August 2018

I have been a longtime fan of Fiona Davis’ books, so I was excited to read her third novel, THE MASTERPIECE. Fiona does a fabulous job of weaving history (always two different periods) and iconic New York City locations together. She links her protagonists together, giving readers a rich reading experience that immerses them in the history of the property and conveys a strong sense of each time period.

Here, she looks at Grand Central Terminal. In the past, she has explored The Barbizon Hotel and The Dakota. The setting this time is 1928 and 1974, and the common thread is the Grand Central School of Art. One woman discovers the painting of another there and seeks to find the artist. I have toured Grand Central Terminal a few times and thought I knew most of its history, but once again Fiona has surprised me with details I did not know.

Fiona's writing, plotting and storytelling have gotten stronger with each book. THE MASTERPIECE, like her other novels, will be terrific for a book group discussion. I look forward to seeing what she writes about next!