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The Magnolia Palace: A Novel Paperback – January 17, 2023
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Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue, returns with a tantalizing novel about the secrets, betrayal, and murder within one of New York City's most impressive Gilded Age mansions.
Eight months since losing her mother in the Spanish flu outbreak of 1919, twenty-one-year-old Lillian Carter's life has completely fallen apart. For the past six years, under the moniker Angelica, Lillian was one of the most sought-after artists' models in New York City, with statues based on her figure gracing landmarks from the Plaza Hotel to the Brooklyn Bridge. But with her mother gone, a grieving Lillian is rudderless and desperate—the work has dried up and a looming scandal has left her entirely without a safe haven. So when she stumbles upon an employment opportunity at the Frick mansion—a building that, ironically, bears her own visage—Lillian jumps at the chance. But the longer she works as a private secretary to the imperious and demanding Helen Frick, the daughter and heiress of industrialist and art patron Henry Clay Frick, the more deeply her life gets intertwined with that of the family—pulling her into a tangled web of romantic trysts, stolen jewels, and family drama that runs so deep, the stakes just may be life or death.
Nearly fifty years later, mod English model Veronica Weber has her own chance to make her career—and with it, earn the money she needs to support her family back home—within the walls of the former Frick residence, now converted into one of New York City's most impressive museums. But when she—along with a charming intern/budding art curator named Joshua—is dismissed from the Vogue shoot taking place at the Frick Collection, she chances upon a series of hidden messages in the museum: messages that will lead her and Joshua on a hunt that could not only solve Veronica's financial woes, but could finally reveal the truth behind a decades-old murder in the infamous Frick family.
- Print length368 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherDutton
- Publication dateJanuary 17, 2023
- Dimensions5.2 x 0.72 x 7.9 inches
- ISBN-100593184033
- ISBN-13978-0593184035
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From the Publisher
More historical fiction from Fiona Davis | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“Combining a mansion turned museum, a missing diamond, a mystery, and the lives of two young women separated by half a century, Fiona Davis stirs up a beguiling story that unfolds like a clever game of Clue. Suspicions abound, and an iconic New York City landmark stands poised to reveal a page-turning tale of wealth, family dynamics, and long-held secrets.”
—Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours
“Fiona Davis is at the top of her game in this intriguing, high-stakes novel about an iconic New York City landmark, the Frick mansion, and two women, fifty years apart, whose stories intersect within it. A family saga and historical thriller in one, The Magnolia Palace is a fast-paced, immersive delight.”
—Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Orphan Train and The Exiles
“Rich with family drama, tangled romance, cryptic clues, and long-buried secrets, The Magnolia Palace is sure to be loved by Fiona Davis's devoted and new readers alike. A can't-miss for anyone who has sauntered through an art museum and found themselves tempted to peek behind a painting or two.”
—Sarah Penner, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Apothecary
“I savor every glorious new Fiona Davis novel and The Magnolia Palace has it all—two intriguing heroines, two fabulous time periods to get swept up in, and a delicious mystery that keeps you on tenterhooks. I loved every minute of it!”
—Martha Hall Kelly, New York Times bestselling author of Lilac Girls and Sunflower Sisters
“Once again, using her trademark brilliance, Fiona Davis transports her readers into a mysterious past lurking beneath the surface of our modern-day world. In The Magnolia Palace, two very different women from two eras enter the Gilded Age realm of famous industrialist and art collector Henry Clay Frick and his imperious daughter, Helen, and become part of a thrilling mystery centered on the Frick mansion that stretches through the decades. Readers will never look at a historic building quite the same way again.”
—Marie Benedict, New York Times bestselling author of The Mystery of Mrs. Christie
“The magic of Fiona Davis is the tenderness with which she crafts her settings, so that they bloom into characters themselves. We come to know them. We come to love them. And they help us to understand our place in time. The Magnolia Palace is a love letter to art and history. An intriguing, beautiful read.”
