The Gold Digger

Written by Liz Tolsma

Narrated by Kathryn Markey

A Widow’s Ad for a Husband Leads to Mysterious Disappearances

In 1907, shy but loyal Ingrid Storset has traveled from Norway to support her grieving sister, Belle Gunness, who owns a farm in LaPorte, Indiana. Well-to-do widow Belle, who has lost two husbands and several children, provides Ingrid with enough money to start a small business.
But Ingrid is confused by the string of men Belle claims to be interviewing for her next husband. When Nils Lindherud comes to town looking for his missing brother, who said he was going to marry Belle, Ingrid has a sinking feeling her sister is up to no good.

Just how many of Belle’s suitors are missing and why?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: May 3, 2022
• ISBN: 9781705066775

Liz Tolsma

Liz Tolsma has lived in Wisconsin most of her life. She and her husband have a son and two daughters, all adopted internationally. When not busy putting words to paper, Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping with her family. Visit her at www.liztolsma.com Twitter: @LizTolsma Facebook: liztolsma

Reviews for The Gold Digger

[Frances O'Connor · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The message was good. The reader was good. Character development was well done. The author knows how to write. My less than stellar rating has to do with how much darker it was the what I expected, not the writing itself, and it's a bit predictable. This is not the first book I have read in this series. I would say 3.5 stars.

[Christy Janes · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

While Christian historical fiction is definitely my jam, Christian historical super-creepy-based-on-serial-killers fiction is not something I go out of my way to read! However, when I saw The Gold Digger recommended on an app as a book I might be interested in, I thought I'd give it a try.

WOW!

In the span of two days, I listened to every minute of this book. My attention span to do much else was pretty much gone. I had never heard of Belle Gunness (although, I have since read about the craziness which was her life), and while I suspected her from the very beginning as the killer, there were some events toward the end of the story that still left a bit of mystery. (I promise, I did not just spoil the story for you...once you have read the first 2-3 chapters, you'll see what I mean.) Since most of Belle's history is public knowledge, the author added some fictional characters and a beautiful redemption arc to soften what would otherwise be a depressing tale.

Liz Tolsma is still a fairly new author to me, but after reading The Gold Digger and loving it, I will definitely be seeking out more of her books in the future!

[grammy57 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have enjoyed Liz Tolsma's books before. I have also enjoyed this series of true crimes so this was a good choice.The story flowed very well and kept my interest throughout. The characters were very well developed and the story was told in the least gruesome way possible. I was thankful for that.The story is also a Christian book and it was well done and not preachy. It showed the way things go when you do and do not follow God.The story was very well edited and proof-read. I did not notice errors in the book and that is important to me.I would recommend this book to my friends. I give it a 4 out of 5 stars. Very well done, but not over the top.I was given a copy of this book to read through NetGalley and Barbour Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

[fcplcataloger · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I've always heard that truth is stranger than fiction and this seems to be the case with The Gold Digger. Yes, this is fiction but it's based on the true story of Belle Gunness, a widow in La Porte, Indiana, who endured overwhelming tragedies during the early 1900s. She had already suffered the loss of two husbands and several children, when Belle's sister Ingrid Storset arrived in LaPorte to help her sister through her overwhelming grief. Author Liz Tolsma has created a fascinating account of the suitors who started appearing in LaPorte as possible husband candidates. These men came, and then, left just as quickly! As other strange occurrences happen and the evidence mounts, Ingrid can no longer defend her sister's actions and we are given a glimpse of the true nature of Belle Gunness. I can't decide if she was greatly disturbed or truly evil but this is a story that you won't soon forget! Some of the details would seem unbelievable if not for the documentation that Tolsma has included in her historical notes. There are still many unanswered questions about this case but Tolsma has included a strong faith element in the characters of Ingrid Storset and Nils Lindherud. The Gold Digger is a wonderful addition to the True Colors Crime series and it's a book that I couldn't put down!I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Celebrate Lit. There was no obligation to write a favorable review. These are my own thoughts.

