This excellent historical novel is set in two different time periods. In 1938, student Charlotte is on an archaeological dig in Egypt; in 1979 we see Charlotte working at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC where the Temple of Dendur has just recently opened; and in 1979 we also see Annie, an 18 year old who loves the Met and eventually gets a job there at the Costume Institute.

I’m a Fiona Davis super-fan, and have read all her books, but I’ve always maintained that her first book, The Dollhouse, was my favorite. Well, I think I now have a new favorite! I just loved everything about it! I always love the NYC settings in Fiona’s books, but I especially loved this one because I’ve been to the Met many times, plus I loved the Egypt setting which was new for her books! The Egyptology was so interesting without overwhelming the book, and the Costume Institute and Diana Vreeland brought the glamour. And I loved the little bits of mystery and romance and loved both characters. Great to start the year with a book that could end up being a favorite of the year!

4.5 stars

Fiona Davis is one of my favorite authors! I absolutely adore the way she masterfully blends history with drama, crafting stories that are both engaging and educational. Her clever use of diverse settings and richly developed characters makes each book an immersive experience. I was completely captivated by the opportunity to delve into a mystery while learning fascinating details about ancient Egypt and the Met Gala. It's a perfect combination of intrigue and discovery!

Fiona Davis is one of my must read authors. She takes an iconic New York City building and weaves a masterful story using the buildings past and present. Thank you to @fionadavisauthor @netgalley and @dutton books for the #gifted ebook.

THE STOLEN QUEEN takes place at the MET and their celebrated Department of Egyptian Art. Charlotte is an associate curator who in 1936 was on an archaeological dig at the Valley of the Kings when tragedy struck. She vows never to return to Egypt.

It is 1978 and Annie lands a job as Diane Vreeland's assistant as they prepare for the annual MET gala. Charlotte and Annie's path crosses on the night of the gala when one of the precious artifacts goes missing. The unlikely pair go to Egypt to find the missing artifact putting themselves in danger as Charlotte faces her past.

I loved the dual timelines and learning the behind scenes of what goes on at both the MET and MET gala. I found the archaeological dig and artifacts interesting. Going down the Nile and visiting the pyramids is on my bucket list and I would love to visit the Valley of the Kings. THE STOLEN QUEEN is historical fiction with mystery, suspense and a smidge of romance. It is one of my favorite books by Fiona

I loved this novel that dual timelines: 1936 and 1978. The book was historically fascinating with beautiful descriptions of both Egypt and The Met. I loved that the two main characters, who are completely different from one another, and become intertwined as they search for the truth. On a side note, this book reminded my 12 year old self in 1978 that it was all the rage to see King Tut in NYC!

The Stolen Queen was a thoroughly enjoyable read. The story beautifully explores intergenerational friendships and the journey of coming to terms with one's history. I loved the backdrop of archaeology, Egyptian curses, and the sense of mystery that enveloped the plot—it definitely gave me echoes of my obsession with The Mummy (minus Brendan Fraser, of course!).

The characters and their relationships were engaging, and the historical intrigue added a lot of depth to the story. While some readers may feel the ending tied up a little too neatly, I’m personally satisfied with such conclusions from time to time—it offered a sense of closure that felt earned.

Overall, The Stolen Queen is a captivating mix of history, friendship, and mystery, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

This book simultaneously tells the story of the Egyptian Gallery of the Met, the Met Gala (helmed by Diane Vreeland), and the discoveries of archaeological digs in Egypt.

In 1936, Charlotte Cross was an anthropology student working in the Valley of Kings when something happened that changed the course of her life. In 1978, Annie Jenkins is working for former Vogue editor, Diane Vreeland to organize the Met Gala.

When an ancient Egyptian necklace goes missing on the night of the Gala, Annie must work with Charlotte, now the associate curator in the Met’s Department of Egyptian Art, to recover the lost necklace.

Why Kirsten loves it
I loved both female leads – particularly Annie, who found the gumption to change her life circumstances. Davis‘s writing sucked me right in and I was fretting with nerves the night of the gala.

