I always love how Fiona Davis writes ambitious female characters, and the characters in this book were no different. I especially enjoyed reading about Charlotte’s time in Egypt. I found that when the two characters and timelines merged, I began to lose interest. I also felt that the ending was a bit silly and unrealistic. That being said, the writing style was enjoyable and easy to get through, and I will always read whatever Davis writes.

Fiona Davis’ upcoming novel The Stolen Queen tells the story of two women who find comfort in the walls of the Met during 1978. One is Charlotte, once an aspiring archeology student who had the opportunity of a lifetime in Egypt excavating the Valley of the Gods in 1936. The other is Annie who at the young age of 19 finds herself mothering her mother while working two jobs after the unexpected death of her father and her mother’s career as a model ending. Their paths merge the night of the Met Gala when a famous Egyptian antiquity is stolen from the museum. The statue, as well as Charlotte’s research into Hathorkare, whose suspected tomb was uncovered by Charlotte when she’d been in Egypt years ago, take the women on a journey of art theft and facing demons of the past in order to move forward in the future.

Davis takes two women of different generations and beautifully ties their stories together. Annie reminds Charlotte of a child lost all those years ago in Egypt. Annie finds in Charlotte a mother figure who doesn’t discredit her and appreciates what she contributes to their relationship. While Egyptian history isn’t a major interest to me, I found the writing painting a picture of the past that I could get lost in. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the advanced copy. Opinions expressed are my own. This book will be published on January 7, 2025.

#netgalley #arc #bookstagram #TheStolenQueen #FionaDavis #penguingroupdutton

Fiona Davis writes some of my favorite historical fiction books. I love the contemporary storylines and the NYC setting (for one storyline) and all of the references. Full review to come soon. Perfect for anyone who loves art history, scandal, mummies, stolen artifacts and more!

This was thoroughly engrossing! I loved Charlotte and her progression from the 1930s to 1970s in the Egyptians antiquities world-- something I knew nothing about. I found every story line really interesting. Charlotte, a curator at the Met and Egyptologist, went to Egypt once as a young adult. What happened there made her never want to go back. As a 60-year old curator, she is still heavily involved in Egyptian artifacts and art but has never been back to Egypt. Something comes up and she is forced to confront her past. I'm being purposefully vague because I loved not knowing what was going to happen next. Highly recommend this one.

Name of Book: The Stolen Queen
Author: Fiona Davis
Genre: Historical Fiction / Mystery
Publisher: Penguin Group Dutton
Pub Date was January 7, 2025
My Rating: 4.5 rounded up
Pages 393

Story alternates between Egypt in 1936 and New York City 1978
And told from the POV of Charlotte Cross and Annie Jenkins
Story is set in New York City as well as Cairo, Egypt. We readers are transported from New York City’s most glamorous party to the streets of Cairo and back.

Egypt, 1936: Charlotte Cross has been interested in all things Egyptian since she was four years-old now at age eighteen and a second year student in anthropology at NYU she is offered a spot on an archaeological dig in Egypt’s ‘Valley of the Kings’.
While there she has a wonderful excavation experience. However something happen and Charlotte knows she never will return to Egypt.

New York City, 1978: Now Charlotte is the associate curator at the Metropolitan Department of Egyptian Art.
Annie Jenkins is eighteen years and lives with her mother. Her father died when she was five years old however she remembers that he loved museums and had taken her to the Met.
So Annie is excited when has an opportunity to work for former Vogue fashion editor Diana Vreeland, who is organizing the famous Met Gala, hosted at the museum.

Annie meets Charlotte while working on the MET Gala.
During the Gala a priceless statue is stolen. Charlotte needs to go to Egypt to try to recover it and Annie is willing to help.
Question: Can Charlotte return to Egypt as the rumors of the ancient curse resurface?
The curse of ‘The Cerulean Queen’ (Hathorkare was married to the pharaoh Saukemet I, when he died she took over however his infant son of one of his concubines was chosen to be next and once he came of age stepped up to rule – Charlotte believes there was much more to Hathorkare rule than historians record however there appears to be death surrounding any investigation-thus a curse,)
Story kept me interested. The second half is slower but things are slowly falling into place regarding the museums pieces as well as Charlotte’s life when she lived there – falling in love with Henry Smith.

This is my eighth Fiona Davis novel. I have totally enjoyed the other seven. Ms. Davis’ genre is Historical Fiction. She writes stories involve an iconic landmark in New York City. She does her homework-aka research as she not only reveals the building's history but also the people connected to it.
The end of the book once again has the wonderful information about ancient Egyptian history as to what is history and a few things Ms. Davis took liberties. Also for those who wish to do more reading, she provided and extensive list.