—Sarah Addison Allen, New York Times bestselling author
“No one brings New York City to life like Fiona Davis. With The Magnolia Palace, Davis turns her brilliant storytelling to the Frick mansion, focusing on the strong women who made the Frick a New York icon—some on canvas, others scions of the famous family. It’s historical fiction at its best, marked by the complexity of female friendship, the glamour of the art world, and having the moxie to reinvent yourself.”
—Karin Tanabe, author of The Gilded Years
“Another brilliant historical thriller from Davis, this time set in a Gilded Age mansion in New York City. You will fall in love with Lillian, the penniless young artist’s model surviving the Spanish flu of 1919; and Veronica, the young mod model of the 1960s; and Davis’s deftly written and beautifully woven feminist storytelling.”
—Tara Moss, #1 internationally bestselling author of The War Widow
“Iconic buildings are larger-than-life characters in Fiona Davis’s novels, and The Magnolia Palace is no exception.”
—New York Post
“Fascinating . . . Allows Davis also to explore the struggles of young women to be taken seriously while adding an unvarnished look at the wealthy. . . . Davis smoothly layers fact onto fiction. . . . Excellent.”
—Sun Sentinel (South Florida)
“A book that's as beautiful as it is mysterious. The dual POV keeps the reader on their toes until the entire story comes together.”
—BuzzFeed
“The pages breeze by as potential romances develop (maybe not the ones you’d expect) and a mystery involving the whereabouts of the Magnolia diamond unfolds. Deeper issues also undergird both narratives, which confront stereotypes about models and explore how a tragedy can warp family relationships years later. The two narratives dovetail in a satisfying way. Mystery and art lovers should relish this exciting escape into New York’s past.”
—Historical Novel Society
“Bestselling author Fiona Davis builds upon the secrets of the Frick Collection in a delightful blend of emotion and adventure. . . . Davis knows exactly how to structure a story and how to switch between timelines. . . . A captivating story whose characters are richly drawn, The Magnolia Palace pays particular attention to those who might go unnoticed: the deaf private secretary, the museum intern, the organ player. We discover their private lives and public exposures, which reveal the daily messiness of human lives, the construction of the self, and the truths we try so hard to hide.”
—BookPage
“Davis smoothly combines fact with fiction and offers beautiful descriptions of the family’s art collection. The colliding narratives and comprehensive descriptions of the historic mansion make for Davis’s best work to date.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Davis adeptly interweaves two compelling story lines to shine a light on another NYC landmark. . . . This is historical fiction at its best, with well-developed characters, detail, art history, and mystery.”
—Library Journal (starred review)
“Readers are transported back to 1919 New York in this richly captivating tale.”
—Woman’s World
“Davis embellishes the real lives of the Frick family and Audrey Munson, a sculptors' muse, in a tale that will thrill fans of Anna Pitoniak and Karen Harper. She also jumps skillfully between the roaring twenties and the swinging sixties as another model explores the Frick Collection decades later. Davis's insider's perspective on the esteemed Frick family gives equal weight to those who kept the family afloat.”
—Booklist
“Artfully meshes the educational with the sensational.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“There are many pleasures in Fiona Davis’s novels. . . . Davis imbues [Manhattan landmarks] with intimacy and familiarity through the deeply felt emotions of her characters. Equally intriguing are the points of intersection between generations of young women. . . . Quietly seeking the truth about themselves and the world, Davis’s heroines overcome pain and loss to reach a resolution, in the past and present.”
—BookTrib
“Fiona Davis has deployed an unmatched skill for unspooling compelling dramas amid some of New York's most glittering historical moments. . . . The Magnolia Palace tells the story of two different women whose lives are changed at the Frick mansion, giving readers the chance to soak in dual eras of history all while great love, epic loss, dazzling fortunes, and foul play are afoot.”
—Town & Country
"After spending all days on screens, I love picking up an actual book— especially if the strory transports me to a pre-screen era!...I adored going back in time to New York in the '20s." —Patty Bontekoe, Executive Editor of First For Women
About the Author
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Chapter One
New York City, 1919
Lillian Carter stood half naked, one arm held up like a ballet dancer, the other hanging lightly down at her side, and calculated how long she could avoid paying rent while her landlord was in jail. If Mr. Watkins was released right away, she'd have to avoid him until she pulled together enough money to pay for the one-bedroom apartment she leased in the crumbling, five-story tenement building on Sixty-Fifth Street. Not an easy task when Mr. Watkins and his wife lived off the lobby on the first floor. On the bright side, the Watkins couple had shouted each other to pieces in a terrible fight earlier that morning, the screeching carrying on for a good forty-five minutes before silence finally reigned. Not long after, as she left for work, Lillian had passed the police as they tramped up the front steps. Maybe they'd keep the tiresome man for a few days this time, as a lesson. Not that she felt any sympathy for his bulldog of a wife. Mrs. Watkins had hated Lillian on sight, especially after she discovered what Lillian did for a living.
"Angelica, your drapery has fallen. Again."
Mr. Rossi waited, holding a boxwood shaper in one hand and a rag in the other. After six years of posing, Lillian had never quite gotten used to being called by her stage name, chosen by her mother, Kitty, to protect her family's reputation, which was a real laugh. As if they were the Astors or something. Lillian pulled the silk up over her shoulder so only one breast was exposed. The material was slippery and refused to stay in place.
Mr. Rossi was a quick worker, and the clay figure in front of him was nearly finished. This would probably be her last day on the job, and she'd only been posing for an hour. So far today, she'd made seventy-five cents. A little over one cent a minute. She kicked herself for not charging more. Kitty, before she died in February, had told her to demand no less than a dollar an hour, one of more than a dozen pieces of instruction she'd thrown out at Lillian between coughing fits, as if she were trying to fill up a lifetime of parental guidance before she went. Lillian should have written these things down, but she had been too busy making tea and fetching blankets, calling again and again for the doctor, who was too busy with other patients stricken by the Spanish flu to come.
"Angelica. Please."
The drapery had fallen. Again.
"It's cold in here, I'm afraid my shivering is making it fall. Could you light the fire?"
Mr. Rossi's bulging black eyes were punctuated by heavy brows, but any hint of menace was tempered by an unfortunately high-pitched voice. "I have nothing to light it with. It's the first of October, not cold at all."
"Well, you're wearing clothes."
"I'm sorry, Angelica. Do you need a break?"
He had been unrelentingly polite to her since she'd knocked on his studio door last week, asking if he needed a model. He'd let out a gasp, recognizing her instantly, and she'd pushed her way inside and talked nonstop until he agreed to let her pose. Since he'd only recently taken over a studio in the popular Lincoln Arcade building on the Upper West Side, he hadn't had time to learn from the other, long-term tenants that she was, at the ripe age of twenty-one, washed up.
"No, I don't need a break. It's fine." She was lucky to have this job, she reminded herself, only her second since February, a lifetime in the New York art world.
But instead of continuing, Mr. Rossi wiped his hands on his apron and approached the model stand. "Can you angle yourself a little more?" He pushed his right hip forward slightly, as an example. "And twist like this."
Her body responded automatically, clicking into the desired position.
"Yes, that's better." But his face didn't register approval. She knew why. Her hips and legs no longer resembled the earlier statues he'd seen of her. The clean lines once heralded as the classical idea of perfection were now more padded, to put it gently. Since Kitty's death, she'd felt a consistent, gnawing hunger in her gut that would only be satiated with butterscotch candies and lemon meringue pie. Her skirts had hidden the ripples of fat at that first meeting. "Maybe let the cloth down, all the way over the legs."
Her face burned with embarrassment. The irony that she was upset to have to cover her body, when most women would be filled with shame to have to reveal it, made her let out a nervous giggle.
Mr. Rossi regarded her. "Are you all right?"
"Yes, just a little tired. My landlords got into a rousing fight early this morning. I didn't get much sleep."
"I'm sorry to hear it." He blinked a couple of times, as if he wanted to say something more, before going back to the clay study. The silence of the studio, which usually lulled her into a kind of trance, instead haunted her today.
She put a hand to her head. The exhaustion of the past several months weighed down on her. "You know, I might take a break, if you don't mind."
Mr. Rossi dropped the tool on the table beside him with a loud clatter. "Very well." He lit a cigarette but didn't move from the spot, as if ready to begin again right away.
"Perhaps I could have a quick coffee?" she asked.
He didn't answer but retreated to the small kitchenette in the back. All of the studios in the Lincoln Arcade featured the latest modern conveniences, drawing Greenwich Village artists and sculptors uptown in recent years, and creating a new Bohemia hailed as the "Sixty-Seventh Street Studio District." Kitty had predicted the northward trend early and rented an apartment west of Broadway, which meant they were constantly running into potential employers, at the post office or the grocer's. Lillian would have preferred a duplex at the recently constructed Hotel des Artistes building, with its high ceilings and gothic splendor, but Kitty had dismissed it as too expensive. With the way Lillian's bank account had dropped precipitously over the past several months, she was grateful for the decision.
Then again, if they hadn't been living in Mr. Watkins's dumpy building, crowded in with all the other tenants, maybe her mother wouldn't have gotten sick.
Mr. Rossi came back carrying two cups of coffee and handed her one. She stepped down from the model stand and reclined in a practiced move on one of several sofas that were scattered at odd angles around the space. She recognized the shabby pink one.
"You got that from Lukeman, right?"
Mr. Rossi studied it, confused. "I suppose. When I first set up here, I found a number of castoffs in the basement. Lukeman's studio is two floors up, so I wouldn't be surprised."
"I posed on that sofa for Memory." She waited for his reaction.
"Which is that one?"
For goodness' sake. "The Titanic memorial? In memory of Ida and Isidor Straus?"
Mr. Rossi gave a vigorous nod. "Of course. I've heard of it but never seen it. I haven't been here long, you see. There's a lot of the city that I haven't visited yet."
She'd enjoyed modeling for Lukeman, even though the position had been a challenge, lying across the couch sideways, one leg dangling over the edge. Before they'd started, the sculptor and Kitty had talked about how important the memorial was, commemorating the wealthy couple who had died together on the Titanic after the wife gave up her seat in the lifeboat to her maid, choosing instead to die with her husband. They'd been last seen sitting on deck chairs together as the ship sank into the icy waters. The completed statue, Lukeman explained, would stare down at a reflecting pool, and as she posed, Lillian lost herself in imagining the joy of the couple's love, the sadness of their terrible demise. The result was one of her finest portrayals, of which she was most proud.
And Mr. Rossi hadn't even seen it.
"It's beautiful," she said. "A true work of art."
"Whenever you're ready, I'd like to begin again."
She'd only taken a couple of sips. "Do you mind if I finish my coffee first?"
"Look, Angelica. We've already taken two breaks."
"What are you saying? That I'm stalling?" She had been, of course. Every fifteen minutes was another eighteen cents.
His mustache twitched as he crossed his arms.
He'd been warned. The other sculptors must have told him, after he'd already booked her for the job, that she was yesterday's news, no longer the darling of Bohemia.
Maybe if he saw Memory, he'd soften and truly appreciate all that she'd accomplished. "I suggest, Mr. Rossi, if you have the time, that you take one morning off and view it. It's not far uptown, on West End and 106th Street."
"I don't have time to take a morning off. I have to work, I have commissions to fulfill."
"Oh, now, I've been working steadily for years, and trust me, you can always ask for more time. Artists are often accommodated by their patrons that way."
"Right. I hear you're an old hand. How many years have you been at this?"
"I began when I was fifteen."
"Of course. I am in awe of all of your past likenesses. You were an inspiration to so many." His gaze drifted to her hips.
Past tense. Were.
He sighed. "Why don't we stop for today? You look tired."
"No, I'm fine. Really." She headed back to the stand, tripping on the drapery. She recovered quickly and climbed up, waiting for instruction. She couldn't lose this job. If she lost it, she wouldn't have enough for groceries, never mind rent.
"It's not right, I'm afraid. I can pay you for your time, of course, but I may need to step back and rethink this piece."
"Please, Mr. Rossi. I'm sorry." She was trying not to beg. If Kitty were here, they'd all be laughing together, her mother flattering him about his thick mustache and strong hands, teasing him as he blushed.
She wanted her mother so badly right now. In the weeks after Kitty's death, the job offers had come in one after another as the news had spread and the artists had reached out in support, making sure Lillian was all right. But in those cold, dark days, she'd been unable to leave the apartment other than to fetch the bare necessities. She'd lain on the lumpy sofa covered by a quilt, sometimes sleeping, sometimes staring up at the cracked ceiling, and ignored every entreaty. Without her mother to smooth out life's rough edges, Lillian had faltered, wallowing in her sadness in a way that Kitty would never have tolerated, which only made her sadder. After years of blaming her mother for being too controlling and protective, including the raging fight they'd had right before she'd fallen ill, Lillian's ceaseless, brittle ennui was proof that she was lost without her.
She wished more than anything to be able to once again witness the infinite ways her mother used to drive her batty: the tinny laugh, the way she hummed under her breath as she dried the dishes. To have one last look at the almond-colored eyes-a mirror of her own-but edged with a spiderweb of wrinkles. Together, they'd made a remarkable team. Watching her mother unravel over the course of her illness, from a force to be reckoned with to a frail, childlike creature, clutching at Lillian's wrist and whimpering in pain, had been her undoing.
Unable to force one more appointment from Mr. Rossi, Lillian headed to the luncheonette across the street from her building. She was starving, craving a bowl of potato soup and a slice of pie. Her mother would never have allowed such decadence.
But just this one time wouldn't hurt. She'd be more careful tomorrow, and eat only a tin of sardines. Today, after the way she'd been treated by Mr. Rossi, she deserved a little something special.
A gaggle of policemen stood across the street, arrayed on the steps of her building. Odd that they were still there. Perhaps Mr. Watkins had had another go at Mrs. Watkins. If so, Lillian could hold up her rent check for a good long time while he sat in jail. This might work out perfectly. Mother always said Lillian had marvelous luck, from being plucked from the chorus line to becoming muse to the greatest artists of this century.
And Mother was never wrong.
D
Her belly full but her change purse nearly empty, Lillian dawdled in the stairwell of her apartment building, trying to get a glimpse inside Mr. Watkins's apartment on the first floor. Lillian raised one eyebrow at Mrs. Brown-the building's unofficial gossipmonger, who lived next door to the Watkinses and was peering out of a crack in her door-but got nothing in return other than a quick shake of the head and pursed lips.
A police officer emerged from the Watkinses' apartment, leaving the door open behind him. At first, Lillian wondered when the Watkinses had gotten such a deep-red rug, almost scarlet, before realizing it was some kind of dried liquid, not a new runner.
Blood.
Another policeman stepped to the door to shut it, but not before Lillian caught sight of a woman's bloody hand, the fingers gently, almost daintily, curled in.
She backed away, bracing herself on the banister for support, and dashed up the two flights to her landing. Inside the apartment, the soup roiling in her gut, she filled a glass with water and sat down at the tiny table in the kitchen. For all his bluster, Mr. Watkins hadn't seemed like the sort to murder his wife. They'd argue, sure, but usually it was Mrs. Watkins who had the higher volume, drowning him out with a terrible squawk.
