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.
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