December 1, 2024
Anderson-Wheeler, a former literary agent who has written relationship fiction under the pen name Claire Amarti, writes a Jazz Age murder mystery featuring Jay Gatsby's 21-year-old sleuthing younger sister, plucky Greta, in which death comes to West Egg. The release date will coincide with the 100th anniversary of The Great Gatsby. Prepub Alert.
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March 1, 2025
When Greta Gatsby finishes her studies at finishing school, she plans to spend the summer with her older brother, Jay, at his West Egg estate, hoping to get better acquainted with her only surviving family member. But Jay's usual crowd is in attendance and moments alone are fleeting. Best friend Nick Carraway is there, and his decorous flirtations are not unwelcome, but hanger-on Jordan Baker is always in the way. And then there are the Buchanans, Daisy and Tom, temporarily lodging with Jay while their mansion across the harbor is renovated. Even a home the size of Gatsby's can't contain the interpersonal tensions that are exacerbated by the arrival of Tom's brother Edgar, and the odd behavior of the household staff. When Tom is found dead on Jay's yacht, Greta stands back, quietly observing, gathering and then impulsively pursuing clues to disprove the official theory of suicide. With an ambitious premise for a debut novel, Wheeler revises Fitzgerald's classic with reassuring authenticity and refreshing zest to deliver a thoroughly satisfying, coy murder mystery. F. Scott would approve.
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April 1, 2025
The Gatsby legacy is explored again. Anderson-Wheeler's fiction debut revisits Jay Gatsby's legendary West Egg estate but, this time, the emphasis is on a previously unheard-of member of the Gatsby family: Greta. Known as Gigi to her older brother, Greta has just returned to Jay's sprawling Long Island property after completing her education, which was designed to allow her to rise from the ranks of the nouveau riche and exist comfortably among the "Mayflower types" who look down on Jay's background. Many personalities from F. Scott Fitzgerald's cast of characters appear: Tom and Daisy Buchanan, Jordan Baker, and Nick Carraway assume their previous roles and appear to be enjoying Jay's hospitality--until a dead body is discovered on Jay's docked sailboat. Unsettled by the unclear circumstances of that death, Greta is also troubled by other events at the estate, most notably the unexplained departure of Flora, a maid with whom she had formed a bond. With her bobbed hair and a "bohemian" wardrobe that includes a daring set of trousers, Greta endeavors to figure out what is going on at West Egg. Confronted by the realities of class privilege, wealth, and race-based disparities, Greta becomes more aware that her life and education have not prepared her for the tumultuous social changes happening before her eyes. Anderson-Wheeler delivers an account of the changing role of women in the early 20th century under the guise of a mystery by examining the lives and motivations of Greta, Daisy, Jordan, and the female staff members at West Egg. Featuring much of the glamour and sparkle of Fitzgerald's original, this reprise of Gatsby's cautionary tale also revisits the distressing realities behind the glitz. A mystery with a message (and some great jewelry).
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