With a dual timeline (1936 and 1978), two characters (Charlotte and Annie) and two cities (New York and Cairo) weaves the story of Egyptian artifacts and a piece that gets stolen from The New York Metropolitan Museum of Art-known as The Met. It weaves the fashion aspect and the Met Gala too.

I enjoyed the book but found some aspects just too far fetched and not possible along with struggling with some of the Egyptian terms and history of the pharaohs. But I also learned a lot and enjoyed learning about something I knew little about. 3.5 stars for me.

I have been a fan of Fiona Davis’s historical fiction novels for many years. Her novels all take place in historic buildings in New York City and weave real history with fiction to deliver captivating reads! Her latest novel, THE STOLEN QUEEN, may be my new favorite of her books!

It’s 1978, and Charlotte Cross is an associate curator at The MET Museum in the Department of Egyptian Art. As a young anthropology student, she previously worked in Egypt in the Valley of the Kings at an archeological dig site. Yet, when tragedy drove her to leave Egypt, she found a home at The MET, where she has spent years researching Hathorkare, a rare female pharaoh.

Annie Jenkins is a young woman who lands the opportunity of a lifetime working for the iconic Diana Vreeland, head of The MET’s Costume Institute, helping with the annual MET Gala. On the night of the “party of the year,” a valuable Egyptian artifact gets stolen during a heist. With clues linking to Charlotte’s past, Charlotte and Annie team up to uncover what happened to the missing artifact, leading Charlotte to the place she never wanted to return: Egypt.

The novel is told from Charlotte and Annie's perspectives and alternates between Charlotte’s time in Egypt in 1936 and 1978. THE STOLEN QUEEN takes readers on a thrilling adventure through one of NYC’s most iconic buildings and to the faraway streets of Cairo and the Valley of the Kings. While historical fiction, at times, this reads like a thriller as the closer Charlotte and Annie come to discovering the truth, the more danger they find surrounding themselves.

I loved THE STOLEN QUEEN! It was fast-paced and hard to put down, and I learned a lot about Egyptian history. Having previously listened to many podcast interviews with Fiona, I know how in-depth she goes in her research, and she does an incredible job of including factual historical information within her books. Fiona also immerses you into the story so that you feel like you’re walking the halls of The MET or walking through the hot, dry Egyptian desert. Even though I’ve visited The MET before, reading this has me eager to return and take additional time exploring The Egyptian Wing.

If you love historical fiction, I highly recommend THE STOLEN QUEEN. However, if you also enjoy thrilling stories, especially dealing with art heists, or if you love fashion and the glamour of The MET Ball, you will enjoy this as well!

Charlotte Cross is an associate curator for the Met’s Egyptian Art Department preparing for the King Tut Exhibit to begin. She has a history of archaeological digs in Egypt, along with a personal history in Egypt that has been haunting her for decades. Written with a dual perspective, Annie is 18 & just beginning her life. She got a job working as an assistant to Diana Vreeland, who organizes the Met Gala. Charlotte & Annie come together when an important Egyptian piece is stolen from the museum, which ends up leading to many personal & professional discoveries. I haven’t really read anything about Egyptian history & I really enjoyed this book. So different from what I’m used to & I loved it!

The night of the gala: One of the Egyptian art collection’s most valuable artifacts goes missing Charlotte teams up with Annie to search for the missing antiquity. She will have to face her past and that could lead them both into danger. Lots of interesting complex characters twists and turns fill this haunting page turner. A must read!

Fiona Davis does it again—this time blending ancient mysteries, high-society glamour, and a touch of danger in The Stolen Queen.
Spanning from Egypt’s Valley of the Kings in 1936 to the glittering chaos of NYC’s 1978 Met Gala, this dual-timeline novel had me hooked from page one. 🏺✨ The characters? Perfection. Charlotte, a haunted Egyptologist with secrets buried deeper than any tomb, and Annie, a bright-eyed assistant thrown into the world of fashion and art, make the perfect unlikely team.
When an invaluable artifact vanishes during the Met Gala (curse vibes included!), the story becomes a whirlwind of history, betrayal, and adventure—leading straight back to Egypt and the mystery of a forgotten female pharaoh.
Expect rich settings, fierce women, and enough twists to leave you breathless. If you love historical fiction with a dash of intrigue, The Stolen Queen is your next must-read.

As someone who's always loved reading about Egyptian mythology and artifacts. I read the pitch for this book and felt like it had been written just for me. From the jump, it was full of adventure, mystery, and emotion, like a love letter to the city of New York, to the history of ancient Egypt, and to the power of the human spirit. And the ending....oh, the ending was so utterly satisfying! The author's voice combined with the story itself, rich in detail, made The Stolen Queen simply unputdownable. Upon finishing it, I immediately ordered a physical copy from Barnes and Noble and gave it to a historical fiction-loving friend the day it arrived. Fiona Davis is becoming a new favorite author of mine and I can't wait to read whatever is next!

As a big fan of Fiona Davis, I’m surprised it took me so long to read this book. Her storytelling is top-notch, and The Stolen Queen lived up to my expectations!

Set in Davis’s signature dual timeline with multiple perspectives, this novel begins in Egypt and then transitions to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Each character is complex and contributes to a captivating storyline that I left me eager to finish.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this novel.

I've tried to read this several times and just cannot get into it. I don't particularly love the storyline set in the 70s and sort of wish this wasn't dual timeline. I thought this about one of Fiona Davis's other books so I think she just might not be the author for me.

Historical fiction with a feminist lens. This story follows Charlotte Cross, a budding Egyptologist who lands herself a spot in an expedition to the Valley of Kings in 1936. Charlotte is a formidable character and goes after what she wants. When tragedy strikes Charlotte while abroad, she finds herself on a much different path than planned.

Fast forward to 1978, where Charlotte's story intersects with Annie Jenkins, a young woman in NYC struggling to make a life for herself. When through the connection of her landlord, Annie finds herself with a new job at the Metropolitan Museum of Art she stumbles into the middle of Charlotte's ancient history and is on a trip of a lifetime to Egypt.

Charlotte has long buried personal baggage that she has never shared with anyone, not even her long time partner. But Charlotte is determined to get to the bottom of a recent theft at the Met and begrudgingly accepts Annie's help.

Filled with lots of history of the Met, its famed Gala and real life Met icon, Diana Vreeland, The Stolen Queen is a mystery, a love story, and history wrapped in one.

This was an engaging read with characters I was wholly invested in. Fiona Davis is becoming an auto-read author! Highly recommend.

I absolutely loved this one! This story follows the classic Fiona Davis set up of a dual timeline, dual POV novel. In this story we are following Charlotte who was working in Egypt in the 1930s and as well as in "current day" in the late 1970s where she is a curator at the Met in their department of Egyptian art. In the later timeline we are also following Annie who comes across the opportunity to work for Diana Vreeland who is organizing the Met Gala. As always, these timelines and characters eventually overlap into a whirlwind of a mystery. I enjoyed the characters in this one and following the issues that women struggled with when it came to autonomy and education in the 20th century. I loved the way the different storylines converged and the adventure we went on when Charlotte finally returns to Egypt. The only thing I didn't love about this book was that some of the plot points seemed a bit unrealistic but needed to work for the convince of the story. I also think the summary/blurb should give away less information as some of the stuff in the summary does not occur until nearly 40% into the book. Overall, highly recommend!

The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis is a dual timeline story set in Egypt in 1936 at an archaeological dig, and then in 1978 in New York just prior to and after the famous Met Gala. Charlotte Cross is working on an archaeological dig in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings. They find something that they believe will set the archaeologist world on it's end, but when tragedy strikes, she returns to New York to work as a museum curator, never intending to return to Egypt again. Eighteen-year-old Annie Jenkins is in the right place at the right time and lands a job working with iconic former Vogue fashion editor Diana Vreeland. Diana is working with the Met to plan the upcoming gala and Annie becomes her assistant. She doesn't realize all that she will have to do, but is thrilled. When Annie goes to get an artifact for the fashion display, she meets Charlotte. She is not happy to loan the gold collar, and is investigating it's providence, as the last time she saw it was in Egypt. When there is a theft and some confusion at the gala, an important artifact, The Cerulean Queen, is stolen. It is up to Charlotte and Annie to find it and clear their names.

This was a bit different from Fiona Davis' other books, but I enjoyed it just as much. The past storyline doesn't take up a lot of the story, but it sets up the background for event in 1978. I really liked both Annie and Charlotte. Annie is a smart young lady with great intuition. She has been taking care of her mother for years and because of that is quite independent and a hard worker. She feels responsible for several things that happened at the gala and wants to make it right. Charlotte is a 60 year old, nearing the end of her career. She has been researching a mummy and wants to write a paper, but her boss puts her off. The robbery is interesting and how it was pulled off quite ingenious. Back to Egypt Charlotte heads with trepidation and works with Annie who has tagged along without an invitation. The way this book plays out was excellent with a couple of twists. Another great book by Fiona Davis.

I know anytime I open a Fiona Davis book I will be transported to a different time, and I will be lost in history with a dash of romance with mystery! Told in a dual timeline the story will transport you!

Egypt, 1936: Charlotte is an anthropology student and shes offered the opportunity to take part in a dig in the Valley of the Kings. She has no idea this will change her life forever! Charlotte falls in love for the first time with another student , she uncovers a burial chamber and a broad collar necklace. When a tragedy strikes Charlotte wonders if this has anything to do with the curse of the pharaohs, a curse that follows you.

