The Stolen Queen is another hit from Fiona Davis!

Following two women in the 1970s (and one of them also during the 1930s), The Stolen Queen is a story filled with mystery, history, and female empowerment. Davis once again blends fact and fiction to create the story of Charlotte Cross, former archaeologist and current Egyptologist at the Met, and Annie Jenkins, an awkward eighteen-year-old trying to find her place in the world. When their paths cross at the famous Met Gala, what ensues is an adventure that uncovers long-forgotten secrets and painful truths. Both women are well-written and are natural foils of one another, yet their partnership works, and it's fun to see them both grow as they work together. It's also fascinating to read about the history of Egypt and the ins and outs of archaeological digs; Davis based her fictional female pharaoh Hathorkare off the real-life female pharaoh Hatshepsut, and I learned a lot about Egyptian history and the role and power of females in ancient times. Davis also speaks to the complexities of repatriation of artifacts, which was interesting to read.

The ending is a bit cliched, but frankly, it's exactly what I wanted, and it made perfect sense within the bounds of the story. As always, Davis's latest book is entertaining and educational, and I can't wait for her next one!

I appreciate NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of Fiona Davis' new book The Stolen Queen. I love, love, loved it. Davis slowly draws you into the story featuring two women who are stronger than they realize. Charlotte Cross works at the MET. She's in her 60s and has worked there for years. Few people know that she was able to travel to Egypt and help at an archaeological dig in the 1930s as a young college student. After tragedy strikes, she returns home and doesn't talk about what she found in Egypt and what happened there. Annie is a teenager who has an interest in fashion and gets hired by Diana to work as her assistant as she plans the Met Gala in 1978. This is the present time the novel takes place. An ancient artifact is stolen during the ball and the women must work together to figure out who is behind the robbery and clear Annie's name. I enjoyed this book so much, that I'm currently researching a Nile River Cruise to see all the wonderful places described.

Ancient Egypt is such an interesting topic, so when I found out Fiona Davis’s new book was centered around museum thefts and Egyptologists, I was really excited to read it!

I loved the scenes describing archaeological digs (though I have no idea how accurate they were!). I also really appreciated the discussions held around smuggling and repatriation of artwork. It’s a complex topic, and this book really made me want to learn more about the history.
This whole book felt very well planned-out and researched. I especially appreciated the author’s note at the end explaining the basis of the ancient queen in the story and which parts of the story were true or untrue.

The story itself was amazing. I was emotionally invested very early on. While the mystery element was important, the main focus was mostly on mother/daughter relationships. One main character, Charlotte, lost her daughter. The other main character, Annie, acted almost as the parent to her immature and dependent mother. I appreciated that the story showed different types of relationships, and the nuance that goes with family relationships. I found myself blinking back tears several times while I read, in the best possible way!

Fiona has created another page turning historical mystery! This story moves between Charlotte's 1936 time in Egypt as an archeology student and her 1978 time in NYC as an assistant curator at the Met. In the 1936 timeline, she experiences surprising highs and lows. Charlotte discovers a previously unknown hidden tomb that included a broad collar that eventually shows up at the Met in 1978. She also suffers unimaginable loss on the Nile and has to remake what she thought her life would be. For the 1978 Met Gala, director Diana Vreeland wants to use the broad collar on a mannequin in the exhibits and Charlotte isn't convinced of the true provenance of the piece. Annie Jenkins is a teenager with a desire to do more with her life than her hard-on-her-luck mother. Annie gets a job as Diana's assistant for the gala, until an unfortunate incident ruined everything. Annie and Charlotte tried to stop the thief who stole a precious piece of history and ended up assaulted, not once, but twice because of it. Annie finds a way to join Charlotte on her first trip back to Egypt since 1936 to find out the truth about the collar, Charlotte's missing research, and the missing pieces of her heart. From there, the story just moves faster with secrets exposed, thieves caught, and relationships that get explored in a many ways. I had a hard time putting the book down because I had to find out what happened next and isn't that what you want from a book?!?
I connected with both main characters and thoroughly enjoyed their stories as their friendship blossomed. I love that the 60-year-old Charlotte wasn't afraid to take risks and create the life she always wanted once the mystery was solved. The 18-year-old Charlotte and Annie, during very different times, were similar in their desire for adventure and wanting to do something important with their lives. The descriptions of Egypt and its people, the tombs, and the museum brought the story to life. I could feel the blazing heat at the dig in the desert. I could see the Cairo markets and museum exhibits that all played roles in the book. If you have ever seen the Egyptian exhibits at the Met Museum, you can envision how the main characters move through the rooms and see the antiquities in the many rooms devoted to the time.
The author notes explain that much is inspired or based on real people, objects, and places, but to make the timeline work, she had to be creative with the people and events in a respectful manner. There is a recommended reading list that looks very interesting to learn more about the people and time.
I highly recommend this historical mystery, but I caution you-make sure you set aside the time to read this immersive novel!

