The Lions of Fifth Avenue

 

I really, really wanted to love The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis. I mean, I love libraries. I love the look of the library on Fifth Avenue, although I was only inside once, back when I was in college. And I really love books that are set in New York City. Now, I really, really want to get back to New York City to go back into the library to explore. I spent a good amount of time hanging around outside with Patience and Fortitude, the two marble lions.

My photo taken in August 2014

The Lions of Fifth Avenue contains two mysteries, one taking place in 1914, shortly after the library first opened and the other taking place in 1993. In 1914, Jack Lyons was the superintendent of the library building and one of the perks was that his family got to live in the apartment inside the library. How cool would that be? In 1993, Sadie is working in the library as a curator. Sadie happens to be the granddaughter of Jack Lyons.

Both mysteries involved thefts of rare books, missing children, family secrets. Mystery is not my genre. Davis' characters felt very flat to me and the dialogue seemed to not be the way people were speaking in 1993. Perhaps it was true to 1914. To me, it felt inauthentic.

This novel got rave reviews in Renee's Reading Club on Facebook. So I might still recommend it, but probably only to folks who like reading mysteries.