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This was my January BOTM pick, and while Davis's books have been somewhat hit or miss for me lately, I think this one is her best yet!

Similar to The Lions of Fifth Avenue (although a much better storyline), this book also takes place in an iconic New York building, the Frick Museum, and weaves a brilliant web of fictional characters and historical characters with a dual timeline. In 1919, an artist's muse, Lillian, is running from a scandal and serendipitously winds up as personal secretary to Helen Frick, of the wealthy and dysfunctional Frick family; and in 1966, English model, Veronica, ends up snowed in at the Frick Museum with an archival intern, Joshua, and begins learning about the building's history. In Lillian's timeline, she finds that working as Helen's secretary offers her a better life - until her cover is blown, and her whole world falls apart. But over four decades later in Veronica's timeline, she is putting the pieces back together.

What I loved most about this book was that it sent me scouring Google for more information on the Frick Museum and Audrey Munson, on whom Lillian's character is loosely based. Fascinating stuff - I definitely want to check out the museum on my next trip to NYC! The plot moves at a fast pace, and the mystery kept me guessing until close to the end. I will say that as is usually the case with Davis's dual timeline plots, I enjoyed Lillian's story more than Veronica's, and there was a bit too much of a "happily ever after" ending for me, but those were my only gripes.

Overall, a powerful combination of historical fiction and mystery with a strong focus on family rivalry, the lives of the haves and have nots, and women’s rights. 4 stars!