Broadway Butterfly

A Thriller

De: Sara DiVello

Narrado por: Jordan Cobb

New York in the Roaring Twenties—a riveting true-crime novel, based on one of the most notorious unsolved murders of the era, where power, politics, and secrets conspire to bury the truth.

Manhattan, 1923. Scandalous flapper Dot King is found dead in her Midtown apartment, a bottle of chloroform beside her and a fortune in jewels missing. Dot’s headline-making murder grips the city. It also draws a clutch of lovers, parasites, and justice seekers into one of the city’s most mesmerizing mysteries.

Among them: Daily News crime reporter Julia Harpman, chasing the story while navigating a male-dominated industry; righteous NYPD detective John D. Coughlin, struggling against city corruption; and Ella Bradford, the victim’s Harlem maid, closest confidante, and keeper of secrets. Adding fuel to the already volatile crime: a politically connected Philadelphia socialite, an Atlantic City bootlegger, Dot’s dicey gigolo lover, a sultry Broadway dancer, and a cagey sugar daddy guarding secrets of his own.

From Broadway’s glittering lights to its sordid underbelly to the machinations of the country’s most powerful men, Julia embarks on a quest for justice. What she discovers, twist after breathtaking twist, might be even more nefarious than murder.

©2023 Sara DiVello (P)2023 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Jordan Cobb offers a smooth, rhythmic narration of this compelling historical mystery, providing a variety of character voices and capturing the frustration of those seeking justice. Readers of true crime will be hooked by this intriguing and atmospheric tale. A winner for fans of Beatriz Williams's The Wicked City and Kate Belli's Deception by Gaslight.”—Library Journal

“DiVello maintains a breakneck pace from one brief, datelined chapter to the next. Her pulpy, over-the-top prose credibly evokes the era’s crime magazines, while her fidelity to the characters and the well-documented facts surrounding the unsolved murder give the story extra interest.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Based on a confounding, never-solved true crime and featuring real-life figures, DiVello's latest offers readers all they need to reach their own verdict…DiVello will delight readers with this foray into fiction highlighting Julia Harpman and her remarkable career.”—Booklist (starred review)

Questions with no answer s

Historical history interned in a mystery.
Persistence in the hunt for truth is jot always easy to find but this story demonstrates the cost reporters pay for deep by the truth in hostile environments.
Dedicated the entire day to listening to this from start to finish.

Amazing Thriller About A Real Unsolved Murder

I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves thrillers and/or true crime. It's wonderfully written and acted and incorporates the details of the real-life unsolved murder in an interesting way that not only keeps you interested but also provides social commentary that transports you to the 1920s. The book drags a bit about 2/3rds of the way through, but not enough for me to detract a star, especially because the ending was excellent. Broadway Butterfly reminds us that real life isn't always wrapped up so neatly. Sometimes, people are treated unfairly. Sometimes, prejudices impede justice. And sometimes, the murderer gets away with it.

Family Ties

Really enjoyed the story- Well written and engaging. Love reading fiction based on real events. This was made even better as Aurelia Fischer Dreyfus was my great aunt! My mother was named for her!

Not a page turner

I was hoping for more as I kept listening but “more” never appeared. It all fell flat at the end.
Narration was good but story lacked depth & development.

The unsolved case

The speaker had an expressive voice & kept me riveted to her every word. Thank you for giving life to this unfortunate victim.