I was really excited about this one! I love anything about Egyptology. But it didn't live up to my expectations. The beginning had a lot of ancient historical context but it fizzled out from there. I didn't enjoy Annie's POV nearly as much as Charlotte's - didn't love how much time was spent centered around fashion. I didn't find the present-day stakes very engaging, would have loved more time spent at the digs in Egypt. Overall it just felt surprisingly bland and flat. I wasn't very invested in the plot and I wish the characters gave me more. It was just okay, kind of disappointing. I'd still recommend for fans of this author, but I wouldn't recommend starting with this one if you've never read a Fiona Davis before.

Fiona Davis’s “The Stolen Queen” is an entertaining story about the Metropolitan Museum’s Department of Egyptian Art. The story revolves around Charolette Cross and Annie Jenkins. The story is told from alternate points of view in a dual timeline, taking place in 1936 and 1978.

Charlotte Cross has a secret past that she won’t share with anyone. She led a completely different life in 1936. She was married, had a baby and lived in Egypt as an Egyptologist. Now in 1978 she lives in NYC without her husband or her child. Charlotte refuses to marry again, despite living with Henry, her loving boyfriend of many years. What happened to Charlotte so many years ago?

Annie Jenkins is a young girl struggling to deal with the recent death of her beloved father. She takes refuge in the Egyptian Department of the Met, where she reflects on her life before her father died. Annie’s mother Joyce, an aging, struggling model, has become obsessed with finding a rich man to take care of her in the aftermath of her husband’s death. Annie is consumed with worries about money, made worse by her mother’s frivolous spending and lack of regular employment. How will Annie ever get out of her current situation?

Soon Charolette and Annie’s paths intersect at the Met, when a priceless piece of Egyptian Art is stolen by an unknown assailant. The Broad Cross (the piece of Egyptian Art) has brought Charolette and Annie together in 1978, as they travel to Egypt to try and discover the identity of the thief. For both women The Broad Cross had interwoven, deep personal significance and will change each of the women’s lives forever.

As Charlotte and Annie work together to discover the truth about the artwork and the robbery, they find answers to Charolette’s past and Annie’s future!!.

Overall a very good story, but the ending was a bit far-fetched and felt rushed to tie up all the loose ends. Some aspects of the story were a bit unbelievable and consequently gave it a four star rating.

Thank you Net Galley and Penguin Random House Publishing for the opportunity to review this enjoyable eARC book. Fiona Davis has done a great job at creating a beautiful story that will be entertaining for all, especially those who love Historical Fiction. Publish date Jan 7, 2025!

Fiona Davis' historical fiction stories all occur in New York buildings. This new story is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Stolen Queen weaves together two compelling timelines that explore themes of loss, redemption, and the power of female leadership. As with her previous works like The Lions of Fifth Avenue and The Magnolia Palace, Davis demonstrates her expertise in crafting narratives that bridge different eras while maintaining historical accuracy and emotional depth.

Her portrayal of 1930s archaeology in Egypt feels authentic, from the technical aspects of excavation to the political tensions of the era. The 1978 sections capturing the Met Museum’s inner workings and Diana Vreeland’s larger-than-life personality are equally well-researched and engaging. .blend of historical fiction and mystery that will appeal to fans of both genres. Davis has created a compelling narrative that educates while entertaining, offering insights into archaeology, museum politics, and the eternal human desire to understand our past. I devour her stories and highly recommend this one. I gave it five stars.

Once again spotlighting New York’s world-famous architecture and strong female protagonists in a poignant story, Fiona Davis has crafted a compelling tale set in 1930s Egypt and the Metropolitan Museum in the late Seventies. It’s all systems go at the Met in 1978 as two simultaneous exhibitions are being staged: the touring King Tutankhamun exhibition, and the Costume Institute display of the early 20th-century choreographer Diaghilev’s flamboyant and vibrant costumes, overseen by Diana Vreeland.

Within this whirlwind of preparation, sixty-year-old Charlotte Cross and nineteen-year-old Annie Jenkins cross unlikely paths, eventually striking up a partnership of sorts through common interests in ancient history. Charlotte, an Egyptologist, is curator of the Department of Egyptian Art. Annie is fortuitously hired as assistant to Vreeland and suggests the Costume Department borrow a stunning broad collar (necklace) from the Egyptian Art collection, to accent one of Diaghilev’s costumes. Charlotte recognised the collar immediately, when the Met signed it in, as one lost long ago in Egypt when she was a young woman, and is highly suspicious of its provenance, but is stymied by the director because the owner wishes to remain anonymous. The two women pass in the night as they prepare for the exhibitions and meet again the evening of the Met Gala, when things go wildly wrong and Charlotte can no longer ignore her tragic history.

