I love Lauren Willig's books and have for years! To me, this was a departure from her usual writing and seemed more of a retelling of a true crime story in fiction format. I missed her usual snarky and fun writing and felt this was too much of a straightforward retelling. It was obvious she did a lot of research into the murder and the characters at the time, which is great and really brought the story to life! I learned a lot about Hamilton and Burr and especially NYC during this time. There was also a lot of mystery and suspense around the trial and murder as well that propelled the story. Great choice for true crime aficionados and Hamilton fans!

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC!

This is a well researched novel about America’s first sensational murder trial. The girl in the title is Elma, the murder victim. The main characters are her family, the accused, Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr as the defense lawyers. I had never heard of this trial so knowing it was well researched was a definite plus. In addition, Lauren Willig uses the epilogue to give you some information on what happened to these people after the trial. She also has extensive notes at the end. These notes give you additional information as well as letting you know where she stuck to the facts and where she made minor changes. I always love Lauren Willig’s historical fiction and this one is no exception. Great story written by a master in her field.

This historical fiction story pairs up Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr on the same side in a sensational murder trial in 1800 New York City. Elma Sands leaves her home one evening saying that she is going to be married and is found a few days later in the Manhattan Well.

The main suspect is young Levi Weeks who lived at the boarding house where Elma lived with her cousin and her family. Public opinion is immediate and firmly of the opinion that Levi murdered Elma.

Burr is hired by Levi's wealthy and influential older brother to defend Levi. Hamilton pushes his way onto the defense team because he and Burr are political rivals, and Hamilton doesn't want Burr to get the positive publicity when an election is in the offing. Burr is interested in getting Weeks off which is what his brother has demanded. Hamilton would like to find the guilty party in order to restore Weeks reputation.

They are opposed by a younger and less successful prosecutor named Cadwallader Colden who has a history of failing to convict a number of previous cases.

All of these characters are viewpoint characters as is Catherine Ring who is Elma's cousin and the proprietor of the boarding house where they live. This is a twisty story that stays as close to the truth as Willig can manage. Elma's murder hasn't been solved to this day. The many characters, all with their own agendas and biases, get a chance to tell their stories.

I didn't form particularly good opinions of either Burr or Hamilton, but seeing what things were like for those patriots after the American Revolution was something of a revelation. I might be the only English-speaking person who has never seen the musical Hamilton or heard the recordings which means that I went into the story knowing almost nothing about Hamilton. I had some vague recollection of a Burr-Hamilton duel but had to visit Wikipedia for the details.

I particularly liked the notes at the end letting me know what happened to the main characters of the book and how Willig researched the case to try to tell the story that was closest to the truth of what happened.

Fans of Willig's work, mysteries, and early American History will enjoy this one.

3.5 stars rounded up for a historical fiction book based upon an actual murder trial in New York city in 1800. The author read the trial transcript and the dialogue during the trial is taken from the transcript. In her author note at the end of the book, she explains that she had to reconstruct parts of the trial, since the transcript did not identify which of the 3 defendant lawyers asked which questions. She also explains that Hamilton and Burr were political rivals, and that this trial was a means of publicizing their legal and oratorical abilities. While most Americans are familiar with Burr and Hamilton, only students of NYS history would recognize the name Cadwallader Colden, the prosecutor. Colden had a distinguished career, serving as NYC mayor, NYS Senator and president of the New York Manumission Society.
I would recommend this book to historical fiction fans and legal mystery fans. It did drag a little in the beginning.
Some other characters:
Levi Weeks, accused murderer:
Emma Sands, murder victim
Brockholst Livingston, 3rd defendant lawyer, in addition to Hamilton and Burr
Thank You William Morrow Books for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.
#TheGirlFromGreenwichStreet #NetGalley

Pub Date Mar 04 2025

I love a well-researched historical fiction novel, especially when it ends with extensive details and sources in the Authors Note! Fans of the Hamilton musical may recall the lyrics of Non-Stop include:

"Gentlemen of the jury, I’m curious, bear with me
Are you aware that we’re making hist’ry?
This is the first murder trial of our brand-new nation"

Lauren Willig's newest novel The Girl from Greenwich Street is part murder mystery, part courtroom drama, delving into the murder of a young woman and the subsequent court case against Levi Weeks. Political rivals Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton both served as defense lawyers for the trial which added additional tension. It was fascinating to get this look into the early American legal system and 18th century crime solving tactics as they tried to determine what happened to poor Elma Sands.

