A review by jsilfen924
The Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis

4.0

4.5⭐️ I’ve been waiting to read a Fiona Davis book, and I really loved The Magnolia Palace. This historical fiction story had so many of my favorites: a scandal, a murder mystery and a lot of family drama. It dives into the societal expectations of women and a world where power and privilege impact one’s relationships and success. Like so many great books within this genre, The Magnolia Palace has two POVs set across two different time periods: Lillian’s story occurring in 1919 and Veronica’s in 1966. The two timelines blended together seamlessly and it was interesting to see a series of events unfold in the same setting with some character overlap. There was definitely a greater emphasis on Lillian’s story over Veronica’s, but honestly I found the earlier more interesting. Also, be sure to read the author’s note in the end. It’s clear that Davis did a lot of research on the Frick family, the house and the art collection.

Read if you like:
-NYC setting
-Manhattan’s elite during the early 20th century
-Mansions that become museums
-Art history
-Family drama and buried secrets
-Scavenger hunts
-Dual timelines