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The Imposter Heiress: Cassie Chadwick, the Greatest Grifter of the Gilded Age
Before Anna Delvey or Elizabeth Holmes there was Cassie Chadwick, the first woman to bring down a federal agent, a bank, and a city’s worth of men.
Paroled felon. Rich doctor's wife. Famous clairvoyant. The best con artists know how to reinvent themselves, time and time again. Over the course of fifteen years, Cassie Chadwick swept from town to town, assuming new identities and running new swindles at each railroad stop.
In the dusk of the Gilded Age, years after the robber barons had amassed their fortunes, she was amassing her own. Then came the Carnegie con: Chadwick convinced prominent men from Cleveland to New York City that she was Andrew Carnegie’s illegitimate daughter. Blinded by the name of the world's most powerful man, businessmen lined up to lend her hundreds of thousands of dollars at a time, making her impossibly rich. The crash shattered banks and bankers alike. Her sensational trial drew the eyes of a nation that couldn’t get enough of the woman. Interspersing Chadwick’s crimes with stories of an unsuspecting Andrew Carnegie, author Annie Reed spins an enthralling, page-turning tale of true crime.
Paroled felon. Rich doctor's wife. Famous clairvoyant. The best con artists know how to reinvent themselves, time and time again. Over the course of fifteen years, Cassie Chadwick swept from town to town, assuming new identities and running new swindles at each railroad stop.
In the dusk of the Gilded Age, years after the robber barons had amassed their fortunes, she was amassing her own. Then came the Carnegie con: Chadwick convinced prominent men from Cleveland to New York City that she was Andrew Carnegie’s illegitimate daughter. Blinded by the name of the world's most powerful man, businessmen lined up to lend her hundreds of thousands of dollars at a time, making her impossibly rich. The crash shattered banks and bankers alike. Her sensational trial drew the eyes of a nation that couldn’t get enough of the woman. Interspersing Chadwick’s crimes with stories of an unsuspecting Andrew Carnegie, author Annie Reed spins an enthralling, page-turning tale of true crime.
356 pages, Audio CD
First published June 11, 2024
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September 4, 2024
History has been filled with con men, grifters, people who make their way in society by preying on unsuspecting dupes. But rarely has been a woman has created a grifter as Cassie Chadwick, the subject. Annie Reed's first book. This is a fine nonfiction book about a woman from Canada, who always wanted more than what she had. In order to do that she worked hard, but not at a normal professor. Instead, she became an expert at disguise, forgery, and new identities. It didn't matter if we initial attempts at grifting ended in her being arrested, criminal trials, moving from one town to another to avoid being exposed. No, from each and everyone of these steps, she learned more and more about how to perfect her art. it all came together in Cleveland, Ohio, and she was able to marry a reputable doctor and then she was able to convince everyone that she was the illegitimate child of the wealthiest man in the world, Andrew Carnegie. The book tells us a great deal about Cassie, and interspersed between each chapter are small little chapters about Carnegie and his life and character. It was the gilded age, and the time went forgery, was not quite so difficult to rely upon because who in Cleveland knew the signature of Andrew Carnegie. Cassie Chadwick had the idea of getting Carnegie's signature on a note which she would be receiving vast wealth from Carnegie as his daughter. She was always one step ahead of her victims, her own attorneys, as well as the law. She was able to borrow well over $1 million to live an extravagant lifestyle, one filled with diamonds, jewels, the finest clothing, arts and anything her heart desired. All she had to do was claim to be a poor innocent illegitimate child of Andrew Carnegie, a person who had no idea about the intricacies of finance. She said a few tears, show people the note allegedly signed by Andrew Carnegie, and before you knew it money was in her account. As the saying goes, she lived high off the hog along the way ruined the lies of many individuals, men who sincerely believed what they were shown and told and felt that they were helping her. It didn't matter to Cassie, she was a cold hearted grifter, but eventually things did catch up with her, and it's the story that the author tells in fascinating historical detail. The reader will shake their head in amazement at what Cassie was able to attain, and the scope of her scheme would've put Ponzi to shame. well written, well researched, and an extremely fast read, this look at the life of Cassie Chadwick makes one shake their head at the gullibility of people, all the while we look at today's headlines as he's the same thing going on. The only difference, was Cassie may have been the best!
July 12, 2025
I needed a book that was simply written and engaging to read during the runs I’ve been having to complete on the treadmill as we keep getting bad weather and I’m just trying to train for my race in September!! 😩 anyways, this fit the bill!!
Cassie Chadwick (whom also had many other aliases but I can’t remember them all haha) grew up in a rural area of southern Canada with a loving family, but she dreamed of more. Cassie had goals and aspirations of moving up higher and higher and joining the top members of society, the only problem was she had no money and no connections. So, she made some. They weren’t real, but they didn’t have to be! Bankers, the social elite, and everyone else unwittingly went along with Cassie’s schemes. Her greatest achievement—conning Cleveland, Ohio and its residents into believing she was the bastard child of steel magnate Andrew Carnegie. Holding a few banknotes with his foraged signature, Cassie took millions from financial institutions and individuals and lived lavishly for several years before it caught up to her. She was finally indicted in 1905 after running various ruses across America under different names.
Anytime a book includes something on the Gilded Age in America, I’m immediately drawn to it. That was my primary reasoning behind requesting this title from NetGalley tbh 🤭😂 I learned about a woman that was smart, resourceful, and scandalous and feel like I have a better grasp on the time period through the understanding this book brought me of the culture and society of the time.
Cassie Chadwick (whom also had many other aliases but I can’t remember them all haha) grew up in a rural area of southern Canada with a loving family, but she dreamed of more. Cassie had goals and aspirations of moving up higher and higher and joining the top members of society, the only problem was she had no money and no connections. So, she made some. They weren’t real, but they didn’t have to be! Bankers, the social elite, and everyone else unwittingly went along with Cassie’s schemes. Her greatest achievement—conning Cleveland, Ohio and its residents into believing she was the bastard child of steel magnate Andrew Carnegie. Holding a few banknotes with his foraged signature, Cassie took millions from financial institutions and individuals and lived lavishly for several years before it caught up to her. She was finally indicted in 1905 after running various ruses across America under different names.
