The Lions of Fifth Avenue
by Fiona Davis intrigued me because the setting was the New York Public
Library, that iconic building with the lion statues at one time named Leo Astor
and Leo Lenox. The fictional story is about the superintendent, Jack Lyons, and
his family who lived in the seven-room apartment contained within the library
(the apartment was a residence for the library superintendent when it was built
in 1911) and book thefts that occurred during the time they lived there.
Intertwined with the historical
plot line is a story set in 1993 in which Sadie Donovan, a library curator, is
working diligently on an exhibit of the Berg Collection, a real segment of the
NYPL, while being thwarted by a book thief. The two plots come together in a
creative way, solving both mysteries about the book thefts.
[Rant: While I have enjoyed a couple other of her
books about historical buildings, I was turned off when a lesbian subplot
developed. There was no clue about this in any summary I read, and I do not
believe the plot hinged on this aspect in any way. I often wonder if this is the
book publishing industry’s agenda to incorporate as many homosexual aspects
into fiction as possible. I, for one, am weary of it. Rant over]
Fiona Davis is a Canadian-born author who has
developed a specialty in writing historical fiction set in famous buildings in
New York City. She began her career in NYC as an actress. Upon earning a master’s
at Columbia Journalism school, her writing career has embraced both journalism
and fiction.
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