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The Wharton Plot
Mariah Fredericks' mesmerizing novel, The Wharton Plot, follows renowned novelist Edith Wharton in the twilight years of the Gilded Age in New York as she tracks a killer.
New York City, 1911. Edith Wharton, almost equally famed for her novels and her sharp tongue, is bone-tired of Manhattan. Finding herself at a crossroads with both her marriage and her writing, she makes the decision to leave America, her publisher, and her loveless marriage.
And then, dashing novelist David Graham Phillips—a writer with often notorious ideas about society and women’s place in it—is shot to death outside the Princeton Club. Edith herself met the man only once, when the two formed a mutual distaste over tea in the Palm Court of the Belmont hotel. When Phillips is killed, Edith's life takes another turn. His sister is convinced Graham was killed by someone determined to stop the publication of his next book, which promised to uncover secrets that powerful people would rather stayed hidden. Though unconvinced, Edith is curious. What kind of book could push someone to kill?
Inspired by a true story, The Wharton Plot follows Edith Wharton through the fading years of the Gilded Age in a city she once loved so well, telling a taut tale of fame, love, and murder, as she becomes obsessed with solving a crime.
New York City, 1911. Edith Wharton, almost equally famed for her novels and her sharp tongue, is bone-tired of Manhattan. Finding herself at a crossroads with both her marriage and her writing, she makes the decision to leave America, her publisher, and her loveless marriage.
And then, dashing novelist David Graham Phillips—a writer with often notorious ideas about society and women’s place in it—is shot to death outside the Princeton Club. Edith herself met the man only once, when the two formed a mutual distaste over tea in the Palm Court of the Belmont hotel. When Phillips is killed, Edith's life takes another turn. His sister is convinced Graham was killed by someone determined to stop the publication of his next book, which promised to uncover secrets that powerful people would rather stayed hidden. Though unconvinced, Edith is curious. What kind of book could push someone to kill?
Inspired by a true story, The Wharton Plot follows Edith Wharton through the fading years of the Gilded Age in a city she once loved so well, telling a taut tale of fame, love, and murder, as she becomes obsessed with solving a crime.
285 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 23, 2024
174 people are currently reading
18.5k people want to read
About the author
Mariah Fredericks
23books626followersMariah Fredericks was born, raised, and still lives in New York City. She graduated from Vassar College with a degree in history. She is the author of the Jane Prescott mystery series as well as The Lindbergh Nanny, which Nelson DeMille called, "a masterful blending of fact and fiction that is as compelling as it is entertaining." The Wharton Plot, was named one of the best mysteries of 2024 by Library Journal. "An Edith Wharton scholar could read Ms. Frederick’s novel with profit and amusement."—Wall Street Journal. Her next novel, The Girl in the Green Dress, featuring Zelda Fitzgerald and New Yorker writer Morris Markey, is out September 2, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 306 reviews
February 10, 2024
This murder mystery stars the one and only Edith Wharton, author of tortured stories of the upper crust that speak directly to my soul. In this novel, though, Wharton has the displeasure of meeting a pompous fellow writer who happens to get killed the next day, her birthday. Out of a macabre sense of intrigue, she goes to his funeral where a few people close to the late author ask Edith to read his yet-to-be-published final work and champion it; they fear it'll never see the light of day because of the truths it reveals - truths powerful people don't want out there.
I expected this would be fun (it was!), yet I wasn't expecting the sophistication of the writing, nor the efforts to be true to what was going on in Wharton's life at the time. You'll want to have read before reading this and you might want to also consider picking up either before or after reading this mystery since the fictional Wharton is in the early stages of writing the latter and you'll be able to see the "influence" this murder mystery has on Wharton and her novel in progress. Brilliant on the part of Fredericks to do that!!
I expected this would be fun (it was!), yet I wasn't expecting the sophistication of the writing, nor the efforts to be true to what was going on in Wharton's life at the time. You'll want to have read before reading this and you might want to also consider picking up either before or after reading this mystery since the fictional Wharton is in the early stages of writing the latter and you'll be able to see the "influence" this murder mystery has on Wharton and her novel in progress. Brilliant on the part of Fredericks to do that!!
November 29, 2023
This is a well-written, entertaining, historical fiction, mystery novel which is based on actual persons, and is inspired by a true story. It has a likable and intelligent female protagonist, a vividly described, early twentieth century Manhattan setting, the appearance of several interesting historical figures, murder, intrigue, twists and turns, and a satisfying conclusion. Ms. Frederick's depiction of Edith Wharton has inspired me to research her life to learn more about this fascinating woman. Many thanks to Ms. Mariah Fredericks, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley who kindly provided me with an ARC of this wonderful novel. This is my honest opinion.
January 24, 2024
In the later years of Gilded Age New York, we find Edith Wharton in the Belmont Hotel, in the midst of major decision making regarding her marriage, where she will spend her life in the future and what she will write. In this historical fiction, inspired by a true story, Edith becomes involved in more beyond these not easy tasks, when a young man, an author who she has never met before, happens upon her meeting with her publisher in a cafe at the Belmont. She is introduced to David Graham Phillips, a brash, superior feeling writer, with nothing good to say about Wharton or other writers or most of society. She is not amused! But she is also finds herself unexpectedly upset when Phillips is suddenly murdered a short time later. And she becomes involved with the writer’s sister in ensuring his new book becomes published.