Anytime a book includes something on the Gilded Age in America, I’m immediately drawn to it. That was my primary reasoning behind requesting this title from NetGalley tbh 🤭😂 I learned about a woman that was smart, resourceful, and scandalous and feel like I have a better grasp on the time period through the understanding this book brought me of the culture and society of the time.
December 13, 2024
A century before modern-day con artists like Elizabeth Holmes and Anna Delvey, there was Cassie Chadwick (born Elizabeth Bigley and known by at least half a dozen aliases, 1857-1907), who in her half-century alive grifted her way from rural Canada to Cleveland high society. Her most infamous con was pretending to be the illegitimate daughter and heiress of steel magnate Andrew Carnegie, in an era before paternity tests could easily repudiate the claim.
In The Imposter Heiress, Annie Reed entertainingly narrates Chadwick's schemes, from her serial cons, how she kept reinventing herself, and her ultimate conviction for fraud in 1905 that led to her imprisonment and early demise in 1907 on her 50th birthday. This is an engaging read, though Reed does seem to heavily partake in one of my nonfiction pet peeves, fictionalizing the narrative for enhanced readability and salaciousness by speculating on what characters must have been thinking and feeling when it's unclear whether the historical record would back this up (that being said, I listened to the audiobook version which, per usual, doesn't include citations).
Further reading: cons, frauds, and scam artists
Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou (about Elizabeth Holmes)
My Friend Anna: The True Story of a Fake Heiress by Rachel Deloache Williams (about Anna Delvey)
Catch Me If You Can: The True Story of a Real Fake by Frank Abagnale (in true Abagnale fashion, much of this book is also fictionalized)
The Wizard of Lies: Bernie Madoff and the Death of Trust by Diane Henriquez
The Dinosaur Artist: Obsession, Betrayal, and the Quest for Earth's Ultimate Trophy by Paige Williams
Con/Artist: The Life and Crimes of the World's Greatest Art Forger by Tony Tetro
All That Glitters: A Story of Friendship, Fraud, and Fine Art by Orlando Whitfield
McMillions: The Absolutely True Story of How an Unlikely Pair of FBI Agents Brought Down the Most Supersized Fraud in Fast Food History by James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte
Veritas: A Harvard Professor, a Con Man and the Gospel of Jesus's Wife by Ariel Sabar
My statistics:
Book 305 for 2024
Book 1908 cumulatively
In The Imposter Heiress, Annie Reed entertainingly narrates Chadwick's schemes, from her serial cons, how she kept reinventing herself, and her ultimate conviction for fraud in 1905 that led to her imprisonment and early demise in 1907 on her 50th birthday. This is an engaging read, though Reed does seem to heavily partake in one of my nonfiction pet peeves, fictionalizing the narrative for enhanced readability and salaciousness by speculating on what characters must have been thinking and feeling when it's unclear whether the historical record would back this up (that being said, I listened to the audiobook version which, per usual, doesn't include citations).
Further reading: cons, frauds, and scam artists
Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou (about Elizabeth Holmes)
My Friend Anna: The True Story of a Fake Heiress by Rachel Deloache Williams (about Anna Delvey)
Catch Me If You Can: The True Story of a Real Fake by Frank Abagnale (in true Abagnale fashion, much of this book is also fictionalized)
The Wizard of Lies: Bernie Madoff and the Death of Trust by Diane Henriquez
The Dinosaur Artist: Obsession, Betrayal, and the Quest for Earth's Ultimate Trophy by Paige Williams
Con/Artist: The Life and Crimes of the World's Greatest Art Forger by Tony Tetro
All That Glitters: A Story of Friendship, Fraud, and Fine Art by Orlando Whitfield
McMillions: The Absolutely True Story of How an Unlikely Pair of FBI Agents Brought Down the Most Supersized Fraud in Fast Food History by James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte
Veritas: A Harvard Professor, a Con Man and the Gospel of Jesus's Wife by Ariel Sabar
My statistics:
Book 305 for 2024
Book 1908 cumulatively
June 6, 2025
Rating : 4.2⭐️
Very well researched and extremely interesting . Love reading about the women of history! Def recommend if you’re into the same thing.
Very well researched and extremely interesting . Love reading about the women of history! Def recommend if you’re into the same thing.
June 18, 2024
This audiobook was made available for me to listen to and review by Annie Reed, Tantor Audio, and NetGalley.
The narrator of this nonfiction history audiobook is Kate Udall. Ms. Udall has a voice that conveys a lot of emotion. This works in the listeners favor during this wild history lesson.
This is the sordid and exciting tale of Cassie Chadwick, the Greatest Grifter of the Gilded Age. HBO's The Gilded Age season 2 featured a character named Maud Beaton who it was later revealed to be based on the historical character of Cassie Chadwick. I kept an image of the actress who embodied Maud Beaton on the TV show in my mind while reading this.
Cassie Chadwick is the most well known pseudonym of Elizabeth Bigley, a Canadian con artist during the Gilded Age. Elizabeth was born in Canada West, better known as Ontario, in the 1800's. She was born to a large working class family. Her con's mostly involve knowledge of common banking practices at the time. Through much of the 19th & early 20th century cash money was often in short supply amongst middle class and wealthy folks. They paid bills using IOU's in a complicated system. An IOU could be used as cash to purchase goods and services. This is quickly found out and Elizabeth is reprimanded and returned to her family in Ontario.
Ms. Bigley schemes continue, she is occasionally caught and sometimes able to talk her way out of her troubles and sometimes forced to into restitution for her crimes. Along the way she has an annulled marriage, a son born out of wedlock, a bid in prison, and more.
Finally Elizabeth lands on her best Con yet, passing herself off as the illegitimate acknowledged daughter of Andrew Carnegie. Pretending to be a wealthy socialite with her fortune locked down beyond her control until a certain date, Elizabeth as Mrs. Cassie Chadwick, a doctors wife, takes on wealthy banks and individuals in Pennsylvania, Boston, Ohio, and Chicago, to name a few.
However, she is inevitably brought down by the depth and scope of her long, entangled con. I loved this! I adore folks who get over on the wealthy.
Thank you to Annie Reed, Tantor Audio , and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.
