Title: The Girl from Greenwich Street
Author: Lauren Willig
Publisher: William Morrow (HarperCollins)
Genre: Historical Fiction, Legal Thriller
Year of Publication: 2025
Date of Publication: March 4, 2025
Pages: 352 (Hardcover)
ISBN‑10: 0063306115
ISBN‑13: 978‑0063306110
Summary of The Girl from Greenwich Street by Lauren Willig
Set in New York between 1799-1800, the novel follows the events surrounding a sensational murder case, popularly known as the Manhattan Well case, which involves the disappearance of a young woman.
At the start of the book, a woman named Elma Sands is living at a boarding house that is run by her cousin. Elma disappears just before Christmas and no one seems to know where she has gone. Initially, there were speculations that she may have eloped or run away until her body is found in the Manhattan Well.
“On Thursday last was found in a well dug by the Manhattan Company, on the north side of the Collect (but which afterwards proved useless) the body of Miss G. E. Sands who had been missing from the evening of Sunday the 22nd.”—Greenleaf’s New Daily Advertiser, January 8, 1800
The story also paints a picture of two lawyers trying to outshine each other both politically and through legal and court strategies.
“At the start of a new century, a shocking murder transfixes Manhattan, forcing bitter rivals Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr to work together to save a man from the gallows.”—Book blurb summary
Main Plot & Characters
- Elma Sands (Gulielma Sands): She is a young woman whose body is discovered in Manhattan Well around December 1799. Elma is depicted as spirited, lively and is central to the mystery. Her father left her and her mother and started another family. She is also sometimes referred to as Julianna Elmore Sands.
- Levi Weeks: He is a carpenter living in the boarding house who becomes the prime suspect accused of seducing and murdering Elma.
- Catherine (“Caty”) Ring: She is Elma’s cousin who runs the boarding house. Caty is religious (Quaker) and is also central to the story. She provides some insights into Elma’s life.
- Elias Ring: He is Caty’s husband.
- Aaron Burr: He is an ambitious lawyer/politician who takes on Levi’s defense. He was called to the Bar before Alexander Hamilton and Brockholst Livingston. Burr’s political rivalry with Hamilton adds a lot of drama to the story.
- Alexander Hamilton (General Hamilton): He is initially uninvited but later joins the defense team. Hamilton helps shape the legal strategy.
- Brockholst Livingston: He is a prominent criminal defense attorney initially hired by Levi’s brother, Ezra Weeks. He was called to the Bar much later than Burr and Hamilton but has a brilliant record as a criminal defense attorney.
- Ezra Weeks: He is one of the most sought-after builders in New York City and the older brother to Levi. He pays for Levi’s defense and brings in Hamilton, Burr, and Livingston.
- Cadwallader Colden: He is the (assistant) attorney general prosecuting the case, whose career is tied to a conviction.
- Hope Sands: She is another cousin, whose relationship with Levi and shifting loyalties are key to the narrative.
- Richard Croucher: He was a lodger at the boarding house where Elma lived before her disappearance. He testified during the trial of Levi Weeks.
- Richard Harison: He used to be Hamilton’s partner in law practice. He introduced Hamilton to Ezra weeks.
- Elizabeth Weeks: She is the wife of Ezra Weeks.
- Eliza: She is Alexander Hamilton’s wife. Caty also has a young child named Eliza.
Writing Style
If you do not enjoy books written in early modern English or the kind used during the renaissance period, you may not find this book enjoyable. We do think that the language used in the book is reflective of the time discussed and is appropriate to the story being told.
A lot of the story is based on journals and the records of the actual trial. You can clearly tell that the author spent a considerable amount of time studying the details of the case and the court strategies used in defense of Levi Weeks. Willig also includes historical notes at the end of the book that really gives readers a comprehensive understanding of the story. She talks about areas she took liberties that deviate from available records and the extent of her research.
Memorable Quotes
- That was the trouble with old friends. They felt comfortable asking awkward questions.”— Alexander Hamilton’s reflections
- “That is what we must fight against….The Thousand tongues of rumour have steadily employed in fabrication.”— Alexander Hamilton
- “Looking as self-righteous as only a woman without responsibilities of her own could look.”— Caty Ring
- “One of those lessons you learn with experience is that if something seems too simple, mistrust it. Probe for weaknesses as if you were your own most deadly opponent.”— Alexander Hamilton
- “In a case such as this, a case that touches on a man’s honor, it isn’t enough to create a doubt; one must leave no doubt.”— Alexander Hamilton
Final Thoughts on The Girl from Greenwich Street
The Girl from Greenwich Street is a well-researched story. What makes the book stand out is how Lauren Willig uses actual historical records to create some of the narrative. Willig’s background research really shows, especially in the courtroom scenes and in her notes at the end of the book. She includes a lot of historical details but it does not overwhelm the story, rather it makes everything feel believable.
With that said, this is not a fast-paced murder mystery or thriller and the style of writing and early modern English used may not appeal to all readers. It’s a character-driven story with a slow burn, focused on the people involved and the way their lives were shaped by the events around them. If you enjoy historical fiction with a legal angle, then this book might be for you.
Book Rating
Characters ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Plot ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Writing ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Book Cover ★★★★⯪ (4.5/5)
Audiobook ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Overall ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Have you read The Girl from Greenwich Street. What are your thoughts on Elma’s story and do you think the right person was on trial?
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