While this is fiction, I found Edith’s voice fit what I would expect of a woman of her background and experience…one blessed with intelligence and sharp wit. Her inner voice sparkles more than society will permit her to say aloud. Her observational skills feel right for the woman who wrote such detailed books of the rise and fall of lives in that era. I enjoyed her attempts to work out who might have killed Phillips and why, all while trying to decide what to do about her failed marriage, her ill husband, the various men friends she has enjoyed in the past.
I do recommend this book for an enjoyable read that offers a possible view into the later life of Edith Wharton, when turning 50 meant one was becoming old.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley. This review is my own.
While this is fiction, I found Edith’s voice fit what I would expect of a woman of her background and experience…one blessed with intelligence and sharp wit. Her inner voice sparkles more than society will permit her to say aloud. Her observational skills feel right for the woman who wrote such detailed books of the rise and fall of lives in that era. I enjoyed her attempts to work out who might have killed Phillips and why, all while trying to decide what to do about her failed marriage, her ill husband, the various men friends she has enjoyed in the past.
I do recommend this book for an enjoyable read that offers a possible view into the later life of Edith Wharton, when turning 50 meant one was becoming old.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley. This review is my own.
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September 19, 2023GUESS WHO'S GETTING AN ARC???
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THIS GIRL
February 4, 2024
3.5
What I liked: I loved seeing Edith Wharton come to life as a mature woman fighting to maintain her place in the literary world while coming to terms with her husband's illness and the limitations of her gender. Her voice, while often overly snobby and judgmental, sounded genuine for the time period and I easily saw New York City through her eyes.
What didn't work for me: Wharton was too passive a sleuth. She was never emotionally invested in the murder. As a result, I wasn't either.
What I liked: I loved seeing Edith Wharton come to life as a mature woman fighting to maintain her place in the literary world while coming to terms with her husband's illness and the limitations of her gender. Her voice, while often overly snobby and judgmental, sounded genuine for the time period and I easily saw New York City through her eyes.
What didn't work for me: Wharton was too passive a sleuth. She was never emotionally invested in the murder. As a result, I wasn't either.
Read
January 18, 2024Mariah Fredericks follows up her very popular "The Lindbergh Nanny" with this terrific novel in which Edith Wharton - no longer young, years after her previous hit novel, generally dissatisfied - meets and instantly dislikes a brash New York novelist who gets under her skin ... and very shortly afterward is shot dead outside New York City's Gramercy Park. Mrs. Wharton can't help herself: she begins inquiring into who might have wanted that novelist dead. Fredericks makes it all work just wonderfully. My full review here:
November 25, 2023
Our two-mile square town’s library has visitors who scan the shelves and hide books that they find objectionable. So, when I recently gave away fifty books through the city’s “shares� page, I was surprised that no one was offended that some of those books were LGBTQ stories.
Back in Edith Wharton’s day, Anthony Comstock’s New York Society for the Suppression of Vice exposed writers whose work he found offensive. In The Wharton Plot, Comstock tells Edith Wharton that all fiction is suspect, for fiction is fantasy and allows people to create their own morals. He noted that fifteen women “exposed by the Society have taken their own lives,� which seemed like justice to him.
The theme of book banning is at the heart of this murder mystery.
Readers are swept into the Gilded Age world of New York City’s elite where “most of life was spent pretending one liked someone one loathed, lavishly praising a mediocre effort, or remaining silent.� One of the people Wharton meets is another author who she instantly dislikes. The next day, he is murdered on the street. Wharton becomes obsessed with discovering who killed him, and why. The man’s publisher allows her to read the manuscript of the forthcoming book that apparently offended the murderer. She then receives letters similar to the ones the author had received before his murder.
Wharton visits her dear friend Henry James for advice. She carries her beloved dog everywhere. She supervises care for her invalided husband Teddy, while maintaining separate lives as much as possible. She bundles in her furs and investigates.
I enjoyed the characters and the world of the novel, and especially how the author connected Wharton’s world to today’s. The newly strung electric wires strung everywhere, bringing instant connection but not happiness. The pressure of market demands and opinion on the publishing world. Gun violence. Money controlling American politics.
I sped through the book in two sittings.
Thanks to the publisher for a free book.
Back in Edith Wharton’s day, Anthony Comstock’s New York Society for the Suppression of Vice exposed writers whose work he found offensive. In The Wharton Plot, Comstock tells Edith Wharton that all fiction is suspect, for fiction is fantasy and allows people to create their own morals. He noted that fifteen women “exposed by the Society have taken their own lives,� which seemed like justice to him.
The theme of book banning is at the heart of this murder mystery.
Readers are swept into the Gilded Age world of New York City’s elite where “most of life was spent pretending one liked someone one loathed, lavishly praising a mediocre effort, or remaining silent.� One of the people Wharton meets is another author who she instantly dislikes. The next day, he is murdered on the street. Wharton becomes obsessed with discovering who killed him, and why. The man’s publisher allows her to read the manuscript of the forthcoming book that apparently offended the murderer. She then receives letters similar to the ones the author had received before his murder.
Wharton visits her dear friend Henry James for advice. She carries her beloved dog everywhere. She supervises care for her invalided husband Teddy, while maintaining separate lives as much as possible. She bundles in her furs and investigates.
I enjoyed the characters and the world of the novel, and especially how the author connected Wharton’s world to today’s. The newly strung electric wires strung everywhere, bringing instant connection but not happiness. The pressure of market demands and opinion on the publishing world. Gun violence. Money controlling American politics.
I sped through the book in two sittings.
