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The Magnolia Palace: A Novel
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.
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.
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Community Reviews
Enjoyable, light historical fiction about the Frick family, which also weaves in a story about Audrey Munson, the original supermodel, although here she is fictionalized as "Angelica." If only the real Audrey had had such a happy ending...
Over the last year I have become a reader and love love love reading books. However I’m always left with a too fast of an ending and lots of questions of what happen here or what happen with this character after this or that. BUT … with this book it’s a perfect slow explained ending, it does not feel rushed and I don’t have any questions left unanswered! Definitely in my top 5 books of this past year!
Fiona Davis writes about famous buildings in New York and their history. This book introduced me to the Frick Museum and now I need to go back to New York City to see it! The characters, two supposedly strong protagonists, are a bit one-dimensional - there is little depth in their relations or in their conversation. Helen Frick is interesting and I enjoyed reading up on her after finishing this novel. The history of the family with the background of art and music made The Magnolia Palace a fast and enjoyable read.
This kept my attention and I did enjoy it, but I felt the ending snowballed into a pretty bow. The author’s note at the end mentioned many details in the story exist in real life! The Frick family art gallery, the characters and scandals, the models/muse! The truth in the story kicked my enjoyment up a notch.
I like historical fiction but this wasn’t really my type of book. It focused on a specific family versus a specific event. I enjoyed the story but just not totally my cup of tea!
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