The Trial of Mrs. Rhinelander by Denny S. Bryce

Inspired by a real-life scandal that was shocking even for the tumultuous Roaring Twenties, this captivating novel tells the story of a pioneering Black journalist, a secret interracial marriage among the New York elite, and the sensational divorce case that ignited an explosive battle over race and class—and brought together three very different women fighting for justice, legitimacy, and the futures they risked everything to shape.

For readers of Dolen Perkins-Valdez, Marie Benedict, and Victoria Christopher Murray, In the Court of Public Opinion by bestselling author Denny S. Bryce, known for Wild Women and the Blues, In the Face of the Sun, and Can't We Be Friends: A Novel of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe, is a transporting work of fact-based historical fiction.

New York, 1924. Alice Jones, the daughter of English immigrants, longs for a love as enduring as her parents’ and believes she’s found it with Leonard “Kip” Rhinelander, the heir to a prominent white real estate fortune. Though Alice’s race is a whispered topic among her circle, she is legally considered "white." When Kip’s family learns of the marriage, they threaten to disinherit him unless he annuls it.

Devastated but determined, Alice faces overwhelming legal and social obstacles. Enter Marvel Cunningham, a pioneering Black journalist driven by a passion for social change and the Harlem Renaissance. Initially dismissive of Alice’s plight, Marvel's investigation reveals unsettling truths that challenge her perceptions and resonate with her own experiences.

As the Rhinelander vs. Rhinelander case exposes the harsh realities of race and class, both Alice and Marvel must confront their identities and their roles in a society eager to judge. In the Court of Public Opinion is a riveting exploration of love, race, and the quest for justice in a world divided. ❤️📚❤️