Davis knows New York and its architecture well and expertly takes readers inside the famous museum with its thousands of artifacts and inevitable internal politics. The Egyptian settings exude a powerful sense of antiquity, and arguments for and against ownership of artifacts outside their country of origin reflect old and new thinking. Threading its way through the novel is Charlotte’s research into Hathorkare, Davis’s fictional Hatshepsut, an important and often overlooked Egyptian queen. The author’s notes are a welcome addition.

When I say this book left an impression, I mean it. I could not stop talking about this book for weeks after I finished, and my childhood fascination with all things Egypt made a resurgence. Fiona Davis is a master storyteller, and she effortlessly weaves decades of history and traverses oceans to tell this dual-era, dual-continent story. When Charlotte Cross earned a spot on an archaeological dig in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings in 1936, it seemed like the world was her oyster. Everything was going her way— love, new life, and even a discovery. Then, a horrible tragedy took it all in an instant.

Flash forward to 1978, and Annie Jenkins landed a role working for former Vogue fashion editor Diana Vreeland as she organized the Met Gala. Charlotte works on a different floor in the Department of Egyptian Art as the Met's associate curator. She's spending her time researching a female pharaoh, Hathorkare, who's often dismissed as nothing more than a footnote in history. 

When an artifact goes missing during the gala, Charlotte and Annie team up to discover what happened to the missing piece and wind up unlocking parts of Charlotte's own history at the same time.

This wonderful dual-timeline novel tells the story of Charlotte, a young anthropology student taking part in a dig in the Valley of the Kings. Years later, an Egyptian artifact is stolen from the museum she works for, and she must return to Egypt and face her past.

I love learning about Egypt, Charlotte's strong character, and the element of mystery. Fiona Davis is the queen of this type of historical fiction.

While this story kept me interested, I was disappointed to find out the research topic of the main character is a complete fabrication. I’m not sure why I felt so disappointed in this, I guess it just felt cheap to me. The writing also felt a bit juvenile at times, like a young adult novel.

I LOVED this! The multiple POVs, the time jumping, the adventure, the despair, all of it. I have raved about this book to my bookclubs too.

Although I have enjoyed several of the author's other books (The Dollhouse, The Address), I didn't care for this one as much. Too much drama, everything like an overwrought soap opera. A lot of the things that happened were completely outlandish (like a waitress with no experience landing a job as assistant to a major designer for the social event of the year). I know I'm in the minority here, since so many readers have given it rave reviews. I hope Fiona Davis' next book is better. 2.5 stars rounded up.

An interesting historical fiction novel focused on recovering a stolen Egyptian artifact and uncovering the truth of a female pharaoh who had been overlooked in history.

Another wonderful historical fiction novel from the queen of historical fiction Fiona Davis! I loved branching out and traveling to Egypt in Davis' care. Great characters, strong writing, and beautiful world building.

I liked the Egyptian history woven into the book, but I didn't like how Charlotte treated Annie. She was just...not nice.

THE STOLEN QUEEN follows two women — Charlotte and Annie — across two timelines in the 1900s. From when Charlotte is a rising Egyptologist in the ‘30s to coordinator at The Met in 1978 and meets Annie, a young woman struck by the fashion and history in the walls of the museum.

There’s mystery, there’s romance, there’s heartbreak — and there’s of course fantastic storytelling!! Fiona gave the #BigBookBuddyReads crew a taste of what she was working on when she joined us last year and it absolutely delivered on our expectations! I love that I know exactly what to expect from a Fiona Davis novel and they ALWAYS make me want to plan a trip to NYC!

This one is also really great on audio! All the action and intrigue had me flying through it!

I really enjoyed this book that had obviously been very well researched and I felt that from the descriptions I could just jump into the page. Loved it

The Stolen Queen is a historical novel told in two timelines. In 1936 Charlotte Cross is a young archeology student on a dig in Egypt, where she finds love and an important discovery of a female pharaoh. In 1978 Charlotte is an archivist at the Met museum in NYC, still fascinated by this same pharaoh and researching her life. She becomes friends with a younger woman, Annie Jenkins, who is working with Diana Vreeland for the Met Gala - which plans to use some of the Egyptian pieces. When an important artifact goes missing, both their lives change.

I wanted to read The Stolen Queen because I love Fiona Davis's books; she is one of my favorite authors. I enjoy historical fiction and historic NYC. I don't know a lot about Egyptian history, so was intrigued by that aspect of this novel too.

This was a fascinating book! I was, of course, particularly interested in the archeology and art history aspects of the story. The novel raises some thought provoking questions about repatriation of art and artifacts. The story of the pharaoh Hathorkare made for particularly interesting reading, especially learning in the book's afterward that she was based on a real pharaoh, Hatshepsut.

The stolen queen mystery really begins midway through the book and the pace of storytelling becomes fast at that point too. The denouement of the story comes very quickly and I actually wish there had been a few more chapters for the story to unfold and wrap up at a more leisurely pace.

The Stolen Queen was a compelling read and one I am still thinking about. I recommend it highly to other fans of historical fiction!

I have loved all previous novels by this author and this was another book that I enjoyed! I liked how this took place in the Met in 1978 and I learned so much about exhibits and working in the museum, but I also love the time in Egypt in 1936! Both storylines are fantastic and I really liked Charolotte's character overall. The author is so good at writing characters that I feel connected to and invested in their story! I guess I would categorize this as Historical Fiction because I learned a lot, but I also like that it is not WWII Historical Fiction!

The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis is an adventurous tale about a woman searching for the truth about a misunderstood female pharaoh.

Wonderful novel all around. This is quite a vivid story, and you really do feel like you’re swept to an archeological dig in Egypt to the Met Gala in 1978. The Stolen Queen is a transportive story, and makes you think about so much, including art, ancient artifacts, and repatriation. It also focuses on strong feminist themes, as well as some art, and fashion.

The historical details are quite intriguing as well as the two great protagonists on their own individual journeys. There’s quite a bit of depth with relationships, and past mistakes, and overcoming tragedy. Plus, there’s also some mystery and adventure in this tale. And the discussion of repatriation is one that will generate discussion for sure.

First line: The staff meeting of the Metropolitan Museum’s Department of Egyptian Art was supposed to start at ten, which meant associate curator Charlotte Cross arrived at nine to prepare her colleagues for battle.

Summary: In 1936, in Egypt, Charlotte Cross is studying anthropology when she is offered a job to work on an archaeological dig in the Valley of the Kings. This opportunity is one that can lead to great jobs in the field but then tragedy strikes and her life is forever changed.

Annie Jenkins, in 1978 New York City, somehow lands the chance to work with Vogue fashion editor on preparing for the MET Gala. It seems to be a dream job until she realizes her boss has very high standards and outrageous demands.

At the Gala, Annie and Charlotte are thrown together due to a robbery of a highly valuable Egyptian artifact. The pair fly to Egypt in hopes of finding the missing piece before it is lost forever to a private collector on the black market.

My Thoughts: Each one of Fiona Davis’ books are fantastic. She finds a piece of history and builds an engaging story around it. In her newest book she centered on the 1978 MET Gala and the ancient historical figure of Hatshepsut (in the book she is called Hathorkare).

One of the main reasons, other than it’s a Fiona Davis book, was the topic of the Egyptian queen. Ancient Egypt is a fascinating history that spans millennia which we are learning more about each and every day. Hatshepsut is one of my favorites because she was the second ruling female pharaoh. She built some amazing structures and proved that a woman could rule effectively.

While dealing with the history and drama, the author also presents one of the most contentious current debates, the repatriation of artifacts to their homelands. It is something that people feel very strongly about but the author shows points of view from both sides without actually settling on an opinion, leaving it open to the reader to decide.

One of my favorite parts about many of Davis’ works are the dual timelines which end up meeting at the climax. Her descriptions of each woman’s lives were written very vividly from the sands of Egypt to the glistening halls of the Metropolitan Museum. This is a great story for book clubs to discuss the history and the controversies involved with its themes.

This two-timeline novel covers some lesser known ancient Egyptian history, the legend of Hathorkare and incorporates some action and mystery in the more modern (1978) timeline. While I enjoyed the legend of Hathorkare (actually a pharaoh known as Hatshepsut) and the information about ancient Egyptian burial practices, this book was mostly a disappointment for me. I have really enjoyed past books by this author but this one fell flat. The uncovering of the mysteries surrounding Charlotte’s loss of her family seemed really contrived. The character of Annie was so unrealistic especially in the ways that she “coincidentally” stumbled into going to Egypt with Charlotte and finding clues by being clumsy, etc. I enjoy historical fiction with some embellishment but this story was too predictable and unrealistic overall with everything just wrapped up too neatly and “happily ever after”. I’m rounding up my rating based on the author’s historical research but did not enjoy the story.

First and foremost I was disappointed that Davis did not use the actual names of Hatshepsut and Thutmose III in this story. While she explains why in the author's note at the end, I feel that that information should have been disclosed in the beginning. That being said, I love all things Egypt and was gratified that Davis did her due diligence with this book. Having been to Egypt, I can attest that Davis's descriptions of the landscape and the monuments are spot on. Hatshepsut was an amazing ruler and her mummy was identified via a tooth found in a box in her ransacked tomb. I loved the character Charlotte and how she was used as a bridge between the two timelines. The storyline focusing on the Met Gala was equally enjoyable as that has truly become a who's who of fashion. I am so grateful to Davis for highlighting the ancient Egyptians in this latest novel.