The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress Audiobook By Ariel Lawhon cover art

The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress

A Novel

Preview

Try for $0.00
Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress

By: Ariel Lawhon
Narrated by: Ann Marie Lee
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $20.25

Buy for $20.25

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

A tantalizing reimagining of a scandalous mystery that rocked the nation in 1930 - Justice Joseph Crater's infamous disappearance - as seen through the eyes of the three women who knew him best.

They say behind every great man, there's a woman. In this case, there are three. Stella Crater, the judge's wife, is the picture of propriety draped in long pearls and the latest Chanel. Ritzi, a leggy showgirl with Broadway aspirations, thinks moonlighting in the judge's bed is the quickest way off the chorus line. Maria Simon, the dutiful maid, has the judge to thank for her husband's recent promotion to detective in the NYPD. Meanwhile, Crater is equally indebted to Tammany Hall leaders and the city's most notorious gangster, Owney "The Killer" Madden.

On a sultry summer night, as rumors circulate about the judge's involvement in wide-scale political corruption, the Honorable Joseph Crater steps into a cab and disappears without a trace. Or does he?

©2014 Ariel Lawhon (P)2014 Random House Audio
Hard-Boiled Historical Marriage Mystery Fiction Romance Suspense
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Critic reviews

"Lee's consistent and distinct vocalizations, complete with a variety of accents and dialects, guide listeners through this absorbing story.... Lee's careful use of emphasis and drama leaves it up to listeners to decide whom to trust." ( AudioFile)

What listeners say about The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    150
  • 4 Stars
    106
  • 3 Stars
    41
  • 2 Stars
    13
  • 1 Stars
    8
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    166
  • 4 Stars
    86
  • 3 Stars
    24
  • 2 Stars
    7
  • 1 Stars
    3
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    143
  • 4 Stars
    89
  • 3 Stars
    35
  • 2 Stars
    12
  • 1 Stars
    7

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

It’s ok

I tried to follow story and started to like it but am confused with the ending and feel I’m left hanging. The narration was ok - her voice is beautiful but had a hard time figuring out which characters were talking as not much different.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The end will blow your mind!

Loved this book from start to finish. Ariel, please bring us more like this. Incredible story with a great twist at the end.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Entertaining Listen for NYC History Fans

Two caveats for anyone considering this audio book:

1) If you don't have a particular interest in New York City history and/or the Jazz Age/Prohibition era, the story alone might not be enough to keep your interest. For me, much of the pleasure from this book was derived from the setting and the notorious cast of real-life characters.

2) The story is told out of chronological sequence, so you'll need to pay attention to the month and day at the beginning of each chapter. (I wish I'd realized this from the start--it's easy to miss at first when listening instead of seeing the chapter headings in print.)

Overall, Ariel Lawhon weaves a nice narrative and Ann Marie Lee does a masterful job of bringing the characters to life, especially Stella Crater and Sally Lou Ritz. (The transition from the cut-glass elegance of Stella to the street-smart showgirl of Sally is truly impressive!)
The time-shifting narrative is a little hokey and clunky at times but on the whole I think it was effective in making the progression of the story more interesting.
And Lawhon's final reveal, while highly improbable, is still satisfying enough for me to hope it's actually true!



Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

14 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Real life soap opera

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Yes, this book kept my interest .

What other book might you compare The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress to and why?

Great gatsby...mainly because of the time period and scandal.

Have you listened to any of Ann Marie Lee’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

loved the women!

Had a good story, that kept you going the whole time, not like many where you're marking time to get to the part you knew all along was coming.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A good read!

Good story and narration . Interesting characters and a surprise at the end. Give it a listen

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Who Knew?

Excellent read. Lots of twists and surprises throughout . Keeps you engaged until the very end as all the pieces come together.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Compelling

I will craft a story with a twist at the end. A good listen All the way through

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great mystery and intrigue

Good reading and voices to convey diff characters. Being an Iowan farm girl myself - Ritzy did not portray the farm girl voice I think appropriate. Otherwise great!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great characters and twists!

I had a hard time putting this book down, well written and good attention to details. Loved the use of flash backs and present tense.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!