New York City, 1978: Charlotte is now working as the associated curator of the Department of Egyptian Artifacts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and she’s been researching Hathorkare or Hatshepsut whose a female pharaoh and most Egyptologists assume isn't an important part of history Charlotte want's to prove them wrong.
Also working at the museum is Annie a young woman whose thrilled when she‘s asked to be former Vogue fashion designer Diana Vreeland new personal assistant and she gets to work on the infamous Met Gala! On the night of the gala, Annie and Charlotte find themselves caught up in chaos when the Cerulean Queen which is one of the museums most valuable pieces gets stolen and Charlotte has to do the one thing she swore she would never do and that’s return to Egypt.
This book had me feeling like I was right next to Charlotte while in Egypt and New York! My heart was hoping she would find the happiness she so desperately deserved, I loved the history and learning about Egypt as well! Five stars!

Finished in two sittings. What's not to love here? Egyptian artifacts. Fun mystery to solve. Strong female characters. I would hand this to both mystery fans as well as historical fiction readers. What a lovely book.

I learned quite a bit about the female king and the actual artifacts that inspired the novel. I do enjoy Fiona's books that deal with NYC landmark buildings, which The Metropolitan Museum of Art is. However, this book did not focus much on that building. I still enjoyed it.

A great piece of historical fiction that kept my attention. The Stolen Queen has a lot of mystery with strong characters and interesting settings. I loved reading about the museum, the gala and the Egyptian art.

The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis is a captivating historical fiction novel that takes readers on an enthralling journey from NYC to the intriguing streets of Cairo. The story revolves around two women from different time periods whose lives become intertwined by a priceless artifact - one of the Egyptian art collection's most valuable pieces.

Davis masterfully weaves together the dual timelines, creating a tapestry of rich historical detail and compelling character arcs. The meticulously researched backdrop serves as a perfect stage for the drama and suspense that unfold, keeping readers hooked from start to finish.

The protagonists, both strong and resilient women, navigate their respective eras' societal norms and challenges with grace and determination. Their parallel struggles and triumphs resonate deeply, making their stories both relatable and inspiring.

Davis's prose is elegant and evocative, painting vivid pictures of the settings and emotions experienced by the characters. The novel's pacing is well-balanced, with moments of tension and tenderness artfully interspersed.

*The Stolen Queen* is a mesmerizing read that will appeal to fans of historical fiction and anyone who enjoys a well-crafted, emotionally engaging story. Fiona Davis has once again proven her prowess as a storyteller, leaving readers eager for her next literary offering.

Thank you @prhaudio and @netgalley for my #gifted audiobook/ arc of Fiona Davis’ The Stolen Queen. This book was such a delight flipping between New York City in 1978 and Egypt in 1936. Charlotte was apart of an archeological dig where she met the love of her life. Ready to settle into a life halfway around the world from her family until a tragedy strikes and sends her back to NYC. She works at The Met but has research she has been conducting quietly that just might be groundbreaking and isn’t too well received by her boss. Along this storyline you will meet Annie who is helping out a former Vogue editor when during The Met Gala a newly gifted artifact is stolen. Charlotte and Annie pair up to track it down and find an unlikely friendship. I loved the aspects of The Met Gala, the in-depth research that went into this story and has me planning my next trip to this wonderful museum.

I am incredibly thankful to have been offered an advanced copy of this book to read and review. Fiona Davis is one of my absolute favorite authors, and this could possibly be my new favorite book by her! I’ve always been fascinated by ancient Egypt and this book brought together so many different aspects of Egyptology. The ending was incredibly touching, and I was able to get my hands on an audiobook version from my library as well, so the song included at the end brought tears to my eyes. This will be a book that will stick with me for a long time and that I will highly recommend to other readers.

I am not into Egyptology, but Fiona Davis made it really interesting in her latest historical fiction novel, The Stolen Queen.

The main characters, Charlotte and Annie, were caught up in some difficult situations in their personal lives and careers, and I cared about both of them. I like how the Cerulean Queen brought them together. There was a lot of mystery and intrigue throughout the novel that kept me engaged the entire time, wondering what really happened after Charlotte left Egypt. And I even got to embark on an armchair adventure.

Overall, Fiona never fails to impress me with her stories and I appreciate that she explores different aspects of history, staying away from WWII. While I appreciate novels about that time period too, it's refreshing to read about other events and instances from the past. I enjoyed this novel and have been recommending it often.

(Trigger warnings below.)

Movie casting suggestions (since it's been a while, I decided to only cast the two main characters):
Charlotte (1978): Diane Lane
Charlotte (1936): Courtney Grosbeck
Annie: Emma Kenney
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TW: Death of spouse, death of infant, violence (mostly attacking)

Back in the mid 1930s, Charlotte Cross was a 19 year old girl living her dream on an archeological dig in Egypt.Now she's an expert at the Metropolitan Museum and everything that happened back then is called into question. Alternating between the two times, we learn about Egyptology, a female pharaoh whose story needs to be rewritten and about working on a dig, especially as a woman. All this is wrapped in a compelling mystery and art heist. Perhaps the ending felt a little rushed and prettily wrapped up. But that doesn't negate the joyous ride.