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Title: Pleasantly surprised
Review: When I received this book from an antiquarian book store, my initial reaction was disappointment. I was looking for primary source material about the infamous Becker-Rosenthal case of 1912, and "The Becker Scandal- A Time Remembered" was a work of fiction.I almost sent it back. But I'm glad that I resisted the impulse.Vina Delmar has written a surprisingly engaging story told from the perspective of a nine year old girl whose family is nearly destroyed by the emotional undertones of the Rosenthal murder. Herman Rosenthal was her father's friend yet a figure of contempt for her mother, whose sympathies lie with Charles Becker and his saintlike wife, Helen. Delmar has done her homework, as evidenced in the accuracy of her treatment of the trial and its aftermath.Historic fiction, yes. But an intriguing look at Mr. and Mrs. (and Miss!!) America during one of the previous century's most politically and emotionally charged murder trials.
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