The last time Mr. Watkins had come to collect the rent, she'd invited him into the apartment in order to speak out of the earshot of the other tenants. He'd taken his time looking around, as if assessing how much he could raise the rent for a new tenant. Hers was one of the smaller apartments in the building, with only one bedroom, where she and her mother had slept. Two windows looked out on the dreary courtyard in the back, the black metal of the fire escape glinting in the late-summer sun. A galley kitchen served as the entryway, the table and chairs tucked in an alcove to one side, and the living area wasn't much larger. Mr. Watkins eventually turned his attention to Lillian, offering up a sympathetic sigh. "Your mother was a lively woman, now, wasn't she?"
Product details
- Publisher : Dutton (January 17, 2023)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 368 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0593184033
- ISBN-13 : 978-0593184035
- Item Weight : 9.4 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.2 x 0.72 x 7.9 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #16,823 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #145 in Science Fiction Crime & Mystery
- #1,762 in Literary Fiction (Books)
- #1,779 in Historical Fiction (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
FIONA DAVIS is the New York Times bestselling author of seven historical fiction novels set in iconic New York City buildings, including THE SPECTACULAR, THE MAGNOLIA PALACE, THE ADDRESS, and THE LIONS OF FIFTH AVENUE, which was a Good Morning America book club pick. Her novels have been chosen as “One Book, One Community” reads and her articles have appeared in publications like The Wall Street Journal and the Oprah magazine. She first came to New York as an actress, but fell in love with writing after getting a master's degree at Columbia Journalism School. Her books have been translated into over twenty languages and she's based in New York City.
Customer reviews
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the story interesting and enjoyable to read. They describe the book as delightful, easy to follow, and enchanting. Readers praise the well-developed characters and their growth into likable women. The writing style is described as descriptive and wonderful. The book incorporates art and history into the story, providing an enlightening look at social positions during the early 1990s. Customers appreciate the emotional content, including psychological undertones.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the story engaging and well-written. They appreciate the historical context and how the book weaves two historical women's stories into the tale. Readers also enjoy the twists and turns in the mystery set in New York. Overall, they describe the book as a wonderful glimpse into the times with a delicious mystery at its core.
"...This story in particular has so many layers of family connection and dysfunction that those story lines keep you hooked as the history plays out...." Read more
"...I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it if you like art, the gilded age, the 1960s, mysteries and a fictionalized look at the past in an exciting..." Read more
"Like all books so far by this author , very entertaining and easy to read. Thanks for selling . Good service and shipping ." Read more
"...The premise of the story was decent, and I enjoyed the historical inclusion of Frick’s love of art and even his involvement in the Johnstown flood..." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's readability. They find it delightful, interesting, and easy to follow with an historical background. The book is described as enchanting and keeps their attention throughout. Readers appreciate the author's skill and consider it a quick, enjoyable read.
"This was a quick read that was enjoyable. I found it interesting that the main character was inspired by a real person...." Read more
"This is a pleasant, diverting story that takes place in the Frick mansion in Manhattan...." Read more
"...But I don’t think so. It is an enjoyable, easy read. I never knew of Audrey Munson or her story as a model that the character is based on...." Read more
"I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a book so much!..." Read more
Customers find the characters interesting and well-developed. They grow into women that readers can't help but love. The characters keep the pages turning in Fiona Davis' style. The book is based on real people and events.
"...I found it interesting that the main character was inspired by a real person...." Read more
"...All of this is actually based on real people and some real events that happened in the early 20th century...." Read more
"...I really enjoyed all the main characters and everything was so well written. I highly recommend this book." Read more
"...The author drew the characters brilliantly. I was enchanted with Miss Lilly and her crazy boss Miss Helen...." Read more
Customers appreciate the writing style. They find the book easy to read with descriptive writing and storytelling. Readers appreciate the author's note and historical references. They also like the characterization and plot development. The attention to detail, historical references, and detailed descriptions of paintings are appreciated.
