I was so looking forward to this
Mariah Frederick offering as I loved her Jane Prescott series (see Blog entry
dated Jan 23, 2021.) However, I was disappointed. I found the text difficult to
read, too bogged down with details of things I didn't feel did anything to advance the story . Or maybe it was simply because Edith
Wharton was not the most likable character. The story combines two historic facts, the murder of David Graham Phillips and a dinner Edith Wharton attended with Henry
James, and two other close friends at the Belmont Hotel.
When the story opens Edith Wharton is stranded at the Belmont Hotel in New York City with her mentally unstable husband Teddy, laminating the changes in the city and anxious to return to Paris. When meeting with her publisher, Edith is introduced to fellow author David Graham Phillips whom she declares “absolute twaddle”. When Phillips is murdered the following day, which happens to be Edith’s birthday, she finds herself intrigued and attends his funeral. When the victim’s sister asks Edith to advocate for the publishing of Phillips final manuscript, Edith decides she can uncover the murderer. The police play no role in the novel as Edith does it all on her own.
If you are an avid mystery fan I
would not recommend this. Edith Wharton as a detective does not ring true. What the book does well though is depict New York City and
the lifestyle of the upper class during the Gilded Age.
3.57 stars on Goodreads, 4.1 on
Amazon
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