I loved each setting of The Stolen Queen, but Egypt really captured my heart. Another hit by one of my favorite authors.

Fiona Davis is back with a wonderful new novel. The settings are New York City, Metropolitan Museum, the Department of Egyptian Art and Egypt, starting in the Valley of the Kings.

Ms. Davis blends two time periods seamlessly together. An artifact from the past, supposedly lost in the Nile, mysteriously turns up at the Museum forcing our main character to return to Egypt in search of the knowledge of what really happened to her deceased husband and daughter.

As with all of Fiona Davis's books, you will be burning the midnight oil to learn the outcome.

Based on subject matter alone this should have been my favorite Fiona Davis book yet. It…was not.

Purely in terms of entertainment value this book is fine, but it lacks the really tight storytelling and excellent research-driven narrative I typically associate with Davis’ novels.

I loved the setting and that this book centered on the Met. While I was more interested in the Egyptian art part of the story than the Met Gala/Diana Vreeland content, the latter was actually better executed, and Davis did a good job of blending the two timelines.

Davis does a better job than most of addressing the nuances of repatriation and where objects should reside, avoiding the knee-jerk politically correct reactions while still acknowledging that there are instances where repatriation is actually the appropriate action.

I wish she hadn’t invented a fictional pharaoh, especially given that this is clearly based on an actual female ruler. Why not either fit the story to something that fits with the historical pharaoh, or use one of the other six female pharaohs (several of whom little is known about, making them easier to spin a fictional story around)? Davis mentions this in her author’s note, but it’s an unsatisfying sort of “for timeline reasons” or some such vagary.

I also wasn’t wild about the “your whole family is dead! Oh wait, maybe they’re not dead!” personal plot line for Charlotte, which felt manipulative and required a LOT of ridiculous coincidences to sort out in the end.

I liked the two principal characters, and of course, Davis always gives us excellent sense of place for the building which inspires the novel. This is fun and worth reading, but Davis has previously set the standard for her work very, very high, and this one doesn’t quite measure up.

The search for a stolen artifact takes two very different women to Egypt in this fascinating mix of mystery and historical fiction by Fiona Davis, told in two time periods. In 1936, 18-year-old Charlotte Cross goes to Egypt and makes the discovery of a lifetime. However, instead of fame, she finds tragedy. Could it be the curse of the ancient Egyptian Queen Hathorkare? In 1978, some 40 years later, Charlotte is not known as a celebrated discoverer of Egyptian antiquities; the men on her dig took credit for that, but simply as an aloof associate curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, where she is responsible for an exhibit about Queen Hathorkare. It is there that she finds herself in a battle of wills with the famous Vogue magazine editor Diana Vreeland who demands that the prestigious Met Gala festivities be held in the Egyptian gallery. When an ancient figurine of Queen Hathokare is stolen from the museum during the gala, the unlikely duo of Charlotte Cross and Vreeland’s quirky 19-year-old assistant Annie Jenkins join forces in Egypt in a dangerous attempt to recover the stolen queen whose curse Charlotte has lived with for so many years. I really enjoyed this character driven story that also has lots of action. The author’s research of Egypt is evident, and the reader gets a true sense of what Egypt must have been like in both 1936 and 1978. I would highly recommend this book to historical fiction and mystery readers. I would like to thank Net Galley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am a fan of Fiona Davis’ historical fiction and I love how she focuses each book on a different building in New York City. This time it’s the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Egypt.

This is a dual timeline book that follows Charlotte cross, a young anthropology student, in Egypt in 1936, and then again in 1978 when she is an associate curator of the Met’s celebrated Department of Egyptian Art right before the King Tut exhibit is going to come through. Part of the 1978 timeline is also told through eighteen-year-old Annie Jenkins, who is helping Diana Vreeland with the Met Gala.

I loved the focus on female power throughout this novel, especially Cross’ study of a female pharaoh and how she was so discredited over time, in part because it was men who wrote down history. The book also tackles who should own pieces of history – should all Egyptian pieces stay in Egypt or is it okay for museums throughout the world to have them?

