If you have ever visited an Egyptian exhibit at a museum, it's easy to be drawn to the mystery and allure of ancient Egyptian culture - the pyramids, the concepts of life and death, and the great altars built to honor the fallen kings and queens of Egypt. So, when I picked up THE STOLEN QUEEN by Fiona Davis, I was intrigued by the book-jacket-described lore of Egyptian queen Hathorkare (which from the author’s note was based primarily on research of the pharaoh Hatshepsut) and the promise of a nice cozy mystery wrapped in historical fiction. I was not disappointed.
The story oscillates between two main characters – Charlotte Cross, who in 1936 is a rare female Egyptologist on a dig in the Valley of the Kings, and Annie Jenkins, who in 1978 is working for Vogue fashion editor Diana Vreeland on a collaboration between the Met Gala and the Department of Egyptian Art at the museum. An older Charlotte is working at the MET and the two characters form an unlikely team centered around a museum theft, the mystery (and possible curse) of Hathorkare, and at the same time, a very personal mystery from Charlotte’s past.
I was struck by how the author was able to show very strong female characters in a world with a lot of casual sexism, culminated in how history had chosen to portray Hathorkare – rather than a revered female pharaoh of Egypt who ruled her country as a queen regent before a young prince, but instead as a grasping, scheming woman who stole power meant for a king.
There is also an underlying theme about the bond of mothers and daughters – shown in both Annie’s contention with her very selfish and often lovelorn mother, and Charlotte’s past loss of a child.
Beyond that, it’s a fast-paced read and an enjoyable mystery. Read through the author’s notes about her research – she took a lot of her characterization from not only her study of Hatshepsut but also a good amount from biographical info about Annie’s boss and fashion icon Diana Vreeland. I know a good historical fiction book by how much it makes me want to research the real-life versions of the core subject, and THE STOLEN QUEEN definitely made me want to read more.
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. But after an unbearable tragedy strikes, Charlotte knows her future will never be the same.
New York City, 1978: Eighteen-year-old Annie Jenkins is thrilled when she lands an opportunity to work for iconic 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.” Though Annie soon realizes she’ll have her work cut out for her, scrambling to meet Diana’s capricious demands and exacting standards.
Meanwhile, Charlotte, now leading a quiet life as the associate curator of the Met’s celebrated Department of Egyptian Art, wants little to do with the upcoming gala. She’s consumed with her research on Hathorkare—a rare female pharaoh dismissed by most other Egyptologists as unimportant.
That is, until the night of the gala. When one of the Egyptian art collection’s most valuable artifacts goes missing . . . and there are signs Hathorkare’s legendary curse might be reawakening.
As Annie and Charlotte team up to search for the missing antiquity, a desperate hunch leads the unlikely duo to one place Charlotte swore she’d never return: Egypt. But if they’re to 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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