The narrator of this nonfiction history audiobook is Kate Udall. Ms. Udall has a voice that conveys a lot of emotion. This works in the listeners favor during this wild history lesson.
This is the sordid and exciting tale of Cassie Chadwick, the Greatest Grifter of the Gilded Age. HBO's The Gilded Age season 2 featured a character named Maud Beaton who it was later revealed to be based on the historical character of Cassie Chadwick. I kept an image of the actress who embodied Maud Beaton on the TV show in my mind while reading this.
Cassie Chadwick is the most well known pseudonym of Elizabeth Bigley, a Canadian con artist during the Gilded Age. Elizabeth was born in Canada West, better known as Ontario, in the 1800's. She was born to a large working class family. Her con's mostly involve knowledge of common banking practices at the time. Through much of the 19th & early 20th century cash money was often in short supply amongst middle class and wealthy folks. They paid bills using IOU's in a complicated system. An IOU could be used as cash to purchase goods and services. This is quickly found out and Elizabeth is reprimanded and returned to her family in Ontario.
Ms. Bigley schemes continue, she is occasionally caught and sometimes able to talk her way out of her troubles and sometimes forced to into restitution for her crimes. Along the way she has an annulled marriage, a son born out of wedlock, a bid in prison, and more.
Finally Elizabeth lands on her best Con yet, passing herself off as the illegitimate acknowledged daughter of Andrew Carnegie. Pretending to be a wealthy socialite with her fortune locked down beyond her control until a certain date, Elizabeth as Mrs. Cassie Chadwick, a doctors wife, takes on wealthy banks and individuals in Pennsylvania, Boston, Ohio, and Chicago, to name a few.
However, she is inevitably brought down by the depth and scope of her long, entangled con. I loved this! I adore folks who get over on the wealthy.
Thank you to Annie Reed, Tantor Audio , and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.
April 24, 2024
Reminiscent of Devil in the White City and Inventing Anna, The Imposter Heiress manages to be a historical true crime story about a thief that the audience is kind of rooting for. Targeting the wealthy and entire banks, Cassie accumulates the kind of wealth that would make the above-average Newport, Rhode Island resident blush. Scenes are painted of the exquisite velvet gowns, drawers full of jewels, extravagant trips to Europe, singing chairs, fine china with her face painted on it. Yet despite all of that opulence, Cassie exploited men that absolutely should have known better. She utilized their misogyny to rake in the dough.
Author Annie Reed is witty and informative while covering the life of Cassie Chadwick. While the unextraordinary lead up to Cassie’s crimes is covered, Reed knows we want to hear about the crimes, how she planned it, and the trial that followed. It would have been exceedingly easy to write the story of Cassie Chadwick to reflect a spoiled girl who plundered her way through Ohio with little regard for those who laid beneath the ruin. However, I found the humor which colored the stupidity of the men she swindled, and the impressive work that Cassie put into her grift to provide a much more entertaining story.
Afterall, girls just wanna have fun, right?
Author Annie Reed is witty and informative while covering the life of Cassie Chadwick. While the unextraordinary lead up to Cassie’s crimes is covered, Reed knows we want to hear about the crimes, how she planned it, and the trial that followed. It would have been exceedingly easy to write the story of Cassie Chadwick to reflect a spoiled girl who plundered her way through Ohio with little regard for those who laid beneath the ruin. However, I found the humor which colored the stupidity of the men she swindled, and the impressive work that Cassie put into her grift to provide a much more entertaining story.
Afterall, girls just wanna have fun, right?
July 3, 2024
"The Imposter Heiress: Cassie Chadwick, the Greatest Grifter of the Gilded Age" by Annie Reed is a nonfiction biography. Born Elizabeth Bigley in 1857 to a poor family in Canada, she became one of the wealthiest women in the US by the late 1890s, but she did it by conning bankers to lend her money based on her spurious claim of being Andrew Carnegie's Illegitimate daughter.
Cassie certainly was a character! She had 3 husbands (sequentially) and 1 son. She lived very extravagantly with high fashion clothing and lots of valuable jewels. The way she got away with her cons was mostly because men underestimated her simply because she was a woman. That, and she acted wealthy, overtipping and giving gifts of diamonds away.
If you are interested in the late 1800s, turn of the century, or interesting characters from US history, check out this book, "The Imposter Heiress".
Characters - 4/5
Writing - 5/5
Pacing - 4/5
Unputdownability - 3/5
Enjoyment - 3/5
Narration - 5/5 by Kate Udall
Cover - 4/5
Overall - 28/7 = 4 stars
Thank you to Netgalley, Tantor Audio, and Annie Reed for providing me with this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
Cassie certainly was a character! She had 3 husbands (sequentially) and 1 son. She lived very extravagantly with high fashion clothing and lots of valuable jewels. The way she got away with her cons was mostly because men underestimated her simply because she was a woman. That, and she acted wealthy, overtipping and giving gifts of diamonds away.
If you are interested in the late 1800s, turn of the century, or interesting characters from US history, check out this book, "The Imposter Heiress".
Characters - 4/5
Writing - 5/5
Pacing - 4/5
Unputdownability - 3/5
Enjoyment - 3/5
Narration - 5/5 by Kate Udall
Cover - 4/5
Overall - 28/7 = 4 stars
Thank you to Netgalley, Tantor Audio, and Annie Reed for providing me with this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
March 7, 2024
“Face to face, she could remake a man's reality around him.”
If you remember anything about this con artist in furs and jewels, remember that: Cassie Chadwick can remake a man’s reality around him. This riveting account of the Gilded Age’s Anna Delvey is somehow both deliciously addictive and unsettling. Annie Reed brilliantly chronicles the creation of Cassie Chadwick in all of her Ponzi-esque glory. Chadwick (or shall we call her Bigley?) is no villain but a layered and complex subject who defies qualification, a woman in a man’s world and clearly enjoying it. What Reed does so well is craft a narrative that reads like fiction. Her characters are not flat historical figures but real and relatable. Cassie Chadwick is an impostor, a robber, and a queen of manipulation - but Reed’s adept storytelling makes Chadwick so much more. As Reed unravels the mishaps of this con artist, she connects us to history and sparks curiosity about the legacy that Chadwick left behind. There are questions about femininity, social mobility, and reputation that the book poses but does not necessarily answer. This may not be satisfying but it’s fascinating and exactly how good nonfiction should impact us. I finished the book and felt as if I knew so much about Cassie - and somehow I also felt that I knew nothing at all. A must read for readers with a voracious appetite for all things con, and for anyone who just can’t get enough of Anna Delvey. Four stars only because of some gaps that I felt like could use some filling in, particularly about her family of origin and her relationship with her son. Otherwise, I would eat this entire book up again with a spoon. Thank you to NetGalley and Diversion Books for the advance readers copy. All opinions are entirely my own.
