oh my gosh. if you grew up loving the Great Gatsby, you 100% need to read this book!!!!! very same feels as original Gatsby. well written. great book overall.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Apr. 1, 2025
Greta Gatsby, sister of the infamous Jay Gatsby, finally returns home to Gatsby Mansion in the West Egg after years spent aboard at finishing schools. Now a young adult who no longer needs the supervision of her older brother, Greta is looking forward to everything being home will bring to her, including being near Nick Carraway and even suffering the presence of Daisy Buchanan if need be. But almost immediately, Gatsby Mansion is thrown into chaos when Tom Buchanan, husband of Daisy, is found shot to death on Jay’s boat. Although the police are claiming its suicide, Greta is suspicious and she begins to investigate the events, even though she risks finding out startling truths about those she cares about.
“The Gatsby Gambit” is a debut novel by Claire Anderson Wheeler. A rich homage to Fitzgerald’s classic, with some Agatha Christie style mystery thrown in, and Wheeler has reinvented the elite, upper-class world of early twentieth century New York, re-introducing us to some much beloved characters.
Through Greta, readers learn a little more of her and Jay’s heartbreaking past, specifically the death of their parents. Jay’s promise to care for Greta is what encouraged him to become immersed in the world of high society, desperate to make money so that she had the care she needed. Now, both older versions of their childhood selves, they reunite under tragic circumstances but still hold the unbreakable love for each other.
Of course, Daisy Buchanan takes refuge at Gatsby Mansion and is just as admired by Jay as she was in “Gatsby”, if not more so. Her relationship with Tom takes centre stage for this novel, however, and it was intriguing and fascinating to get the intricate details of their dysfunctional marriage.
Wheeler’s writing is imaginative and flawless, easily transporting readers back to the Gatsby era. Each chapter was full of suspense with enough guess-who twists and turns to keep me guessing throughout. The mystery itself was quite predictable, but the “why’s” of the thing is what Wheeler managed to bring together cohesively, answering any questions that may have remained.
Creative, sharp and nostalgic, “Gambit” is a modern-day retelling of one of the greatest novels of the twentieth century to date. Wheeler has managed to create a new world, featuring the Gatsby Mansion and many of its characters, but has managed to leave the Fitzgerald masterpiece itself undamaged. For those who questioned what happened after the final pages of “Gatsby”, Wheeler has provided an interesting alternative that served to satisfy.

pretty fun murder mystery! i felt it limited itself a little by using the actual characters from the book but it worked fine itself and the protag was fun. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

Title: Gatsby Gambit
Author: Claire Anderson Wheeler (Debut Author)
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Publisher: Penguin Group Viking/ Viking
Pub Date: April 1, 2025
My Rating: 3.7 Stars!
Pages: 368

I was drawn to this story because it has Gatsby in the title- plus a throwback to a murder mystery in the 20’s sounded like fun!
Jay’s younger sister Greta was not in the original F Scott Fitzgerald story!

Story starts with Greta Gatsby who will soon be turning twenty-one and completing her education by graduating from finishing school. She is looking forward to spending the summer with her brother Jay who is seven year older and has been guardian, as they were orphaned fifteen years ago. Greta has been looking forward to this as she has been too young to attend Jay’s late-night soirees or perhaps Aka- infamous summer parties at the. West Egg mansion

Summer starts off with Jay, Nick Carraway, Jordan Baker and Daisy and Tom Buchanan, celebrating Greta's arrival and they plan to go sailing the next morning.
However, the next morning Tom Buchanan doesn’t show up...

My first impression of Greta is that although she was young, immature and a member of high-society I certainly never thought she would be taking the lead in what happened to Tom.
The investigators seem to think he took his own life. Our little Greta thinks otherwise and sets out on her own!

Turned out to be an enjoyable whodunit! I look forward to hopefully Book #2

Want to thank NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking for this enjoyable early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for April 1, 2025.

Very fun historical mystery. I just finished it in 2 days. I couldn't put it down. I'm hoping this is the start of a great series. I will be looking forward to more.

Greta and Jay Gatsby were orphaned at a young age, although Jay had made a life of re-shaping their lives with his successes with Greta along for the ride, albeit in the background either due to age or demeanor. However, Greta is now 21 and excited to spend the summer at Jay's mansion and re-connect with him. Jay, meanwhile, wishes that his sister would be more accepted into "society" beyond the level he was. Also summering at Jay's mansion are Daisy and Tom Buchanan, Nick Carraway, and Jordan Baker. However, one of the guests turns up murdered, and Greta is determined to solve the case.

This will be a really fun read for anyone who read and/or enjoyed The Great Gatsby. I enjoyed being re-introduced to these characters, and loved reading how they interacted not only with a new main character (Greta), but also within the scope of a murder mystery. The author also did a great job with incorporating the historical element of this book; the writing felt on par with the mood and richness of that era. I thought that this was a rather fresh read perfect for spring.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking Penguin for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Viking for the eARC!

