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A review by linneakarchibald
The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress by Ariel Lawhon
5.0
4.5 STARS
After not loving CODE NAME HELENE, I was hesitant to give this one a try, but I was looking for a quick audiobook while waiting for my library holds to come in and this was available, so I picked it up. I'm so glad I did.
It's the summer of 1930 and Judge Joseph Carter steps into a cab in New York City and is never seen again. In his wake, three women hold the keys to the truth of his meteoritic rise to the judge's bench, his complicated connections, and his eventual disappearance. On paper, the women could not be more different: his wife Stella is the picture of propriety, his maid Maria is reliable and discrete, and his mistress Ritzi is an opportunistic showgirl looking for a break. In reality, however, the women have much more in common than meets the eye. The mystery of the judge's disappearance unravels in a page-turning mystery that's atmospheric and enveloping.
One of my biggest issues with CODE NAME HELENE was that I occasionally felt the characters were unbelievable (despite being based on real people) and that took me out of the story. I didn't feel that with this novel and I think it'd be an excellent read for anyone who enjoys female-centric mysteries or Jazz Age stories.
After not loving CODE NAME HELENE, I was hesitant to give this one a try, but I was looking for a quick audiobook while waiting for my library holds to come in and this was available, so I picked it up. I'm so glad I did.
It's the summer of 1930 and Judge Joseph Carter steps into a cab in New York City and is never seen again. In his wake, three women hold the keys to the truth of his meteoritic rise to the judge's bench, his complicated connections, and his eventual disappearance. On paper, the women could not be more different: his wife Stella is the picture of propriety, his maid Maria is reliable and discrete, and his mistress Ritzi is an opportunistic showgirl looking for a break. In reality, however, the women have much more in common than meets the eye. The mystery of the judge's disappearance unravels in a page-turning mystery that's atmospheric and enveloping.
One of my biggest issues with CODE NAME HELENE was that I occasionally felt the characters were unbelievable (despite being based on real people) and that took me out of the story. I didn't feel that with this novel and I think it'd be an excellent read for anyone who enjoys female-centric mysteries or Jazz Age stories.