The Lions of Fifth Avenue: A Novel

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1524744611 ISBN 13: 9781524744618

Publisher: Dutton, 2020

In nationally bestselling author 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 finds herself 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. But 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-adverse 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.

About the Author:

Fiona Davis is the nationally bestselling author of The Dollhouse, The Address, The Masterpiece, and The Chelsea Girls. She lives in New York City and is a graduate of the College of William & Mary in Virginia and the Columbia Journalism School.

Review:

Praise for Fiona Davis and Her Novels

“A fascinating and wholly immersive celebration of friendship, love, loyalty, and courage during a turbulent and often underrepresented period in American history, The Chelsea Girls will delight.”—Chanel Cleeton, New York Times bestselling author of When We Left Cuba

"Davis tells a very good story and deserves all the praise she won for her other books set in famous New York landmarks.... What finally emerges from the mix of detailed research and solid writing is a tale that is intricate and subtle, unpredictable and exciting."—The Washington Post on The Chelsea Girls

“A satisfying read about the bonds between women.”—Brenda Janowitz, POPSUGAR on The Chelsea Girls

“Fiona Davis in The Masterpiece continues a winning formula that showcases the stories behind New York City landmarks...a hard-to-resist and a timely reminder that for far too long the work done by women has been dismissed and disrespected.”—USA Today on The Masterpiece

“Fiona Davis achieves a world in which fictional characters and real life seamlessly meld...The Masterpiece is a beautifully crafted, meticulously researched story.”—New York Journal of Books on The Masterpiece

“Fiona Davis delivers another stunning narrative.”—US Weekly on The Masterpiece

“A delicious tale of love, lies and madness.”—People on The Address
 
“The Address is compelling, historically minded fiction with unexpected—and entertaining—twists and turns...the novel delights...”—Ms. Magazine
 
“Lively and detail rich... easy to enjoy, hard to put down.”—Family Circle on The Address
 
“Spanning over 100 years, Fiona Davis' mystery is packed with deceit.”—US Weekly on The Address
 
“Rich both in twists and period detail, this tale of big-city ambition is impossible to put down."—People on The Dollhouse

“The Dollhouse is a thrilling peek through a window into another world—one that readers will savor for a long time.”—Associated Press

“An ode to old New York that will have you yelling for more seasons of Mad Men.”—New York Post on The Dollhouse