If you remember anything about this con artist in furs and jewels, remember that: Cassie Chadwick can remake a man’s reality around him. This riveting account of the Gilded Age’s Anna Delvey is somehow both deliciously addictive and unsettling. Annie Reed brilliantly chronicles the creation of Cassie Chadwick in all of her Ponzi-esque glory. Chadwick (or shall we call her Bigley?) is no villain but a layered and complex subject who defies qualification, a woman in a man’s world and clearly enjoying it. What Reed does so well is craft a narrative that reads like fiction. Her characters are not flat historical figures but real and relatable. Cassie Chadwick is an impostor, a robber, and a queen of manipulation - but Reed’s adept storytelling makes Chadwick so much more. As Reed unravels the mishaps of this con artist, she connects us to history and sparks curiosity about the legacy that Chadwick left behind. There are questions about femininity, social mobility, and reputation that the book poses but does not necessarily answer. This may not be satisfying but it’s fascinating and exactly how good nonfiction should impact us. I finished the book and felt as if I knew so much about Cassie - and somehow I also felt that I knew nothing at all. A must read for readers with a voracious appetite for all things con, and for anyone who just can’t get enough of Anna Delvey. Four stars only because of some gaps that I felt like could use some filling in, particularly about her family of origin and her relationship with her son. Otherwise, I would eat this entire book up again with a spoon. Thank you to NetGalley and Diversion Books for the advance readers copy. All opinions are entirely my own.
March 1, 2024
I just don’t understand how she did it… was everyone in that day that gullible?! It would be interesting to see what kind of practices and changes were implemented in the banking world after such a scheme.
Annie Reed tells this story in a way that makes you feel like you’re reading a fictional tale. It is well written, captivating and a quick to flip page turner.
Kudos to the author shedding light on the successful manipulation of Cassie Chadwick in a way that made it almost fun to hate her. The restraint these men must have had to exercise when dealing with her, I can’t even imagine. It couldn’t have been me. I wanted to knock her out for about 80% of the book.
Had she not such an untimely demise, I wonder how far her cons could have taken her, she had the whole country-nee world, at her disposal.
Thank you to Annie Reed and NetGalley for this eARC
4.5 ⭐️
Annie Reed tells this story in a way that makes you feel like you’re reading a fictional tale. It is well written, captivating and a quick to flip page turner.
Kudos to the author shedding light on the successful manipulation of Cassie Chadwick in a way that made it almost fun to hate her. The restraint these men must have had to exercise when dealing with her, I can’t even imagine. It couldn’t have been me. I wanted to knock her out for about 80% of the book.
Had she not such an untimely demise, I wonder how far her cons could have taken her, she had the whole country-nee world, at her disposal.
Thank you to Annie Reed and NetGalley for this eARC
4.5 ⭐️
March 10, 2025
every 1904 man: one problem with women is that they’re fragile and weak.
cassie chadwick, taking money from their bank vaults: is it possible you’re thinking about lightbulbs? or your hip?
cassie chadwick, taking money from their bank vaults: is it possible you’re thinking about lightbulbs? or your hip?
April 9, 2024
At the turn of the century, Cleveland, Ohio, was home to more millionaires than any other city in the United States and, also, Cassie Chadwick. The cunning and clever Cassie was able to prey on bankers and businessmen who wildly underestimated her simply for being a woman. Duping her way into high society, fur coats, marriages and luxury European vacations, even Anna Delvy couldn’t scam her way into half of Cassie’s life. A beautifully written and well researched biography on the mother of the American con.
I really enjoyed the intertwined (but brief) narrative of Andrew Carnegie's life. The author richly paints a picture of class and social structures in the Gilded Age of America and how easily exploitable they were. The story has a lot of moving parts, addresses, and countless side characters but the author does a pretty good job of keeping the story flowing despite the complexity. I would have liked to hear more about the average person who lost their life savings or the Oberlin students who (temporarily) lost their tuition money.
Overall, a fun and interesting read. I would recommend to anyone who enjoys books about the Gilded Age and watching shows like the Tinder Swindler & Inventing Anna.
My Dream Cast:
Cassie Chadwick - Annette Bening
Thank you to Annie Reed, Diversion Books, and NetGalley for the book!
I really enjoyed the intertwined (but brief) narrative of Andrew Carnegie's life. The author richly paints a picture of class and social structures in the Gilded Age of America and how easily exploitable they were. The story has a lot of moving parts, addresses, and countless side characters but the author does a pretty good job of keeping the story flowing despite the complexity. I would have liked to hear more about the average person who lost their life savings or the Oberlin students who (temporarily) lost their tuition money.
Overall, a fun and interesting read. I would recommend to anyone who enjoys books about the Gilded Age and watching shows like the Tinder Swindler & Inventing Anna.
My Dream Cast:
Cassie Chadwick - Annette Bening
Thank you to Annie Reed, Diversion Books, and NetGalley for the book!
June 8, 2024
Well-researched and well-written, the author’s note indicates that The Imposter Heiress is a work of nonfiction but it reads like historical fiction. What follows is a fascinating account of a female con artist and her wealthy, upper-class victims.
For years, Cassie Chadwick convinced the same men to repeatedly loan her enormous sums of money, and they continually bought her lies of ‘repayment coming soon,’ only to loan her MORE money.
“𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰, 𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫. 𝐂𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐥𝐲, 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐩𝐬𝐞𝐝.”
Yet payment never came. She outwitted these men for years. YEARS! And they kept giving her money! Like, you need $300? Let me give you $1000! You need $1500? I’ll give you $10,000!