Thanks to the publisher for a free book.
December 30, 2023
I requested a review copy of The Wharton Plot because—Edith Wharton as a detective? I needed to see what the author did with that set-up.
What the author did is write an interesting novel that hovers at the intersection of fictionalized history and mystery. This isn't a novel that blew me away, but it did keep me reading. I didn't really engage with the fictionalized history aspect of the novel (it is based on real events): too many characters focused on themselves and on the status of others. The mystery was interesting, but not the heart of the novel. Rather, the mystery served as a means for the writer to explore her sense of who Wharton was.
If you're a reader of gilded age fiction, you may want to check this title out. If your focus is on complex, whodunnit plotting, you may find it disappointing.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss; the opinions are my own.
What the author did is write an interesting novel that hovers at the intersection of fictionalized history and mystery. This isn't a novel that blew me away, but it did keep me reading. I didn't really engage with the fictionalized history aspect of the novel (it is based on real events): too many characters focused on themselves and on the status of others. The mystery was interesting, but not the heart of the novel. Rather, the mystery served as a means for the writer to explore her sense of who Wharton was.
If you're a reader of gilded age fiction, you may want to check this title out. If your focus is on complex, whodunnit plotting, you may find it disappointing.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss; the opinions are my own.
February 5, 2024
I don't think I've ever seen the personality of a real-life character as well described as it is in this portrayal of Edith Wharton. Mariah Fredericks has captured the inner thoughts, feelings, doubts, heartbreak,, and desires of her main character so well that she comes alive. It is a master class in writing and a true portrait of Wharton's faults, disappointments, and imperfections as well as her talents and strengths.
The murder mystery is based on the real-life murder of David Graham Phillips, and it is captivating from start to finish. The plot and history of the time combine with superbly written, strong characters to create a fascinating and compelling story. Wharton's struggles, both in her marriage and her career, are honestly depicted and nothing is hidden from the reader. It is an intriguing combination of murder mystery and fictionalized biography that fans of historical fiction will enjoy.
I also listened to the audiobook, and the narration by Kitty Hendrix is well done.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
The murder mystery is based on the real-life murder of David Graham Phillips, and it is captivating from start to finish. The plot and history of the time combine with superbly written, strong characters to create a fascinating and compelling story. Wharton's struggles, both in her marriage and her career, are honestly depicted and nothing is hidden from the reader. It is an intriguing combination of murder mystery and fictionalized biography that fans of historical fiction will enjoy.
I also listened to the audiobook, and the narration by Kitty Hendrix is well done.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
January 6, 2024
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: Jan. 23, 2024
The novelist Edith Wharton is in New York, unable to return to London until the doctor gives her husband, Teddy, a clean bill of health. Desperate for a change, in her location and her marriage, Edith meets the acerbic, arrogant writer David Graham Phillips, whose attitudes on women and their place in society sets Edith’s teeth on edge. Edith is hopeful to never run into the foul man again, until the day he is shot in broad daylight in front of his local Club. Now, Edith finds herself immersed in a very real mystery and if she doesn’t discover who killed the famous author, Edith herself might have a target on her back.
� “� took a true story and turned it on its heels, adding some entertaining and delicious details that kept me engaged from page one. Her new novel, “� did exactly the same thing, and I was delighted to be given the chance to enjoy it. Fredericks has a unique ability to craft a delightful story based on true events, setting her apart from other novels of the historical fiction genre.
“Plot� is narrated by Wharton and is set in 1911 New York. Wharton is unhappy with her marriage, taking solace in her romantic partners and her friendship with author, Henry James. As a respected and published author, Wharton is asked to review Phillips� last novel before publication, where the subject matter is rumoured to be the cause of his untimely death. Not only do readers get a glimpse into the twentieth century publishing world, but the ins and outs of high society, including dinner parties hosted by the Vanderbilt’s, paint a stunning picture of the lifestyle of the uber-wealthy.
Edith Wharton is the first woman to win a Pulitzer for her writing but I know very little about her published works, and I feel like this novel has once again piqued my interest in the literary icon. David Graham Phillips was killed around 1911, although Wharton had nothing to do with the investigation into his death, but the idea of Wharton as an armchair detective was clever and creative. Fredericks� continues to deliver entertaining stories, and I look forward to her next based-on-a-true-story novel!
Expected publication date: Jan. 23, 2024
The novelist Edith Wharton is in New York, unable to return to London until the doctor gives her husband, Teddy, a clean bill of health. Desperate for a change, in her location and her marriage, Edith meets the acerbic, arrogant writer David Graham Phillips, whose attitudes on women and their place in society sets Edith’s teeth on edge. Edith is hopeful to never run into the foul man again, until the day he is shot in broad daylight in front of his local Club. Now, Edith finds herself immersed in a very real mystery and if she doesn’t discover who killed the famous author, Edith herself might have a target on her back.
� “� took a true story and turned it on its heels, adding some entertaining and delicious details that kept me engaged from page one. Her new novel, “� did exactly the same thing, and I was delighted to be given the chance to enjoy it. Fredericks has a unique ability to craft a delightful story based on true events, setting her apart from other novels of the historical fiction genre.
“Plot� is narrated by Wharton and is set in 1911 New York. Wharton is unhappy with her marriage, taking solace in her romantic partners and her friendship with author, Henry James. As a respected and published author, Wharton is asked to review Phillips� last novel before publication, where the subject matter is rumoured to be the cause of his untimely death. Not only do readers get a glimpse into the twentieth century publishing world, but the ins and outs of high society, including dinner parties hosted by the Vanderbilt’s, paint a stunning picture of the lifestyle of the uber-wealthy.
Edith Wharton is the first woman to win a Pulitzer for her writing but I know very little about her published works, and I feel like this novel has once again piqued my interest in the literary icon. David Graham Phillips was killed around 1911, although Wharton had nothing to do with the investigation into his death, but the idea of Wharton as an armchair detective was clever and creative. Fredericks� continues to deliver entertaining stories, and I look forward to her next based-on-a-true-story novel!
March 6, 2024
Historical Lit & I have a hit or miss relationship. I fear this one may fall into the miss bucket.
It moved from bloodless world building (yes, I'm aware of the irony of calling a murder mystery "bloodless") to reading like a Wiki page and onto underdeveloped interpersonal exchanges. It feels like it was highly researched and outlined but too rigidly executed.
I also agree with others that Mrs Wharton came across as passive and trapped in societal norms, when she had already sailed past both of those by the time the real life Edith Wharton had reached her 50s.
It moved from bloodless world building (yes, I'm aware of the irony of calling a murder mystery "bloodless") to reading like a Wiki page and onto underdeveloped interpersonal exchanges. It feels like it was highly researched and outlined but too rigidly executed.
I also agree with others that Mrs Wharton came across as passive and trapped in societal norms, when she had already sailed past both of those by the time the real life Edith Wharton had reached her 50s.
April 11, 2024
It was good. Not what I expected, but a solid mystery. I would have to say most is that the author’s depiction of Edith Wharton is absolute fun! Impatient, intolerant, privileged, witty, and undeniably acerbic! Her character was the story. Who was murdered? Who cares! Too bad it’s a one-off, because Mr. Wharton would make a grand sleuth!
December 9, 2023
This review written for my .
My dear readers might know that I adore Edith Wharton. In fact, when tasked with writing a ghost story, the first thing I did was reread my favorites by Wharton, including Afterward. With the goal of creating a story in a similar style, I wrote Among the Lost set in 1927 Northern Michigan.
The Lindburgh Nanny was my introduction to the writing of Mariah Fredericks. Clearly, I enjoyed it enough to jump at the chance to read an early copy of her newest novel. When I received an email from Minotaur Books asking if I’d like to read The Wharton Plot, I said, “Solving a mystery with Edith Wharton? Yes, please!�
Historical facts not treated as spoilers.
Since dear Mrs Wharton did not actually have anything to do with investigating the murder of writer David Graham Phillips, this novel is purely fiction, but it was fun to spend time with one of my favorite classic authors in Gilded Age New York. Historically, the murder required no investigation, because the killer was known straight away. If you don’t know who it was or what happened, I won’t give it away here. Fredericks creates a gap in time between the murder and the discovery of the killer in order to take Mrs Wharton on an adventure.
I’m normally a purist when it comes to historical fiction, but Fredericks adjustments to the facts in this case don’t change much at the core of the story and enable the reader to get a good look at the senseless tragedy through Edith Wharton’s eyes.
When Edith wonders that Phillips was gunned down in broad daylight in the middle of the street, her friend makes some derogatory comments about guns, which I thought might have been an anachronistic attitude. However, when I did a bit of research after finishing the book, I learned that this case did actually spur one of America's early gun control laws. It's always nice to learn something when reading historical fiction!
Just how does a middle-aged author end up obsessed with solving the murder of a fellow author whom she just met and didn’t like? “She was aware that she would rather spend the afternoon with the corpse of a man she detested rather than her living, breathing husband.� The failing relationship of the Whartons and women’s limited options in life � even if you’re a woman with Edith Wharton’s resources � are secondary themes in this book and are well done. I could go on about challenges that women still face in this day of being able and expected to do it all, but I have a book review to write.
Edith is initially not impressed by the victim's sister's theory that he was killed by someone trying to halt the publication of his latest novel. "This was why radicals were so irritating. To persuade themselves of their importance, they insisted the entire world was involved in a vast intrigue to thwart them." She investigates a few theories of her own, and through her actions the reader gets a glimpse at The Four Hundred and their shallow interactions and maneuverings. As Edith looks at them with fresh eyes in her search for a killer, she realizes how much they get away with due to their deep pockets. Could one of them have wanted Phillips dead?
He wrote the sort of stories that made people angry, exposing political payoffs and scandalous social lives. Edith is warned to stop digging, which only makes her more eager to discover the elusive truth. "Do not write this. What words could be more provocative to a writer? What clearer sign that there was a story here to write?"
Edith isn't sure who killed Phillips, but she is sure that it has something to do with his writing. Even when one dismissed suspect claims it's a crazy theory because no one cares about books. "The calm assertion that books did not matter was such heresy to her that she had no idea how to refute it." I couldn't agree more, Edith.
Of course, Mrs Wharton does find her killer in a dramatic ending, but that is all I will say about that, so that you can enjoy The Wharton Plot yourself when it is released in January 2024!
My dear readers might know that I adore Edith Wharton. In fact, when tasked with writing a ghost story, the first thing I did was reread my favorites by Wharton, including Afterward. With the goal of creating a story in a similar style, I wrote Among the Lost set in 1927 Northern Michigan.
