Winfield—Living in the Shadow of the Woolworths

“Jane Eyre fans will love this memoir laced with romance and gothic atmosphere.” —Booklist

“Spine-tingling... Randall sweeps her reader into a glorious dream world.” —The Roanoke Times

“A genuinely spooky read.” —Chicago Tribune

Through exhaustive research and countless interviews, Monica gradually uncovered stories of the Woolworths’ sad past: the suicide of Edna Woolworth (Barbara Hutton’s mother), Woolworth’s obsession with Napoleon and the Egyptian occult, and the rumors surrounding the unsolved fire which burnt the first Winfield to the ground. This riveting memoir explores the culture and history of an era gone by, filled with enthralling stories of infamous scandals and breathtaking Gilded Age tales of New York society.
Throughout the last fifty years the Gold Coast mansions were regularly razed for sub-developments; Winfield is the last of the marble palaces still standing.

Monica Randall is a historic preservationist, location scout, filmmaker, and author. Her photographs have been exhibited at the Cooper-Hewitt Museum and many of her costume photographs are in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. A set designer and location scout, she has worked on such films as The Great Gatsby, The Age of Innocence, and the remake of Sabrina. She lives in Oyster Bay, New York.