The Stolen Queen
The Gulf Harbor Book Club met on April 7, to discuss The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis. There were 38 members in attendance.
After each author that we have on Zoom, we always say this was the best book club ever. So when we tell you that this was the best book club ever you can’t even imagine what you missed.
Linda Rosalanko prepared the following bio on Fiona. Fiona was astounded at the information Linda found.
Fiona Davis was born to English parents in Canada and raised in New Jersey, Utah and Texas. She was valedictorian of her high school class. She is a graduate of the College of William and Mary, where she majored in International Relations and minored in English. She is also a graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
She began her career in New York City as an actress, where she worked on Broadway, off Broadway and in regional theater. After 10 years, she changed careers and began working as an editor and writer. Fiona has said that she was glad she was out taking risks and attempting to live an artistic life. This was a steppingstone to doing what she really loves, writing novels.
Her historical fiction debut, The Doll House, was published in 2016. Fiona had divorced at age 49, finally becoming a published author with this book. This also enabled her to purchase her very own New York City apartment after many years of living there. She likes using her books to explore the way women’s roles have changed over time, as well as the ways they have remained the same. She has penned many books all eternally in iconic buildings in New York.
Fiona met her significant other, author Greg Wands while she was doing a book signing at Shakespeare & Company bookstore in New York. Their mutual publicist suggested Wands should swing by. This publicist is quite the matchmaker! Fiona and Greg have been together ever since. They even co-wrote a novella, The Gimlet Slip! Fiona continues to live in the always inspiring New York City. Her latest book, The Stolen Queen was released earlier this year.
Fiona is the most delightful person whose personality came right through our screen. She is charming, articulate, vivacious, mischievous and very attractive. You can imagine her wheels turning in her brain as she communicated with us. Linda and I met Fiona at the Sanibel Library where she discussed her book, The Spectacular. It is spectacular.
This story is set at The Met in New York focusing on Egyptian art. Charlotte Cross as a young anthropology student was offered a spot on the archeological dig in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings. In addition to a major discovery by Charlotte, she falls in love and has a baby. She could never relinquish her thoughts that a woman pharaoh ruled Egypt which was never accepted by the Egyptians. She has found her tomb!
Tragedy struck and she returned home without revealing her life in Egypt. She ends up at The Met. After many years of working there as a curator, the Met was having a gala celebrating Egyptian art when Charlotte discovered one of the museum’s most celebrated piece of Egyptian art goes missing.
She and Annie risk their lives to find the artifact. Needless to say, women are treated as second-class citizens until proven wrong! Charlotte will prove them wrong when she returns and finds the same tomb.
A new young employee is working on the gala with Diana Vreeland who has the most outrageous requests for Annie to fulfill. Diana then turns on her charming side with the volunteer workers who are big patrons of the Met. Annie is 18 and becomes Charlotte’s aide in her venture back to Egypt. It is historical fiction, fiction and a mystery all in one.
You will fall in love with Charlotte and Annie.
The ensuing story is marvelous. This is a must read as are all of Fiona’s books. Her next release is in 2027. We can’t wait.
The Gulf Harbour Book Club meets on the first Monday of each month in the Club’s Boardroom. If you want to join the book club email [email protected]. Zoom is available for members if the author allows it. Zoom is available for members during the off season. We had seven authors lined up for the 2024/2025 season.
We have the following authors on Zoom. In December, The House on Biscayne Bay by Chanel Cleeton; January, Family by Laurie Frankel; February, Becoming Madam Secretary by Stephanie Dray; March, Caveat Emptor by Ken Peryini; April, The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis; and The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe. We are working on next season with Kristin Harmel for The Stolen Life of Christopher Marceau, also Stephanie Dray, Marie Benedict, Abi Dare, Christopher Torockio, Ariel Lawton, Chris Whitaker, Ann Napolitano, Marie Benedict, Jane Yang, Bernhardt Schlinke, etc. Beginning July 2025, we will move to The Fitness Center at 1 p.m.