This was a really fun cozy mystery. I love that we meet up again with beloved characters from The Great Gatsby. Anderson Wheeler does a great job of introducing new characters, as well - especially Greta Gatsby.
The mystery was really well done, and while there were a couple of instances where I didn't think Greta could really have done what she is shown doing while investigating (just because of the time period), the way it's written is so fun that I didn't care.
I hope this will be a series just because I enjoyed these characters so much, and I'd love to see more of them.

The title and description are what drew me to this book. As someone who enjoys The Great Gatsby, I was definitely curious as to how the Gatsby family was involved in this story. I was pleasantly surprised with how well it was done.
Now, mysteries are not a genre that I normally read. With that being said, I did enjoy it up to a point. There were definitely points in there that had me questioning and wondering about them. But there were also some things that had a bit of predictability.
Characters as a whole, there are a lot of them. There is the main cast but also a lot of side characters, even some who are just there for a chapter. There is a lot going on at all times that it is a little overwhelming sometimes.
Overall, I did enjoy this book.

April 2025 marks the 100th anniversary of the publication of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby.” This beloved classic went into the public domain in 2021, so that has allowed 21st century authors like Claire Anderson Wheeler to re-imagine the characters of West and East Egg. All the principal players are back (Jay, Daisy, Tom, Nick and Jordan), but this isn’t a prequel (the circumstances of this plot would prevent Fitzgerald’s original tale from occurring), it’s more of an alternate universe. We do get a new main character, Jay Gatsby’s younger sister, Greta. If you like the Enola Holmes (teenage sister of Sherlock) stories, “The Gatsby Gambit” might be just for you. There are also new Buchanan relatives visiting the Gatsby mansion.

Greta is seven years younger than Jay, and the original themes of social strata are present here. Gatsby wants Greta to fit seamlessly into the upper class, so once he is financially able, he “rescues” Greta from a sour Aunt Ida and a bland North Dakota upbringing in order to put her into an East Coast boarding school and a fancier finishing school. Now she has arrived at Gatsby’s Long Island home at the age of 21, with a new bobbed hairstyle and an eagerness to step into a bohemian flapper lifestyle like Daisy Buchanan.

Greta is also a fan of Agatha Christie, so she’s predisposed to investigating when a death occurs among the inner circle of friends. This is a mystery, but not so much a thriller. After the killer is revealed, there are three more chapters of long explanations, including the trope where the murderer holds everyone hostage while parsing out justifications. It’s a quick read, but nothing near the emotional, nuanced tale of the original novel. The great American Dream is still illusory to this set of characters. 3.5 stars.

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES I’m not certain if this was in the original, but here Jay Gatsby has green eyes. Although possibly a continuity error, early on Greta remembers her brother with “eyes of wild, turbulent blue.”
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO The garden is the place on the Gatsby estate where strange goings-on occur.

Thank you to Viking/Penguin and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!

This is a solid story with decent writing,. Part Nancy Drew, part Agatha Christie, this was a fun mystery read, but I always end up comparing Gatsby derivative works to the original and they come up short, against a classic and perhaps the greatest American novel. I'm sure Wheeler has more in her wheelhouse (puns are fun) that will shine better away from the green light at the end of the dock.

A retelling of The Great Gatsby, but with the death of Tom Buchanan under mysterious circumstances. Characters are true to the original with the addition of Gatsby’s “sister.” Ending falls flat..

I really enjoyed the re-imagination of the Great Gatsby characters, as seen through the eyes of jay's younger sister. After a murder occurs, she exposes the excesses and carelessness of the nouveau riche in the Gilded age.

The Gatsby Gambit
This is a continuation of the Great Gatsby story. Greta, Jay Gatsby’s sister, had left the finishing schools where he sent her and had returned to their opulent estate on West Egg. Greta had hoped to have Jay to herself that summer but found several friends visiting. Among them was Daisy Buchanan, the object of Jay’s desire, Tom, Daisy’s brutish husband, Jordan, a femme fatale and handsome Nick Carraway to whom Greta was attracted.
The group seemed to be enjoying themselves when tragedy struck. Greta took on the task of finding clues to solve the mystery.
This story, like the original, gives a view of the Roaring Twenties when wealthy people like Gatsby and the Buchanans spent most of their time enjoying life while their employees were only there to serve them. The author kept the tone of the original book but created a different scenario.
I enjoyed the book and its depiction of the times.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This wasn't bad. I was hoping for something different. This didn't go in line with the original story at all.

a light beach read, lots of fun to be back in the world of Gatsby, et. al. some of the twists are predictable, others not quite as much - I would enjoy reading others, though - just was fun

Look for my full review in Library Journal. This is an enjoyable classics reimagining with a female protagonist.