Praise for The Lions of Fifth Avenue
“Davis delves into the history of the New York Public Library in this delightful mystery. . . . The characters and story are stellar, but the real star of the show is the library, which Davis evokes beautifully.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“The Lions of Fifth Avenue is a book written for booklovers.”—O, The Oprah Magazine
“Davis gives readers a mystery and a historical novel all in one absorbing tale.”—Library Journal
“The magnificent Fiona Davis has written a page-turner for booklovers everywhere! I was on the edge of my seat as Laura Lyons, the ambitious essayist, breaks down social barriers and finds herself adrift in her own life at the end of the Belle Epoque in 1913 New York City. Secrets are revealed eighty years later by her granddaughter, who found her way into the family business, working at the New York Public Library. This is a story of family ties, their lost dreams, and the redemption that comes from discovering truth.”—Adriana Trigiani, New York Times bestselling author of The Shoemaker's Wife
“In a compelling novel that's part family saga, part high-stakes heist, and part love story, Fiona Davis creates an intricate and beautiful puzzle that kept me turning page after page as I tried to solve its central mystery along with her characters. A gripping and satisfying story for booklovers the world over.”—Jill Santopolo, New York Times bestselling author of The Light We Lost
“A captivating ode to the power of books, the bonds of family, and the beauty of finding the strength to be ourselves. Fiona Davis's spectacular setting—the iconic New York Public Library—comes alive across the generations as two women—one in 1913 and one in 1993—struggle with their own identities, a compelling mystery, and a tragedy that impacts both of them. What begins as a search for vanished rare books becomes, for both women, a quest to redefine themselves and open their hearts. This is a novel for all those who believe in the transformative magic of the written word.”—Kristin Harmel, international bestselling author of The Winemaker's Wife and The Room on Rue Amélie
“A love letter to literature, the New York Public Library, and the strength of women, The Lions of Fifth Avenue is classic Fiona Davis—a masterfully executed story about two women living decades apart, mysterious family secrets, and the quest to stake a place in society and history. Dazzling and evocative, with vibrant settings and unforgettable characters, this novel is perfect for fans of female-driven historical fiction. I loved it.”—Karma Brown, internationally bestselling author of Recipe for a Perfect Wife
“In this thrilling, poignant, and utterly irresistible novel, we are immersed in the secrets of the famed New York Public Library and the family whose lives are intertwined with it in 1913 and 1993. At once a breathtaking, page-turning mystery and a deeply personal story of women attempting to forge independent lives, it is, ultimately, a glorious tale of love. Love of family, love of vocation, and, above all, the love of the timeless power of the written word.”—Sarah-Jane Stratford, author of Radio Girls and Red Letter Days
“With The Lions of Fifth Avenue, author Fiona Davis proves she is the master of the dual timeline! Once again she illuminates another New York City landmark—the New York Public Library—and expertly creates two rich, mysterious worlds which she deftly braids together into a compelling, page-turning read. This is a novel for all who treasure books.”—Renée Rosen, author of Park Avenue Summer
“Fiona Davis takes readers on a journey into the heart of one of New York's most venerable landmarks, the New York Public Library, in a story that follows two generations of strong-minded women, both connected to a mysterious series of rare book thefts. This novel is brimming with juicy literary details and fascinating feminist history.”—Whitney Scharer, author of The Age of Light
“Davis's latest NYC-set historical novel is grounded in researched detail, transporting readers between the 1910s and the 1990s. Bibliophiles and fans of Naomi Wood and Paula McLain will especially enjoy this glimpse inside the history of the institution and the tireless dedication of those who serve it.”—Booklist
“Fiona Davis has again produced a first-class tale. . . . Intrigue seeps through until the final pages, revealing New York in the early 1900s, the beginnings of the feminist movement, and the insidious sale of stolen rare books. It’s a literary delight.”—Authorlink
“This novel is made for booklovers. . . . A literary mystery that’s full of surprises.”—Modern Mrs Darcy
“The Lions of Fifth Avenue is a lovely story that brings you in and keeps you there. . . . A wonderful addition to anyone’s summer reading list.”—Bookreporter.com
More Praise for Fiona Davis and Her Novels
“A fascinating and wholly immersive celebration of friendship, love, loyalty, and courage during a turbulent and often underrepresented period in American history, The Chelsea Girls will delight.”—Chanel Cleeton, New York Times bestselling author of When We Left Cuba
“Davis tells a very good story and deserves all the praise she won for her other books set in famous New York landmarks. . . . What finally emerges from the mix of detailed research and solid writing is a tale that is intricate and subtle, unpredictable and exciting.”—The Washington Post on The Chelsea Girls
“A satisfying read about the bonds between women.”—Brenda Janowitz, PopSugar on The Chelsea Girls
“Fiona Davis in The Masterpiece continues a winning formula that showcases the stories behind New York City landmarks. . . . A hard-to-resist and timely reminder that for far too long the work done by women has been dismissed and disrespected.”—USA Today on The Masterpiece
“Fiona Davis achieves a world in which fictional characters and real life seamlessly meld. . . . The Masterpiece is a beautifully crafted, meticulously researched story.”—New York Journal of Books on The Masterpiece
“Fiona Davis delivers another stunning narrative.”—Us Weekly on The Masterpiece
“A delicious tale of love, lies, and madness.”—People on The Address
“The Address is compelling, historically minded fiction with unexpected—and entertaining—twists and turns. . . . The novel delights.”—Ms.