I loved the writing, the story and the very strong sense of place Davis captured with this story and would absolutely recommend it to others who enjoy historical fiction. It also made me want to visit the Met again, it’s been too long since I’ve last been there.

Overall, The Stolen Queen is an engaging and thought-provoking read, ideal for fans of historical fiction and anyone who appreciates a masterfully told mystery rooted in history.
The novel intertwines two stories: one occurs in early 1970s New York City and the Met, focusing on an art historian determined to uncover the fate of a missing artifact. At the same time, the other explores the life of a queen in 1930s Egypt. The author brilliantly depicts both periods, allowing readers to visualize the work taking place within the tombs. Through skilled narration, the author conveys each era's tension, beauty, and intricacies, drawing readers into the captivating realm of museum politics and the dangerous court intrigues of medieval Europe.
The alternating timelines complement each other beautifully, gradually building suspense as the layers of history and mystery are peeled away.
What prevented me from giving it a full five stars was the lack of depth in some of the characters, the drawn-out chapters, and the ending that wrapped up quickly, resolving all loose ends. However, none of these issues took away from the book’s strengths.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the early copy in exchange for my review! #TheStolenQueen #NetGalley

Master storyteller @fionadavisauthor does it again! If you are an Egyptian history buff like me, you will absolutely love this gem of a story! I devoured it in 3 days! It has the perfect mix of fiction, history, and suspense. Based on the actual discovery of one of Egypt’s most powerful and often dismissed female pharaoh’s, Hatshepsut, the story bounces back and forth between Cairo and the Metropolitan Museum of art in New York City in the 1930’s and 70’s. Charlotte is trying to not only put together the pieces of Egyptian history discovered deep in the Valley if the Kings, but also the pieces of her own traumatic past. Pick this one up if you like… ✅Dual timelines ✅A Strong female protagonist ✅Met Gala intrigue ✅Archeological digs ✅Stolen antiquities ✅An Egyptian curse ✅Mystery and Suspense Thank you to @netgalley and @duttonbooks for the E-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Fiona Davis is an automatic purchase for me. Her novels, taking one NYC landmark and building a story around it, usually in a dual timeline, is absolutely brilliant. I've lived in NYC almost my entire life and I learn things from every book of hers that I read!

This story is set at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, with an earlier timeline set in Egypt as well as NYC. I found this whole story intriguing from start to finish. It's about two women, one is an older archaeologist and the other is a young woman just starting her career at the museum. The join forces to find a stolen artifact that they believe was taken during The Met Ball and taken back to Egypt. As much as I loved the parts where they were back in Egypt, I very much enjoyed both of their backstories.

In my opinion, Fiona Davis can do no wrong. Her books are excellent - every single one of them.

Thank you for this ARC! I appreciated the idea of the stolen queen and love a duo of strong women in charge. I actually really liked how this dual timeline and POV wrapped together - that was skillfully done. But something about Davis’ dialogue is just off for me and it all wrapped too neatly in a bow. While I couldn't have predicted the ending too soon, I did feel like I could see what was coming at each turn. The clues were not at all subtle and the descriptions heavy handed. I have one more Fiona Davis book on my shelf to try when I'm in a historical mood, otherwise she just might not be a writer for me.

I enjoyed this book very much. It has a dual timeline, alternating between 1936 and 1978 and also alternating points of view between the two main characters. Often, I find this narrative format distracting, but the author handled this approach very well. I especially enjoyed the locations and background-- Egyptian cities and archeological digs combined with NYC, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, exhibits and the costume gala. I also liked the two main characters and their relationship. However, the ending seemed a little rushed and too tidy.

Thank you to the author and the publisher for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is okay but forgettable. The concept is great but the story moves too quickly to fully settle into it. Several major plot threads are introduced in the first 10 pages, giving me no time to absorb a sense of place or the characters’ personalities before the story has hit the ground running. The immediate stakes prevented me from forming an emotional investment in what was happening, and the story continues to move at a quick pace, often with barely any transitional language between scenes.

