rich historical detail and dynamic portrayal of its protagonist, though some readers may find the narrative's complexity a bit challenging.

Loved this fascinating story about a strong woman who over comes the men on her life - kept me turning pages

Aimee Crocker was a real-life heiress to California Railroad wealth. Inheriting millions at only ten years old, Aimee is probably as close to American Nouveau royalty as they come. She did a good job of being the spoiled rich girl, going through husbands, and continents along with the money. She’s been affectionately dubbed the queen of Bohemia.
Though Greer Macalister did an admirable job of staying true to the facts in this historical fiction, the facts were just too much for me. Aimee made stupid mistakes, with marriages and the things she enjoyed, including her sexual escapades. She believed in mystics and often took their advice and predictions to heart, in ways that boggled common sense. I was tired of her antics, before we got to the fourth husband, and the rest of the book felt tedious to me. The sprinkling of supernatural references, though I’m sure were completely accurate, just was over the top for me. Much, I assume, like Aimee Crocker herself.
As a woman in 2024, I have to admire her independence, strength and curiosity. Having money let her explore the limits of each, and I never felt that she truly ever found what she was looking for.
The Thirteenth Husband was released on August 6, 2024. Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the review copy.

San Francisco, late 19th century. Meet Aimée Crocker, a free spirit, born into great wealth, but not willing to budge to society's rules.
When her first divorce is final, she decides to take a trip, which turns into a decades long journey around the world, treating the reader to exciting places, decadent parties and magical meetings with friends and lovers.
A life lived to the full. The Thirteenth Husband is a wonderful read based on a true story.

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC.

Amy Isabella Crocker inherited a fortune as a child but she was also a woman born in 1864 ... can she live life on her own terms ? It was so interesting to read @theladygreer 's depiction of a highly unconventional life defying all rules and standard but also a life adrift. Aimee as she wants to be called is not the most likable of characters and the author resists the temptation to paint her as such (as is so often done when looking at the past) and instead paints her as a complex person, somebody aware (at least to a certain extent) of their immense privilege but still inclined to use money to get out of self causad her tany. Set inauseat as an impulse Her until refect he ochie in e ande enges to cried
rearing within the last 150 years - the amount of time children take up in the lives of their parents has greatly increased and it would not do to judge her by the standards of today.
Still... in the end I was left questioning whether she was ever truly content or whether she was just stuffing her life full of excitement of all sorts so as to never rest and think - reflect. I felt a bit sorry for the poor little rich girl who experienced it all but was never truly satisfied.
I knew the Crocker museum from the time I spent in law school in Sacramento but Amy/Aimee Crocker was a figure unknown to me and I loved reading tet the charactes she murse) and dile a quite s note was a fabulous addition to my reading !
I mixed reading and listening to this one and the audio was very well done !

This novel is based on real-life heiress Aimee Crocker and her exploits after inheriting millions as a young girl. She is ahead of her time, fiercely independent and refuses to bow to societal pressures, choosing to live her life as she pleases and shocking many - giving the tabloids endless juicy fodder. Hers is a journey of self discovery, loss, love and joy. I love her independence and can just imagine the scandals her behaviour caused!
I enjoyed the writing style, and was pulled in to the story from the first page. I'll be looking for more books by this author and recommend adding this to your list if you feel like a scandalous hf read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark publishers, and the author for an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

The first thing people need to know is that this book is based on a real person and focuses on real things that happened to her. Her life was so outrageous that I would say they were unbelievably if they hadn’t actually happened! It was nice to read about a woman who was in control of her own life back when many women were not.

I have several great biographical fiction stories about women who I never knew existed. When I saw Greer Macallister's new novel was about a woman during a time period I don't read too often but have been trying to read more of, I decided to give it a try.

I tried to like Aimee but I really couldn't find much to like about her. I admire that she lived life on her own terms but I found her to be self-centered and a bit self-absorbed. I know the book was focused on her husbands but it didn't seem like she had any long-term (let alone life-long) relationships. Even her children seem out of the picture often. I wonder if she had any true friends in life or if everyone found her as unlikeable as I did and therefore could only spend short periods of time with her.

I thought with her confidence and brashness she would be a suffragette. But in this account, she doesn't really seem to care about society. In fact, she makes several comments about charitable giving that made it seem that when she did give it was out of obligation (or to make her mother happy) rather than a passion.

Once I stopped looking for redeemable qualities, I googled Aimee Crocker and got an overview of her life. So the rest of the book for me was just to see what Macallister would do with the details.

Macallister brings Aimee to life and it was interesting to see this time period from a different perspective because definitely Aimee had a perspective on life that was different than most women of the time period.