[harley0326 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This series has been very intriguing and I have enjoyed reading about historical events that took place during the 1900s. Each book can be read alone but I would encourage you to read each one in the series. The theme of the book is about a crime that was committed and the people who feel victim to unthinkable acts of violence. Belle just plain out gave me the chills. On the outside she appeared to be a kind woman who loved children. Beneath the surface laid a sinister woman who hid her dark side very well. I can’t believe that men would travel to her farm and want to start a life with her. Why would they trust a complete stranger? That question troubles me . Was she capable of manipulating people in order to hide her secret? I loved how the author introduces us to the men who came to be with her and how their disappearances start to cause doubt in the eyes of some. Ingrid wants to believe her sister would never do anything to harm anyone. My thoughts were always on the children as I soon discovered that one of her children were sent away. I suspected that this innocent child met foul play but without the technology we have today, it was almost impossible to find evidence. I so wanted Ingrid to start to really look at her sister and her mysterious actions. I know Ingrid didn’t want to believe her sister was crazy. The author does an excellent job of using historical facts to deliver a story that not only had me on the edge of my seat but drew me into the world of a woman who seemed to show no remorse for anything. I wonder if she was even capable of having feelings at all. I did like the historical notes at the end and appreciate that the author wrote true to the original account of the crimes. My heart hurts for the children who became victims by a woman who will always be a mystery to us. Did she survive? No one really knows but I want to think that somehow justice was served and those who died at her hands are at peace. I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

[becky_l-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Gold Digger, #9 True Crimes by Liz Tolsma is yet another compelling, chilling read of romanticized history. Each book in this series is extremely well-written and researched, and The Gold Digger is no exception. I love the historical notes at the end from Tolsma.The 1907 town of LaPorte, Indiana, is the scene of widower Belle Gunness‘s successful hog farm. A Norwegian immigrant, Belle provides everything she and her children need except a man’s loving care. Many men have answered Belle’s lovelorn ads for a match, but her sister, Ingrid Storset, is surprised no one stays to take the matrimonial plunge. When Nils Lindherud appears, searching for his missing brother, events crescendo to a finale that will make the strongest head spin.To start The Gold Digger is to set other duties aside to give this incredible historical romantic suspense your undivided attention. The taut storyline, the knowledge you’re going to learn of some horrific crime (and in this series, often a spree), and the budding suspense mesmerize with a dark fascination.Yet there is light in this tale. In the building romance between Ingrid and Nils. In the familial love we see between Ingrid and those in her sister’s family, and in Nils’s and Sven’s family. There is also light in the hope in God and His comfort, companionship, and love, as well as His help. The faith aspect was well-woven into the tale. It made me have hope that I can have greater faith to trust God completely, even if I don't like the outcome of a situation. My fave quote is as follows:“God will be on one side of you, and I’ll be on the other.”Looking for ways to use it in real life!I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher through Celebrate Lit via NetGalley. I am voluntarily leaving this review, and all opinions are my own.

[virginia51-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love reading this series of books of fiction but based on true murders. Each of these stories puts a couple in the story that are there to help solve the murder and for some romance. Ingrid and Nils are the couple that provide the romance in this story. It is awful what Belle does in the book. It is hard to understand what some people are capable of. I received a copy of this book from Celebratelit for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

[eccl-3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Gold Digger, by Liz Tolsma, is volume nine in the True Color series published by Barbour Publishing. This series is written by different authors and each book focuses on an unusual crime in history. This story takes place in 1907 in Indiana. Belle lives on a farm she and her second husband had. Now years after his death she is advertising for a husband. She convinces the men to bring money with them to help save her farm. But none of the men stay around very long.This is an interesting story to read. It is full of suspense with why the men do not stay and where do they go when they leave. Even though Belle is the main character of the story, I found I enjoyed her sister Ingrid much better. She is such a positive and loving person. She thinks the best of others even when things look suspicious. I also enjoyed the character of Nils, who will do what ever he can to find his missing brother. I appreciate the information the author gives at the end of the story that gives the real accounting of this crime.I received a complimentary copy of the book from Celebrate Lit through NetGalley, this is my honest review.

