The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress: A Novel

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Frozen River, this “genuinely surprising whodunit” (USA Today) reimagines the tantalizing suspense surrounding a scandalous murder mystery that rocked the nation.

“This book is more meticulously choreographed than a chorus line. It all pays off.”—The New York Times Book Review

One summer night in 1930, Judge Joseph Crater steps into a New York City cab and is never heard from again. Behind this great man are three women, each with her own tale to tell: Stella, his fashionable wife, the picture of propriety; Maria, their steadfast maid, indebted to the judge; and Ritzi, his showgirl mistress, willing to seize any chance to break out of the chorus line.

As the twisted truth emerges, Ariel Lawhon’s wickedly entertaining debut mystery transports us into the smoky jazz clubs, seedy backstage dressing rooms, and shadowy streets beneath the Art Deco skyline.