Fiona Davis presents two protagonists from the same family but of different generations. In 1993 Sadie Donovan is a curator at the New York Public Library. She is about to prepare and present her first exhibit. Coincidentally it features some of the work of her grandmother, Laura Lyons, a feminist essayist and journalist from 1913.

Both women, Sadie and Laura are impassioned about their work. Although separated by seventy years, they both confront the unexpected. Someone is targeting and stealing the most valuable editions from the prestigious area of the NYPL collection. Laura and Sadie also experience family situations that upend their plans and relationships. But the real star of this book is the New York Public Library – its collections, architecture and stewardship. Recommended.

I really love Fiona Davis' brand of historical fiction--I'll take my history with a side of suspense and adventure every time! This one was so much fun because the two narratives both featured the NY Public Library. The book opens in 1913 when Laura Lyons and her husband are actually living in an apartment in the Fifth Avenue library with their two children. Laura's husband, Jack, is a writer and is also the superintendent in charge of managing the library. Laura loves her family, but she longs for a job outside the home, as well. Her narrative includes a fascinating look at the early years of the feminist movement, as well as the many challenges women faced while trying to pursue careers in writing and in medicine. The other narrative thread is about Sadie, Laura's librarian granddaughter, who is a curator at the same branch where her famous grandmother once lived. Both narratives involve mysteries concerning stolen books, and both main characters were equally interesting. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction and books about books! Thanks to Netgalley, Dutton, and the author for the librarian preview.

I really wanted to love this book and it had great potential. However, I feel like it had too much going on to truly be a great book. It is classified as historical fiction yet lacked many interesting facts in the time in which it is set. It had this mystery going on about the stolen books, but it’s not compelling enough for you to really be excited to find out “who done it”. It also had this feminist piece thrown in that I felt like wasn’t fully thought out, it didn’t add much to the story.

I had HIGH hopes for this book due to the fact that I've read Ms. Davis previous two works. I was NOT disappointed. The two story lines were so well written and the way they dovetailed together... As a librarian, I am always fascinated by tales of other libraries. The main characters in this book were very believable and interesting. I just could not put the kindle down! I will be buying the book for my collection! I highly recommend purchasing this book.

I've never read Fiona Davis, and I'm not a huge fan of historical fiction, generally, but this was a fantastic and fascinating book. The time switch was really compelling because both characters had depth and fully explored life situations. I cared about both women and the struggles they were each going through, and the added bonus of the NY Public Library historical element was so fascinating. AND, then add the exploration of the history of the women's movement in NY City and what it would have been like as one of the few allowed women in Columbia University's journalism school ... just, wow. The author's note at the back of the book referencing all of the books she'd read to prepare this manuscript showed the extent of the research undertaken, and made the book all the more rich.

I found that the book really cranks up a notch after the halfway mark, the book thief mystery and chase really driving the story forward at that point.

My only complaint about the story is that the 1993 librarian, Sadie, is such a librarian trope that I rolled my eyes a lot. The quirky-retro-crazy-style-outgoing librarian is the new mousy-glasses-shushing librarian of "The Music Man," and neither is obviously accurate. But I guess women who just like books and working among them who have nondescript styles or who are regular people don't make for compelling narratives, so I'll give that a pass.

I think because I am not able to travel right now, I have become obsessed about reading books about places I long to visit. Upon the recommendation of author Kristin Tubb, I started reading this because it is about the New York Public Library. Tubb has also had a series of books about the New York Public Library recently, which I also thoroughly enjoyed.

I am generally a reader on a mission. I am trying to get through books to get to the end. This was not the case with the Lions of Fifth Avenue. I savored each page and did not want the book to end. The characters were so vivid in my imagination and I thoroughly loved spending time with them. I especially liked Sadie as she reminded me so much of myself. I reveled in watching her grow as the story progressed.

Overall, this book was so enjoyable because the author did a fabulous job with the plot. The story moved along so smoothly, even jumping from one time period to another. The mystery surrounding the family was enthralling. Of course, having the story set at one of the most famous libraries in the world and getting a glimpse into the inner workings made it that much better. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys a good mystery and loves the library.

Who knew that the New York Public Library once had an apartment in its interior that was inhabited by a librarian and his family? This novel is set in both 1913 and 1993, with the focus on NYPL in both times. In 1913, Laura Lyons is married to the librarian, and lives wth him in the new library's apartment with their two kids. When rare documents disappear, a series of events transforms Laura's life dramatically. In 1993 Sadie is a devoted librarian at NYPL with no idea about the former apartment, but once again valuable documents go missing and suspicion is contagious. Sadie's life is also turned upsidedown, but with persistance she solves the mystery of the missing materials both from 1913 and her present day of 1993. As well as being an engaging mystery, this novel will have appeal to bibliophiles and feminists for the strong bookloving heroines.

