Book Review—The Dollhouse by Fiona Davis

The Dollhouse, published in 2016, was Fiona Davis’s debut novel.  It is a mystery built around the historical Barbizon Hotel in New York City.  Nicknamed “the dollhouse” in the 1950’s, the hotel had only female residents who were aspiring young professionals.  Some of its actual residents included Lauren Bacall, Candice Bergen, Peggy Cass, Joan Crawford, Grace Kelly, Cloris Leachman, Ali MacGraw, Liza Minnelli, Sylvia Plath, Phylicia Rashad, Nancy Reagan, Cybill Shepherd, Jaclyn Smith, Gene Tierney, and Eudora Welty.  Even after the hotel went condo in 2005, there were still 14 women living at the new Barbazon 63 under their old rental arrangements.

Fiona Davis creatively wrote this historical fiction novel about a young woman, Darby McLaughlin, who lives at the Barbizon Hotel in 1952 while attending secretarial school. She feels so out of place at the Barbizon because of all the beautiful models living there. She befriends Esme, a Barbizon maid, and begins to enter the not so glamorous side of New York City.

Over 50 years later, journalist Rose Lewin, is living at the Barbizon after it has gone condo.  She hears many mysterious stories about Darby, her neighbor.  Being the journalist that she is, Rose becomes quite obsessed with finding out the truth about what happened at “the dollhouse” so many years ago.

I loved this book!  The characters are so well developed, and the story keeps you guessing until the end.  I’m now motivated to read the rest of Fiona Davis’s novels.  In her next four novels, she continues to write a story around a landmark New York City building.  The are :

  • The Address (2017) - The Dakota
  • The Masterpiece (2018) - Grand Central Terminal
  • The Chelsea Girls (2019) - Chelsea Hotel
  • The Lions of Fifth Avenue (2020) - The New York Public Library

The Lions of Fifth Avenue was the Good Morning America Book Club selection for August. I think The Lions of Fifth Avenue would really appeal to anyone who loves all thing books and libraries.  I plan on reading all of Ms. Davis’s books.  I hope you will read them, too!  

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5



Comments