The Talented Mrs. Mandelbaum

Praise

“Exuberant . . . fast-paced. The Talented Mrs. Mandelbaum’ serves up a platonic ideal of the criminal mastermind.”—The New York Times Book Review

“A vivid portrait of Mandelbaum in this rich recounting of her life and times. . . relishes Mandelbaum’s chutzpah while describing in forensic detail how an early American crime boss grew her business. A portrait of a woman who, before the term had even been invented, smashed through glass ceilings to get what she wanted.”—The Wall Street Journal

“Before Al Capone, there was Fredericka Mandelbaum . . . a scrupulously researched narrative.”—The New York Times

“Fox excels at telling a story that is rich in historical detail. . . When Fredericka Mandelbaum was buried, ‘it was reported afterward, some mourners deftly picked the pocket of others. Whether they did so in tribute to their fallen leader or simply from occupational reflex is unrecorded.’ A fitting end to a fascinating life.”—The Washington Post

“Her literal rags-to-riches story is presented with depth in this spectacular true story of ingenuity, business acumen and brazen criminality.”—Bloomberg

“A fun and fascinating read that blends history and heist.”—The Boston Globe

“Entrancing.”—The New York Post

“A transfixing tale. Readers will be swept up.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Fox succeeds in rescuing a once-notorious public figure from historical obscurity. An engrossing portrait of an unlikely criminal mastermind.”—Kirkus Reviews

“A genuinely fresh story of American crime and culture.”—BookPage​

“The astonishing story of this woman who wasn’t just a criminal mastermind, but a surprisingly successful entrepreneur – albeit in the unconventional field of stolen goods… captivating.”—Jewish Business News

“Very entertaining. It’s a trib­ute to Fox’s sto­ry­telling tal­ents that this unique and mys­te­ri­ous woman has come to life.”—Jewish Business Council

“A tour de force . . . With a pickpocket’s finesse, Fox lures us into the criminal underworld of Gilded Age New York. The portrait of Marm Mandelbaum is irresistible: In Fox’s lush prose, you can feel the softness of the silk and see the brilliance of the diamonds she amasses and profitably passes on. This book is pitch perfect.”—Liza Mundy, author of The Sisterhood

“Mandelbaum was not only a schemer but a dreamer, who saw running a crime ring as the rare way a woman could get ahead in a ruthless metropolis. This book is so full of twists, it makes you want to break out the popcorn.”—Rachel Syme, staff writer at The New Yorker

“A true-crime saga from America’s golden era of graft and grift that reads like the prequel to Oceans 11.”—Daniel Schulman, author of The Money Kings

“Who but Margalit Fox could have come up with this delicious Gilded Age tale of Marm Mandelbaum, a diamond-laden Jewish mother who ran America’s biggest crime syndicate, and her decades-long battle of wits with those trying to bring her down?”—Lynne Olson, author of Empress of the Nile

“Fox constructs a heist of her own in this richly detailed, captivating portrait of a penniless woman who rises to the ranks of criminal mastermind.”—Graham Moore, Academy Award–winning screenwriter of The Imitation Game and author of The Last Days of Night