The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis
Travel back in time with Fiona Davis’s newest historical novel, “The Stolen Queen.” Best-selling New York author Davis presents another novel inspired by New York architecture, set in dual timelines: 1978 New York City at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and 1936 Cairo, Egypt.
The novel gives us two unforgettable female characters: 19-year-old eager Annie Jenkins, who has landed a chance to work for Vogue fashion editor Diana Vreeland, organizing The Met’s “party of the year,” and Charlotte Cross, a 60-year-old associate curator at The Met’s Department of Egyptian Art. Cross has zero interest in the gala and prefers leading a quiet life.
When one of the museum’s rare Egyptian artifacts disappears, the unlikely duo of Annie and Charlotte team up to solve the mystery.
Returning to Egypt was never in Charlotte’s plan. In 1936, she had earned a coveted spot on an archaeological dig in the Valley of the Kings — until tragedy struck. A desperate hunch leads the women back to Egypt, where Charlotte must come to grips with the demons of her past.
This book offers readers a variety of elements: mystery, a deadly curse, long-held secrets, mothers and daughters, and female friendships. It also provides an interesting look at how women’s voices and views on aging have changed over time.
“The Stolen Queen” revolves around the fictional Hathorkare, inspired by a real-life female pharaoh of ancient Egypt who ruled for a significant period but whose legacy was forgotten for centuries. The novel delves into themes of reclaiming women’s contributions to history, as well as providing a rich sense of time and place.
I rated this novel a 5/5. I found it wonderfully written, immersing me in the history of ancient Egypt and the excitement of an archaeological dig, as well as the glamour and glitz of New York City society.
Davis’s other books, also set in iconic New York City buildings, include “The Magnolia Place,” “The Address” and “The Lions of Fifth Avenue,” which was a Good Morning America book club pick.
Pick up this book at Wild Geese Bookshop (wildgeesebookshop.com), any Johnson County Public Library branch, or online at pageafterpage.org.
