The Stolen Queen is a dual timeline/dual narrative story about 2 women who live in NYC and work at the Met. Charlotte Cross is an Egyptologist, in her early 60s in 1978, but throughout the book are chapters about her time in Egypt as a young woman in 1936, working on a dig searching for remnants of the life of Hathorkare, a "lost" female pharaoh (this is a fictional pharaoh, loosely inspired by Hatshepsut). Annie Jenkins is a young woman, working as a waitress and maid, trying to make ends meet, while supporting her self-centered mother, when she lucks into a job as Diane Vreeland's assistant, helping to plan and execute the Met Gala. It's during the Gala, that things go awry and a piece of artwork from the Egyptian wing is stolen. Annie and Charlotte end up work together to investigate the theft.
Overall, I did enjoy this book, and how Charlotte and Annie both grew and developed as characters, working together to find the stolen artwork, while also helping Charlotte overcome her past trauma. That said, I felt like the idea that Charlotte was terrified to return to Egypt because of her past and the "curse" was only semi developed. Somehow, she just miraculously gets over it and takes charge, with little discussion of how she got past her fear. For someone who refused to go back to Egypt (as an Egyptologist) for 40 years, I think it would have been a bit more difficult of an undertaking. This is my only real criticism of the book, other than the ending felt rushed and a bit too "happy". It was a good bit of historical fiction, and I enjoyed learning about Egypt, and the cooperative process between Egypt and other countries with regards to sharing their antiquities.
Thank you to Penguin Group Dutton and NetGalley for the electronic ARC of this novel for review.

I have read a number of books by Fiona Davis and was excited to get her newest.

The Stolen Queen revolves around Egyptologist Charlotte who had gone on an archeological dig to Egypt when she was an undergrad. That was in 1936 and we see that part of her life through flashbacks and then in 1978 as an assistant curator at the MET in New York City. The dual timelines work together so well as we learn about the tragedy that changed Charlotte's life in 1936.

In the 1978 timeline, Charlotte's life collides with Annie, a young woman who is assisting with the MET Gala. We get a wonderful look into the world that these women inhabit, Davis' way of describing the places and emotions bring their lives to life. When an antiquity is stolen on the night of the gala, these two very different women come together to try to solve the mystery.

I was captivated by the first 2/3 of the book, a little less so when they go to Egypt. Some of what happened there was just too easily solved and even though it was mentioned more than once how the female Pharaoh had an easier time than women in the 1970's, it was a little too easy for them to get around and get help. I would have liked the climax to be a little more in depth and not wrapped up with a bow so quickly.

Overall, I really enjoyed the topic and the writing and recommend the book. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this dual timeline narrative - one in the 1930s and the other in the 1970s - that focused on ancient Egypt. Both Charlotte and Annie's stories were compelling and made me want to know more. Fiona Davis does a fantastic job of bringing Egypt to life and made me feel I was there with the characters. There was obviously a great deal of research put into this and it shows. Highly recommend!

As an art historian who spends an inordinate amount of time in museums, especially The Met, I usually steer away from reading museum fiction. Too much 'Thomas Crown Affair!' But as a devoted reader of Fiona Davis's novels who gets happily lost in the worlds of women who left their mark on historic New York, I was all in on The Stolen Queen. Equal parts mystery, fashionable museum history, and adventure archaeology, 'The Stolen Queen' delivers Davis's signature deep dive into the inner lives of exceptional women characters who appreciate aesthetics as much as they do a death-defying professional challenge.

It always makes me happy to see a new book by Fiona Davis is coming into the world. As soon as I read about it, I went onto NetGalley to request a digital review copy. I read it quickly and yet I didn't want it to end, of course. Set at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC, of course, reading this novel definitely made me want to go to the Met again. (To be honest, I've only been there once a few years ago for a special exhibit but I loved it!)

This time instead of meeting 2 characters from different times, we meet our main character as her younger self and in the present day. In the present day she is joined by a younger colleague thereby making the story have more immediacy for younger readers, I think.

Imagining the older character on a dig in Egypt was very exciting. And hearing about the King Tut exhibit when it came to the U.S. was also a fun bonus to the novel's action.

This is Fiona at her finest! The pacing was perfect, the characters and scenery rich, and the mystery unputdownable.

We follow the characters between the Met art museum in the 1970s when Egyptian art has been stolen and back to Egypt in the 1930s when the FMC is a budding archaeologist. It’s a dual timeline dual POV story about love, purpose, career goals, family, feminism, and of course, art. Ugh I loved it. This is a must read! The book comes out January 7, 2025. Get that pre-order in!!

