The Lions of Fifth Avenue: A Novel

by Fiona Davis

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 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.

• ISBN10: 1524744611
• ISBN13: 9781524744618
• Publish Date: 4 August 2020
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Out of Print: 11 October 2023
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc
• Imprint: E P Dutton & Co Inc
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 368
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9781524744618

Reviews

[kimbacaffeinate]

The Skinny Latte….
1913- Laura Lyons is a mother of two, and married to the superintendent of the New York Public Library. They live in an apartment hidden within the library. Her desire to gain a degree in journalism is complicated by the era, a book theft and secrets.

1993- Sadie Donovan works at the library where her grandmother, the famous essayist Laura Lyons, once lived. Her aging mother refuses to talk about her or their time at the library. While working on the Berg Collection and preparing them for an exhibit, priceless pieces end up missing. It looks like an inside job.

The Double Espresso ….
I loved how Davis wove the past into the present. I quickly found myself invested in both women. Laura was a woman ahead of her time. She wanted to be a mother, wife, lover and embrace a career. She meets like-minded women, and we witness firsthand the struggles she faced. The book theft was interesting as were developments with her family. I will leave you to unwrap the mysteries.

The present story with Sadie was strong as she works with the detective assigned to the case. Sadie is a little quirky, but I warmed up to her. Ties to the past cast doubt upon her, and I felt for her emotionally. Her tenacity pushed her to find answers, and I enjoyed the journey.

This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer