this was like watching a show, cocktail or popcorn in hand i'm not quite sure which would fit better. because sometimes you felt the movie style to it all, and sometimes you felt like you were sat amongst a crowd in a darkened bar, each with their own reason to being their. to watch this dance, this show-tune, this shining cast of characters tell you their tale on their own stages. Ariel is such a go-to author of bringing her stories to life. i don't know he she keeps doing it. i read on of her books and the way she takes up stories and brings them to life but with her own skill set is just stunning. you might know of the stories, you might not. but you soon will, and will soon want to. and you'll soon need to know more of Ariel's stories as they take on a meaning all of their own.
this story take us to a true crime cold case from decades ago. and like with any unsolved event there is always more going on that people aren't telling. characters lying, characters with their own agendas, characters willing to do what to get their ways? we focus on three characters in the life of the man who disappeared. but we also get a great cast of others. some are based on true people but as the author states many are not so she can bring her own taste and fresh take on things. and this is what Ariel does so well.
with this book i thought many people could be responsible. this was a time where corruption was rife. dark dealing were all around especially in the circles and people we meet within this book like Gangsters,showgirls and prostitutes and other shady characters to name a few.
we get to know the time period and the location of New York City so you truly feel immersed in this story and are both rushing to know more and what comes next but also just want to sit within Ariel's storytelling and scene setting.
i love how we see the three main woman in this book looking out for how to survive and willing to do what they must to do so. they are bright sparks all the way through the books and i loved each time we got to know more about them. each so different but somehow similar and linked. especially during this time period and what it meant for them and what they had to go through and put themselves through. you might not agree with some things they do but you come to understand them.
this was a brilliant book. Ariel took it and kept it true but also completely made it her own. and i ended up needing to know her own take on wrapping this story up. and i was hugely satisfied with how she did this.
another superb read from this author. just brilliant.

Compulsive reading, elegantly written and the characters are beautifully crafted. 1930’s come alive with all the social hierarchy that was prevalent at the time.

I loved the characters and wasn’t bothered at all by the split time line.

An excellent read!

Wow, what a brilliant book. Beautifully crafted and wonderfully scripted. It kept me hooked to the very end. I’m very much looking forward to reading more from this author.

The 1930's came alive in this brilliant and descriptive read.

I loved how the story unfolded and the writing is just sublime.

When a judge goes missing never to be heard from again, mystery and intrigue collide.

The story sets on the three women in the judges life..hence the title of the book and what happens is a scandelous and brilliant plot that is based upon a true event.

The glamour and the criminal enterprise of the 30's is told in amazing form. it is like watching a drama unfold and I bloody loved every word..

The Wife, the Maid and the Mistress by Ariel Lawhon is a stylish, compelling and beautifully written book that reimagines the disappearance of Judge Joseph Crater in 1930s New York. Told through the eyes of three women connected to him, his wife Stella, his maid Maria and his mistress Ritzi, this story unravels in a world of jazz clubs, backstage dressing rooms and political corruption.

The atmosphere is superb. Lawhon captures the glamour and grit of the era with ease, creating a vivid picture of New York at its most dazzling and dangerous. The story moves between timelines, but the structure is handled with skill and clarity, adding tension rather than confusion. Each of the women has her own secrets and ambitions, and their lives weave together in ways that are both believable and surprising.

The characters are the heart of the book. All three women are flawed but deeply human, driven by love, loyalty and survival. Their voices feel authentic, and it is easy to empathise with each of them even when they make questionable choices. The final reveal is clever and satisfying, providing a conclusion that feels earned without being predictable.

Richly atmospheric, emotionally intelligent and full of intrigue, this is a captivating story about power, betrayal and the women history often overlooks. I loved it from start to finish.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

I loved how the story unfolded and the writing is just too good. Very smooth
enjoyed the ways the women's lives intertwined and how each of them was hiding secrets from everyone else including the book's readers.
Loved the characters, plot, and especially the writing