A Good Morning America Book Club Pick and a New York Times bestseller! “A page-turner for booklovers everywhere! . . . A story of family ties, their lost dreams, and the redemption that comes from discovering truth.”—Adriana Trigiani, bestselling author of The Shoemaker’s Wife In New York Times bestselling author Fiona Davis’s latest historical novel, a series of book thefts roils the iconic … Fiona Davis’s latest historical novel, a series of book thefts roils the iconic New York Public Library, leaving two generations of strong-willed women to pick up the pieces.
It’s 1913, and on the surface, Laura Lyons couldn’t ask for more out of life—her husband is the superintendent of the New York Public Library, allowing their family to live in an apartment within the grand building, and they are blessed with two children. But headstrong, passionate Laura wants more, and when she takes a leap of faith and applies to the Columbia Journalism School, her world is cracked wide open. As her studies take her all over the city, she is drawn to Greenwich Village’s new bohemia, where she discovers the Heterodoxy Club—a radical, all-female group in which women are encouraged to loudly share their opinions on suffrage, birth control, and women’s rights. Soon, Laura finds herself questioning her traditional role as wife and mother. And when valuable books are stolen back at the library, threatening the home and institution she loves, she’s forced to confront her shifting priorities head on . . . and may just lose everything in the process.
Eighty years later, in 1993, Sadie Donovan struggles with the legacy of her grandmother, the famous essayist Laura Lyons, especially after she’s wrangled her dream job as a curator at the New York Public Library. But the job quickly becomes a nightmare when rare manuscripts, notes, and books for the exhibit Sadie’s running begin disappearing from the library’s famous Berg Collection. Determined to save both the exhibit and her career, the typically risk-averse Sadie teams up with a private security expert to uncover the culprit. However, things unexpectedly become personal when the investigation leads Sadie to some unwelcome truths about her own family heritage—truths that shed new light on the biggest tragedy in the library’s history.
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The magnificent Fiona Davis has written a page turner for book lovers 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.
Mystery in the New York City Public Library, is a setting anyone would love. Fiona Davis always gives you fascinating settings and remarkable stories and this one does not disappoint.. The Lions of Fifth Avenue is a story of two generations dealing with family issues and the theft of valuable books at the library and the strong willed women that must pick up the pieces. Memorable characters, fabulous setting and the attention to details make this a great book, that I enjoyed very much.
#edelweiss #penquinpublishing #dutton
Another homerun by Fiona Davis! I loved everything about this book. Of course, the setting at the New York Public Library was incredible and I really enjoyed learning about the history of this magnificent and important building. Davis is deft at interweaving storylines and she did it again with the stories of Laura and Sadie. I’ve not yet been disappointed by any of Davis’ books and her fans will love this one!
I have really enjoyed books by Fiona Davis. However, this book just did not satisfy my love of historical fiction. I like dual timeline books, but this book felt so scattered to me. I could not connect with the main characters. The backdrop of the library was appealing and the historical facts were interesting. Essentially, there were too many aspects to this book that had a negative impact with me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton Bokos for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
Davis uncovers the fascinating history of the NY Public Library as well as the many literary treasures in its holdings. I loved learning about it through her characters lives!
If I could give this 10 stars I would – a wonderfully told story, real page turner and the research was excellent. I will read more by this author. Highly recommended.
Another winner from Fiona Davis, this one centering on a family that lives in the New York Public Library in the 1910s and a woman working there in 1993. Full of Davis’s trademark rich historical detail, themes of women finding their identities, and delightfully unpredictable plot twists.
Fiona Davis never fails to uncover the fascinating and compelling history of New York City’s greatest landmarks. She has a way of bringing the past alive and having it crash into the relative present in surprising plots full of twists and turns you never see coming. The Lions of Fifth Avenue is a stunning accomplishment. A book that will have you staying up late into the night trying to figure out how it’s all going to come together. And then being so very satisfied with how it does.