“𝐃𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐝, 𝐝𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧!”
How could it be so?? Cassie was either the smartest woman ever or they were the dumbest men ever. I mean, no one ever thought to stop giving her money or to take possession of some of her property as payment or, I don’t know, go to the police?? I mean, one man loaned her so much of his own personal money that he was left with only $11 in his bank account! What?! But Cassie was betting on that - she knew that they would want to avoid the embarrassment brought on themselves if anyone knew of their participation in her con.
Fascinating. A truly fascinating true crime story.
I have no idea how she did it. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
For years, Cassie Chadwick convinced the same men to repeatedly loan her enormous sums of money, and they continually bought her lies of ‘repayment coming soon,’ only to loan her MORE money.
“𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰, 𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫. 𝐂𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐥𝐲, 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐩𝐬𝐞𝐝.”
Yet payment never came. She outwitted these men for years. YEARS! And they kept giving her money! Like, you need $300? Let me give you $1000! You need $1500? I’ll give you $10,000!
“𝐃𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐝, 𝐝𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧!”
How could it be so?? Cassie was either the smartest woman ever or they were the dumbest men ever. I mean, no one ever thought to stop giving her money or to take possession of some of her property as payment or, I don’t know, go to the police?? I mean, one man loaned her so much of his own personal money that he was left with only $11 in his bank account! What?! But Cassie was betting on that - she knew that they would want to avoid the embarrassment brought on themselves if anyone knew of their participation in her con.
Fascinating. A truly fascinating true crime story.
I have no idea how she did it. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
August 21, 2024
God, this woman was so good at making men think that she was feeble minded. Oh wait! It's not actually that hard to get men to think that. It is so funny how the men she targeted would just fall over themselves to get her the money she asked for. All she had to do was dress like she was rich and use a forged document, which was actually not that good of a forgery, and they just handed her money with her promise that she would pay them back tenfold. The absolute egos on these men. Some of them wouldn't even admit she took advantage of them after she was caught and sent to prison because how embarrassing if it got out they were duped by a woman. Hilarious. Just, Wow!
Read
March 18, 2024“Face to face, she could remake a man's reality around him.”
July 1, 2024
Thank you to Netgalley and the published for sending me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
The Impostor Heiress tells the story of Cassie Chadwick, a poor woman from the backwoods of Canada and her riveting journey to becoming one of Cleveland's wealthiest and more notorious woman. Through a series a increasingly improbable schemes and cons, Cassie tricked all of Cleveland's high society and most of its bankers into believing that she was a rich heiress, who's money was always tied up into some legal matter. But perhaps her greatest achievement was to successfully pretend she was the illegitimate daughter of one millionaire Andrew Carnegie! By forging his signature, she was to borrow an increasingly exorbitant sum of money to fund her extravagant lifestyle.
Told through dual point of views, The Impostor Heiress alternates between Cassie Chadwick and Andrew Carnegie's narratives and compares their respective rises to fame and wealth, until their stories intertwine. Through the stories of these two individuals, the author paints a picture of life during the Gilded Age, how quickly fortunes were made and destroyed, and how appearances could make or break one's reputation. Through the author's captivating writing, this work of non-fiction read like a fictional page-turner story.
This is a perfect read for fans of historical non-fiction, and TV shows like the Gilded Age or Inventing Anna!
The Impostor Heiress tells the story of Cassie Chadwick, a poor woman from the backwoods of Canada and her riveting journey to becoming one of Cleveland's wealthiest and more notorious woman. Through a series a increasingly improbable schemes and cons, Cassie tricked all of Cleveland's high society and most of its bankers into believing that she was a rich heiress, who's money was always tied up into some legal matter. But perhaps her greatest achievement was to successfully pretend she was the illegitimate daughter of one millionaire Andrew Carnegie! By forging his signature, she was to borrow an increasingly exorbitant sum of money to fund her extravagant lifestyle.
Told through dual point of views, The Impostor Heiress alternates between Cassie Chadwick and Andrew Carnegie's narratives and compares their respective rises to fame and wealth, until their stories intertwine. Through the stories of these two individuals, the author paints a picture of life during the Gilded Age, how quickly fortunes were made and destroyed, and how appearances could make or break one's reputation. Through the author's captivating writing, this work of non-fiction read like a fictional page-turner story.
This is a perfect read for fans of historical non-fiction, and TV shows like the Gilded Age or Inventing Anna!
July 22, 2024
This might have been my first historical biography read for pleasure; if I read non fiction, I tend to select more modern topics and people. That being said, take my review with a grain of salt. Cassie Chadwick is just one of many aliases in Elizabeth Bigley's lifetime con play book, with this persona being her longest, most successful, and final con.
I really enjoyed the parts of the story where the author added her creative writing in, such as during scenes with dialogue or when explaining what the characters might have been thinking during their actions. I wish the book was written more in that perspective or even in the first person of our protagonist. The sections of the book that listed off Cassie's schemes and dollar amounts and other factual information had me dozing off, though I understand why this all needs to be included in the book.
I am unsure if it was the narrators' voice or the occasional history textbook writing of the novel, but it was hard at times to really picture Cassie as the cool and glamorous woman she built herself up to be.
If you are a history buff or someone who's into the stories of historical criminals, you'll probably have a grander time with this thoroughly researched account of Ms. Bigley/Chadwick.
I really enjoyed the parts of the story where the author added her creative writing in, such as during scenes with dialogue or when explaining what the characters might have been thinking during their actions. I wish the book was written more in that perspective or even in the first person of our protagonist. The sections of the book that listed off Cassie's schemes and dollar amounts and other factual information had me dozing off, though I understand why this all needs to be included in the book.
I am unsure if it was the narrators' voice or the occasional history textbook writing of the novel, but it was hard at times to really picture Cassie as the cool and glamorous woman she built herself up to be.
If you are a history buff or someone who's into the stories of historical criminals, you'll probably have a grander time with this thoroughly researched account of Ms. Bigley/Chadwick.
September 30, 2024
Cassie Chadwick’s story has been told in a lot of different formats in recent years. There have been podcast episodes, long form articles, and chapters in anthologies about scammers dedicated to her story. And all of these shorter-format accounts felt like enough. Here we get an entire book dedicated to her tale which, while well-researched and notably interesting at times, ultimately proves to be too much for a story that just doesn’t have enough going to dedicate this amount of content to it.
