Thank you Dutton, #partner, for the advanced copy of The Magnolia Palace in exchange for my honest review. I purchased the audiobook via my subscription with libro.fm.
Publisher: Dutton / Penguin Audio
Published: January 25, 2022
Summary:
Fiona Davis, New York Times best-selling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue, returns with a tantalizing novel about the secrets, betrayal, and murder within one of New York City’s most impressive Gilded Age mansions.
Eight months since losing her mother in the Spanish flu outbreak of 1919, 21-year-old Lillian Carter’s life has completely fallen apart. For the past six years, under the moniker Angelica, Lillian was one of the most sought-after artists’ models in New York City, with statues based on her figure gracing landmarks from the Plaza Hotel to the Brooklyn Bridge. But with her mother gone, a grieving Lillian is rudderless and desperate – the work has dried up and a looming scandal has left her entirely without a safe haven. So when she stumbles upon an employment opportunity at the Frick mansion – a building that, ironically, bears her own visage – Lillian jumps at the chance. But the longer she works as a private secretary to the imperious and demanding Helen Frick, the daughter and heiress of industrialist and art patron Henry Clay Frick, the more deeply her life gets intertwined with that of the family – pulling her into a tangled web of romantic trysts, stolen jewels, and family drama that runs so deep, the stakes just may be life or death.
Nearly 50 years later, mod English model Veronica Weber has her own chance to make her career – and with it, earn the money she needs to support her family back home – within the walls of the former Frick residence, now converted into one of New York City’s most impressive museums. But when she – along with a charming intern/budding art curator named Joshua – is dismissed from the Vogue shoot taking place at the Frick Collection, she chances upon a series of hidden messages in the museum: messages that will lead her and Joshua on a hunt that could not only solve Veronica’s financial woes, but could finally reveal the truth behind a decades-old murder in the infamous Frick family.
My thoughts:
It’s no secret that I am a big fan of Fiona Davis’s books. I just love how she takes iconic buildings in NYC and brings them to life and this latest book is no exception. New York City is one of my favorite places to visit and yet I still learn so much from reading her books and I cannot wait for my next visit to the city so I can take a walking tour and see all these buildings.
This time around, we delve into the art world and are given a historical mystery filled with a murder mystery and a little romance. I’ve always heard about the Frick Museum but I’ve never really known much about it, so it was fascinating to read about the family and the building itself. I love that this story is of course based on real events and people, as the author mentions in her author’s note – definitely be sure to read this!
This book captivated me from the get-go. I loved the way the story unfolded, alternating between the time when the Frick family lived in the house and then when the building had become a museum. I enjoyed both timelines, though I have to say, the scavenger hunt was definitely something that kept me a bit more on my toes – that’s probably the mystery lover in me! Being locked in a mansion during a snowstorm and then discovering the clues to an unsolved family mystery is right up my alley…and I could not read these sections fast enough.
This book really was so unique, as I have found all of Fiona Davis’s books to be. I have read them all and cannot wait to see what building she tackles next!
Audio thoughts:
Even though I had a print copy, I find that Fiona Davis’s books translate very well onto audio and this one was no exception. Narrated by the very talented Karissa Vacker, this one came alive on audio. Karissa was able to expertly give each character their own unique voice and personality, and her pacing and intonation was spot on. I really enjoyed listening to this one.