The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis is a stimulating dual-timeline novel. The story moves between 1993 with Sadie Donovan and 1913 with Laura Lyons. I found The Lions of Fifth Avenue to be well-written with interesting characters. Laura Lyons was a woman ahead of her time. Laura is a wife and mother who has become restless. She is a Vassar graduate who would like a passion in her life. Her husband, Jack is passionate about the book he is writing, and she wants to find something that fulfills her. Laura is accepted into the Columbia Journalism School which opens a new world. She is drawn to a group of women in Greenwich Village who belong to the Heterodoxy Club which encourages them to share their views and ideas on women’s suffrage, birth control, and much more. Sadie works at the New York Public Library in the Berg Collection. She becomes interim curator and is working hard on an upcoming exhibit. Sadie would like to find something of her grandmother’s, Laura Lyons for the exhibit that would wow her boss. Sadie’s mother was tight lipped about Laura and all of Laura’s papers were destroyed upon her death. But Sadie is excellent at her job and she uncovers information that perhaps should remain buried. When books start disappearing from the Berg Collection, it is reminiscent of thefts that occurred in 1913. Sadie begins searching for answers. I loved hearing about the apartment within the New York Public Library. The author’s descriptions allowed me to imagine the vast library with its beautiful marble, painted ceilings, and the bast number of books. I expect that many bibliophiles would love to live in a library (imagine the fun at night when everyone is gone). I liked learning about the New York Public Library and the resources it contains. Sadie and Laura were developed characters with differing personalities. The secondary characters were less developed. The pacing was slower than I prefer. The mysteries surrounding the books was clever (how the deed was accomplished). It is not difficult, though, figuring out the guilty parties. I appreciated that everything was wrapped up at the end. The Lions of Fifths Avenue is an intriguing historical mystery with ancestral aenigmas, missing manuscripts, a manipulating mother, library lions, and bibliophile bliss.
The Lions of Fifth Avenue Aug. 2020
What a great read. Five stars all the way. This is a historical mystery with two strong female protagonists, one from 1914 and one from 1992, alternating stories in two time periods linked by books and a mammoth library. What more could a read want, a story about books. The setting has equal weight the same as a main character with a fascinating library taking center stage. The first story deals with the oppression of women’s rights as they fight pitched battles for every right automatically guaranteed to men. The author makes this work so well because she describes the tyranny and shows the characters immersed in it. The women do not whine about their plight its accepted as a truth and they go about changing it. The author lets the reader see it and become incensed by it, adding to the conflict which equals emotions. I like books of this sort where I am able to learn while enjoying a wonderful work of fiction. This is my second book by this author and I will be reading all her others. Highly recommend.
David Putnam Author of The Bruno Johnson series.
I am a big fan of Fiona Davis, so as a retired librarian, I was super excited for this book! It did not disappoint. I’d never heard that there was an apartment in the New York Library. What a dream – to sleep and live among the books! Then the nightmare. Rare books being stolen from the stacks and the librarian/curator under suspicion.
Told in her unique style of past and present timelines as separate stories converging, this is a well written story offering the reader glimpses into the history of a famous building as well as a look at historical perspectives of the times.
Another winner by Fiona Davis that I highly recommend!
I really do enjoy these tales by Fiona Davis. So far I’ve read several – The Masterpiece, The Address, and The Dollhouse – and on the whole they are a delight. The history-mystery genre she embodies is a fun way to combine historical study with a contemporary mystery. Each book introduces a famous New York City landmark and a woman whose life revolves around it in some mysterious way, coupled with a contemporary woman who stumbles upon said mystery and takes it upon herself to solve it. She melds historical figures with her own character creations, and does so in a way that feels seamless (usually). The mysteries are always handily resolved, but that’s part of the fun – we all know that in *real* life, such historical mysteries take decades to solve, if they ever actually are solved of course, but the wrap-up is an entertaining and satisfying way to tie all of the pieces together, so I never mind.
The combination of architectural History, New York City history, and women’s history is an entertaining one and in the hands of a talented writer like Davis, makes for an engaging and informative read. This time the subject is one near and dear to my heart, the New York Public Library, and the combination of historical information about the building and its origins as well as the family drama related through Laura Lyons and her granddaughter was delightful. I enjoyed the glimpses into the Heterodoxy Club and the burgeoning women’s rights movement of the early twentieth century. It’s a tale that felt resonant and timely right now and that feeling contributed to my reading enjoyment. The story was engaging and informative – a one-two knockout punch that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation-free review copy.