There’s a big difference between scammers who find some success because they’re actually good at it, and scammers who find some success because they’re brazen and lucky. Chadwick is more the latter than the former, which is part of why this story isn’t as intriguing as other nonfiction scammer bios.
That said, the narrative here flows well and the research is good. Being originally from Cleveland I enjoyed seeing a bit of its city history show up here, though the book was a bit light on setting and anecdotal history for my taste.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
There’s a big difference between scammers who find some success because they’re actually good at it, and scammers who find some success because they’re brazen and lucky. Chadwick is more the latter than the former, which is part of why this story isn’t as intriguing as other nonfiction scammer bios.
That said, the narrative here flows well and the research is good. Being originally from Cleveland I enjoyed seeing a bit of its city history show up here, though the book was a bit light on setting and anecdotal history for my taste.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
May 12, 2024
More like 3.8 stars.
I won this book via Goodreads Giveaways.
I'm not quite sure how I feel about this book. For the most part the writing is well done, especially for a non-fiction book, which many times can be dry. However, there was just something that I couldn't quite put my finger on that bugged me about the writing.
I had never heard of Mrs. Chadwick before but that doesn't surprise me. Once again, a woman's story has been pushed down and out in favor of men. Not that I feel sorry for this woman. She made her bed and is a criminal. I feel badly for the people she basically stole from.
Overall, not a bad book, and definitely an interesting tale of a woman most people have probably never heard of before.
I won this book via Goodreads Giveaways.
I'm not quite sure how I feel about this book. For the most part the writing is well done, especially for a non-fiction book, which many times can be dry. However, there was just something that I couldn't quite put my finger on that bugged me about the writing.
I had never heard of Mrs. Chadwick before but that doesn't surprise me. Once again, a woman's story has been pushed down and out in favor of men. Not that I feel sorry for this woman. She made her bed and is a criminal. I feel badly for the people she basically stole from.
Overall, not a bad book, and definitely an interesting tale of a woman most people have probably never heard of before.
July 17, 2024
The Imposter Heiress is the biography of Cassie Chadwick (among many other names), a woman who grifted her way through doe eyed promises and lies about being the illegitimate daughter of Andrew Carnegie .. and all the men who just straight up believed her and kept lending her money (even going as far as to get banks involved) on a promise of "I'm good for it, I swear!"
In the end this book didn't leave much of an impression on me. There were swaths of story where I wondered where her (unknown fathered) son went and then he would just show up again and I would have liked to learn more about what he thought and felt since the author took so many liberties on Chadwick's inner feelings.
It was fine! It was interesting enough and the narration was good. Good enough for a car listen.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the ALC in exchange for review!
In the end this book didn't leave much of an impression on me. There were swaths of story where I wondered where her (unknown fathered) son went and then he would just show up again and I would have liked to learn more about what he thought and felt since the author took so many liberties on Chadwick's inner feelings.
It was fine! It was interesting enough and the narration was good. Good enough for a car listen.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the ALC in exchange for review!
August 15, 2024
A really fun, thriller/non-fiction and historical piece to read.
I loved Cassie’s story- how she was able to basically live her life using men and others- all who definitely had the ability to know better. Weirdly enough I really loved her and was kind-of rooting for the bad girl in her.
When at times non fiction can be a bore- the imposter heiress was anything BUT.
Highly recommend as a read and potentially a palette cleanser for those in a reading slump or just needing a change of pace in their reading challenges or journeys!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.
I loved Cassie’s story- how she was able to basically live her life using men and others- all who definitely had the ability to know better. Weirdly enough I really loved her and was kind-of rooting for the bad girl in her.
When at times non fiction can be a bore- the imposter heiress was anything BUT.
Highly recommend as a read and potentially a palette cleanser for those in a reading slump or just needing a change of pace in their reading challenges or journeys!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.
April 13, 2024
The Impostor Heiress is absolutely mind blowing.
Like how did she do it? How are people this gullible? Did they really think that she had the means, and that scandal hadn't been leaked prior?
Absolutely mind blowing, but Annie Reed is right, these names will be remembered, until the next one (in our case, it's presently Anna Delvey).
Mind blowing how simple her whole charade is/was.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for my E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Like how did she do it? How are people this gullible? Did they really think that she had the means, and that scandal hadn't been leaked prior?
Absolutely mind blowing, but Annie Reed is right, these names will be remembered, until the next one (in our case, it's presently Anna Delvey).
Mind blowing how simple her whole charade is/was.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for my E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
September 28, 2024
Meet the original woman con artist Cassie Chadwick, who duped banks and prominent members of society into thinking she was Andrew Carnegie’s illegitimate daughter in order to take out large loans and live a lavish lifestyle. Originating from Canada, she used many aliases and had multiple marriages in the Ohio area, and used her cleverness & boldness to forge signatures and documents to take out loans at multiple banks. At a time when women could not vote or get loans from banks, it’s amazing what Cassie was able borrow that equates to more than $20 million in today’s dollars.
July 22, 2025
She weaponized the sexism of society to swindle greedy bankers.
I can't fault her for that.
I can't fault her for that.
February 26, 2024
What a fun read!
July 28, 2024
I love this book.
Every time Cassie got up to her nonsense, and I felt the hint of 'oh no, maybe she shouldnt-' coming in, historical sexism popped in and I started rooting for her to tear it all down.
A Canadian Icon of whom everyone should know, this book chronicals a wild woman who defied her age, and aimed for the stars of conpeople. If Cassie had been born a man, or if women had been respected enough to be allowed in the workforce, I should like to think she would have dominated the business market.
At least we got one hell of a story!
Absolutely would reccomend this book!
Every time Cassie got up to her nonsense, and I felt the hint of 'oh no, maybe she shouldnt-' coming in, historical sexism popped in and I started rooting for her to tear it all down.
A Canadian Icon of whom everyone should know, this book chronicals a wild woman who defied her age, and aimed for the stars of conpeople. If Cassie had been born a man, or if women had been respected enough to be allowed in the workforce, I should like to think she would have dominated the business market.