I love it when an novel sends me down a rabbit hole to research more information, so I was pleased when this book led me to learn more about the apartments common in NYC libraries in the 20th century. I had no idea! I thought that the resolution of the mystery was a little too coincidental, but that didn't stop me from enjoying it. I loved the strong female characters and of course the library setting. Very quick & enjoyable read!

Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis is a masterfully crafted historical novel which takes place in the New York Public Library, which moves its way from the past to the present, and connects two families and the mystery of disappearing literary manuscripts and artifacts. The plot works effortlessly between two families and their connections. A pivotal aspect shows the reader what women's rights were in the past. The description of the rooms in the library and the many important artifacts contained within are fascinating. Add romance, heartache, death and more; it keeps you reading to find out where these characters intersect. My only qualm is the title. There is so little said about the lions that one wonders if there was deeper meaning. I would not have purchased it based on the title alone.

What is not to love about a book set in a library? Especially one as spectacular as the New York Public Library. The author does a great job of weaving the story through the halls, rooms and collections of this historic and beautiful building. I’ve been anticipating this book for a while because my great grandfather helped build the library and this book easily transport you to the turn of the last century. The story is a dual timeline mystery with two progressive protagonists who fight for the people and places they believe in. It was a nice reminder of how the lives of women have changed over the years. My only problem with the story was the original heroine kept apologizing to her family for having to live in an apartment at the library and in my opinion it would be an honor of a lifetime and quite an adventure. Thank you for the opportunity to read this terrific title. I think will be well received by book lovers everywhere.

One of my favorite genres is historical fiction, and from that I really enjoy those set in NYC. So, when I saw this book, I knew it was one that I wanted to read and review!

Can I just say how COOL it would be to live in the apartments of the New York Public Library?! Laura Lyons and her family live in one of these apartments in 1913, while she pursues a Journalism degree (yes, those of you that know I teach Journalism, my heart just jumped even more!).

Fast forward to 1993, Sadie Donovan is a curator in the NYPL and finds herself in the midst of a mystery as items begin disappearing. Sadie is related to Laura (her grandmother) and quickly finds there’s a connection between the two!

This is my first Fiona Davis novel, and I am HOOKED! She did an amazing amount of research, and crafted a mesmerizing story. So well done! Hold my tea while I go figure out how to visit these apartments I never knew existed.

I always enjoy Fiona Davis’s formulaic historical fiction; two timelines, historical and modern day, that connect eventually in some way. This is lovely for librarians!

I’m impressed that Fiona Davis can keep churning out novels at this pace while maintaining this level of quality, but here we are.

Davis sticks to her standard format of dual female narrator/dual timeline and focusing on a specific piece of architecture/site of historical significance in New York City.

This time we get the New York Public library, pretty much the ideal settling for an historical novel in Manhattan.

We meet Sadie in 1993, a curator at the library who has mysterious connections to some of the institution’s history, and Laura in 1913, a wife, mother, and aspiring journalist whose family lives in the library.

Did you hear that? They LIVE. IN. THE. LIBRARY, in an apartment on site that truly did exist at the time as housing for the library superintendent and his family.

There are significant (and perhaps connected) book thefts in both timelines, and then we’re off to the races, as Davis lets us get to know both women while unfolding each era’s mystery and its relationship to the protagonists.

Davis wrote a winning character in Sadie, a driven and likable—if awkward—gal. Laura is tougher to get behind. While we can all sympathize with her desire to pursue a career of her own when that would have been next to impossible for a woman of her station, Laura actively makes choices over and over again that worsen her situation and make her a less sympathetic character.

It’s much easier to get behind Sadie. Her flaws aren’t the kind that would gall many readers. If anything, they only serve to make her more relatable.

While I often felt bad for Laura and wanted the best for her, she’s somewhat of a naïf (not one of my favorite character traits in novels) and alarmingly impulsive and—later—defensive. Laura continuously makes poor decisions, and ones that directly and often negatively impact the lives of others in her orbit.

The side characters aren’t particularly well developed. In most cases that’s probably a blessing, though there a few cases in which I would really have liked to see more. The library and its history though...Those are practically a third protagonist, and Davis does a much better job with the buildings and books in question than she does even in the end with most of the human characters.

