The Trial of Mrs. Rhinelander

By: Denny S. Bryce

Narrated by: Chanté McCormick, Joniece Abbott-Pratt

Inspired by a real-life scandal that was shocking even for the tumultuous Roaring Twenties, this captivating novel tells the story of a secret marriage by a New York elite that ignites an explosive battle over race and class—and three very different women struggling for truth, legitimacy, and the futures they risked everything to shape …

New York, 1924. Born to English immigrants who’ve built a comfortable life, idealistic Alice Jones longs for the kind of true love her mother and father have.

She believes she’s found it with Leonard “Kip” Rhinelander, the shy heir to his prominent white family’s real estate fortune. Alice, too, is white, though she is vaguely aware of rumors that question her ancestry—gossip her parents dismiss.

But when the lovers secretly wed, Kip’s father threatens her new husband’s inheritance unless he annuls the marriage.

Devastated but determined, Alice faces overwhelming odds legally and in the merciless court of public opinion. But there are two people who can either help her—or shatter her hopes for good: In the 1940s, her estranged niece, Roberta Brooks, must put aside her disdain for her infamous aunt to combat an unexpected new Rhinelander legal assault. And in the 1920s, reporter Marvel Cunningham lives to chronicle social change and the Harlem Renaissance’s fiery creativity, but when Alice’s story dominates the headlines, Marvel’s job is to cover it.

At first, Marvel and Roberta, in different decades, see Alice’s legal entanglements as tabloid sensations generated by a self-hating woman who failed to “pass.” But the deeper they investigate, the more they will learn about the reasons behind Alice Jones’s behavior and what the three women have in common. The Trial of Mrs. Rhinelander will bring to light stunning truths that will force these women to confront who they are and who they can be in a world that is all too quick to judge.

“Denny S. Bryce had me on the edge of my chair. … Not only a riveting novel but also a profound lesson in the fluidity of racial identity.”—Victoria Christopher Murray, New York Times bestselling author of The Personal Librarian

©2024 Denny S. Bryce, LLC (P)2024 Recorded Books

The Depth of Her Love

Love the story, facts, and realness of these persons during the times of their lives.

a waste of time

non sympathetic characters. high school quality. could have been written by my granddaughter. got more from Wikipedia

Unexpected!

Totally enjoyed this story. This is the first story I listened to in 3 days! The narration was great. The story was true but the author did a great job of filling in the blanks and allowing each character to come alive off the pages, good, bad or ugly, the story was so real. I purposely read the Wikipedia version of this true story and the book didn't deviate too much from the actual events. Well written with excellent delivery of a tragic story.

The Trial of Mrs. Rhinelander

The Storyline, the characters and the dramatic reading were very nicely done. Good job. Satisfying.

Love

The love of two people, the love of family, the love of money, wealth and society all are at odds. Included is the race issue. Black, white, somewhere in between? I’d like to say who cares? But even today , sad to say, some people are still racist, even if they can’t admit it.

Unique story

Enjoyed the characters, the plot, and the writing. It was difficult for me to root for Alice, but in the end I understood she was like many women, a victim of the time and a victim of her heart.

Wonderful Storytelling

I journeyed through time. Both past and present. I could picture the characters as if I were watching a film or stage play. Very captivating.

it was Okay

The story was interesting but slow. It had a nice ending. I thought it was a little too soap opera'ish

Excellent

was a wonderful read enjoyed it throughly. also the audio reading was on poi t and enjoyable.

traveling through time

just amazing i feel like i know them personally. i just love this book ....enjoy...i did