The Golden Gate

"Al Sullivan is the lead detective investigating the murder of a presidential candidate at the Claremont Hotel in San Francisco in 1944. A witness states one of the three wealthy Bainbridge girls was leaving his hotel room around the time of the murders. The question is, which one?<br/><br/>This is a phenomenal book that grabbed me from the get-go and had me hooked to the last page. There is so much more to this book than just a murder mystery, though. It's a history lesson on class, racism, homophobia, gender discrimination, and Japanese internment. The characters are very well rounded, and the story is well plotted with good pacing. The story is told in dual timelines, one being the murder mystery and the other set in 1930, giving the backstory of the Bainbridge family, as told by the Matriarch.<br/><br/>Al, our main character is flawed but sympathetic. At times, both likable and unlikable. I really enjoyed the time I spent with these characters. Also, please read the author's note at the end and check out the author's recommended reads to learn more about the history of the time and place that the story takes place in. <br/><br/>My appreciation to Saint Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, author Amy Chua, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book. My opinions are my own."