The Girl in the Green Dress

Who killed Joseph Elwell? That is the question! The Girl in the Green Dress is a historical mystery that explores the real-life June 11, 1920, unsolved murder of Joseph Elwell. I found this book to be wonderfully written and mysterious. I enjoy books that are based on and/or inspired by real life events.

Morris Markey has arrived in NYC to make his mark. He finds it when Elwell has been found dead in his home with the windows and doors closed. Intrigued by the mystery of Elwell’s murder, he dives into the case believing this will be his big break! He interviews Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald as they were some of the last people to see Joseph Elwell alive. An elusive woman wearing a green dress was another person to see Elwell alive.

I enjoyed the characterization and the depiction of the real-life people in this book. Zelda Fitzgerald had mental health issues in real life, and the author showcases some of her struggles in this book. I thought the author did a great job of blending fact with fiction. I enjoyed how Markey and Zelda work together to solve the case. The author did take some liberties with the characters and their interactions in the writing of this book.

I thought the author did a great job of bringing the 1920’s to life. I was intrigued by this murder mystery and found myself looking up the details of the real-life murder. One can’t help but wonder just how close Morris Markey got to the truth as he was also killed with one bullet to the head as was Joseph Elwell.

I enjoyed the author’s previous book, The Lindbergh Nanny and thought she did a wonderful job with this book as well. I found it to be intriguing, fascinating, and enjoyable.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.