Ms. Davis never disappoints - we readers can count on her to provide us with an enjoyable excellent read.

Want to thank NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton/Dutton for this great early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for January 7, 2025.

THE STOLEN QUEEN by Fiona Davis

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Dutton for the ARC ebook to read.

3.5 stars
From New York City to Cairo and back, anthropology student Charlotte Cross is offered a coveted spot on a dig in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, in 1936 and jumps at the opportunity. A heartbreaking tragedy strikes and Charlotte knows her life will never be the same.

This story is set in 1978 NewYork City, with flashbacks to 1936 Egypt. In 1978, Charlotte is associate curator at the Met’s Department of Egyptian Art. The upcoming “party of the year” is coming to the met. The night of the gala an unexpected event happens when an artifact goes missing. Together, Charlotte and Annie, the assistant to organizer of the Met Gala, team up to search for this missing antiquity. Charlotte will have to confront demons of her past as they travel to Egypt, where Charlotte swore she would never return.

I’ve read other books by, Fiona Davis, and this too is set in New York. I do like reading about anthropology and archaeological digs and found that portion of book to really grab my attention. All in all this is a good read and I do recommend it, however, I have enjoyed some of her other books more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton books for the advanced reader copy of The Stolen Queen in exchange for an honest review.
I always get excited to read Fiona Davis, for her love of New York City’s rich history and iconic landmarks. The Stolen Queen combines that NYC love with another historical gem that I have a soft spot for - Ancient Egypt. I do think this might be my favorite Fiona Davis novel yet!
Set in 1978, with flashbacks to 1936, the novel follows 60 year old Charlotte Cross, museum curator at the Met , and 19 year old Annie Jenkins, newly hired at the Met Museum as an assistant to a famed fashion designer. The night of the annual Met Gala, a prized artifact from the Egyptian exhibit is stolen, and Charlotte and Annie set out across the globe to in search of the Cerulean Queen.
I highly recommend The Stolen Queen for fans of NYC historical fiction, Egyptian history, or, like me - both!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book for free in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own.

I was so excited to get approved for this book, Fiona Davis an excellent writer of historical fiction! Even though I really enjoyed this book and will be giving it 5 stars, I still think my favorite book of hers is The Lions of New York. I am almost positive I will read this book at least one more time before it is released next January. It is THAT good.

If you love historical fiction, this is the book for you!!

All the stars!!!


Many Thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.

********


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This probably dates me, but I remember being fascinated by King Tut and Egypt because it was all over the news and magazines. This book was unputdownable for me!

When an ancient Egyptian necklace shows up at the Met, Charlotte Cross can't understand how it still exists. She assumed it was lost, along with her husband and daughter, many years ago when their boat sank into the Nile.

During the Met Gala another Egpytian artifact goes missing, and recently hired, Annie Jenkins, is blamed for aiding in the theft. Annie must clear her name, so she runs off to Egypt with Charlotte to find the missing artifact.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for providing me an eARC of this book!

I don't know where to begin with this review, other than to say that I thoroughly loved this narrative. Sometimes it can be difficult to make two voices distinct, but Davis manages to make the two leading ladies sound like their own people.

I didn't know much about Egyptology and Egyptian history beyond the basics, but it felt like Davis also had a firm handle on how to inform readers like me without overwhelming us with too much information about what is really a device to bring closure to Charlotte. Everything about this novel melded together to become a well cooked souffle of great writing, great voice, and great character. I just wish that we had more time with the characters, even though the conclusion was quite satisfying as is!

The Stolen Queen
Charlotte Cross was a college student in 1936 when she took a 4 month trip to an archeological dig in Egypt. Tragic events forced her to return to New York a few years later.
Then the story continued in 1978 when Charlotte was an assistant curator of Early Egyptian artifacts at the Metropolitan Museum of art in NYC. She had been researching a woman named Hathorkare, the wife of the pharaoh Saukemet I. Hathorkare had not born the pharaoh a child so the next pharaoh was to be the son of one of Saukemet’s concubines. Hathorkare named herself his regent. Eventually she became powerful and ruled for 20 years until her death.
The Met was preparing for both the giant King Tut exhibition and the annual Gala to benefit the Fashion collection.
It was at the Gala that an important Egyptian artifact was stolen. When Charlotte started to investigate the theft, she discovered that the solution to 40 year old mystery could be found in Egypt. So she traveled back to that country to investigate.
This is a historical fiction book but the female pharaoh was not an actual person. The author based Hathorkare on Hatchupset, actual the widow of an important pharoah who ruled Egypt.
I have visited the area in Egypt where the book is set. The author did an excellent job of researching facts about ancient Egypt as well as the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
I received this ARC from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Fiona Davis is one of my favorite authors. I love how she writes about New York. I loved how she tied characters together even though there was really no reason for them to get to know each other. Everyone should have a guardian angel. This is a must read for historical fiction lovers.

