Fiona Davis has a very solid style. Her writing is consistent and brings historical settings to life so well. This book was a great mix of true history and creative fiction. The author's note was particularly enlightening after completing the book and really just brought everything all together quite nicely.

I very much enjoyed her previous novel, The Lions of Fifth Avenue and found that The Magnolia Palace had a similar flavor. A rich family, old New York, and a missing valuable item. A story brought together using strong female protagonists and alternating timelines. Apparently all these things are my jam. I love the characters she creates and the mystery surrounding her narratives. I will admit that the mergings of Lillian and the Fricks as well as Veronica and the Frick Mansion were a little rocky for me, but the rest of the story was fun, enjoyable, and relaxing.

The pacing can be a little slow in places and there is some instalove mixed into the plot, but overall I just had a good time reading this and it was a great palate cleanser after reading some heavy and slow paced character novels. There was something light about this mystery that had me both intrigued and entertained in a way that really made reading pleasant.

* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *