The Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis
Publisher & Release: Dutton, January 25, 2022
Setting: New York City, 1919 & 1966
Genre: Historical Fiction
Length: 349 Pages
Rating: 5 Gold Crowns
Book Description:
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.
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Vikki’s Musings
Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary digital copy of The Magnolia Palace. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this novel, and nothing has influenced my rating and opinion.
The Magnolia Palace is set-in two-time periods, 1919 and 1966 at the Frick Mansion in New York City. It follows several women, and several characters are based on individuals who were park of the Frick family. The pacing is decent, but it speeds up dramatically in the last half of the book. Ms. Davis has clearly done a great deal of research of the time-period and of the Frick family, making the novel an excellent read.
In 1919, Lillian Carter, AKA Angelica. She is the primary character, along with Helen Frick. She stubbles into the role of secretary for this woman and Lillian becomes a pawn between Helen and her father, Henry Clay Frick. Lillian’s tale is a sad one and I had empathy for her.
In 1966, a young model is at a photo shoot in the Frick mansion and accidentally gets locked in, along with Joshua Lawrence, an intern for the Frick mansion. I enjoyed the scavenger hunt the two undertake and liked both characters. While there is definitely an attraction between these two, the story is centered on the mystery of the scavenger hunt.
Ms. Davis handles the transition from one time-period to the other seamlessly without confusing the reader. Her descriptive writing adds a great deal to the overall enjoyment. She also manages to tie up the significant sub-plots. I would have enjoyed finding out more about Lillian’s escape from the Frick mansion and how the organist helped her.
If you enjoy historical fiction filled with individuals who lived in the era it covers, along with a fascinating mystery to solve, then you will love The Magnolia Palace as much as I did. I’m so glad I agreed to read this excellent novel. This is the first book I’ve read by Ms. Davis and look forward to reading others by her. Happy reading!
Author Bio:
FIONA DAVIS is the New York Times bestselling author of six historical fiction novels set in iconic New York City buildings, including 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 a dozen languages and she's based in New York City.
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