#TheStolenQueen #NetGalley #historicalfiction
Thank you Dutton Marketing and Net Galley for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Enjoyed this historical fiction—definitely a classic Fiona Davis. Appreciated the two character POVs, as well as the split timeline. Probably 3.5 stars, but I’ll round up since it did grab me!

Courtesy of Netgalley, I received the ARC of The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis. Featuring an iconic NYC landmark, The Metropolitan Museum of Art with it's Department of Egyptian Art and renowned Met Gala as the backdrop, this historical novel begins in 1936 at an archeology dig in Egypt. Following the career of Charlotte Cross forward to the Met in 1978, her past is revealed, while the dilemma of which country owns unearthed antiquities is a timely underlying theme. After a theft at the Met, the search is on for the culprit - the story becomes a compelling thriller! I couldn't stop reading!

The Stolen Queen is about two very different women at different points in their lives who are brought together by their love for Ancient Egyptian Art and the Metropolitan Museum.

I liked this story overall. There was a lot of history within the pages that I really enjoyed. Not only did I learn more about the life of an Egyptologist in the 1930s, but I also gained a deeper understanding of the work that goes on behind the scenes at the Met. It was fascinating, and Davis did a great job weaving these concepts together.

Where the story fell a little flat for me was with our main characters, specifically Annie. While both were likable, they struggled to be more than one-dimensional. Although both experienced some growth, it was limited. I also felt that Annie’s decision that connected her to Charlotte was somewhat of a stretch.

Thankfully, the plot and the history were engaging enough to compensate for what the characters lacked. This is my first book by Davis, and although I won’t be rushing to read more of her work, I’m not opposed to it either. ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75 (Rounded up for NetGalley)

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Hanson House for my free electronic copy in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a huge Fiona Davis fan and was so excited to be able to read The Stolen Queen early. As with all of her novels, the story circles around a famous New York building, this time The Met. This is dual POV, dual timeline novel follows two women who don't quite fit in with their times, Charlotte in the 1930s as an American archeologist in Egypt, and Annie as a young woman getting her feet on the ground in the women's lib of the 1970s. Their stories cross at The Met when a broad collar from ancient Egypt draws both their attentions. There is mystery, a love story, history, and family drama. I enjoyed The Stolen Queen, but it wasn't quite as good as the Fiona Davis I've come to expect.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dutton for the advanced readers copy of The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis.

I have been a bit of a Fiona Davis fan for the last year or so. I find her novels about historic places in New York City fascinating. This latest novel is no exception since it revolves around the iconic Metropolitan Museum. I loved this novel despite the author taking a few liberties she addressed at the end of the novel. I found the Egyptian history and the idea of who should get to own antiquities from any country.

I will definitely be recommending this novel to friends and family.

What works best in the book is probably the Egyptology element. What works least is the amount of frustration I felt reading it. It's one of those books that's just written as misogyny everywhere, all around, which, of course, is accurate. But then somehow our plucky heroines get up the gumption to resolve their problems, even though they don't really? Even though the world is fundamentally unchanged. I wish I had liked this more. Something about it just got under my skin. That said, I know that many, many readers are fans of Fiona Davis and the like, so, for them, I would recommend it.

3.75 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The story follows two women with a dual timeline- during the 1930’s and the 1970’s. One thing I love about Davis’s stories is her ability to write a mystery within a historical fiction piece. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, I do feel like we took a moment to get to that point though- the story dragged on a bit in the first third of the book. Additionally, I love the details the author puts in her stories; this one specifically had a lot of research that was involved and you can definitely see the passion that is involved with such research.

Overall I enjoyed it, it was a fun read!

Loved the descriptive paragraphs of Cairo, the Valley of the Kings, and the Met in NYC. Behind the scenes glimpses are always instructive and fun. The pace was perfect in that there were only a few very short lulls in the action. Also good were the red herrings on the way to solve multiple mysteries. The characters were well developed and mostly believable. This is a very enjoyable mystery and would make a good beginning to a series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dutton Books for the ARC to read and review.

Wow! What a story! Totally creative and filled with interesting facts about Egyptology and New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, Fiona Davis does her research and spins together a tale of suspense and intrigue that kept me riveted from begin to end. . Her characters are three dimensional with assets and flaws that totally ring true.

In 1936, Cassandra Cross becomes part of a team on an archeological dig in Egypt. The previously buried antiquities which are unearthed are beyond valuable. Not only does Cassandra help uncover rar jewels but she also enters into a personal relationship that will affect her future forever.