At least we got one hell of a story!
Absolutely would reccomend this book!
May 13, 2024
I received an advanced copy of this courtesy of NetGalley.
The subject is fascinating having fabricated a make believe existence, most notably as the bastard child of Andrew Carnegie, and having initiated massive amounts of fraud on the backs of others who actually believed such lies to be real.
The book does well when it juxtaposes the real-life undertakings of Cassie Chadwick and Andrew Carnegie beside each other. In Chadwick’s case, it’s how she goes about transforming her actual identity from small-town Elizabeth Bigley into more extravagant and interesting ones like Madame DeVere and Cassie Chadwick. In Carnegie’s case, it’s how he transforms from lower management to ruthless steel tycoon to benevolent philanthropist. Carnegie took advantage of his workers for his own benefit but saw it through the eyes of building communities and his philanthropic legacy. Chadwick took advantage of many bankers and husbands but saw no problem with it because she felt she deserved it for herself and presumed the money borrowed as the so-called daughter of Carnegie would be far too inconsequential for Carnegie not to make whole. The trouble was Carnegie was a man and his actions were perfectly legal at the time in spite of them being done off the backs of his poor workers whereas Chadwick’s actions were illegal and made even worse in that she was a woman performing such a massive fraud.
Where this books fails, though, is in skipping over an essential part of her life in having her child Emil and how she courted Dr. Leroy Chadwick. It does not go into detail about how in fact she got pregnant in the first place and likely glosses over the likelihood she was a prostitute at some point in her life. Emil was the likely result of that and she also conspired to bring him into her fraudulent affairs in the end as per the book. It is also unclear how she was able to immerse herself into high society and convince Dr. Leroy Chadwick to propose to her after she spent hard time at the Ohio State Prison for her second or third fraud conviction. It’s highly unlikely she got out of prison and just got accepted at face value as a single mother with a child whose father could be alive. The book makes it seem that she was mostly bad at times but then she was genuinely nice and good-natured at other times. There had to have been a gray area - what was that? These events essentially led her to pretend that Cassie Chadwick was the bastard child of Andrew Carnegie and the lack of context on them leaves the book lagging.
The subject is fascinating having fabricated a make believe existence, most notably as the bastard child of Andrew Carnegie, and having initiated massive amounts of fraud on the backs of others who actually believed such lies to be real.
The book does well when it juxtaposes the real-life undertakings of Cassie Chadwick and Andrew Carnegie beside each other. In Chadwick’s case, it’s how she goes about transforming her actual identity from small-town Elizabeth Bigley into more extravagant and interesting ones like Madame DeVere and Cassie Chadwick. In Carnegie’s case, it’s how he transforms from lower management to ruthless steel tycoon to benevolent philanthropist. Carnegie took advantage of his workers for his own benefit but saw it through the eyes of building communities and his philanthropic legacy. Chadwick took advantage of many bankers and husbands but saw no problem with it because she felt she deserved it for herself and presumed the money borrowed as the so-called daughter of Carnegie would be far too inconsequential for Carnegie not to make whole. The trouble was Carnegie was a man and his actions were perfectly legal at the time in spite of them being done off the backs of his poor workers whereas Chadwick’s actions were illegal and made even worse in that she was a woman performing such a massive fraud.
Where this books fails, though, is in skipping over an essential part of her life in having her child Emil and how she courted Dr. Leroy Chadwick. It does not go into detail about how in fact she got pregnant in the first place and likely glosses over the likelihood she was a prostitute at some point in her life. Emil was the likely result of that and she also conspired to bring him into her fraudulent affairs in the end as per the book. It is also unclear how she was able to immerse herself into high society and convince Dr. Leroy Chadwick to propose to her after she spent hard time at the Ohio State Prison for her second or third fraud conviction. It’s highly unlikely she got out of prison and just got accepted at face value as a single mother with a child whose father could be alive. The book makes it seem that she was mostly bad at times but then she was genuinely nice and good-natured at other times. There had to have been a gray area - what was that? These events essentially led her to pretend that Cassie Chadwick was the bastard child of Andrew Carnegie and the lack of context on them leaves the book lagging.
May 28, 2024
"She had come to the realization that the easiest way to get money was to already have it."....This book was incredible from start to finish! Reed is an excellent storyteller, and aside from the outrageousness of this true story, the page-turning factor is amplified by her addictive writing. I found myself in an adrenaline rush reading about the final months of the con, when everything fell apart and Beckwith/Spear/Newton realized that they were in too deep to recover...The pacing was on point, and mind blowing from every angle! I also enjoyed how Reed paralleled Andrew Carnegie's story to Chadwick's. It gave a fascinating perspective. She also managed to insert some humor into the book, and I laughed out loud on a few occasions...I can't recommend this book enough!
June 19, 2024
The Impostor Heiress tells the story of Cassie Chadwick, the woman who bankrupted banks and businessmen from Cleveland all the way to Boston by pretending she was Andrew Carnegie's bastard daughter. How? How could see have gotten hundreds of thousands of dollars before being caught? Simply by using a couple forged checks and by using the stereotypes of women to her advantage.
I mostly enjoyed the way Annie Reed presented Chadwick's incredible life with bits of Carnegie's life thrown in from time to time. The Impostor Heiress is written as if we are both inside the heads of the people involved in these scandals and as if we were simultaneously watching it unfold in the present. It was certainly well researched and presented in a way that will grip even the most reluctant of non fiction readers. This is perhaps because it was written in the same side by side style as The Devil in the White City; Erik Larson's famed book shows the juxtaposition between Chicago's World Fair and America's first well known serial killer, which opened up the world of nonfiction to many readers (but that I personally found incredibly dry).
Despite finding The Impostor Heiress to be overall more readable than most non fiction there were times while reading where I felt my attention drifting due to too much information on one thing or not enough information on another. The book had a lot that was perfectly balanced, the explanation of what Cleveland was like for example never felt overwhelming. But I couldn’t help but feel like Chadwick's cons were explained too in depth after a certain point. With so many figures and names being explained I just didn't care anymore because the point had already been driven home too many times. On the flip side, I would have loved to have had more moments of juxtaposition with Carnegie. Despite having nothing to do with Chadwick, it was fascinating to read about his life along side hers. I think having Carnegie's life explained even more fully would have helped drive the point of how audacious Chadwick's con was rather than the sometimes seemingly endless listing of exactly much money she conned and from who and how she spent it.