The sections that take place in Egypt in the 30s are the superior part of the book. There’s something so romantic and exciting about those archaeology digs and the wealthy people who traveled all that way to see ancient history in person. These chapters seem well-researched and do a wonderful job of conveying the setting, while the rest of the book that takes place in New York in the 70s is considerably less interesting, and gets more and more ridiculous as it goes.

There is no subtlety in the dialogue — the author explains everything so plainly without room for nuance or foreshadowing. All tell and no show. There are stretches of truly good writing and some memorable descriptive bits, which makes me think this could have been a really great novel with better editing, but some of the plot points make zero sense. Conveniences and contrivances abound.

Why is it a teenager’s sole responsibility to make sure nothing happens to a priceless Egyptian artifact? How did said teenager land a Devil Wears Prada sort of job with absolutely no experience or references? Why does Charlotte never try to find out what her mother’s cryptic last words meant? How does Annie get a passport literally overnight? And what do any of these people look like???

Underwhelming. The author could have done so much more with this material — but then again, maybe not.

As interesting as this story could be: the moral ambiguity of moving antiquities around the world for display (is this theft or preservation?)...the book missed a lot of opportunities to delve deeper and tried too hard to make this a mystery. The Stolen Queen was ok. It wasn't great but it also wasn't bad. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Stolen Queen

Not unlike all previous books written by Fiona Davis, she captures a strength and resolve in women that, in my opinion, is far too often understated.

In all eight books she has had published, there is a New York City historical landmark set as the novels centerpiece. These buildings are usually the start of most discussions regarding Davis’ work, and understandably so. Whether it is The Barbizon, The Dakota, or as in The Stolen Queen, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, they’re major players in our story. When she writes she turns brick and mortar onto something that lives and breathes. They are expressive characters that leave us with an indelible experience.

But she does so much more than that.

It’s the women. It’s how she writes them.

Davis writes women of strength and character. They are bright and resolute. They show us their vulnerabilities and not once would they be confused as a weakness. They are, and I say this in the most impressive of ways, capable. Capable of reaching heights they work toward.

In The Stolen Queen, Charlotte is our main protagonist and Annie becomes her assistant. These women, like so many she creates, are what I have just described. Both strong, they show their strengths in their own ways.

Charlotte, with her steadfast and determined nature, overcomes a devastating tragedy at a young age. She remained in her profession, in spite of the heartbreaking misfortune and loss she met with in that world. Her research continued and her passion renewed with a theft of an important artifact. After her loss she lived her life as she chose to. Considering she was 19 in 1938 is further testament to her strengths.

Annie, a young and inexperienced woman who played nursemaid to a perfectly healthy but emotionally defective mother, seeks to find her own path. But as she did so what I saw in her was a perseverance of someone beyond her years. She knows there’s something out there for her. Something big and she is relentless in chasing it down.

I have to admit, I went into this one intimidated. I know nothing of, nor have I had a working interest in, Egyptian history. However, to my delight, Davis deftly and easily made that a nonissue.

Throughout the story I was enveloped in her writing style and couldn’t wait to get the next page. Additionally, she continues to master two timelines and pulling them together seamlessly.

The Stolen Queen continues Davis’ terrific run of historical fiction set in New York City.

This woman could make a grocery list gripping.

The only downside I found was, after I finished it, it will feel like forever until her next one.

So appreciative of the publisher to front me a copy of this book prior to release.

I was very excited for this book, having worked in museum collections and studied looted art & cultural heritage law in grad school. However, while entertaining, this book needed an editor! Characters used words that were not used in 1978 (like “sucks”) and there was mention of Nazi looted art that just wasn’t widely acknowledged until the 1990s. The 1970s were a pivotal time for museums and recognizing the preservation of cultural heritage, so I appreciate the author’s attempt to bring this subject to a wider audience. However, there were just too many holes and unbelievable plot devices for me.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book. All options are my own.

Fiona Davis is royalty (see what I did there?) in the historical fiction genre, and her latest skillfully combines fact and fiction in a compelling adventure featuring The Met Gala, antiquity theft, an ancient curse and family. While I thought the ending was a bit abrupt and too tidy with all the loose ends, it was still quite enjoyable. I'll continue to read her future work.