The Lindburgh Nanny was my introduction to the writing of Mariah Fredericks. Clearly, I enjoyed it enough to jump at the chance to read an early copy of her newest novel. When I received an email from Minotaur Books asking if I’d like to read The Wharton Plot, I said, “Solving a mystery with Edith Wharton? Yes, please!�
Historical facts not treated as spoilers.
Since dear Mrs Wharton did not actually have anything to do with investigating the murder of writer David Graham Phillips, this novel is purely fiction, but it was fun to spend time with one of my favorite classic authors in Gilded Age New York. Historically, the murder required no investigation, because the killer was known straight away. If you don’t know who it was or what happened, I won’t give it away here. Fredericks creates a gap in time between the murder and the discovery of the killer in order to take Mrs Wharton on an adventure.
I’m normally a purist when it comes to historical fiction, but Fredericks adjustments to the facts in this case don’t change much at the core of the story and enable the reader to get a good look at the senseless tragedy through Edith Wharton’s eyes.
When Edith wonders that Phillips was gunned down in broad daylight in the middle of the street, her friend makes some derogatory comments about guns, which I thought might have been an anachronistic attitude. However, when I did a bit of research after finishing the book, I learned that this case did actually spur one of America's early gun control laws. It's always nice to learn something when reading historical fiction!
Just how does a middle-aged author end up obsessed with solving the murder of a fellow author whom she just met and didn’t like? “She was aware that she would rather spend the afternoon with the corpse of a man she detested rather than her living, breathing husband.� The failing relationship of the Whartons and women’s limited options in life � even if you’re a woman with Edith Wharton’s resources � are secondary themes in this book and are well done. I could go on about challenges that women still face in this day of being able and expected to do it all, but I have a book review to write.
Edith is initially not impressed by the victim's sister's theory that he was killed by someone trying to halt the publication of his latest novel. "This was why radicals were so irritating. To persuade themselves of their importance, they insisted the entire world was involved in a vast intrigue to thwart them." She investigates a few theories of her own, and through her actions the reader gets a glimpse at The Four Hundred and their shallow interactions and maneuverings. As Edith looks at them with fresh eyes in her search for a killer, she realizes how much they get away with due to their deep pockets. Could one of them have wanted Phillips dead?
He wrote the sort of stories that made people angry, exposing political payoffs and scandalous social lives. Edith is warned to stop digging, which only makes her more eager to discover the elusive truth. "Do not write this. What words could be more provocative to a writer? What clearer sign that there was a story here to write?"
Edith isn't sure who killed Phillips, but she is sure that it has something to do with his writing. Even when one dismissed suspect claims it's a crazy theory because no one cares about books. "The calm assertion that books did not matter was such heresy to her that she had no idea how to refute it." I couldn't agree more, Edith.
Of course, Mrs Wharton does find her killer in a dramatic ending, but that is all I will say about that, so that you can enjoy The Wharton Plot yourself when it is released in January 2024!
January 31, 2024
Who better to solve a whodunit than an author?
The Wharton Plot follows author Edith Wharton as she distracts herself from her ailing husband with the murder of David Graham Phillips. A man and fellow author she had a brief unfavorable encounter with shortly before his death. While I enjoyed the opportunity to dive into the gilded age, the suspense was a bit lacking for me.
Thank you, @netgalley, for the eARC.
The Wharton Plot follows author Edith Wharton as she distracts herself from her ailing husband with the murder of David Graham Phillips. A man and fellow author she had a brief unfavorable encounter with shortly before his death. While I enjoyed the opportunity to dive into the gilded age, the suspense was a bit lacking for me.
Thank you, @netgalley, for the eARC.
January 7, 2024
"The Wharton Plot" by Mariah Fredericks follows author Edith Wharton as she investigates the murder of fellow author David Graham Phillips. After a chance encounter the day before his murder, Wharton becomes entangled and hooked on solving the murder.
Fredericks previously wrote "The Lindbergh Nanny," which follows a similarly true story and embellishes it with fictional elements. I enjoyed her previous book. Unfortunately, "The Wharton Plot" lacked a compelling story and characters. Fredericks depiction of Wharton is very stiff and, ultimately, fairly unlikable. I wasn't convinced why Wharton would become an amateur detective while writing her next book and dealing with her failing marriage.
Although the book itself is relatively short, the book is incredibly slow. The last 1/4 picked up, but given the lack of compelling logic as to why Wharton would involve herself in the murder, it doesn't make up for the lackluster beginning.
I love Wharton's writing, which initially made me want to read this book. She was a fascinating person who broke social norms by writing, divorcing her husband, and traveling the world. I would have been much more interested in a book that explored these facets of her life rather than forcing her into a story that doesn't hold up.
I do not doubt that there's an audience for this book. However, it was not a winner for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Fredericks previously wrote "The Lindbergh Nanny," which follows a similarly true story and embellishes it with fictional elements. I enjoyed her previous book. Unfortunately, "The Wharton Plot" lacked a compelling story and characters. Fredericks depiction of Wharton is very stiff and, ultimately, fairly unlikable. I wasn't convinced why Wharton would become an amateur detective while writing her next book and dealing with her failing marriage.
Although the book itself is relatively short, the book is incredibly slow. The last 1/4 picked up, but given the lack of compelling logic as to why Wharton would involve herself in the murder, it doesn't make up for the lackluster beginning.
I love Wharton's writing, which initially made me want to read this book. She was a fascinating person who broke social norms by writing, divorcing her husband, and traveling the world. I would have been much more interested in a book that explored these facets of her life rather than forcing her into a story that doesn't hold up.