“Lively and detail-rich . . . Easy to enjoy, hard to put down.”—Family Circle on The Address
“Spanning over one hundred years, Fiona Davis's mystery is packed with deceit.”—Us Weekly on The Address
“Rich both in twists and period detail, this tale of big-city ambition is impossible to put down.”—People on The Dollhouse
“The Dollhouse is a thrilling peek through a window into another world—one that readers will savor for a long time.”—Associated Press
“An ode to old New York that will have you yelling for more seasons of Mad Men.”—New York Post on The Dollhouse
★ 05/18/2020
Davis (The Address) delves into the history of the New York Public Library in this delightful mystery. It’s 1913, and Jack and Laura Lyons have spent the past two years living in an apartment on a mezzanine tucked inside the library, since it opened. Jack is the library’s superintendent, while Laura raises their two children and studies journalism at Columbia. Tension builds when valuable first edition books start disappearing and Jack is the suspected thief. Davis then shifts to 1993, when Laura’s granddaughter Sadie is the library’s rare books curator, and a new wave of thefts begin. As the story transitions between Sadie and Laura, their differences stand out: Sadie is a quirky book lover who’s uneasy around people, while Laura blooms when she meets the revolutionary women of Greenwich Village, who fight for rights in a club called Heterodoxy. Laura’s journalism professor dismisses the club for “trying too hard to be intellectual,” prompting Laura to prove him wrong. Eventually she goes on to become a leading feminist essayist. Davis illuminates the world of special books through keen descriptions of the library and rare book dealers, while leading readers through the twin mysteries of the missing books. The characters and story are stellar, but the real star of the show is the library, which Davis evokes beautifully. (July)
06/01/2020
Imagine a family of four living within the labyrinth of the New York Public Library's main branch. The year is 1913; Laura Lyons's husband, Jack, is the superintendent of the building. He works days for the library and spends his evenings writing the great American novel and hoping to raise their family above subsistence level. Laura enrolls in the new Columbia School of Journalism to stabilize the family with a steady income. This act is life-changing for her, as she begins to explore Greenwich Village bohemia and meets up with a radical, opinionated group of women. Change is afoot in the culture and in their family, but all is shattered when valuable manuscripts begin to disappear from the library. A second, 1993-set story of Sadie Donovan, Laura's granddaughter, a curator at the same library, runs through the book. When famous materials again begin to go missing from an exhibition she is working on, Sadie teams up with an investigator to find the culprit and save her career. VERDICT Davis (The Chelsea Girls) gives readers a mystery and a historical novel all in one absorbing tale. Recommended for large public library fiction collections. [See Prepub Alert, 12/16/19.]—Cheryl Bryan, Orleans, MA
Erin Bennett and Lisa Flanagan work together to provide a smooth and entertaining narration of this historical mystery. Bennett introduces listeners to the Lyons family, who resided in an apartment INSIDE the fabled New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue in 1913. John Lyons serves as the library's superintendent, while his wife, Laura, is a pioneering journalist and essayist. As the story shifts time frames, Flanagan portrays their granddaughter, Sadie, who curates the library's rare book collection in 1993. With the assistance of Nick, a dashing detective, Sadie's investigation of several missing books, including volumes that her grandfather was accused of stealing, reveals long buried family secrets. The narrators splendidly evoke the magic of the library setting, as well as the spirits of the diverse characters. M.J. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine
Erin Bennett and Lisa Flanagan work together to provide a smooth and entertaining narration of this historical mystery. Bennett introduces listeners to the Lyons family, who resided in an apartment INSIDE the fabled New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue in 1913. John Lyons serves as the library's superintendent, while his wife, Laura, is a pioneering journalist and essayist. As the story shifts time frames, Flanagan portrays their granddaughter, Sadie, who curates the library's rare book collection in 1993. With the assistance of Nick, a dashing detective, Sadie's investigation of several missing books, including volumes that her grandfather was accused of stealing, reveals long buried family secrets. The narrators splendidly evoke the magic of the library setting, as well as the spirits of the diverse characters. M.J. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine
2020-05-04
Returning to her trademark depictions of historic Manhattan buildings, Davis has set her latest in the New York Public Library.
The NYPL has a special significance for three generations of the Lyons family, whose surname appears to be a nod to the institution’s sentry lions. In 1913, library superintendent Jack Lyons, his wife, Laura, and their two children, Pearl and Harry, inhabit seven rooms on the library’s mezzanine. In alternating sections set in 1993, Sadie Donovan, Pearl's daughter, is also a library administrator, curating the Berg Collection of rare books. This collection includes mementos of Laura Lyons, whose reputation as an early feminist essayist is enjoying a resurgence. Shortly before Pearl, who lives with Sadie’s brother, Lonnie, dies at 87, she hints at a long-kept secret concerning Tamerlane, a volume of Edgar Allan Poe's poetry that disappeared from the library on Jack Lyons’ watch. As it happens, this novel is less a paean to architecture than a tale of two book heists, 80 years apart. On the continuum of crime, pilfering books—even invaluable artifacts like a first edition of Leaves of Grass, a page from a Shakespeare First Folio, the last diary Virginia Woolf kept before her suicide, and that priceless edition of Poe—ranks rather low on the thrill-o-meter. So Davis attempts to inject juicier conflicts. Laura’s struggle to get a degree from Columbia's journalism school is doomed to fail thanks to flagrant sexism (though a professor plagiarizes her thesis). Sadie, who's still reeling from a difficult divorce, is a suspect in the book thefts, as was her grandfather, Jack. The tension needle is hardly moved by flat characterizations or improbable plot developments while the writing is strictly functional: long on exposition, short on atmosphere.
A story as lively as those stone lions.
