I really wanted to love this book, but it didn't really pick up until about 50% in and then so much happened. I wanted the plot to be a bit more focused. Enjoyed the Egyptian history!

Fiona Davis is one of my favorite historical fiction writers. I love her books, and this is another fantastic read!

Davis sets her books in iconic buildings in NYC, bringing beautiful landmarks to life. This time, it's The Met Museum, where Davis paints a richly atmospheric portrait behind the scenes at the museum. But she also takes us to Egypt and mixes in archaeology, missing artifacts, mystery, friendship, loss, and personal tragedy. The story has a lot of interesting historical details surrounding antiquities and women breaking into the field of archaeology.

We meet anthropology student Charlotte, who, in 1936, achieved her dream of joining an archeological dig, but tragedy sends her back home to New York. In 1970, working at The Met, her path crosses with 18-year-old Annie, who is helping organize The Met Gala. During the Gala, a valuable Egyptian artifact is stolen, and the two work together to try to retrieve it. The investigation will take them to Egypt, where Charlotte will face her painful past.

Both timelines are compelling, and I felt immersed in time and place. The characters are memorable and vividly depicted, especially the two strong female protagonists, Charlotte and Annie. I love reading about inter-generational friendships, and theirs was endearing. Supporting character Diana Vreeland, who was a real-life Vogue editor and columnist, leaps off the page in her fun cameo scenes. The mystery was intriguing, and I was invested in both the plot and the characters.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dutton Books for the gifted ARC!

<i>The Stolen Queen</i> is the literary equivalent of mixing champagne with dust-covered hieroglyphs: sparkling, mysterious, and with just enough grit to keep things interesting.

We’ve got two timelines here, folks, and they’re both a ride. First, there’s Charlotte in 1936, who starts out as an eager anthropology student on a dig in Egypt. It’s all camel rides and ancient curses until—bam!—tragedy strikes, and Charlotte’s life does a total 180. Fast-forward to 1978, where Annie, an intern for the fabulously demanding Diana Vreeland, is juggling Met Gala chaos while getting crash courses in haute couture and how to survive on two hours of sleep. These two women? Totally different vibes. But when a priceless Egyptian artifact vanishes and whispers of a curse start swirling, they team up like the oddest buddy-cop duo ever to grace the Met’s Egyptian wing.

The plot is a wild mix of fashion, ancient curses, and the kind of secrets that make you go, “Wait, what?” The book flits between 1930s desert digs and 1970s NYC glam so seamlessly that I’m convinced Davis has a time machine hidden somewhere. The writing? Gorgeous. You can practically feel the grit of the Egyptian sand under your fingernails and hear the clink of champagne glasses at the Met. And the characters? Well, let’s just say Charlotte and Annie are flawed, fascinating, and totally relatable. Who among us hasn’t cried over a shattered dream—or a missing artifact with an alleged curse?

Honestly, the “curse” element felt a bit too Scooby-Doo for my taste. I half-expected someone to whip off a villain mask and cackle, “And I would’ve gotten away with it, too!” Plus, Annie’s storyline occasionally veered into melodrama territory. Like, we get it, Diana’s a diva.

Still, <i>The Stolen Queen</i> is a total page-turner, perfect for history buffs, fashion junkies, and anyone who secretly believes their local museum is hiding something cursed. I devoured it in two sittings, mostly because I needed to know if they’d recover the artifact—or if Hathorkare’s ghost would come screeching out of the Met’s basement. Spoiler alert: you’ll have to read it yourself to find out.

Recommended for: fans of historical fiction, anyone who’s been personally victimized by a boss like Diana Vreeland, and readers who love a good dash of ancient mystery with their NYC glamour.

Told in alternate timelines- 1930's Egypt and 1970's New York City. Charlotte is a curator and the Metropolitan Museum of Art and her quiet life changes dramatically when an artifact belonging to Egypt's female pharaoh, Harthokare disappears during the Met Gala. Annie is a young assistant and her job is working on the Met Gala in NYC. The theft of this artifact takes both of them to Egypt where Charlotte has to come to terms with what happened to her in the 1930's. I enjoyed this book a lot.
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Dutton for an ARC of this book.

As a huge fan of mythology—especially Egyptian mythology—and someone who has always dreamed of being an archaeologist, The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis was one of my most anticipated reads this month, and it didn’t disappoint! The novel masterfully blends historical intrigue with modern-day mystery, weaving together the story of a lost royal artifact and the secrets surrounding it.

