Overview

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.

Review

Lillian is a young model in NYC. But, when her mother passes away she is lost on how to deal with many things. She ends up in a spot of trouble and she decides to run for it. This leads her straight into a job interview for a private secretary for Helen Frick. She thinks this is her saving grace…

This is told in two different time periods, 1919 and 1969, by two different voices, Lillian and Veronica. I enjoyed both time periods. Usually I like one better than the other. But both of these were intriguing and had fabulous characters.

If you follow me at all, you know I love a book that has me researching. This book had me researching about this family, this mansion and this art collection. What a unique family with a fantastic history. Now, I was not a big fan of the portrayal of Helen Frick. I found her a bit unbelievable. But this is a minor issue. I also loved learning about the modeling and the statues. This book is full of wonderful references.

Now that I have talked about all that…the story was pretty dang good itself. The way it twists around the mystery of the murder and the characters involved! I was hooked!

Need a FABULOUS historical fiction book…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Purchase Here

Barnes and Noble

Amazon