Thank you to William Morrow for providing me with an advanced copy of this novel via NetGalley.

Thank you to William Morrow for an advanced copy of a very anticipated book. I've been reading Lauren Willig since her Pink Carnation days and love her books but The Girl From Greenwich Street fell short for me.

Based on the true story of a famous trial where rivals Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr work together to investigate the murder of a young woman as the defense council for the man accused of the crime. This was the first recorded murder trial in the US and was the talk of NYC the spring in 1800.

Willig's research was impressive and I loved the author's note at the end along with her focusing more on Elma but I just couldn't get into this book. I don't know if it was the 1800s language, especially the Quakers use of thee and thou, along with so many characters and a lot between Hamilton & Burr that I never really got into the story and was bored.

I wanted to love this book and i think fans of Hamilton might really liked it and those who want a 19th century Law and Order sensational trial.

The Girl from Greenwich Street by Lauren Willig is a historical fiction. Easy to read with unexpected twists and tragic events.

Releases Mar. 4th . I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Elma Sands was the unfortunate relation who no one wanted, shunted between relatives and born in shame. For two years she had been living with her cousin Caty Ring, a good Quaker, who ran a boardinghouse and millinery at 208 Greenwich Street. On December 22, 1799, Elma was giddy, trying to decide which kerchief suited her best, never mind that one belonged to Peggy, who worked in the millinery. That night when Elma left the house on Greenwich Street she thought it was for a better life. Because her rendezvous at Lispenard's Meadow was the first stop on the way to the church, because she meant to be married that night! Well, the second stop, after she went next door to borrow Beth's muff. A muff that would be found two days later near the Manhattan Well. Her body was recovered from that very well on Thursday, January 2nd, 1800. Everyone assumed that the "groom" had to be responsible for Elma's death and the blame landed on Elma's supposed beau, Levi Weeks, who was arrested. The arrival of Levi Weeks at the Ring's boardinghouse was the first of several momentous events in Elma's life in 1799 that culminated in her death. The second was an outbreak of yellow fever which sent Caty and her children to the country and left Elma in charge of the boardinghouse. The third was Elma becoming ill and her cousin refusing to send for a doctor. Speculation being that Elma miscarried. Which begs the question, who was the father? And could this man also have been her killer? While Levi Weeks was nothing more than a carpenter, his brother, Ezra Weeks, who laid the pipes for the Manhattan Well, was one of the most sought-after builders in the city and was going to make sure his brother's defense was the best. To that extent he retained Henry Brockholst Livingston and Aaron Burr as defense attorneys. And then Alexander Hamilton offered himself up as part of the defense. Hamilton personally knew that it wasn't enough to create doubt, one must leave no doubt when a man's honor is at stake, and possibly another man's dream home. Because Hamilton desperately wanted Ezra Weeks to build him a house and when he exonerated Levi that dream would become a reality, and thwarting Burr was just an added bonus. When the trial began on March 31st Hamilton brought the drama and Burr brought his methodical destruction of the prosecution's evidence, point by point. They were often at odds in their defense of Levi, but at the end of the unheard of two day trial history would be written with the verdict for the first recorded murder trial in the United States.

This is the book that Lauren was born to write with her background in law, history, and historical fiction. She brought to life a murder trial, which, while sensational, could have felt too much like a weighty tome read for a history class if not handled this deftly. She has done what few are able to do in true crime and historical fiction, I felt that all the people were real, not just mechanisms to solve an unsolved mystery. Elma wasn't just a victim, as Lauren has Alexander discover when looking into the case. You get a sense of Elma, the forceful young lady who was restless and unable to break out of her circumstances. Trapped by religion, family, and sex, she has been lost to history as just the victim and not remembered as a complicated woman. And who she was was informed by who she lived with and the day to day life of Caty and Elias Ring's boardinghouse adds that extra human dimension that is so necessary to really connect to history. What's more, she captured the city of New York in 1800. I felt like it was it's own character, and I kept thinking that in that regard it reminded me of The Alienist. The city was alive and had a pulsing heart and it just swallowed up Elma whole. I almost felt as if the city killed her more than any one real person. Lauren also hones in on weird details that make everything feel more real. Like the Manhattan Well project thought that wood would work well for pipes. Wood. And I'm not talking about the kind you smoke. And yes, I get that this did happen going back in history, I just feel that by 1800 they should have known better. But it's not just the weird little quirks of the city that Lauren captures, but weird shifts in law that we, used to watching Law and Order and a million other procedural shows, might not know. Like Levi Weeks couldn't take the stand in his own defense. That. That is just wild. I mean. I feel like that is the basis of a defense case and yet they were not allowed to use it. Also the fact that two days for a murder trial was unheard of. Were they just looking for the jury to convict or acquit quickly because they wanted to go home? And yes, there were murder trials before this one, despite what some reviewers would have you believe, this is the first recorded murder trial, and by recorded, that means we have a transcript thanks to William Coleman, who himself had a storied life. But speaking of the most storied lives, Burr and Hamilton. Because of Lin-Maniel Miranda's musical we have a kind of propitiatory air when it comes to these two. Lauren taps into that but also you feel that they're real people. Not just people dancing and singing to entertain, but putting on a show to free a man. If this book has one fault it's that seeing as this is historical fiction I felt that Lauren would have been justified to take the extra step and say straight-out that Caty Ring's boarder Richard Croucher was the real killer. Perhaps the historian in her wouldn't let her do that except in the "Historical Note." For me though, I think I needed it. I needed that moment of Elma facing Richard at the well. I needed the story to come full circle back to her.

The Girl from Greenwich Street is an unputdownable historical mystery. I was riveted from the first chapter. Elma Sands had been murdered, and a young man's life is now at stake. Upon Elma's body being found in the Manhattan Well in 1800, young Levi Weeks who lived at the same boarding house as Elma, is accused of her murder. There is a cast of shady characters, all who have motive to do away with Elma. Throughout the novel I wasn't entirely certain who was to blame. I even questioned Elma herself. The author does a good job of getting the reader to examine the case from all sides. I want to put this five-star book into the hands of my fellow readers as soon as it comes out. I think this book will make an excellent book club pick.

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins for this incredible ARC.

In THE GIRL FROM GREENWICH STREET, written by Lauren Willig, the body of Elma Sands is found in a Manhattan well. Elma leaves the boarding house, owned by her Quaker cousin, to meet her lover, Levi Weeks. She is found dead in the well. Levi is accused of murdering Elma. Aaron Burr is hired to represent Levi, and Alexander Hamilton also assists with proving Levi’s innocence. I am intrigued and read on.
This historical mystery is well-written. Lauren Willig easily moves the plot between present and past and seemlessly weaves facts from her research into the story. There are times during Levi’s trial when I am completely mesmerized. I have read books in Willig's Pink Carnation Series, but this is the first stand-alone novel of hers I am experiencing. I hope to read more of her historical fiction mysteries. Thank you, William Morrow and NetGalley, for the chance to read and review an advance reader copy of THE GIRL FROM GREENWICH STREET.

What a great who done it. The research done by the author of life in the 1800’s, and the Quaker speech along with trial protocol during that time was well done, or since I don’t know any better, I believed it is well done, worked for me.

The story is based upon a true happening, is completely believable, and the timeline was easy to follow. I listened to this via voice view on my Kindle and I backtracked several times just because I wanted to listen closely and not miss anything, especially during the actual trial. The author did a wonderful telling and I always love when they take the time in the epilogue to tell us “the rest of the story” by giving us a rundown of afterwards.

I also really liked the many twists and turns the book takes, it adds depth to the story, well done, Ms. Willig, well done. Comes in with high 5 stars from me.

I received an ARC from William Morrow and NetGalley for my unbiased review.

Set in Manhattan, The Girl from Greenwich Street is a historical fiction novel based on true events. It presents the trial in 1800 of Levi Weeks, accused of murdering Guilielma (Elma) Sands on December 22, 1799.

Elma, 22, lived with her Quaker cousin Catherine Ring, Catherine's husband Elias, and their children in the boarding house that the Rings owned. Levi Weeks, a carpenter, was one of several boarders at the house. Elma left the house the evening of December 22nd and never returned. Her body was found twelve days later on January 2, 1800.

I found it particularly interesting that political rivals Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton both served as defense lawyers for the trial (along with Livingston Brockholst) as an important election neared. Burr strictly wanted a "not guilty" verdict for his client so that he could focus his attention on the upcoming election. Hamilton not only was after the "not guilty" verdict, but wanted to delve deeper, identify the true murderer, and give Elma the justice owed her.

The author's extensive research into the case is evident throughout the novel. She does a very good job of placing readers into the time period and scenes, and in bringing the characters and the trial to life. I enjoyed not only the book, but also the author's notes at the end of the book. I much appreciate that she informed readers as to what happened to each of the main characters following the trial.

The novel is a wonderful mix of genres (mystery, crime, politics of the day, historical fiction, legal drama) which kept me turning pages from beginning to end. I highly recommend The Girl from Greenwich Street!

Many thanks to William Morrow for allowing me to access a DRC via NetGalley. Publication is 3/4/25. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given.

historical-figures, historical-novel, historical-places-events, historical-research, history-and-culture, society-of-friends, murder, murder-investigation, mystery, family, drama, true-crime, secrets, lies***
In focusing on the victim and the disgusting aftermath of her murder, the author has brought a whole new perspective into the personal and legal aspects of the crime. The extensive historical notes bring the cultural aspects of the local responses into focus as well. Interesting.
I requested and received a free temporary uncorrected advance reader's e-proof from William Morrow via NetGalley. Avail Mar 04, 2025
#TheGirlFromGreenwichStreet by @laurenwillig @williammorrowbooks #NetGalley #goodreads #bookbub #librarythingofficial #barnesandnoble #review #booksamillion #bookshop_org #bookshop_org_uk #kobo #Waterstones #hamilton #manhattanwellmurder #truecrime #historicalfiction #deepResearch

Thank you to @netgalley and @WilliamMorrow for this ARC. I requested this book for the author and no idea what the book was about but I am glad I received a copy! 1800: The first murder trial in NYC with both Burr and Hamilton residing over the defense. Elma Sands, a Quaker was found at the bottom of Manhattan Well. Levi Weeks is arrested for her murder. Burr was hired by Levi's brother in his defense. Due to his gambling debts, he took the job to pay for his upcoming NY Elections. To not be outdone, Hamilton joined the defense to compete with Burr. They both had different ideas on the case but wanted the same outcome - to prove that Levi was innocent. Can two proven, political enemies work together to free Levi? This book was really good. I struggled in parts on the old English and the Quaker way with words but really enjoyed this "faction" written by Willig and it is easy to take notice how much time and research she put into this book! #TheGirlFromGreenwichStreet #LaurenWillig #WilliamMorrow #March2025

I can’t believe I’ve never read a Lauren Willig novel. That’s not entirely true if you count All the Ways We Said Goodbye, which she co-authored with Beatriz Williams and Karen White. After all, historical fiction is kinda my thing. Well, this book remedied that and sent me to her backlist, where I will pick my next Willig novel strictly by its cover.