In 1978 Cassandra is employed at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art as an assistant curator. The antiquities of Egypt have remained her life’s work. It is at the museum that she crosses paths with Annie, an 18 year old who has been hired to assist preparation for the renowned Met Gala. During the event there is an unimaginable theft of a rare cerulean queen with no clues left behind. The stolen object is priceless. Annie is held accountable by her boss although she had followed all the required protocols and is fired so when Cassandra invites her to Egypt to investigate the theft, Annie jumps at the opportunity.

This is a riveting tale of lost objects, lost love, friendship and determination wrapped up in a blanket of mystery. I just loved it. Fiona Davis is a remarkably talented author with a penchant for writing brilliantly original plots. Five dancing stars for a great read. Many thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for providing an ARC in exchange for my review. USA publication date is January 7, 2025. Be sure to put it on your must read list.

Fiona Davis's books are always enjoyable, and this one was no different. It follows Charlotte, an associate curator at the Met who is attempting to prove her theory about a female pharaoh, and Annie, a young woman trying to find her place in life who ends up working at the Met. It flips between 1978 in New York City and the 1936 in Egypt.

I liked that this one had a fairly unique perspective about Ancient Egypt and tied into the Met well. The chapters were woven together seamlessly despite having different points-of-view. There were mysterious aspects, which related to a wonderful ending that tied the book together well.

This is my first Fiona Davis book and i truly enjoyed it. Ive personally went to Egypt a few years back and it was such a wonderful experience to relive it through this book. The plot was incredible and storyline is easily digestible that you cant put it down! Thank you so much netgalley and penguin random house for the chance to read this The Stolen Queen in advance

Fiona Davis has done it again but with a twist. This story starts off in 1978 New York at The Met museum where you meet Charlotte who is an assistant curator in the Egyptian Art department. From there Charlotte takes you on an adventure into her younger years to 1936 Egypt where she gets a spot on an archaeological dig. She fall in love with Henry a fellow archaeologist and thought her life was complete until a tragic accident happens on their way home to New York.
You also met Annie a young girl who loves The Met museum and the Egyptian displays along with a passion for fashion. Which actually get her a job one fateful night when making a delivery to the fashion dept that preparing for the Met Gala.
Charlotte is determined to tell the story of a pharaoh queen Hathorkare who she believes has been written out of Egyptian history and couldn’t care less about the upcoming Gala until that fateful night when a priceless Egyptian artifact is stolen.
Annie and Charlotte team up to search for the missing artifact as an unlikely pair and brings Charlotte back to Egypt where she never wanted to return. Charlotte needs to confront her past but could lead them both into dangerous territory.

Dual-timeline book about an Egyptologist at the opposite ends of her career--in 1936, on a dig in Egypt, and in 1978, while working at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Young Charlotte's experiences in Egypt are full of youthful adventure, early career-making success, and tragedy that changes her life. Older Charlotte is has found a quieter, safer way to live with her passion for the past but has her life upended by the combination of a new exhibit at the museum and run-ins with a young woman at the start of discovering her own life path, Annie.

I loved that the dual timelines in this book weren't a gimmick and were connected by the same character's experiences. The unrolling of the past within the challenges of the present of the 1970s was well-paced. The settings were vivid--while I can't speak to the authenticity of the Egyptian setting, the descriptions of the Met were spot-on. The characters were strong, interesting, realistically flawed women who I cared about and was invested in, and there was a lot of interesting history (of both time periods) woven into the narrative. Loved all of that and that the storylines kept me interested and excited to read to the end. Recommended for anyone who is interested in museums, history, fashion, strong women characters, and stories about finding and following your passion at any age.

I enjoyed this book! I wasn't familiar with Fiona Davis before getting into The Stolen Queen but right out the gate I realized this was going to be the a cozy read in the vein of a Hallmark movie or something from the Netflix Christmas Cinematic Universe. Think a cozy version of The Mummy mixed with The Devil Wears Prada.

If you're looking for a something where people fall in love quickly and there are no real stakes because you know things are going to work out, this might be for you!

There _are_ things that would be problematic outside of a frosted glass fantasy of lives that just work out for the main characters... and they sort of still are problematic because the book nods at them directly but doesn't back down or change course. Things like the romance of archeology in Egypt in the early 1900s being effectively theft and the people of the place not being worthy stewards of the history being unearthed as tombs are plundered and literally crumble around them

As a fan of historical fiction, I was excited to read The Stolen Queen as I have not read any historical fiction based in Egypt.

I have very mixed feelings about the book overall. I found the plot interesting and I felt pretty engaged with the story for the entire book. However, the writing felt pretty cheesy and everything that happened was always so easy and perfect. No one had to struggle to solve mysteries, they just immediately figured things out. It just took me out of the story.

I think if you are a big fan of historical fiction you’d probably enjoy this one but if not, I’d suggest skipping it.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc.

This was a fantastical historical fiction to pick up! Highly recommend if that’s your genre of choice. Took me a while to get through but that was more because I wasn’t in the right mood