The Personal Librarian

I remove my coat and hat, careful to smooth my rebellious curly hair back into place. Tucking my somber navy skirt beneath me, I slide onto my chair. Within minutes, the office door flies open, slamming against the wood-paneled wall, and I jump. It is my only dear friend, fellow librarian, and housemate, Gertrude Hyde. As the niece of the esteemed head of purchasing for the library, Charlotte Martins, she can breach the quiet of the library's hallowed halls without fear of repercussions. An ebullient twenty-three-year-old with ginger hair and bright eyes, no one makes me laugh as she does.

 

"Sorry to make you jump, dear Belle. I guess I owe you two apologies now, instead of the single one I'd intended. First, we abandoned you this morning, which undoubtedly led to your lateness," she says with a mischievous smile and a glance at the wall clock, "and now, I've given you a fright."

 

"Don't be silly. The fault is mine. I should have put aside that letter to my mother and walked to campus with you and Charlotte. Miss Martins, I mean," I correct myself.

 

Most days, Charlotte, Gertrude, and I walk together from their large family home on University Drive, where I have a room and share meals with Charlotte, Gertrude, and the rest of their family who live in the house as well. From the first, Charlotte and Gertrude have welcomed me into their home and social circles with warmth and generosity and have provided me with abundant guidance at work. I cannot imagine what my time in Princeton would have been like without them.

 

"Belle, why are you fussing about what to call Aunt Charlotte? There's nobody in here but you and me," Gertrude mock scolds me.

 

I don't say what I'm thinking. That Gertrude doesn't need to assess every single moment of every single day against societal standards to ensure her behavior passes muster. She has no need to analyze her words, her walk, her manner, but I do. Even with Gertrude, I must act with care, particularly given the heightened scrutiny in this un

Neighborhood

As richly depicted as the lush world of art and literature Belle da Costa Greene presided over an immersive, sweeping delight as well as an intimate, moving, and powerful portrait of Belle's personal and professional life. An unforgettable, captivating read!
Chanel Cleeton, New York Times bestselling author of The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba

"Meticulously researched, heartbreaking, and inspiring a fascinating look at a very public figure fighting a deep private battle, whose story still resonates with surprising power and immediacy today."
Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Lost Names

"An untold story that is simply amazing. It's timely and impactful."
Brenda Jackson, New York Times bestselling author of Follow Your Heart  
  
"A stunning and timely novel about a woman who, in forging a path for herself, had to battle constantly against the limitations society tried to place upon her due to her gender and who also had to hide her true identity from a racist world...both a triumph and a fitting tribute to Belle s courage, her fierce desire to protect her family and her personal struggle to be both the woman she was, and the woman she was not allowed to be."
Natasha Lester, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Secret

  An intimate and extraordinary conversation with the past. As Belle da Costa Greene achieves her dreams by forsaking an identity, we wonder if we would or could do the same to irrevocably alter the literary world and our family. A novel abundant with culture, art, literature, and romance the beauty and recklessness of love are revealed with astonishing clarity.
Patti Callahan, New York Times bestselling author of Surviving Savannah

From the moment I picked up The Personal Librarian, I was in awe of Belle da Costa Greene. My heart went out as she navigated the life she lived and the one she hid . Belle s story couldn t come at a more fitting time as our country faces a united path forward.
ReShonda Tate Billingsley, National bestselling author of A Little Bit of Karma

Upon starting this novel, be prepared to do nothing else until you ve reached its poignant, reflective end. Through brilliant pacing and with painstaking care, Benedict and Murray paint a vibrant portrait of a woman whose accomplishments, relationships, and secretive history were as complex and intriguing as the collections she helped curate a timely, provocative read perfect for book clubs. I loved it."
Kristina McMorris, New York Times bestselling author of Sold on a Monday

"From the opulent gilded age ballrooms of New York, to the fiercely competitive auction houses of Europe, The Personal Librarian is a poignant story of race, class and one woman s struggle to live authentically.
Renée Rosen, Author of The Social Graces

The story of Belle da Costa Greene is timely, universal, and enduring. Through it, Benedict and Murray raise questions that are as important now as they were a hundred years ago questions to which a true historical answer may be less important than the fact that we are continuing to face them in contemporary ways.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

This fictional account of Greene s life feels authentic; the authors bring to life not only Belle but all those around her. An excellent piece of historical fiction that many readers will find hard to put down.
Library Journal (starred review)

A powerful take on the accomplishments of J.P. Morgan s librarian . Benedict and Murray do a great job capturing Belle s passion and tenacity as she carves a place for herself in a racist male-dominated society. This does fine justice to a remarkable historical figure.
Publishers Weekly

Every element of this blockbuster historical novel is compelling and revelatory, beginning with the bedazzling protagonist based with awestruck care on Belle da Costa Greene a novel of enthralling drama, humor, sensuality, and insight. [a] resounding tale of a brilliant and resilient woman defying sexism, classism, and racism during the brutality of Jim Crow. Benedict and Murray do splendidly right by Belle in this captivating and profoundly enlightening portrayal.
Booklist (starred review)

Kept me intrigued, fascinated, and mesmerized throughout .Everyone should know about the woman who took risks, carved her own path, silenced the naysayers, and forged ahead to becoming one of America s most prominent librarians in history. Definitely a must-read.
The Nerd Daily

"Both a stunning tribute to an amazingly courageous woman and a searingly timely exploration of race relations in America, The Personal Librarian is an extraordinary novel that will have you frantically googling the key figures to learn more. I won t be ready to part with Belle and her contemporaries for a long time after finishing this one."
Bookreporter.com