I do not doubt that there's an audience for this book. However, it was not a winner for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
March 13, 2024
Ho-hum mystery -- Edith Wharton, the Gilded Age author, discovers the identity of the shooter of a fellow author. Unpleasant or bland characters. In fact, the "Author's note" was the best part of the book. The author delineates fact and fiction in her story.
February 14, 2024
The Wharton Plot is a murder-mystery with its protagonist a successful female writer from the early 1900’s. Based on a true story, it takes place in 1911. The reader is taken back to a time when men were powerful, and women were pretty much considered second class. Even women such as Edith Wharton whose writings were well received and was extremely opinionated was constantly downplayed as being weak. With so many important messages about women throughout the book, let’s not forget this is quite an entertaining mystery with a very interesting list of suspects.�
Novelist David Graham Phillips, notoriously known for his sharp tongue and overt opinions on everything is shot dead outside the Princeton Club in New York City one morning. With few witnesses present, the killer was able to run away. The writing community is in shock, as was Edith Wharton herself. She had just met him recently and had immediately disliked him.�
At first, Edith is not really interested in the killing as she has had enough of New York City as well as her husband for that matter and wants to escape. But with her publisher eager for her to turn in her next, very late book, she’s stuck in this new emerging city.
But when Phillips� sister goes to Edith insisting his death was caused by his new book which was being released and he had been getting threatening notes, including the morning of the murder, well her interest is certainly piqued. As she agrees to look into the situation, she finds herself immersed in reading Phillips� new book coming out, talking to his friends and colleagues as well as a few shady characters really to no avail. But suddenly all that changes as Edith herself begins to receive threatening notes which don’t really make any sense. Now it’s up to her to try and put the pieces of this puzzle together because it seems she herself is in danger!
The Wharton Plot is an interesting jaunt into feminist history with a woman ahead of her time with very strong opinions and a creative problem-solving mind and a mystery which pulls the reader in and never lets them go.
Thank you #NetGalley # MinotaurBooks #MariahFredericks #TheWhartonPlot for the advanced copy.
Novelist David Graham Phillips, notoriously known for his sharp tongue and overt opinions on everything is shot dead outside the Princeton Club in New York City one morning. With few witnesses present, the killer was able to run away. The writing community is in shock, as was Edith Wharton herself. She had just met him recently and had immediately disliked him.�
At first, Edith is not really interested in the killing as she has had enough of New York City as well as her husband for that matter and wants to escape. But with her publisher eager for her to turn in her next, very late book, she’s stuck in this new emerging city.
But when Phillips� sister goes to Edith insisting his death was caused by his new book which was being released and he had been getting threatening notes, including the morning of the murder, well her interest is certainly piqued. As she agrees to look into the situation, she finds herself immersed in reading Phillips� new book coming out, talking to his friends and colleagues as well as a few shady characters really to no avail. But suddenly all that changes as Edith herself begins to receive threatening notes which don’t really make any sense. Now it’s up to her to try and put the pieces of this puzzle together because it seems she herself is in danger!
The Wharton Plot is an interesting jaunt into feminist history with a woman ahead of her time with very strong opinions and a creative problem-solving mind and a mystery which pulls the reader in and never lets them go.
Thank you #NetGalley # MinotaurBooks #MariahFredericks #TheWhartonPlot for the advanced copy.
April 3, 2024
3.5 stars
The Wharton Plot was an interesting take on Edith Wharton’s personal life. It talked about her writing habits, her thoughts about the culture in which she was a part and that which she was separate from. It attempted to engage with the time period, though I kept waiting to see the world we see in Wharton’s novels in this book, and it didn’t show up. The plot was also an interesting murder mystery, but it didn’t move at a good pace. It’s an ambitious novel that just doesn’t hit all the right notes.
The Wharton Plot was an interesting take on Edith Wharton’s personal life. It talked about her writing habits, her thoughts about the culture in which she was a part and that which she was separate from. It attempted to engage with the time period, though I kept waiting to see the world we see in Wharton’s novels in this book, and it didn’t show up. The plot was also an interesting murder mystery, but it didn’t move at a good pace. It’s an ambitious novel that just doesn’t hit all the right notes.
January 22, 2024
Mariah Fredericks does a nice job of evoking the Gilded era in this historical fiction featuring a light mystery. A hybrid of a true story laced heavily with fiction, "The Wharton Plot" follows a snapshot in the life of author Edith Wharton. An author, who Wharton first met just days before, is found murdered. Intrigued by his death and using it as an excuse to spend less time with a husband she does not love, Edith decides to seek out the culprit herself.
This novel will be a good choice for those who like a slow sink into another time. I felt a deep sense of place while I was reading, and found the character of Edith Wharton seemed to fit in it perfectly. For me personally, however, this isn't an era that naturally resonates with me. I found the pacing too slow and the mystery too low on thrills to offset that. It didn't seem to have the same vividly engaging characters as Fredericks achieved in "The Lindburgh Nanny," which I loved, but perhaps that's simply staying true to Wharton's genuine personality. For those who are fond of that time frame or are familiar with Wharton's work and just want to spend a little time with her, this novel will likely still be a great choice. On audio, Kitty Hendrix does a solid job with narration and I didn't find it a distraction.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Mariah Fredericks for providing an advance copy of this novel for my review. This review reflects my honest opinions.