If you enjoy the biographical fiction of Erica Robuck, Ariel Lawhone, and Karin Tanabe, then you should add Greer Macallister to your list.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Saturday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2024/08/the-thirteenth-husband-by-greer.html

The Thirteenth Husband is a semi-fictionalized biography of socialite Aimee Crocker, capturing her scandalous and unconventional life. It chronicles her globe-trotting adventures, thirteen marriages, and explorations into the mystical arts.

Prior to this book, I had never encountered Aimee Crocker, and discovering a nineteenth-century woman who lived so bohemian a life was both intriguing and enlightening. Crocker's fearless defiance of societal norms and her commitment to living on her own terms make for a compelling narrative. Her experiences with high society, eccentric characters, and exotic locales were both captivating and thought-provoking. While the beginning and end of the book were particularly engaging, the middle section felt somewhat drawn out and less compelling.

For those interested in a real-life socialite with a flair for scandal and adventure, The Thirteenth Husband by Greer Macallister is a recommended read.

This novel is based on a real woman from history. Her father dies after a mysterious Woman in White appears to ten year old Aimee. Why did the Woman in White appear that night before her father died? Aimee inherits great wealth. Aimee Crocker was an American mystic, Bohemian, author, and member of the wealthy Crocker family. She was known for her cultural exploration of the Far East, for her extravagant parties in San Francisco, New York and Paris, and her collections of husbands. Aimee tells everything from her misbehaving days in a German finishing school to dinners with Hawaiian royalty and to lavish Astor parties in Manhattan. But behind Aimee's public notoriety, there's private pain that never leaves. The Woman in White never really leaves Aimee, appearing as a sinister specter before every tragedy in her life. Despite Aimee's wealth, her cross-continental travels, and her increasingly shocking progression through husbands, Aimee is haunted by the unidentifiable Woman's mysterious motivations.

The real-life heiress Aimee Crocker blazed an incredible trail of public scandal, private tragedy, and the kind of strong independent woman the 1880s had never seen. Her life was stranger than fiction. She whirled through her days as if she was being chased by something larger than herself. I will not forget this historical fiction novel as it amazed me that there was a woman that lived her life like that in the 19th century.

Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.

The Thirteenth Husband is the best kind of historical fiction, one based on a real-life person. In this case the story follows the life of Amy Crocker, an heiress from the late 1800's who was well ahead of her time. Because of her money she lived a bohemian lifestyle, doing pretty much whatever she wanted against the constraints of proper behavior for the time. I enjoyed being placed in a time in the past when normally women had no power, to find that a few really were paving the way for the future as far as a woman having some freedom from the control of her husband or father.

This read was such a roller coaster!
I loved the portrayal of the fiery, independent heroine and appreciated the attention that was poured into examining her backstory, her motives and her flaws.

Full RTC on BookBub.

The Thirteenth Husband
A Novel
by Greer Macallister
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Pub Date Aug 06 2024 | Archive Date Aug 13 2024
Sourcebooks | Landmark
Historical Fiction | Women's Fiction
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! Greer Macallister does it again. The author draws the reader in from the first word written! Enjoyed the story and the history behind the life of Aimee Crocker and her husbands. A story this reader will not soon forget!
Will recommend

This historical fiction was unlike anything I have ever read. Based upon the title, I anticipated this book to be comparable to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Although, that was not the case. I was surprised to find out so many aspects of Aimee’s story were true! She was a very interesting FMC, especially considering the era in which she lived. She inherited a significant sum of money & proceeded to live a worldly & unusual life unlike other females during the same generation who wed, had children, & were proud homemakers. I believe my historical fiction friends will enjoy this one!

Thank you @theladygreer & @bookmarked for this unique & thought provoking ARC! I look forward to reading The Arctic Fury & others by Greer in the future.

thanks for letting me try. I have enjoyed GM's previous work but this one just didn't land for me this time. I look forward to what's next

Like others have mentioned, this is a very character-driven book and to be honest, I didn't really like the main character. I know she was meant to be a privileged aristocratic lady but she just seemed stuck up and out of touch. There were no real compelling plot lines moving the story along so I felt it dragged. I do like Greer Macallister's books so I'll continue to read them, but this one fell flat for me. I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

In the 1880s, Aimee Crocker inherited $10 million upon her father's death (an absolute fortune back then), and that allowed her to live not only an independent life but also (as the author states) ‘… she jam-packed far more exploits into her life than I could possibly fit into this novel.’

Living her life to its fullest earned her great notoriety as such a scandalous lifestyle was unheard of for women at that time. Yet behind her freedoms masked a pain and loneliness.

In this seemingly stranger than fiction tale, Greer introduces readers to this real-life heiress who turned 19th-century conventions on their head in her search for a life of adventure.