Another 5-star read from the inimitable Fiona Davis! The Lions of Fifth Avenue is a beautiful novel of historical fiction set in NYC and the New York Public Library, which thrills me. The research done for this novel allows you to immerse yourself into the story and be swept away. Strong female characters are a staple of Davis’ books and this book alternates timeline between the two MC’s from 1913/1993 and it is fascinating. Love, heartbreak, intrigue-.this book has it all. A go-to author for me and I anticipate every book with relish. 5 stars.
Hidden within the grand architecture of the New York Public Library, Laura Lyons lives in an apartment with her husband and their children. In 1913, Laura seems to have an idyllic life, but she yearns for the same passion that her husband has for his novel in progress. Hoping to find her drive in life and help with her family’s finances, Laura applies to the Columbia School of Journalism. The search for stories takes her across the city, where she wants to go beyond the “women’s assignments.” This leads to Laura connecting with an old classmate who introduces her to the new bohemia in Greenwich Village – where women discuss suffrage, politics, and traditional roles. As Laura’s world is expanding and changing, her home life threatens to fall apart when a string of thefts occur at the library. Laura must choose her path forward or risk losing what she has always known.
Sadie Donovan’s dream job as a curator in the library’s famous Berg Collection is disrupted when items for the upcoming exhibit begin to disappear, eighty years later in 1993. As she works to uncover the truth, Sadie must also grapple with her family history as the granddaughter of the famous feminist essayist Laura Lyons. Teaming up with the library’s private investigator leads Sadie to reveal shocking realities of her family’s involvement in those thefts eighty years earlier.
Fiona Davis, best-selling author of The Dollhouse, The Address, The Masterpiece, and The Chelsea Girls, delivers another carefully crafted historical fiction novel centered around a New York City landmark. This story encompasses mystery, women’s rights, and most of all a love for reading and books.
Another great one by Fiona Davis! This is an author that I always look forward to new releases. I was thrilled to be able to read an advanced copy via Netgalley and Penguin Random House. All book lovers will really enjoy the location of this one in the New York City Library with its own apartment! The story of the stolen books both in the early 1900s and again in 1993 was very interesting and had me quickly turning pages to try to put it together. A surprise ending wraps it all up nicely! I also look forward to the audio of this when it releases.
Laura Lyons lives with her family in the superintendent’s apartment within the New York Public Library in 1913. This wonderful detail, based in fact, caught my eye and drew me into this book. While Fiona Davis’ character is entirely fictional, I was charmed by the idea of living in a library, especially one as grand as this one. Laura is a wife and mother who feels constrained by society’s expectations of her as a woman. She wants to be a writer and journalist but the times conspire against her. Meanwhile, she watches – ever the encouraging wife – as her husband reaches his dream of finishing a novel. A series of thefts of rare books plagues the library and casts suspicion on the Lyons.
Sadie Donovan lives in 1993, the granddaughter of Laura Lyons, and works at the New York Public Library. She is proud of her grandmother, famous for critical essays about women’s rights. A series of rare book thefts echoes those of the past and, like the past, casts suspicion on her. Can the two events, decades apart, be somehow related?
Fiona Davis writes a compelling mystery about these two women and I was caught up in both their stories all the way to the very end. I enjoyed reading about the library, women’s issues of the early 20th century, and also Sadie’s more modern storyline. I felt there was the slightest bit of a stretch to connect the two events across the decades, but I was a willing reader because the storytelling was so good. I found myself cheering on both women to reach their goals. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it.
I loved the the switching POVs between the narrators/time periods. Laura’s opinions and activities are not usually reported because they go against the norm and I think that’s why I love her. I liked the mystery from both eras and was really drawn into this story. I listened to it on audio and finished it in two days. First book by the author and I’m already looking for my next book by her.