Still, these complaints are minor, and as she has each time before, Davis gave us another delightful historical mystery. In terms of setting, this was among her best, and the plot concludes itself nicely (but not too nicely) in the end.

This one isn’t quite on par with Chelsea Girls or The Dollhouse, but it’s a fun read sure to please Davis fans such as myself as well as library enthusiasts.

Another new author for me and I can’t wait to read more by her!

Rare books have gone missing from the New York Public Library in 1913 and now it is happening again in 1993. Could there be a connection?

In 1913, the superintendent of NYPL and his family, live in an apartment located in the NYPL. (Yes, there is/was an apartment!) The superintendent is an aspiring author and his wife is also a writer working in the gender-driven confines of the era. Breaking the barriers will be difficult and carry consequences.

In 1993, a young librarian, who happens to be the granddaughter, is appointed curator of the rare books exhibit and materials go missing once again.

This is an intriguing mystery with interesting characters and quality writing. (Except for one instance of the word “dove” instead of the correct term “dived” in the 1913 section.)

There were many fascinating facts about the library. I toured it recently and now wish I could tour it again with an eye to the details from this book!

This book will appeal to readers of historical fiction, lovers of libraries, and anyone who enjoys a good mystery. I give it an enthusiastic 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton, for the eARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

I loved this book for many reasons. First, as a librarian, I applaud the author’s depiction of librarians as unrelenting seekers of information. The history of the New York Public Library is brought to life through the character portrayals. And the mystery And secrets surrounding the missing books make it a top notch read.

05.17.2020| Fiona Davis has done it again! What a fun book. I love all of the history surrounding the NYC public library. She has a great way of describing people and places. Thanks to @netgalley for the #arc advance copy I really enjoyed it. 🌟🌟🌟

I don’t know what it was, but I just did not enjoy this book. I’ve read a lot of books lately, it seems, told in the dual narratives of historical women who are somehow connected to modern-day divorcees who work in academia and are investigating their lives (this one, “The Lost Jewels”) and this one, while it was intriguing, focused more on character arcs that left me feeling a little cold than the historical mysteries at hand. There was nothing wrong with this, per se - it just wasn’t what I was looking for.

Sadie and Laura are connected in more ways than just family. The NYPL figures in their lives greatly along with the theft of books that can never be replaced. The history throughout this book is fascinating. Fiona Davis has written another wonderful story about NYC that draws the reader in until the final line.

I have enjoyed all of Fiona Davis's books, and this one was no exception. In The Lions of Fifth Avenue, Ms. Davis blends rich architectural detail, historical facts, and fictional characters to create an intriguing whodunit. I also appreciate her alternating chapters between New York in 1914, and in 1993.
I was sad when it ended.

The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis is a wonderful story - both a coming-of-age story and a mystery - about two women in two very different times. Laura is a wife, mother and journalism student who becomes involved with a group of forward-thinking, feminists in 1913 NYC. Their presence in her life leads Laura to question everything she thought she knew about herself, her goals and her role in society, and ultimately sets her on course to become a famous feminist essayist. In 1993, Sadie is a middle-aged divorcee and library curator in charge of a new exhibit which includes Laura's work. The two women have in common the New York Public Library - Laura and her family live in an apartment inside the library, and Sadie works there. But there's more. Both characters are embroiled in mysteries when rare books show up missing. What happened to the books, and who is responsible?

Although the book is arranged in alternating chapter stories, Laura is really the main character, and her storyline is the more compelling of the two. And, although the story includes a who-dun-it component, The Lions of Fifth Avenue isn't really a mystery. Instead, it is Laura's coming-of-age story at a time when feminism was changing the face of America and the world, changing family dynamics and changing what was possible for women.

I enjoyed this book, especially the Laura's character arc. I would have liked a little more out of Sadie's characterization, and felt like she was somewhat short-shifted. There were some interesting possibilities that were hinted at but not followed through, which was disappointing. I thought the author's use of a dual timeline was effective and connected the two stories quite well, while also answering many of the questions that were brought up.

No spoilers, but I thought the conclusion to Sadie's story was both abrupt and poorly foreshadowed. I'll be curious to hear how other readers feel about that ;)

If you're look for a fun read that's very NYC centric and has a little bit of a mystery, The Lions of Fifth Avenue is a great choice. The characters are engaging, the setting is well made, the writing is cohesive and sharp and the story is a lot of fun.

This review is based on an advance copy read.