Fiona Davis has written another winner! The story drew me in immediately and kept me going until the very end. I loved her characters, the settings, the Metropolitan Museum and Egypt and the dual timeline of the story. Bravo!

Fiona Davis can always be relied on for a rollicking good mystery with a little bit of romance and adventure sprinkled in. Here, she blends mystery with Egyptology and a very appealing protagonist. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, heightened by Davis’ attention to detail and darn good writing.

What a great book! Fiona Davis does not disappoint. Though I have never been one to be all that interested in Egypt/the antiquities, this book may have just changed that! The story is a dual timeline novel alternating between 1936 and 1978. Charlotte's story is told in both time periods. As a young woman, she was very interested in Egypt and even traveled to work on a dig as an 18 year old. What happened in Egypt during that time would change her life forever... and not in a good way. Meanwhile, in 1978, women's roles are changing and so are feelings about research norms, ethics about international relics/art/history, and more. Charlotte's life intersects while at work at the Met with a young woman, Annie, who is quite simply dealing with a lot. Throughout the book, we learn more of Charlotte's story and the two women become close... and even work together to solve a historical mystery surrounding a female Pharaoh, Hathorkare.

This book was so intriguing and deep. I loved the growth and passion these women showed, along with other supplemental characters. The Egyptian history and themes woven throughout were fascinating, especially considering the author's note at the end about her research process. This is a must read!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

The Stolen Queen was superb with Egyptian historical significance a delight. Set in 1936 and 1978, it lends itself to archeological data about mummies, burials, and discoveries tied into personal lives and revelations. This book is Fiona Davis rather best.

Charlotte goes to Egypt in 1936 as an aspiring Eqyptologist. While there, she discovers a tomb in the Valley of the Kings. It appears that she has found the burial site of a famous by much maligned queen. She also finds the queen's necklace. She falls in love with Henry. They marry after discovering that she is pregnant. Once her baby is born, she remains in Egypt with her husband. But he suddenly wants to get away. Their boat is sunk and Charlotte barely escapes. Her husband and baby are killed. Or so she thinks.

Fast forward to the late 70's. Charlotte is now an Assistant Curator at the Metropolitan Museum in New York. She has tried to return to Egypt but it appears the curse of the queen is preventing it. She has proof that the queen was actually not as bad as was previously believed. But this conflicts with the work of her boss, who appears to be blocking the advancement of her theory.

Charlotte also meets Annie. Annie is hired as an assistant to Diane, the queen of design, who has been hired to plan the Met's Gala. Annie ruins the Gala and is fired by Diane. In the meantime, Charlotte witnesses the theft of a sculpture of the Egyptian queen. Charlotte discovers that her husband and daughter might still be alive. She plans to return to Egypt. But Annie wants to go too, in order to find the missing sculpture and restore her good name.

The novel is very well written. The characters are well-developed and engaging. The flow of the book builds a sense of anticipation. The dialog is witty and clever. I strongly recommend this book for all mystery lovers and especially for those intrigued by the ancient mysteries of Egypt.

Thank you to Net Galley and Penguin Random House Publishing for an early copy of The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis

Whether an ongoing fan of the work of author Fiona Davis or a first-time reader, The Stolen Queen involves itself in an extraordinary plot surrounding ancient Egyptian Queen Hathorkare (in reality Hatshepsut) and the misinformation surrounding her reign. Davis has built the story of stolen artifacts and the dilemma of what entity should ultimately oversee antiquities around three women: the young, impressionable Amanda trying to make her own way, Charlotte, an archaeologist of a bygone era who yearns for her past, and the real-life clothing designer Diana Vreeland who consults for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the costuming department. The lives of these three women will converge and will ultimately bring out the best in each other.

The years 1936 and 1978 house the action. It is Charlotte's back story of an archaeological dig in Egypt that drives the plot as well as her return years later to the site of her successful dig. Charlotte seeks answers both personally and professionally to questions that have haunted her for decades.

It was with great delight that the Author's Note included the inspiration she received from Lynne Olson's amazing non-fiction Empress of the Nile: The Daredevil Archaeologist Who Saved Egypt's Ancient Temples from Destruction featuring the life of French archaeologist Christiana Desroches-Noblecourt as I had recently read Olson's detailed and engaging book and pictured Desroches-Noblecourt from the very beginning of The Stolen Queen.

The Stolen Queen is a strong recommendation along with the hope that readers will seek out additional works by Fiona Davis.