Set across two timelines, the book brings to life the fascinating world of an ancient queen struggling to protect her legacy and the modern-day historian racing against time to uncover the truth. Davis’s writing is richly atmospheric, capturing the allure of both the historical and contemporary settings. The queen’s narrative is especially compelling, with themes of sacrifice and resilience that resonated deeply with me.

While some twists were a bit predictable, the vivid storytelling and well-researched details kept me hooked. The archeological aspects, in particular, felt like a love letter to those of us who grew up imagining ourselves uncovering buried treasures and lost histories.

If you’re drawn to stories steeped in mythology, history, and a touch of mystery, The Stolen Queen is a rewarding and immersive read. It’s a novel that satisfies both the history lover and the dreamer in me!

This was my first book by Fiona Davis and I enjoyed it! I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.

I love Fiona Davis’s historical fiction, and her newest book, The Stolen Queen, is no exception.

Told across two timelines (Egypt 1930s and New York City 1970s), the novel focuses on the intertwining lives of Charlotte Cross, an archaeologist grappling with a tragic past, and Annie Jenkins, an ambitious young assistant, as they navigate the glittering world of 1970s New York and the mysteries of ancient Egypt. When a priceless artifact vanishes during the Met Gala, the two must join forces to uncover the truth, confronting curses, secrets, and the shadows of Charlotte's past in a journey that spans decades and continents.

This book was incredibly well-written and kept me turning pages long into the night. I love the way Fiona Davis blends real history with fiction. She does extensive research, and I always walk away having learned something new while still being entertained. I enjoyed reading the author’s note at the end, explaining that the fictional female Pharoh, Hathorkare is actually based on the life of Hatshepsut, a female Pharoh who reigned for nearly twenty years.

I highly recommend The Stolen Queen. This book is out this week– make sure it’s on your TBR!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

A great blend of storytelling and rich historical context, this book offers an engaging experience for readers with an interest in Egyptian history. Davis crafts an intriguing and adventurous narrative that follows the characters' journeys of self-discovery, as they strive to improve their lives by pursuing their passions. Whether you're a history enthusiast or simply in search of a thought-provoking story with well developed characters, travel and archeology, this book is a wonderful addition to your reading list.

This amazing book by Fiona Davis takes the reader from a gala event at The Met to the mysteries of ancient Egypt. Like all of Fiona Davis’s books this is a well written historical fiction novel. The characters are well developed.

Coming out January 7, 2025, The Stolen Queen is another fabulous Fiona Davis novel that I highly recommend.

The book features strong female characters and a craftful blending of fact and fiction, which Davis fans will recognize, appreciate and devour.

I loved how Charlotte and Annie's dual timelines eventually converge as I enjoyed these characters together!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for an advanced copy. I am looking forward to hosting Fiona Davis in Fairfield, CT for an event celebrating The Stolen Queen in May, 2025!

Bookish thoughts: This was my first read for 2025 and it did not disappoint! I was immediately drawn into an adventurous story that took me on a wild ride from Egypt to New York, told using a dual POV and timeline. I enjoyed learning about Egyptian art, specifically Pharaohs and famous relics. This book was more than a historical fiction novel about a mysterious art theft from the Met museum but also included elements of tragedy, loss, mother/daughter relationships, women’s resilience and ultimately finding ones own identity. I highly recommend this book!

I received an advanced electronic copy from publisher Penguin Group Dutton and Netgalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview this book.

4.5/5 - I absolutely loved this book. I loved the journey that both Charlotte and Annie went on separately and then together. I always love learning new facts and history. Ms. Davis’ research was impeccable as usual.

This was a captivating book that was a little slow to start, but once it picked up, it was hard to put the book down. There are two main characters, Charlotte and Annie. Annie’s story seems to start from the day she is hired to work for Diana Vreeland, but Charlotte’s story goes back forty years to her days as an anthropology student in the Valley of the Kings.

Charlotte’s story jumps from present-day to the events of 1936 and back again, advancing the past timeline a bit more each time, until the story comes to its dramatic and traumatic end. I was both fascinated and appalled by much of what occurred in her past, and ultimately was thrilled with how things in her present day story concluded.

I have never read anything by this author before but have several of her books on my to-read shelf. Based upon my enjoyment of this book, I hope to read at least one of them at some point in 2025.