In true Fiona Davis fashion this was another work of historical fiction with dual timelines and alternating perspectives. The premise of this sounds AMAZING! Egypt! Metropolitan Museum of Art! Theft! But the execution felt shallow and left me with little connection to the characters. I just wanted more. My reading pet peeve is over the top circumstances of coincidence and well... ding ding ding. I will say I loved the setting and can appreciate the research that went into the writing of this book. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this novel.

A new favorite of mine now from Fiona Davis. She is really great at historical fiction and this one is no exception. The story is told from two different time lines in NY and Egypt and it alternates between the characters. Charlotte Cross is a curator at The Met and Annie Jenkins is a young assistant for a Vogue fashion editor covering the Met Gala. When a priceless artifact which also holds an ancient curse goes missing during the Met Gala, Charlotte and Annie team together to solve the mystery.

Davis does an excellent job intertwining the characters and the different timelines. It does take a bit of time to evolve the characters but once this is established the story moves at a good pace with the suspense building to the end.

Overall a great read.

Fiona Davis is one of my favorites, but this one took me a long time to finish. It felt slow, but maybe because the Egyptian history wasn’t interesting to me. Davis wove her typical story with multiple perspectives and timelines. She threw in mystery and espionage. If you like her work, you’ll enjoy this one. If you’re interested in ancient Egypt, you’ll like it even more!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the ARC.

I've rounded up from 3.5 stars. The Stolen Queen is the eighth book I read by one of my favorite historical fiction authors, however, it wasn't one of my favorites. It didn't have the NY vibes that I look forward to in her books and it was difficult to feel any connection with the characters. It took a while to get into, however, there was more of a flow going into the second half. I'm glad that I didn't have to wait until January to read this, I had higher hopes for this one.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

#TheStolenQueen #NetGalley

Thoughts:
Fiona Davis once again proves her mastery of historical mystery/fiction in The Stolen Queen, seamlessly weaving fact and fiction into a compelling narrative. Set against the backdrop of The Met Gala, this novel intertwines stolen art, an Egyptian curse, and a tragedy from decades past.

Davis’ research on Egyptology and The Met Gala really comes to life with all the beautiful details. The author’s note distinguishes between historical fact and the fictional elements (author notes are my favorite and I never skip them for this reason)!

However, what truly sets all of Davis’ books apart are her exceptional handling of dual timelines and perspectives. Davis effortlessly shifts between past and present (@fionadavisauthor are you teaching a masterclass on this? Asking for a friend 🙋🏼‍♀️). The short chapters keep the pace quick, while the cozy mystery elements provide an engaging plotline that will keep readers guessing until the end.

Read if you enjoy:
• Cozy mysteries with historical depth
• Dual POV & timeline narratives
• Short, fast-paced chapters
• Themes of motherhood and family dynamics
• Egyptian history and artifacts
• The glamour and intrigue of The Met

In "The Stolen Queen", Fiona Davis does it again, delivering such an intriguing and a fascinating story. Written in a dual timeline of 1936 & 1978 with many wonderfully written characters, like Charlotte and Annie. There is mystery, love, heartbreak, Egyptian history, and so much more. A five 🌟 read.

After reading, I had to dive in and also research Hatshepsut, like she was only the third woman to become pharaoh in 3,000 years of ancient Egyptian history, and the first to have full power of the position, wow.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is such a beautiful place, that I have spent many times a day there enjoying all it has to offer. I just love it there. I also love Fiona Davis, having read all of her books, and meeting her a couple of times. She is an awesome person, as is this book. Enjoy ❤️.

Thank you Fiona Davis, NetGalley, and Penguin Group Dutton for the ebook arc.

I have pre ordered, and I can't wait to have this beautiful book.
Publication date January 7, 2025.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Stolen Queen. Fiona Davis write like you are right there with the characters. I felt like I was in NYC and Egypt. I liked the characters, enjoyed the mystery and the history. Davis gives you just enough information without being to heavy in the history. The story moves along at a good pace. I could see some of my high school historical fiction readers enjoying this book.

Another engrossing read by Fiona Davis. Part mystery, part love story, the plot centers around a woman trying to find out what happened to her lost husband and three-month old child after a devastating storm when the family was leaving Egypt by boat, after working on an archaeological dig. Highly recommended.