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The Stolen Queen: A Novel

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. That is until an unbearable tragedy strikes.

New York City, 1978: Nineteen-year-old Annie Jenkins is thrilled when she lands an opportunity to work for 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."

Meanwhile, Charlotte is now leading a quiet life as the associate curator of the Met's celebrated Department of Egyptian Art. She's consumed by her research on Hathorkare--a rare female pharaoh dismissed by most other Egyptologists as unimportant.

The night of the gala: One of the Egyptian art collection's most valuable artifacts goes missing, and there are signs Hathorkare's legendary curse might be reawakening. Annie and Charlotte team up to search for the missing antiquity, and a desperate hunch leads the unlikely duo to one place Charlotte swore she'd never return: Egypt. But if they 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.

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352 pages

Average rating: 6.5

4 RATINGS

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1 REVIEW

Community Reviews

Barbara ~
Dec 11, 2024
8/10 stars
If you’re fascinated by ancient Egyptian history, Queen Hathrokare (also known as Hatshepsut), an ancient curse, a love story, and heart-wrenching tragedies, along with a setting at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET), then this book is perfect for you. Our main characters center around Charlotte and Annie. Despite their different upbringing, their paths intersect, leading to respect and a special friendship.


The story begins with Charlotte in the present day, working as an associate curator at the MET to a mercurial Fredrick. However, we get flashbacks to her days at the Valley of the Kings, where she studied under Mr. Zimmerman, where she hopes to become an archaeologist much to her parents’ dismay. It is Charlotte, not Leon, who discovers the burial chamber containing Hathrokare’s mummified remains, much to Leon’s chagrin. We learn the history of ancient Egypt and Queen Hathrokare where she was depicted as a vain, ambitious, unscrupulous woman, and the alleged theft of the throne from her stepson, per her successor. The narrative unfolds across dual timelines: 1930s Egypt and 1970s New York City.

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