The MASTERPIECE
An August LibraryReads Pick • THESKIMM Reads Pick of the Week
AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOKSHOP | ITUNES
In her latest captivating novel, nationally bestselling author Fiona Davis takes readers into the glamorous lost art school within Grand Central Terminal, where two very different women, fifty years apart, strive to make their mark on a world set against them. For the nearly nine million people who live in New York City, Grand Central Terminal is a crown jewel, a masterpiece of design. But for Clara Darden and Virginia Clay, it represents something quite different.
For Clara, the terminal is the stepping stone to her future, which she is certain will shine as the brightly as the constellations on the main concourse ceiling. It is 1928, and twenty-five-year-old Clara is teaching at the lauded Grand Central School of Art. A talented illustrator, she has dreams of creating cover art for Vogue, but not even the prestige of the school can override the public's disdain for a "woman artist." Brash, fiery, confident, and single-minded—even while juggling the affections of two men, a wealthy would-be poet and a brilliant experimental painter—Clara is determined to achieve every creative success. But she and her bohemian friends have no idea that they'll soon be blindsided by the looming Great Depression, an insatiable monster with the power to destroy the entire art scene. And even poverty and hunger will do little to prepare Clara for the greater tragedy yet to come.
Nearly fifty years later, in 1974, the terminal has declined almost as sharply as Virginia Clay's life. Full of grime and danger, from the smoke-blackened ceiling to the pickpockets and drug dealers who roam the floor, Grand Central is at the center of a fierce lawsuit: Is the once-grand building a landmark to be preserved, or a cancer to be demolished? For Virginia, it is simply her last resort. Recently divorced, she has just accepted a job in the information booth in order to support herself and her college-age daughter, Ruby. But when Virginia stumbles upon an abandoned art school within the terminal and discovers a striking watercolor hidden under the dust, her eyes are opened to the elegance beneath the decay. She embarks on a quest to find the artist of the unsigned masterpiece--an impassioned chase that draws Virginia not only into the battle to save Grand Central but deep into the mystery of Clara Darden, the famed 1920s illustrator who disappeared from history in 1931.
PRAISE
“Davis has written another paean to a New York City landmark. Historical fiction fans will love the compelling dual narrators and time periods perfectly captured in this novel based on the history of one of the busiest transportation hubs in the world.”
“Davis’s splendid third novel (following The Dollhouse and The Address) takes readers back in time to the New York of the 1970s and the late ’20s, centering on Grand Central Station. Davis entices with a fast-paced mystery and expertly reveals parallels between the two periods in New York and between Clara and Virginia, resulting in a true crowd-pleaser.”
“Fiona Davis has made a name for herself in writing about famous New York City locations, and in The Masterpiece, she delivers another un-put-down-able gem.”
“’The Masterpiece’ is an apt title for Fiona Davis’ latest novel ... magnificent.”
“A touch of glamour and a dose of captivating history fill Fiona Davis’ latest novel.”
“How could I not adore a book set in New York City, my favorite city in the world? A soaringly smart page-turner about art, history, memory, and how two blazingly unique women, separated and yet bound together by different decades, struggle to find their place and make their world their own. Magnificent.”
“Fiona Davis in The Masterpiece continues a winning formula that showcases the stories behind New York City landmarks ... a hard-to-resist and a timely reminder that for far too long the work done by women has been dismissed and disrespected.”
“Fiona Davis delivers another stunning narrative.”
“Set against the landmark ruling that stopped its destruction and insured Grand Central Station’s historical significance, The Masterpiece is a beautifully crafted, meticulously researched story.”
“With richly drawn characters living in two storied eras, there is much to be enchanted by.”
“An enthralling portrait of a woman artist in the Depression era juxtaposed with that of a newly divorced mom in the ’70s. . . Set against the backdrop of NYC Beaux Arts gem Grand Central Terminal, where they both find work, the two stories artfully converge for an unexpected but satisfactory ending.”
“With The Masterpiece, Fiona Davis returns with another page-turning tale of that will transport readers, this time centered around New York City’s magnificent and storied Grand Central Terminal. Fiona Davis’ signature blend of past and present, history and architecture, secrets and discovery make every novel a must-read. With strong female characters, exquisite historical detail, and plenty of intrigue, The Masterpiece will delight!”
“An enthralling tale of love and art, lost and found. Fiona Davis has written another beautiful valentine to New York City, this one about two women, fifty years apart, both struggling and fighting to find themselves in a time and place not always kind to the displaced or lonely. A fascinating, tender, mysterious and ultimately deeply satisfying novel.”
“Fiona Davis is a master of making the past come roaring to life with rich and luxurious detail. The Masterpiece is her best yet. With formidable women, dazzling prose, and the glamorous backdrops of the New York art scene in the 20s and 70s, this is a must-read.”
“Riveting, sophisticated, and utterly sublime, The Masterpiece is an exquisite novel, as smart as it is beautifully written.”
“In a story as masterful as its title, Fiona Davis paints a captivating picture of the once famous art school in New York City’s iconic Grand Central and its brilliant female artist, interweaving this little-known past with New York City of the 1970s where another woman works to preserve the legendary structure from potential destruction. As the women at the heart of The Masterpiece rescue Grand Central and its art, they rescue themselves in a compelling demonstration of the way in which history reverberates in the present.”
“The Masterpiece, Fiona Davis’ third work of historical fiction (following The Dollhouse and The Address), is certain to be another beloved bestseller and a popular book club choice....Full of mystery, controversy and history, The Masterpiece is on my list of favorites for this year and beyond.”
“Bursting with delicious period detail, in The Masterpiece Fiona Davis takes us behind the scenes of New York’s Grand Central Terminal to reveal a forgotten world of art and intrigue. Oozing with sophistication and packed with a delicious cast of characters (including the building itself), this is a hugely enjoyable and cleverly crafted historical novel.”
“With her two previous novels, The Address and The Dollhouse, Fiona Davis established herself as the master of plumbing the depths of New York’s landmarks for the secrets that lie beneath. Now in The Masterpiece, Davis turns her talents to Grand Central Terminal, with a powerful dual narrative about an artist who taught at a prestigious art school in the station in the 1920s and a single mother working at Grand Central in the 1970s who discovers the remains of the art school. Davis seamlessly weaves the compelling narratives of these women against a backdrop of vivid historic detail, once again setting the standard for bringing New York’s past to life. ”
“A wonderfully woven story of two women separated by time but linked by their love of beauty expressed in art and their determination to save what they simply can’t live without. Expertly researched and detailed, here is a book for devotees of historical fiction, the art world, and all things Manhattan.”