If you’re all about true crime, you love history—especially American history, and you can’t get enough murder and mystery, The Girl from Greenwich Street will tick all the boxes for you. The novel opens in 1799 with Elma Sands sneaking out of her proper Quaker cousin’s boarding house to meet the man she says she’s marrying. Those two words “she says” are important because you don’t quite know who or what to believe as the story unfolds.

The added star power of Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr fueled my fascination with this book. According to the book’s cover, this was America’s first murder trial. Hmm. That in itself is interesting. I enjoyed Willig’s take on the Hamilton/Burr relationship and her insinuation the pair were working against each other even while they worked together. Very juicy.

But the women were my favorite part of the story. Their interiority, relationships, motivations, strengths, and weaknesses gave the book its soul. I’m always interested in Quakers, too. I don’t know why; I just am. And I adored the author’s notes at the end of the book—don’t miss them!
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for an advance reader copy.

December 1799. George Washington's death dominates the newspapers. Until Elma Sands disappears.

Elma Sands lived in her cousin's boarding house. Her cousin, Catherine, was still a practicing Quaker, very old-fashioned and proper. Elma was a modern woman and was ready to be out from under her cousin's thumb. She puts on her best calico dress, borrows a fur muff from a neighbor, and leaves to meet Levi Weeks, the man she secretly married the night before. Elma Sands never returned to the boarding house.

The Girl from Greenwich Street is the historical fiction/true crime story of America's first sensational trial. Aaron Burr has expensive taste and has his sights set on the 1800 New York election, so when Levi Weeks brother calls in a favor, Burr agrees to represent Weeks. Burr's nemesis, Alexander Hamilton, can't let his spotlight dim so he agrees to defend Weeks as well.

While Willig's book does explore the trial, she does an excellent job at the story of Elma Sands, our girlf from Greenwich Street. While the headline names - Burr, Hamilton - are a draw, the story about murder and political power is one that is still happening today.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was a very tough read for me which was surprising. I love historical fiction. I enjoy legal thrillers. This dragged on and on. I finished it, but did not like it at all. Meticulous research, but not a book I enjoyed.

Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Collins Publishing for an early copy of The Girl from Greenwich Street by Lauren Willig

The high-profile characters along with a riveting murder plot come together in Lauren Willig's thoroughly researched and fascinating new historical novel that engages readers from page one and does not let up. With Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr on the same side (!) of the trial of Levi Weeks in 1799-1800 New York City, there is no question that the drama will unfold step by step. The death of Elma Sands, a young woman with a Quaker background but never embracing the faith has everyone in the city speculating.

The many subplots to this story including marital unfaithfulness, politics and greed cast light on several characters with ties to the unfortunate victim. The trial itself brings out both the best and the worst in people. While a verdict is reached, questions along with hard feelings will lead the reader to contemplate what really might have happened to Elma Sands.

Author Lauren Willig includes a lengthy historical note and list of resources at the conclusion of this account that supports the many unanswered questions about tragic event in America's early trial history.

Like a lot of people I imagine, I was familiar with this trial — only loosely — mostly from Hamilton. So it was really fascinating to see it really dug into deeper here, albeit in fiction — well researched too. I thought it was interesting to get a glimpse into the true crime fascination, which we may think of as a modern happening, but clearly has been going on for a long, long time. This was a political mystery, this crime so deeply tied up in the political posturing of early America, making it a layered, interesting read. Willing did a fantastic job of creating a sense of time and place through strong writing that featured crisp dialogue balanced with immersive descriptions.

I don't read a lot of historical fiction, but I like Hamilton a lot, so I thought I'd give this one a try. Less rhyming than you would think, but still fun. It was clearly well researched, and did an excellent job of bringing the world of old New York to life, as well as the historical characters. At times it was a bit slow for me, but like I said, I don't read a lot of historical fiction, so I suspect fans of the genre will really like this one. Thanks for the ARC!!