A reimagining of the turbulent and triumphant early years of Ella Fitzgerald, one of the greatest singers of the twentieth century.“Ella is a gem . . . superbly imagined, and convincingly rendered. The language sings. This is a page-turner that immerses the reader in Ella Fitzgerald’s heartbreaking world of Depression-era Harlem and its energy, its music, and its dancing, which fuels a young girl’s dreams of stardom.”—Diane McKinney-Whetstone, author of Our Gen

Fifteen-year-old Ella Fitzgerald lives to perform. But in 1932, at the height of the Great Depression, dancing is an impossible option—especially when tragedy explodes at the Fitzgerald household. Soon Ella is homeless, working for the mob to support herself and her family.But even darker battles await.From the Harlem streets to a terrible “reform school” infamous for its harsh treatment of its Black inmates, Ella must remain creative, resourceful, and uncompromising. She must refuse to let her dreams die.In 1934, what lies in store for her, on the world-famous Apollo Theater stage, will change not only Ella Fitzgerald, but the trajectory of American music.Diane Richards’s Ella Fitzgerald is inspiring and intriguing—an emotionally rich, psycho- logically complex character—a woman who struggles with deep emotional scars and trauma, and battles racism, sexism, and colorism as she learns to find her voice on the stage. Ella takes us from the brothels, speakeasies, and streets of Depression-era New York City to the grand hotel suites where Ella, now older and wiser, looks back on her life and finally confronts her childhood demons. Compelling and rich in historical detail, Ella is a remarkable debut novel about an extraordinary woman.