The Wharton Plot

by Mariah Fredericks Narrated by Kitty Hendrix

Overview

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.

Editorial Reviews

MARCH 2024 - AudioFile

Inspired by a true event--the 1911 murder of muckraking writer David Graham Phillips--this well-researched mystery casts author Edith Wharton as a reluctant detective probing the death and life of a man she abhorred. Kitty Hendrix performs in a low-register breathy voice that emphasizes Wharton's mix of high-society manners and fierce determination. Her moderate pace allows listeners time to soak up the book's many period details. It also underscores the formality of the writing, which sometimes seems to reflect Wharton's own style. As Wharton investigates, she enlists the help of her friend Henry James and lover Morton Fullerton, adding to the historical fun. While Hendrix's heavy breathing occasionally distracts, this is a satisfying period mystery set in a colorful milieu. A.C.S. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940160218816
Publisher:	Dreamscape Media
Publication date:	01/23/2024
Edition description:	Unabridged
Sales rank:	517,410

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