The Stolen Queen

Fiona Davis is known for her blend of history, mystery and stories that feature iconic New York City buildings. Her latest book, The Stolen Queen, features the famed Metropolitan Museum of Art with a story about two women whose lives connect after an Egyptian relic goes missing.

The Gist: The story is told using dual timelines (1930's and 1970's) from the perspectives of Charlotte and Annie. As a young anthropology student, Charlotte was part of a dig in Egypt's Valley of the Kings, but when a sudden and horrible event impacts her life, she returns to NYC and becomes a curator at the Met, working behind the scenes for decades. Annie is a young woman with a complicated family life who is hired as an assistant to a famous fashion icon who is preparing for the famed Met Gala.

When a valuable artifact that Charlotte knows well is stolen during the Gala, the two women's lives intersect, taking them across the globe where Charlotte will confront her past and Annie goes on a personal journey of her own.

My Take: What stood out the most for me was how Davis included important cultural/societal issues within this story about culture and historical artifacts. Namely who should have access to art and who should care for ancient relics - the country of origin or out-of-country museums who could potentially preserve and better safeguard the relics due to more funding?

Truth be told, this was a bit of a quieter story than I had expected. The mystery lags a bit in the middle - with more focus on the women's personal journeys. But as the ending nears, all the pieces of the puzzle - both missing artifacts and personal discoveries - come together quickly and culminate in a neat and tidy conclusion. It's a little too tidy for my liking, but it will appeal to many readers. 

Overall, I liked the Egyptian storyline and will recommend this book to fans of lighter historical fiction who like a bit of mystery, strong female characters, intergenerational friendship and endings that are neatly wrapped up by the final page. 

My Rating: 3 stars

Author: Fiona Davis

Genre: Historical Fiction (USA, Egypt)

Type and Source: Hardcover from public library

Publisher: Dutton 

First Published: January 7, 2025

Read: January 15 - 19, 2025

Book Description from GoodReads: From New York Times bestselling author Fiona Davis, an utterly addictive new novel that will transport you from New York City’s most glamorous party to the labyrinth streets of Cairo and back.

Egypt, 1936: When anthropology student Charlotte Cross is offered a coveted spot on an archaeological dig in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, she leaps at the opportunity. But after an unbearable tragedy strikes, Charlotte knows her future will never be the same.

New York City, 1978: Eighteen-year-old Annie Jenkins is thrilled when she lands an opportunity to work for iconic former Vogue fashion editor Diana Vreeland, who’s in the midst of organizing the famous Met Gala, hosted at the museum and known across the city as the “party of the year.” Though Annie soon realizes she’ll have her work cut out for her, scrambling to meet Diana’s capricious demands and exacting standards.

Meanwhile, Charlotte, now leading a quiet life as the associate curator of the Met’s celebrated Department of Egyptian Art, wants little to do with the upcoming gala. She’s consumed with her research on Hathorkare—a rare female pharaoh dismissed by most other Egyptologists as unimportant.

That is, until the night of the gala. When one of the Egyptian art collection’s most valuable artifacts goes missing . . . and there are signs Hathorkare’s legendary curse might be reawakening.

As Annie and Charlotte team up to search for the missing antiquity, a desperate hunch leads the unlikely duo to one place Charlotte swore she’d never return: Egypt. But if they’re to have any hope of finding the artifact, Charlotte will need to confront the demons of her past—which may mean leading them both directly into danger.