Once again, Fiona Davis does not disappoint! I received an advance copy of The Stolen Queen via NetGalley. This novel continues the tradition of highlighting a New York City landmark as an influential character in the story. This novel revolves around the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the infamous Met Gala makes an appearance as well. This story follows Davis’s signature style of oscillating back and forth between two time periods. The story is based around two central characters, Charlotte Cross and Annie Jenkins. The beginning of the novel develops these two different women’s storylines. Charlotte was a woman with a passion for Egyptian history and archaeology who was fighting for her place in a man’s world. Annie, a young woman whose familial challenges forced her to grow up ahead of her time, is trying to find her way. Independently, both women are working to make the best of difficult situations and ultimately find their place in the world. An upheaval at the 1978 Met Gala brings the women together to solve a mystery that is very personal to both of them for different reasons. The story is rich with character development, emotion, intrigue and suspense. I read this book quite quickly as I wanted to see what happened next all while wishing it wouldn’t end. Historical fiction at its finest. I highly recommend this read. Also, if you haven’t checked out other Fiona Davis novels, you’re missing out!

Always love a historical novel and truly appreciated the dual timeline and setting! I was eager to be back in Egypt when we jumped to NY, but loved every bit of it. Also appreciated the obvious research that went into this one, making it historically and culturally relevant!

Loved this book and the dual timeline. What an epic and tragic tale. Switching timelines between chapters really makes you want to keep reading to find out about secrets and discoveries. It was a very satisfying ending. Recommending to my book club! It would make a great tv series!

The Stolen Queen is another fascinating historical fiction novel by Fiona Davis. While parts of this novel are set in New York City, Davis branches out with this one, and much of the story takes place in Egypt. The research included in this is evident yet presented in a way that is interesting and not textbook. The story was fast-paced, entertaining, and informative. I can always count on a Fiona Davis novel to keep me reading late into the night!
Thanks, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with the ARC ebook I read and reviewed. All opinions are my own.

The glossing over of female contributions in history is nothing new. And I appreciated that it was brought up in this story. I also liked the discussion surrounding where parts of a country's culture through their artifacts truly belong.
I found the parts of the story that were set in Egypt most intriguing. The middle in New York, while needed to help set up the remainder of the book was not as enjoyable for me. I wanted to spend more time in Egypt. It felt more like an adventure there. But this was an excellent story overall, with a clever unexpected ending.

Thank you to the publisher for the free copy in exchange for my honest review.

Fiona Davis writes fascinating historical fiction, and The Stolen Queen is fascinating. The novel moves from the 1930’s through the 1970s and from NYC to Egypt. The setting and plot appeal to those readers who love the antiquities of Egypt. Charlotte is a young archeologist who digs in Egypt, finding one-of-a-kind objects. Her story in Egypt is truly romantic and unforgettable. It reminded me of the Indiana Jones movies with their exotic characters and places. When we see Charlotte in her later life, she is a curator at the Metropolitan Museum, stunned when a piece she recognizes shows up. The mystery begins and we follow her and Annie, a young girl with the same ambition that drove the young Charlotte, on their quest to solve the mystery.
The story with its Egyptian details will keep you reading.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest opinion.

Thank you to Dutton and NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy of this book!

Set primarily at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in 1978 (with some chapters set in Egypt in the 1930s), this book has all of the features of a stand-out historical fiction novel: the intrigue of stolen Egyptian artifacts, the glamor of the Met Gala, the secrets that went down with a ship years ago, and more. While the intrigue and mystery builds in the second half as the main characters try to track down a stolen artifact, unfortunately the execution did not live up to the great premise.

I’ve read one of Fiona Davis’s previous novels before and really enjoyed the New York City history of it so I expected to enjoy this book as well. But the character development was lacking, and the dialogue felt stilted at times. Even though this could’ve been a dramatic art theft book, the stakes felt too low, and I wasn’t invested enough in the characters when the reveals materialized in the second half. The conversations about art repatriation also felt a bit surface level, as did the overall depictions of Egypt.

Ultimately, this book didn’t live up to its strong premise for me, but I know that readers will enjoy its ties to the Met, Egyptian antiquities, and New York.

I have read every one of Fiona Davis' books and have enjoyed them immensely. I loved the history of New York in them and as someone who grew up on the east coast, I can relate to a lot of it. But this book didn't quite excite me as much as the others. It seemed to get bogged down in a lot of history of Egyptian artifacts which I realize is the main focal point of the book but it tended to get to be a little too much at times. That being said I read it in two days so I did still enjoy it.