This novel will be a good choice for those who like a slow sink into another time. I felt a deep sense of place while I was reading, and found the character of Edith Wharton seemed to fit in it perfectly. For me personally, however, this isn't an era that naturally resonates with me. I found the pacing too slow and the mystery too low on thrills to offset that. It didn't seem to have the same vividly engaging characters as Fredericks achieved in "The Lindburgh Nanny," which I loved, but perhaps that's simply staying true to Wharton's genuine personality. For those who are fond of that time frame or are familiar with Wharton's work and just want to spend a little time with her, this novel will likely still be a great choice. On audio, Kitty Hendrix does a solid job with narration and I didn't find it a distraction.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Mariah Fredericks for providing an advance copy of this novel for my review. This review reflects my honest opinions.
January 25, 2024
Genre: Historical Fiction
Synopsis:
Set in NYC during the Gilded Age, author Edith Wharton sets out to solve a murder.
I read The Lindbergh Nanny by this author and really enjoyed it. So I Iistened to this one on audio. The narrator was good and fit the time period. The only thing I had known about Edith Wharton going into the book was that she wrote Ethan Frome. I liked learning about her life and struggles as a female author. I looked her up after I read the book to find out more about her.
The book itself was very slow for me. The murder mystery wasn’t really that gripping. It was more about her solving it as a woman at that time in history. It fell a little flat for me after reading her other book.
If you are interested in Edith Wharton, I would definitely give it a read though.
Thank you St. Martin’s Press for the gifted copy! ��🏻
Synopsis:
Set in NYC during the Gilded Age, author Edith Wharton sets out to solve a murder.
I read The Lindbergh Nanny by this author and really enjoyed it. So I Iistened to this one on audio. The narrator was good and fit the time period. The only thing I had known about Edith Wharton going into the book was that she wrote Ethan Frome. I liked learning about her life and struggles as a female author. I looked her up after I read the book to find out more about her.
The book itself was very slow for me. The murder mystery wasn’t really that gripping. It was more about her solving it as a woman at that time in history. It fell a little flat for me after reading her other book.
If you are interested in Edith Wharton, I would definitely give it a read though.
Thank you St. Martin’s Press for the gifted copy! ��🏻
January 17, 2024
I'm so disappointed by this book!! I absolutely devoured "The Lindberg Nanny" and was so excited to see that Mariah Fredericks had another book coming out. While I'm incredibly grateful to have gotten this ARC , the book was so flat.
My main issue with this is that the narrator (Edith Wharton for the most part) was entirely unlikeable. I understand the snobbery and narcissism that came with her life and society standing at the time, but in the book she came across as annoying and patronizing. If it was meant to then great! If not then yikes. I also feel like the entire plot of the book was way too far fetched. A guy you met once (that you didn't even like) dies and now all of a sudden you're investigating the murder on your own and are making up wild theories? It read more obsessive and manic than I think Mrs. Wharton would have been in real like.
I'm also hesitant to say it, but I think there was a lot of excessive name dropping. Sure it's of a time in New York where all the contemporary authors seem to reside at the time, but for them to be so interconnected I find hard to believe. It was noted a few times that authors find themselves as recluses, so why are they always socializing with one another? And just because it's the Golden Age of New York doesn't automatically mean they were all chummy with the Vanderbilts.
Finally, even from a very general Wiki search there are major plot points that are historically inaccurate. I won't go into too much detail cause it's gonna spoil the ending, but even the most basic look into the facts of DGP's murder would point them out. I didn't get an author's note or historical note at the end of the book, like we did in "the Lindberg Nanny" so when the book is published I'll see if I can read it. But yeah, not a fan of this one.
Thank you to Netgallet for this ARC!
My main issue with this is that the narrator (Edith Wharton for the most part) was entirely unlikeable. I understand the snobbery and narcissism that came with her life and society standing at the time, but in the book she came across as annoying and patronizing. If it was meant to then great! If not then yikes. I also feel like the entire plot of the book was way too far fetched. A guy you met once (that you didn't even like) dies and now all of a sudden you're investigating the murder on your own and are making up wild theories? It read more obsessive and manic than I think Mrs. Wharton would have been in real like.
I'm also hesitant to say it, but I think there was a lot of excessive name dropping. Sure it's of a time in New York where all the contemporary authors seem to reside at the time, but for them to be so interconnected I find hard to believe. It was noted a few times that authors find themselves as recluses, so why are they always socializing with one another? And just because it's the Golden Age of New York doesn't automatically mean they were all chummy with the Vanderbilts.
Finally, even from a very general Wiki search there are major plot points that are historically inaccurate. I won't go into too much detail cause it's gonna spoil the ending, but even the most basic look into the facts of DGP's murder would point them out. I didn't get an author's note or historical note at the end of the book, like we did in "the Lindberg Nanny" so when the book is published I'll see if I can read it. But yeah, not a fan of this one.
Thank you to Netgallet for this ARC!
January 22, 2024
I was familiar with Edith Wharton from reading one of her books several years ago, so the title of this grabbed my interest. During her time, she was a prolific writer and the first woman to win a Pulitzer Prize in fiction.
The story opens during a time when Edith had already become known as a successful writer. While enjoying lunch with her editor, she meets another writer and the two immediately clash. However when the writer is later killed in broad daylight, Edith becomes obsessed with finding out what happened. She even manages to get family approval to read his upcoming novel to find out if anything was written that could be a thereat to someone.
Soon, Edith receives some threatening notes and through the notes and interviews with people, she manages to get some clues and eventually solve the murder.
The story moves at a slow pace and Edith is not portrayed very favorably much of the time.
