Name: Elizabeth Wood's review of The Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis
Item: The Magnolia Palace
Rating: 3
Author: Elizabeth Wood

Fiona Davis

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.

A Novel

The Magnolia Palace

Melissa

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.

Elizabeth Wood

3.5/5 ⭐️

A fun little mystery. The middle was slow, but I enjoyed it for the most part.

Vilandra

I liked it okay, but it dragged a bit in the middle and felt a bit disjointed in parts. It seemed like modern issues were shoehorned in after the book was finished without being planned. Also the 60s parts felt more like modern day.

And soft and beautiful read that had just enough suspense to keep me invested 

Lizeth Esmeralda

Cheri McElroy

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Fiona Davis is becoming a go-to author for historical fiction with a bit of mystery. This story uses dual timelines set in 1919 and 1966 New York City and examines the search for a missing diamond from the Frick Museum. It’s compelling, well-written, and delightful.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the AR copy.

kristie alexis

this tries to do a lot of things, but i don't think it does any of them well. it's not atmospheric, it's not that thrilling or mysterious, the characters are flat. it was solidly mediocre until the end, when it made a swift lane change into bad. there was a lot of potential in character development and themes, but none of it went anywhere--in the end, all the poor and minority and disabled folks' problems are solved at the whims of one capricious rich lady.

disappointing. i think an author like kate morton could have handled the premise better.

Melissa &
The Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis

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The Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis