Farthing reminded me of another excellent novel: Philip Roth’s The Plot Against America. Both books imagine an alternate timeline in which Charles Lindbergh is elected president of the United States, and life after the Second World War gets very bad for the Jews.

Farthing takes place in Britain, in an alternate-1949. Charles Lindbergh is the American president, but we don’t hear much about him because he has locked away the United States in total isolation from the European conflict with the Nazis. Instead, we find ourselves at a garden party on the first page. Lucy, a flighty young noblewoman, is pinning up her hair. Her husband David bursts into their room and vents his indignation over being snubbed yet again by her parents’ friends.

Poor David! Lucy’s parents were the ones who helped Britain forge a peace with Hitler. They also managed to push that pesky and bitter man Winston Churchill out of office. Now Hitler and Stalin are locked in mortal combat, carving up the Continent between them and murdering the Jews. But this doesn’t concern Lucy’s parents who are looking forward to enjoying some post-war prosperity. Hence the garden party held that weekend that they insisted Lucy and David attend.

Lucy had hoped that the party invitation came as a peace offering. Her parents can’t stand David for being Jewish. Even though his manners are impeccable and he’s from a wealthy family of bankers, he will never be an acceptable husband for their daughter. They were beside themselves when Lucy and David fell in love. Ever since the wedding, they have wasted no opportunities to snub David.

Things go from bad to worse that night when one of their noble guests is murdered. Strange clues litter his corpse, and none more inflammatory than a Jewish star pinned to the body. Immediately everyone suspects David of murder. Frightened, Lucy realizes that someone must be trying to frame her husband for the crime.

Detective Carmichael arrives from Scotland Yard, and takes command of the crime scene. The nobles treat him like a servant, and he must navigate the tricky waters of confining them to the estate while not antagonizing them too much. His superior back at Scotland Yard is too sensitive to the whims and needs of the nobles, especially since the elections for Prime Minister and Parliament are coming up fast. Carmichael’s boss wants to get on the good side of the new regime. To that end, he begins to pressure Carmichael to close the case as fast as possible by wrapping it up around the most convenient fall-guy: why not pick the poor Jewish guy? It’s not like popular opinion is currently running in favor of the Jews.

Lucy and Carmichael narrate alternating chapters as Britain lurches towards a fascist election. Lucy must grow up and design an escape plan for herself and her husband. Carmichael must seek justice while guarding his own perilous secret.

You can find Farthing on Amazon through this link: Farthing