In the summer of 2019, I met with my then-editor at Kensington Books, and she mentioned Alice Beatrice Jones and Leonard ‘Kip’ Rhinelander and their headline news story from the 1920s. It was a passing comment that I took to heart because I’d never heard of Alice or Kip and the actual true events that took place in New Rochelle, New York, and some of the other boroughs in the state that are at the heart of the Rhinelander vs. Rhinelander case.
Now, I didn’t dive into the history immediately. I was contracted to write some other books, but as I often do, I multi-task when it comes to research. So, while I was working on my other novels, including Wild Women And The Blues, In The Face Of The Sun, The Other Princess: A Novel Of Queen Victoria’s Goddaughter, and Can’t We Be Friends: A Novel of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe (co-authored with Eliza Knight), I began organizing a file folder (on my computer using a program called AEON timeline). I loaded everything I stumbled across or actively searched for about Alice and Kip (she calls him Lenny in my novel) into that app or the folder.
So, I was feeling mighty organized (which can be a trap, too), when it came time to begin drafting The Trial of Mrs. Rhinelander.
I had a mash-up of information (and opinions) to study. There were letters, diaries, published essays, or, in the case of Rhinelander vs. Rhinelander, newspaper coverage, court transcripts, and several impressive dissertations, theses, and essays written by professors, PhD candidates, and historians analyzing the Rhinelander vs. Rhinelander court battle and its significance in the culture of its era.
After all, the story does cover issues such as classism, racism, family and relationships. But one of my goals in writing these novels is to tell the human story behind the headlines.
My research also unearthed some surprises. No spoilers, but I will share a few tidbits.
Alice Jones was born in New Rochelle, New York, in 1899. Her parents were immigrants from Britain. They met while working as chauffeurs and cooks in a big house in London; they fell in love, married, and, shortly after, took off for America. They arrived in New York City and made their home in New Rochelle. Alice was the middle sister of the three daughters the Jones couple had.
In the 1920s, newspaper articles included the addresses of the people being written about. That’s right. This made it easy for reporters, nosy citizens, and more to know exactly where to go to hound Alice and her family. And it wasn’t an isolated incident. Alice’s address is listed in almost every article (but oddly, not Kip’s, aka Lenny’s) address. Newspaper photographers had a roadmap, a printed invitation, to stake out Alice’s home and grab candid pictures of family members (Imagine if this happened today?).
Okay, this article can’t be all about me.
So, here are three (of the many) books I am super excited to read. So, have your TBR list ready and preorder these titles today!
In a League of Her Own by Kaia Alderson
“From the author of Sisters in Arms comes the incredible, untold story of Effa Manley, a Black businesswoman in the male-dominated baseball industry, and, currently, the only woman inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.” I am super excited about this book! Set in the 1930s, this is an inspiring story about an unforgettable woman whose remarkable story is finally being told. Coming August 6, 2024!!! Right around the corner!
The story of Elizabeth “Lizzie” McDuffie, the Black maid in FDR’s White House who “spearheaded the Civil Rights movement of her time,” was the self-proclaimed Secretary-On-Colored-People’s-Affairs. Coming February 4, 2025.
People of Means by Nancy Johnson
“From the acclaimed author of The Kindest Lie, a propulsive novel about a mother and daughter each seeking justice and following their dreams during moments of social reckoning — 1960s Nashville and 1992 Chicago — perfect for readers of Brit Bennett and Tayari Jones.” This description pulls me right in! It’s not biographical historical fiction but a novel that explores the “dreams of justice and equality” in generations past and present while offering insights for tomorrow. Coming February 11, 2025.
