The Lindbergh Nanny
In 1932, the son of the world-famous aviator Charles Lindbergh was abducted from the family home in New Jersey. It was declared the crime of the century, attracting the world’s press, and to this day, aspects of the story continue to be discussed and debated.
The Lindbergh Nanny takes on events from the point of view of Betty Gow, a young Scottish woman who considers herself lucky to obtain the job of nanny to the most talked-about but least-seen child in America, Charlie Lindbergh. Betty, a conscientious and serious-minded person who has been disappointed in love in the past, gradually gains confidence in herself and begins a relationship with Henrik Johnson, a Norwegian sailor she meets with other staff of the Lindbergh household. But when the child in her care is kidnapped, Betty, her boyfriend, and everyone working with the family will come under intense police scrutiny and suspicion.
Fredericks successfully explores this very public story through a new lens, and I really enjoyed her commitment to Betty as a full character with a life before, during, and after the kidnapping. The way events affected the lives of everyone connected with the boy makes for fascinating reading. The early chapters build an eerie sense of calm before the storm, and as the tragedy plays out, the emotional tension is palpable. Fredericks hints at the darker aspects of Charles Lindbergh’s personality and foreshadows Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s work as a writer while remaining true to the ‘present’ world inhabited by Betty Gow. Regardless of the degree of prior knowledge the reader brings to the novel, this beautifully crafted, gripping tale is an excellent read. Highly recommended.