I love a good whodunit, but found this one to be just a tad boring. On the positive side, it did get me motivated to learn more about Edith Wharton and I just might read another of her books in the future.
Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to give my honest review.
The story opens during a time when Edith had already become known as a successful writer. While enjoying lunch with her editor, she meets another writer and the two immediately clash. However when the writer is later killed in broad daylight, Edith becomes obsessed with finding out what happened. She even manages to get family approval to read his upcoming novel to find out if anything was written that could be a thereat to someone.
Soon, Edith receives some threatening notes and through the notes and interviews with people, she manages to get some clues and eventually solve the murder.
The story moves at a slow pace and Edith is not portrayed very favorably much of the time.
I love a good whodunit, but found this one to be just a tad boring. On the positive side, it did get me motivated to learn more about Edith Wharton and I just might read another of her books in the future.
Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to give my honest review.
December 12, 2023
Thank you to Minotaur Books for an ARC. This book blew me away. Fredericks� characterization captivates in this engrossing historical mystery. Edith Wharton is one of my favorite authors, and imagining that I was seeing New York through her eyes was incredibly satisfying. Literature lovers and fans of The Gilded Age will appreciate this one! The mystery is intriguing, but even more captivating is gaining insights into Wharton’s life.
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November 19, 2023This was such a great mystery, I loved these characters, and I had a great time reading it!
December 21, 2023
I enjoyed The Lindbergh Nanny so I was excited to receive this ARC. This book is about a true story of author Edith Wharton and the murder of the author David Graham Phillips in 1911. On a side note, I did not realize Edith Wharton's maiden name was Jones. Why is that important? Her family was why we have the phrase Keeping Up With the Joneses. She was from a very wealthy family in the Gilded Age. As with most wealthy families, they marry other wealthy people and not for love. But back to the book, Edith is having problems in her marriage and she becomes obsessed with solving the murder of this author that she had only met once. She cannot leave New York until her husband sees his doctor so what else is there to do in New York but solve a murder? Edith then starts getting threatening letters just as Mr. Phillips did before he died. Is she being followed? Is someone watching her every move? I enjoyed the mystery and how it all ended. And as with most historical fiction books I read, I then go down a rabbit hole of reading up on Edith Wharton because I really do not know anything about her.
-"Secrets and stories, Walter. What writer would not seek that out?"
-"You were only asked to read a book and say something nice about it. You were not asked to solve the man's murder."
-"One can care for someone-yet still wish to be free of them."
-"Secrets and stories, Walter. What writer would not seek that out?"
-"You were only asked to read a book and say something nice about it. You were not asked to solve the man's murder."
-"One can care for someone-yet still wish to be free of them."
June 10, 2024
I had a great deal of difficulty pushing on through this book. I learned about Edith Wharton’s life but i didn’t really love the plot.
May 3, 2024
Almost 4�. Good writing for sure!
February 7, 2024
There are mysteries where the investigator is there mostly to move forward the plot, and then there are mysteries where the investigator also learns something about themselves. The Wharton Plot is absolutely the latter -- in investigating the death of then-famous novelist David Graham Phillips, Edith Wharton considers the nature of being a writer, as well as some hard truths about her own personal life. She is marvelously in character -- not always likable, but someone well worth knowing. Many historicals that incorporate real life historical figures as sleuths feel at least a little forced--this one never does. Wharton's natural curiosity and the circumstances that Fredericks sets up make perfect sense. I closed the book feeling like I'd spent time with Wharton herself, and feel inspired to return to her works soon!
November 25, 2023
Proud and prickly author Edith Wharton is temporarily marooned in New York City with her ailing husband in The Wharton Plot, and she is not at all pleased with the changes that early 20th century life is bringing to “her� Gilded Age city. The Metropolitan Opera House is new, Grand Central Station is little more than a massive gash in the ground, and, worst of all, her publisher seems thoroughly uninterested in her current work-in-progress.
With time on her hands, Edith is drawn into investigating the death of a young author who detested her on sight. (How dare he claim that she didn’t understand today’s woman?) And as she gathers clues and talks to suspects among the city’s elite, Edith uncovers the murderer while simultaneously working through the knotty problems of her loveless marriage and faithless lover.
In this well-researched and beautifully crafted novel, Author Mariah Fredericks infuses heart and soul into an author who can seem stiff to our 21st century tastes while conjuring an early 20th century New York that is disturbingly like our own times. A must-read.
With time on her hands, Edith is drawn into investigating the death of a young author who detested her on sight. (How dare he claim that she didn’t understand today’s woman?) And as she gathers clues and talks to suspects among the city’s elite, Edith uncovers the murderer while simultaneously working through the knotty problems of her loveless marriage and faithless lover.
In this well-researched and beautifully crafted novel, Author Mariah Fredericks infuses heart and soul into an author who can seem stiff to our 21st century tastes while conjuring an early 20th century New York that is disturbingly like our own times. A must-read.
October 29, 2023
I was really looking forward to reading “The Wharton Plot� by Mariah Fredericks as the only thing I knew about Edith Wharton was that she was the first woman to win a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.. This was such an informative and interesting story which gives great insight into Edith (she was quite a character) and shows her obsession for solving the murder of a fellow author who has scandalous ideas about society and a woman’s place in it. We learn a lot about the Gilded Age and the famous people of that time who were part of her world. The writing style took me a chapter or two to navigate, but once I became comfortable I totally enjoyed this novel.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
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