Jazzed

By: Jill Dearman

Narrated by: Orlagh Cassidy

Academic geniuses, Wilhelmina “Will” Reinhardt and Dorothy “Dolly” Raab, become roommates at Barnard in the early 1920s, a time when college for women was a rarity.

Socially awkward Will, grieving her mother’s death, is fascinated by Dolly, a beautiful, charming rebel with an insatiable taste for adrenaline. Both musicians come alive at Harlem jazz clubs and Prohibition-era speakeasies.

Dazzled by the world they are discovering together, their romance ignites. But while Will is obsessed with Dolly, Dolly is obsessed with crime. The power dynamics keep shifting as Will agrees to commit petty crimes with Dolly in exchange for sexual favors.

When the University and their rich families unite to split them up, passions escalate. To strike back at those who deny them the right to be together, they plot another crime: murder.

A gender-swapped take on the infamous “Leopold and Loeb” case, Jazzed is part historical fiction, part true crime. Juxtaposing the thrilling scientific breakthroughs in quantum physics and artistic explosion of the Harlem Renaissance with the pseudoscience of eugenics and anti-immigration fervor that also defined the era, the novel mirrors today’s polarized world and moves with the fast-paced rhythm of jazz itself.

©2022 Jill Dearman (P)2023 Blackstone Publishing

Fascinating and Enjoyable

Love the story and the narration. I especially enjoyed the depth of character development and the interwoven historical context. The story helps you glimpse people in time and across spans of time. Excellent and engaging narration that was smooth and added to the story.

Great story & superb narration!

Loved the pace of this novel. It balanced just enough descriptions with dialog though not much background on the characters as it's more a "moment in time". Riveting nonetheless.

I'm Jazzed about Jazzed!

Long a fan of Jill Dearman's work, I read this riveting novel last year in paperback form but wanted to relive the story again with the Audible version. I'm so glad I did. Orlagh Cassidy's masterful narration of Jazzed—a bold reimagining of the Leopold and Loeb case—does full justice to Dearman's vivid prose. The storyl takes the reader on a wild ride that never disappoints. Highly recommended!

Fabulous, engaging and cleverly crafted

I fell in love with this book from the first minute. The narrator is excellent and the story is a compelling mix of historical detail and suspense. Dearman is on my on-click, must-listen list.