The Stolen Queen - Large Print by Fiona Davis (Paperback)

In The Stolen Queen, Fiona Davis masterfully combines history, mystery, and romance into one compelling tale. Charlotte and Annie are the two main characters who are at different points in their lives. The story allows reader’s to traverse between the 1930s and the 1970s with the point of view alternating between Annie and Charlotte. I enjoyed the picturesque descriptions of the artifacts as well as the art in the museum and the costumes (and fashions). The author brought the scenes to life for me (I could envision them in my head). There were a couple of interesting side characters in the story. One of my favorites was Annie’s landlady, Mrs. Hollingsworth. There were intriguing surprises along the way while other plot points were expected. The pacing was good throughout the story, and I like how it ramps up near the end as discoveries are made. The ending ties everything up neatly with a bow (a little too neatly). There was one part of the ending that I wish had been done differently, but that is my personal preference. I enjoyed getting a glimpse of the work archaeologists do at a dig sites and in museums. I would love to attend the exhibition that Diana Vreeland created. She had creative ideas. The author brought The Met and The Met Gala to life with her vivid word imagery (the beautiful fashions worn by the attendees). The Stolen Queen is a fascinating tale with an archaeological dig, fascinating fashions, a unique collar, a sinking ship, Hathorkare’s curse, an enigmatic donor, and uncovering the facts.

Thanks to Edelweiss and Dutton for a digital advance reader copy. All comments and opinions are my own. Fiona Davis is an auto-read for me, so I was excited to have the opportunity to read an advance copy. Like so many of her books, this one is historical fiction and starts out in New York. The story alternates between New York in 1978 and Egypt in the 1930s, featuring Charlotte Cross who in the 1970s is an associate curator at the Metropolitan Museum’s Department of Egyptian Art. Another major character is 18-year-old Annie Jenkins, who crosses paths with Charlotte at the Museum. Annie is a survivor who seems to be getting a big break as she becomes an assistant to quirky and iconic former Vogue fashion editor Diana Vreeland, who’s in the midst of organizing the famous Met Gala, hosted at the museum. This is a well-written story of hope and family, past and present, combining art, anthropology, fashion, and feminism. It’s a page-turning mystery with history and danger from a possible Egyptian curse.