"Like all books so far by this author , very entertaining and easy to read. Thanks for selling . Good service and shipping ." Read more
"...OVERALL There was so much to love about this book. It was very well written, I felt connected to the characters...." Read more
"...I really enjoyed all the main characters and everything was so well written. I highly recommend this book." Read more
"...But I don’t think so. It is an enjoyable, easy read. I never knew of Audrey Munson or her story as a model that the character is based on...." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's art and setting. They appreciate the details about the New York rich in the early 1900s. The Frick mansion is a great backdrop for the tale, and the home is vibrant.
"...author, Fiona Davis, has woven her fictional characters into an authentic backdrop of the Frick mansion and family...." Read more
"Fascinating portrayal of life in the early 1900’s. I could visualize the art, the staff and all the characters and their place in life at the..." Read more
"...It incorporated the art world of New York and the filthy rich who inhabited the city at the time. By the 3/4 mark, I was wondering when it would end...." Read more
"Fun read. Great detail of the New York rich in the early 1900s and their extravagant way of life wrapped in a mystery!" Read more
Customers find the book enlightening and well-written. They appreciate its attention to detail and how it provides an insightful look at how the rich lived in the early 1990s. The book also covers art history and provides a good overview of social positions during that time.
"...the story is definitely historical fiction, it is built in the framework of actual events...." Read more
"...along with their ability to pay attention to details...." Read more
"...Lots of art history and a good look at how the wealthy lived vs common folk. The end was not as seamless as the majority of the book...." Read more
"...1900's and 1966, this story chronicles the family and societal dynamics of the wealthy." Read more
Customers find the book engaging with its emotional content. They appreciate the psychological undertones and human interest in the characters. The portrayal of life in the early 1900s is fascinating, with compassion and empathy shown for the characters.
"...There’s a lot of interesting psychological undertones in Frick’s son and daughter’s interactions with him as well as each other...." Read more
"...I respected and appreciated their compassion and empathy (particularly during the division of today), along with their ability to pay attention to..." Read more
"Fascinating portrayal of life in the early 1900’s...." Read more
"The way the author manages to bring the Frick house and every person in it to life, even the statues, is amazing...." Read more
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Fiona Davis's Best Novel Yet
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2025As with her other books, Fiona Davis builds a captivating story around a New York City landmark. This story in particular has so many layers of family connection and dysfunction that those story lines keep you hooked as the history plays out. My favorite of hers so far!
- Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2022This was a quick read that was enjoyable. I found it interesting that the main character was inspired by a real person. I knew the family who owned the Magnolia Palace were real –The Frick family. Mr. Henry Clay Frick was an industrialist as well as an art patron and eventually, he left his home to the city to make into a museum. Audrey Munson was the woman who inspired the heroine, Lillian, in this story. Audrey was used by many sculptors of that era as a model for many of the statues around the city of New York. Many call her the first super model.
The novel begins with Lillian being in the wrong place at the wrong time and she is questioned in the murder of her landlord’s wife. She flees and ends up in a job interview to be the assistant to Mr. Frick’s daughter.
The action swings back and forth from the gilded age to the 1960s where we meet a model named Veronica who has come over from England to be part of a photo shoot at the Frick mansion which is now a museum. She meets a young man who is interning at the museum. They accidently get locked into the museum overnight in a snowstorm and blackout.
Back in the gilded age, Lillian works for the daughter of the industrialist and tries to help her in her love life as the woman’s father wants her to marry. There’s a lot of interesting psychological undertones in Frick’s son and daughter’s interactions with him as well as each other.
Lillian finds herself falling for the young man who has been chosen to be her employer’s fiancé and he falls for her as well. The daughter goes out of town with her family and sets a kind of treasure hunt around the house for her intended husband in order to amuse him while she’s gone. Lillian helps him in the quest and they draw closer together.
In the 1960s, Veronica finds the clues for the treasure hunt in the house/museum and she, along with the intern start to follow them while they are stranded in the house.