Overall, The Impostor Heiress was a solid non fiction read that I would recommend to any reader. It has a little bit of everything from scandals to feminism and history to gossip! I can see this becoming just as wildly read as The Devil in the White City, especially since it has an even greater appeal. Who wouldn't want to read more about this fabulous, audacious woman?!
Received e-ARC from the Publisher via the Read Now function on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I mostly enjoyed the way Annie Reed presented Chadwick's incredible life with bits of Carnegie's life thrown in from time to time. The Impostor Heiress is written as if we are both inside the heads of the people involved in these scandals and as if we were simultaneously watching it unfold in the present. It was certainly well researched and presented in a way that will grip even the most reluctant of non fiction readers. This is perhaps because it was written in the same side by side style as The Devil in the White City; Erik Larson's famed book shows the juxtaposition between Chicago's World Fair and America's first well known serial killer, which opened up the world of nonfiction to many readers (but that I personally found incredibly dry).
Despite finding The Impostor Heiress to be overall more readable than most non fiction there were times while reading where I felt my attention drifting due to too much information on one thing or not enough information on another. The book had a lot that was perfectly balanced, the explanation of what Cleveland was like for example never felt overwhelming. But I couldn’t help but feel like Chadwick's cons were explained too in depth after a certain point. With so many figures and names being explained I just didn't care anymore because the point had already been driven home too many times. On the flip side, I would have loved to have had more moments of juxtaposition with Carnegie. Despite having nothing to do with Chadwick, it was fascinating to read about his life along side hers. I think having Carnegie's life explained even more fully would have helped drive the point of how audacious Chadwick's con was rather than the sometimes seemingly endless listing of exactly much money she conned and from who and how she spent it.
Overall, The Impostor Heiress was a solid non fiction read that I would recommend to any reader. It has a little bit of everything from scandals to feminism and history to gossip! I can see this becoming just as wildly read as The Devil in the White City, especially since it has an even greater appeal. Who wouldn't want to read more about this fabulous, audacious woman?!
Received e-ARC from the Publisher via the Read Now function on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 15, 2024
How fascinating!! I am not one to always enjoy nonfiction but this was great.
I want to thank NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the compliment audioARC of this title. My opinions expressed are indeed my own and honest.
To be honest I was out of ARC books to read and listen to so I went on a spree of requesting just to have things at the ready to consume. The title and cover art drew me in. I saw that it was a biography but figured I didn’t have anything better going on so why not.
I’m so glad I did! While it was a factual account of Cassie Chadwick’s life as a conwomen, it read like a fiction book. It was t just because of Chadwick’s actions which are jaw dropping, but how the author conveys the material. It is very well written.
For the narration I will say that the narrator spoke very slowly. Thankfully this was easily corrected by increasing the speed of the playback as I think it would have been a challenge to listen to long term. Other than the speed the narrator was delightful and complimented the prose with her diction and reactions.
I highly recommend putting this on your TBR and the good thing is it’s available now! You get to learn about a fascinating women, her history as well as learning about the time period and how things were in society and especially the rights (or lack of them) that women had. All while feeling like you’re listening to a great caper!
I don’t give 5 Stars lightly but it’s well deserved.
Rating
My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.
⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again
I want to thank NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the compliment audioARC of this title. My opinions expressed are indeed my own and honest.
To be honest I was out of ARC books to read and listen to so I went on a spree of requesting just to have things at the ready to consume. The title and cover art drew me in. I saw that it was a biography but figured I didn’t have anything better going on so why not.
I’m so glad I did! While it was a factual account of Cassie Chadwick’s life as a conwomen, it read like a fiction book. It was t just because of Chadwick’s actions which are jaw dropping, but how the author conveys the material. It is very well written.
For the narration I will say that the narrator spoke very slowly. Thankfully this was easily corrected by increasing the speed of the playback as I think it would have been a challenge to listen to long term. Other than the speed the narrator was delightful and complimented the prose with her diction and reactions.
I highly recommend putting this on your TBR and the good thing is it’s available now! You get to learn about a fascinating women, her history as well as learning about the time period and how things were in society and especially the rights (or lack of them) that women had. All while feeling like you’re listening to a great caper!
I don’t give 5 Stars lightly but it’s well deserved.
Rating
My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.
⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again
February 23, 2024
The Imposter Heiress:
Cassie Chadwick, The Greatest Grifter of the Gilded Age
Annie Reed
She was a woman of many identities. She traveled from town to town changing identities like most people change socks. She ran scams in each new town. While others worked for their money Cassie worked hard to swindl it from others. Her biggest scam was the Carnegie con. She managed to persuade many prominent men that she was Andrew Carnegie’s illegitimate daughter. They were all generous with their checkbooks, loaning her hundreds of thousands of dollars. She amassed a fortune from the scam, then the stock market crashed, and she was exposed. The newspapers called her the Queen of Swindlers, the Duchess of Diamonds, the High Priestess of Fraudulent Finance. The trial was spectacular, and the nation was fixated on it.
Author Annie Reed brings Cassie Chadwick to life on the pages of this book. This tale is based on actual facts. Well written and fascinating.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book for review purposes.
Cassie Chadwick, The Greatest Grifter of the Gilded Age
Annie Reed
She was a woman of many identities. She traveled from town to town changing identities like most people change socks. She ran scams in each new town. While others worked for their money Cassie worked hard to swindl it from others. Her biggest scam was the Carnegie con. She managed to persuade many prominent men that she was Andrew Carnegie’s illegitimate daughter. They were all generous with their checkbooks, loaning her hundreds of thousands of dollars. She amassed a fortune from the scam, then the stock market crashed, and she was exposed. The newspapers called her the Queen of Swindlers, the Duchess of Diamonds, the High Priestess of Fraudulent Finance. The trial was spectacular, and the nation was fixated on it.
Author Annie Reed brings Cassie Chadwick to life on the pages of this book. This tale is based on actual facts. Well written and fascinating.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book for review purposes.
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