The Lions of Fifth Avenue is one of those hate-love books for me – I hate that I get interrupted when reading, that I put other important things on the back burner, and that I lose sleep because I love the story so much I can’t put it down! Anyone who loves historical-based fiction with a bit of mystery will love how Davis takes her readers from the beginning of the 20th century to the end as easily as if we merely opened a door to and from. Laura and her future granddaughter Sadie both have mysteries to solve and problems to overcome and their heartbreaks, frustrations and joys resonate with readers of all ages.
There’s a whole ‘lotta mystery goin’ on.
This is my second book by Fiona Davis and it’s an interesting book. The writing is good and the characters interesting. The premise is fascinating, the family lives in the library. I’ve never heard of that, which doesn’t mean it’s never been done – just that I’d never heard of that, and is quite honestly my dream place to live. I love books and getting to live with them? Yes, please.
The thing with this book is that there are two timelines. I like how the author intertwined them. There were twists I didn’t see coming and I did like it. Honestly, the plot was fascinating, but it left some areas to be desired.
I liked Laura, but she seemed too consumed with her desires and dreams. Now that’s not a bad thing, in that she wanted something that was hers. In 1913, that was a lot to ask. So I liked that she wanted a chance at her dreams. What I wasn’t a fan of was how she acted so put upon because she chose to pursue an education, while not really keeping an eye on her children. Jack, her husband, was just as guilty. He was so consumed with his book that he ignored the family, too. I wasn’t a fan of how these two characters came across flat. They were in a rough situation, so I could identify with the idea they had too much on their plates.
I wanted to like Sadie, but my goodness this gal seemed to hand-wring an awful lot. Yes, she wanted to figure out what was happening to the books and pieces coming up missing, but there were times when I’d hoped she’d be stronger. She came across kind of flat, as well, and I got that she was a divorcee, but it almost consumed her in the way Laura’s degree and subsequent dealings with the early pieces of women’s liberation did for her. This might not be a deterrent to some readers in the way it did me, so by all means. Do read this book.
Plus, there’s the mystery of who is taking the prized collection books. It took me a long time to figure out the mystery and I was happy to go along in the journey. It’s worth the ride.
That said, this was an interesting book and those wanting to read about living in the library will be happy. The descriptions of the library, the innerworkings and discussions on the tomes kept there are fascinating. If you’re looking for a book that takes place at the library, then this might be the one for you.
3.5 stars is probably more accurate. It’s an interesting read with enough action to keep you going. But not exactly what I was expecting.
When I chose this book, I expected historical fiction, with more information about New York City in the early 20th century. And there is some of that. But this book is really focused on two mysteries –both involving stolen books, both connected to one another, and both connected to the main New York Public Library building on Fifth Avenue.
In 1913, Laura Lyons, her husband, and two children live in the Superintendent’s apartment, inside the library building. Aside from running the library, Laura’s husband is also preoccupied writing his “Great American novel.” But Laura, smart and resourceful, is finding life as a wife and mother less than fulfilling. She longs to study journalism at Columbia University and become a great reporter. Then, when valuable books being disappearing from the library, Laura AND her husband fall under suspicion.
In 1993, Sadie Donovan, still recovering from a divorce, focuses all her energies on her work as curator of the library’s Berg Collection of rare books. She is planning an upcoming, high-profile public exhibit of some of the collection’s most interesting pieces. Everything is going along well until books from the collection begin to go missing and Sadie becomes a suspect.
So, moving back and forth in time, we have two investigations going on involving missing books. Who has access to the collection? Could someone else get into the storage area? Where could the stolen books be sold? How might it be possible to get them back? What impact will the thefts have on the library’s fundraising? Ho hum.
For me, the mysteries were NOT the most interesting parts of these two women’s stories. What interested me was learning about the deeply-rooted sexism that limited their efforts to succeed. Particularly for Laura.
I also was fascinated learning about the Heterodoxy Club, which was a feminist debating group operating in Greenwich Village early in the 20th century. It was a group I had not heard about.
This is a plot driven novel that moves along at a steady pace. I just didn’t care that much about any of the characters and a few of the plot developments seemed hokey and unrealistic. You may feel differently.