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.</i>

In 1936, Charlotte, a young American anthropology student, joins an excavation in Egypt's Valley of the Kings. During the dig, she uncovers a burial chamber containing a stunning broad collar necklace believed to have belonged to a female pharaoh. But when tragedy strikes, Charlotte begins to suspect that the legendary curse said to haunt those who disturb a pharaoh's tomb might be more than just a myth...

Fast forward to 1978, and Charlotte is now an associate curator in the Egyptian wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC, preparing for a major King Tut exhibit. There, she crosses paths with Annie, a newly hired assistant to former Vogue designer Diana Vreeland. Annie is thrilled to help Diana with the planning of something as iconic as the Met Gala, but when one of the museum's most prized artifacts, the Cerulean Queen, vanishes from the Egyptian wing during the event, everything takes a wild turn. Determined to recover the lost piece of art, Charlotte heads back to Egypt in search of answers. Desperate to clear her name after being questioned by security, Annie decides to join Charlotte in tracking down the piece. Together, the duo pairs up on a high-stakes mystery to uncover the truth!

This book was incredibly well-written and kept me intrigued from start to finish. The main characters were compelling, and the alternating timeline and perspectives added depth to the story. I love how Fiona Davis seamlessly blended real history with fiction in The Stolen Queen! It was clear throughout that she had conducted thorough research and made a complex topic approachable to her audience. The details and history included made the story extremely interesting. The author's note at the end provided additional context and resources for those wanting to explore the topic a little more, which gave the book extra flair. I highly recommend The Stolen Queen to all readers - whether or not you're familiar with ancient Egypt, you'll find this story enjoyable!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to Dutton and PRH Audio for the eARC and the ALC to review.

Ahhh, Fiona Davis has done it again, another five star read, my first of 2025. Told in two timelines and places - Egypt 1936 and New York City 1978, she has managed to create two worlds and time periods that I was transported to, and the focus was on Egyptian art. I DEVOURED this book in one day, loving how she tied how archaeologists worked together (or not) back then and then connected it to 1978 at the height of planning for the upcoming Met Gala, which also happens to cross paths with the curator of the Department of Egyptian Art. The night of the Gala, a key artifact goes missing, and we are transported back to Egypt to solve the mystery.

There is so much more going on than the above, which only enhances the story, and I really cannot do it proper justice. If you have read Davis before then you know what I mean. This might be my favorite Davis book yet, and when this publishes on Tuesday, you need to make sure it is on your list. Oh, and the audio is just lovely to listen to.

Charlotte works at the Met focusing on Egyptian Antiquities after a devastating tragedy takes her away from her desire to be an archeologist in Egypt. Through a series of events she learns that what she thought happened is not how it worked out.

I liked the dual timelines for the this novel but wish the one in the 30s had been more fleshed out. I didn’t understand the reason for Annie’s character and the ending just felt too wrapped up and HEA.

We follow a very unlikely duo as they travel to Egypt in search of an artifact that has been stolen from the Met. During their travels, many secrets and mysteries are uncovered. Fiona Davis is one of my favorite historical fiction writers and this book does not disappoint. Her characters, plots, and historical descriptions are wonderful.

Fiona Davis has done it again, weaving an epic historical fiction tale that at its heart is all about family! I loved the subject/time period she chose- Egyptology in the 30s and the Met in the 70s. The split timeline worked beautifully and the archeological aspect was engrossing.. I loved the ending- so satisfying. This is stellar historical fiction by the Queen of the genre herself!
Thanks to #NetGalley and #PENGUIN GROUP Dutton for the ARC.

The Stolen Queen is a must read historical fiction "that will transport you from New York City’s most glamorous party to the labyrinth streets of Cairo and back." The author wrote this so beautifully and I look forward to reading more books from this author. I was captivated from the beginning and was turning pages until the very end. All of the characters in this were amazing. The storyline I loved a lot especially the cursed aspect of this story. This one I loved a lot and would highly recommend to any reader and if you love historical fiction then don't miss out on this one. Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for this amazing read in exchange of my honest review of The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis.

Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you, NetGalley and publishers.

If you, like me, have been fascinated by the life of Hatshepsut, the brave woman who made herself Pharaoh, you’ll enjoy the Stolen Queen. Based on a fictional version of her life and of the Egyptologist who ensured she would not be forgotten. A wonderful adventure story blended with family and friendship.