The rest of the story continues to move back and forth between the time periods and the two heroines. A murder occurs and the excitement builds in each era. I won’t say much more as I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but it’s a unique and interesting story. I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it if you like art, the gilded age, the 1960s, mysteries and a fictionalized look at the past in an exciting way.
Issues of racism and prejudice against women with ambition are two of the themes of this story as well as family love and conflict. Overall, I think it’s a good story.
- Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2025Like all books so far by this author , very entertaining and easy to read. Thanks for selling . Good service and shipping .
- Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 20241919 New York Gilded Age—Lillian is one of the most sought after models in the city. To her credit, hundreds of statues with her likeness adore New York City, but when her mother passes away from the Spanish Flu Lillian has no direction and is affronted with a possible criminal investigation. As she is avoiding recognition, she stumbles upon a job as the private secretary to Helen Frick, daughter of wealthy industrialist and art collector, Henry Frick. While employed she becomes involved in the dramatic household, a theft, and a possible murder within the wealthy family. 1960’s New York—British model Veronica arrives in New York to participate in a photo shoot within the Frick Mansion-Turned-Museum. When inadvertently locked into the museum during a blizzard, she along with a museum intern find a series of hidden messages written nearly 60 years ago. Together they attempt to solve a decades-long mystery. The premise of the story was decent, and I enjoyed the historical inclusion of Frick’s love of art and even his involvement in the Johnstown flood tragedy. It did seem to drag on with repetition and some areas of inconceivability particularity with Veronica’s less developed part. The ending seemed rushed and too easily fitted together but then I was ready for the conclusion.
- Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2022I loved this 4.5 Star gem of a historical fiction. It had everything; legitimate history, a mystery, family drama, and a little bit of a love story.
SUMMARY
Artist model and muse, Lillian, was having a rough time. Her mother recently died from the influenza pandemic, she was losing her a claim as being the top artist model in New York City and was having trouble paying her bills. When her landlord’s wife turns up murdered, She somehow becomes tangled up in the murder. After fleeing her apartment, she ends up falling into a position, under false pretenses, as the personal secretary to one of the wealthiest families in New York City. This family happens to be one of the biggest art collectors in the US. But, having this position does not solve her problems, she ends up falling into their family drama. All of this is actually based on real people and some real events that happened in the early 20th century. While the story is definitely historical fiction, it is built in the framework of actual events. In addition to the story in 1919, there is a way story in 1966 where an archivist in the Frick museum in a fashion model find clues in the museum which help unravel the mystery of what happened 50 years in the past.
WHAT I LOVED
I thought I really liked the book and found it fascinating story, but then when I found out that there was an element of truth to the story it made it even more interesting to me.
I loved the descriptions of the art in the book. I also loved learning about “rich people stuff” in that area. I always find it fascinating how people used to live in that timeframe.
I loved Lillian, the main character. She was definitely the kind of main character you want to pull for.
I really loved the way this 1966 story and the 1919 story are woven together. It is a great way for the plot to come together.
WHAT I DIDN’T LOVE
There was not a lot in the book I did not love. I actually can’t think of anything.
OVERALL
There was so much to love about this book. It was very well written, I felt connected to the characters. I actually felt like I was there in the mansion filled with art and servants and fancy rich people. I would definitely read another Fiona Davis book and I would highly recommend this story to anyone who likes historical fiction or mystery or family drama. It checks all those boxes.
Top reviews from other countries
- Donna PennockReviewed in Canada on April 27, 2022
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read.
Really,really good book. Really enjoyed this book
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Claudia MarínReviewed in Mexico on February 25, 2022
5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulosa
Me encantó la historia y sobre todo que esté vinculada con la Frick Collection. Amo ese edificio y su historia.
- Carol GilbertReviewed in Canada on April 5, 2022
3.0 out of 5 stars well written but slow and confusing who is who at first.
Repetitive information is presented throughout the book, like it was important to remember???.