Fiona Davis is the New York Times bestselling author of historical fiction set in iconic New York City buildings, including The Spectacular, The Magnolia Palace (a Book of the Month pick), The Lions of Fifth Avenue (a Good Morning America book club pick), and The Dollhouse (a Siren Books’ favorite). Fiona lives in New York City and is a graduate of Columbia Journalism School.
Fiona Davis makes time travel look easy with her books, each one focusing on one or two women in a current timeline while the other is having what becomes a New York City historical experience. Her books are single-siting reads for me, and I oftentimes think and dream of these characters long after the book's last page is closed. I love all of them and learn something every single time. Making this interview all the more thrilling for me.
Her latest release, The Stolen Queen, follows anthropology student Charlotte Cross in Egypt in 1936 while on an archeological dig when tragedy strikes. The current timeline, set in 1978, chronicles nineteen-year-old Annie Jenkins embarking on the opportunity of a lifetime: helping to plan thee Met Gala.
The Met’s most valuable Egyptian artifact is stolen during the Gala, awakening a long-dormant curse. Their timelines sync when Charlotte, now an associate curator at the Met, and Annie become an unlikely duo to solve the mystery of the missing artifact.
Pick up The Stolen Queen for a magical and mystical romp today! You can find it in the Siren Books Storefront now!
“I can’t wait to go on book tour, meet readers, and share the research and inspiration behind it!” Fiona told Siren Books.
Learn more about Fiona, her inspiration, and how she crafts her time-traveling stories in the latest author interview below!
What were your favorite books growing up?
All of the Laura Ingalls Wilder books and The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.
Do you have a favorite memory reading?
When I was around eight, we had a swing on the patio of our house, and I loved reading and swinging.
Sounds magical!
Was there a particular author you loved?
As a kid, I desperately wanted to be Laura Ingalls Wilder, and I would tromp across meadows in my favorite long dress, which I loved as a way of recreating the opening of the TV series.
What’s your most asked question about being an author, and what do you think people should understand about it?
Most asked question: How do you pick the buildings you feature in each book?
What people should understand: Being an author is a great job for sure - you set your own hours and get to live in your head. Then again, there are deadlines, and you spend a LOT of time in your head.
What is your biggest lesson as an author writing a book and as a reader?
My biggest lesson as an author: Finish that first draft, even if it doesn’t come easy. Don’t get distracted by other shiny, new ideas. The only way to know if it works as a novel is to get to the end.
My biggest lesson as a reader: Writing a book that flows seamlessly, which you get lost in as a reader, is hard. Great writing makes it look easy.
Of the books you wrote, is there a topic or person you still can’t stop thinking of or are more curious about? Can you tell us more?
I do love Helen Frick from The Magnolia Palace. She was the richest single woman in the United States in the 1930s and accomplished so much. She was difficult and stubborn and never married nor had children, which was a big deal at the time.
Were there any subjects you found to be too interesting?
My upcoming book, The Stolen Queen, is set at the Metropolitan Museum in New York City, which has a million stories waiting to be written. It was so hard to narrow down the focus for that book, but I eventually settled on the Egyptian Art Collection and the Met Gala.
What was your favorite historical location to write about?
I loved writing about the Dakota apartment house in The Address, as its history was full of stories and interesting characters. Also, the Chelsea Hotel in The Chelsea Girls is said to be haunted.
The Dollhouse was the first book of yours I read [taking place about the iconic Barbizon Hotel in NYC] in the audio format. The structure and threading you weave in your storytelling make for a great audiobook. I can attest that the traditional way is just as excellent. I was enamored with Darby and Rose and could not put the book down.
Who are your favorite characters from your books?
I adore Darby, a fish out of water: the secretarial school student stuck on the same floor at the Barbizon as the Ford Models. But each book has a favorite, from Clara in The Masterpiece, Sara in The Address, to Marion in The Spectacular. They became good friends of mine by the time I finished the last edits.
Do you have a favorite trope or formula you enjoy reading (or writing, or both)?
I love a good Cinderella story, a woman who blossoms and finds her inner strength throughout the story. I loved exploring that trope differently for both Laura and Sadie in The Lions of Fifth Avenue.
Rapid fire!
What’s your reading hot take?
Writers should be free to jump genres if they want.
What’s one book you recommend the most?
The Rose Code by Kate Quinn. Multiple-timeline historical fiction at its best.
What’s a genre you’ve always wanted to tackle as a writer?
I love a good, cozy mystery.
What’s your NYC hot take?
Central Park is overrated - too many tourists. Check out Riverside Park instead.
What’s your pop culture hot take?
Eighties hair should never make a comeback.
Thank you to Fiona Davis for sharing insight on her writing process, bookish favorites, and more about her newest, The Stolen Queen, now available in the Siren Books Storefront. Grab a copy and cozy up for some adventure!
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