[stardust_fiddle · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

“They were taking a risk. They both wanted answers, but different ones. No matter what happened, one of them would be disappointed. More than that. Likely devastated.”An interest in forensics has led me to a variety of TV programs and books over the years, because while the crimes themselves were heinous and reprehensible, solving them intrigued me. Considering the lack of both sophisticated equipment and knowledge about DNA until recent years, it seems quite impressive that earlier investigators were able to solve as many cases as they did. The drawback of reading material of this nature is its darkness, which can be nightmare-inducing at times, and this is why I love Barbour’s True Colors (Historical Stories of American Crime) series so much. Able to be read in any order and written by a variety of authors, each story focuses on a major criminal event that occurred in America sometime between the late eighteenth through the early twentieth century. Best of all, these books are not only clean, leaving out the graphic details, but also inspirational, with a faith message in each.Each True Colors book proves to be fascinating, and “The Gold Digger” by Liz Tolsma is no exception. Even though I was already familiar with the story of Belle Gunness, I was a bit hazy on some aspects of the case, so I still very much enjoyed reading this story. With a story such as this, it is easy to recognize the draw of sinful activities that may and perhaps even do start as one-time events that escalate. The enemy knows that it is more difficult to grow and to mature in our faith walk when we’re isolated, and most of the attacks that happen in this story are perpetrated at night when the victim is alone. Nevertheless, this is when prayers need to become all the louder and more confident, knowing that the God who promises never to leave or forsake us is the same God who created us and who has numbered every hair on our heads. Echoing the sentiment of Jesus’ parable of the rich fool as found in Luke 12, “The Gold Digger” exposes the raw and evil root of greed and how it negatively affects relationships. To people living in the early twentieth century, without the means of immediate communication with others regarding business and especially personal matters, family was essential. So, it seems, was keeping secrets. Ingrid Storset, Belle Gunness’ fictional sister, ruminates on the thought that “When you didn’t have family, you didn’t have anything.” As an immigrant to America, her only relative and friend is her sister, Belle; Ingrid has great difficulty in speaking with others and lives under Belle’s shadow. When the threats begin, however, Ingrid starts to wonder whom she should trust, especially as “a stranger in a strange land.” This is the current status of all of us who belong to the Lord as we await His return.Tolsma employs chilling, clever foreshadowing throughout the narrative. It often has a double meaning, and for those who do not know the story beforehand, it is definitely worth a re-read so as to pick up on all of the delightful literary clues scattered throughout the work, pointing toward what will happen.I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

[lindz2012 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is about two sisters though one seems to be doing something quite fishy. That fishiness seems to come out when a brother comes to town looking for his missing brother. We have Belle Gunness who seems to cry a lot or seem to be mean.Why does the town seem to pick on a guy named Ray? Ingrid seems a bit naive about what her sister is doing but she loving her sister and children. Is her sister Belle a murder or looking for easy money? The town seems to think nothing of it when men go missing or think they just leave suddenly.We do see that Ingrid and Nils seem to connect after meeting each other. They seem to take their time getting to know each other and courting. The plot of this story is deep and detailed. The story is done well. It just seems like found out who the killer is quite quickly. It just seems that Nils had to convince Ingrid and the town sheriff or the real killer and not the one they keep pulling in to question.There are some surprises when it is all revealed and solved. Though there is still a twist at the end as well. There seem to be a mystery and lots of crimes. This is good in the sense that it tells some history of American crime and historical fiction and crime. It is a true crime. I rate this 4.5 Moons (stars).

[eamace · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This thriller is a well written fictional account of the true story of more murders than you can imagine, perpetrated by the most unassuming person. Ingrid Storset comes to join her sister Belle, who is a widow and her family in LaPorte, Indiana. Opening a confectionary shop she also spends time working on her first love, photography. When possible suitors come and shortly after disappear, she feels great sympathy for Belle. Why would they leave so abruptly - after all, her sister is a hardworking farm woman who has much love to share and is well-known in the community. Could it be jealousy that exacerbates these disappearances?Be aware that this story will have you looking at many things with very different eyes as you try to figure out who really is behind these crimes. The True Crime series is incredibly thought provoking. I must admit, it is almost difficult to believe that things like this could happen without anyone asking questions or getting suspicious. An ARC was received through Barbour Publishing and NetGalley. The impressions and comments are my own and were in no way solicited.

[alekee_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Family, that is part of this story. One a young woman who has come from Norway to be with her widowed sister and her family, the other is a man who comes searching for his missing brother. The story is how tragically it all meshes together.Be sure to read the author's notes at the end of this book, and yes, this is a fictional story, but based on facts. This crime really happened. So very sad.Why, I guess greed, and because they can? You don't want to miss these True Crime series, they are riveting and page turning, but most of all or sadly they are true. yes, they really happened.I received this book through NetGalley and the Publisher Barbour, and was not required to give a positive review.