The Magnolia Palace
By Fiona Davis
- Release Date: 2022-01-25
- Genre: Historical Fiction
Description
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!
Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling 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, twenty-one-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 fifty 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.
Reviews
Wonderful historical fiction!
5By jillhardy2My favorite books have true history and this did not disappoint. I loved the two separate stories and how they merged. Wonderful writing.Good!
3By Peonies+Magnokia3.5 stars. Held my interestDelightful read…
4By read1stI love the way Davis brings sparks of fiction into real history.Awful
2By SisaacksAwful and boringMagnolia Palace
2By srormy1Just an average book with very little intrigue. Fast read, little content. Very disappointing endingThe Magnolia Palace
3By E,e,Like the plot and ax dssable read, but over long.So relaxing and fun
5By cheychey123992020I love a good historical fiction and this definitely was one. Perfect for a calming read to help distress from the day. All the characters were great, flaws and all. I was dying to know about all the little mysteries and was rooting for a happy ending for them all. If you need a romance palate cleanser or just something to unwind with this is definitely it.A fun read
3By NutzaboutcookingBut the ending was too cutsie, too neatly wrapped up, making it a fairy tale. Does it bother anyone else that Joshua and Veronica were able to use the elevator during the blackout?Historical Fiction at its best
5By Word Lover 70The Magnolia Palace is perhaps the finest novel written by Fiona Davis. While I have read all her other books,this one resonated with me perhaps for the subject matter. The weaving together of hjstorical facts within the fictional context makes for compelling reading. In my opinion it is worthy of a Five star rating.