The Address by Fiona Davis

I am ashamed to admit I just read my first book by Fiona Davis. I am late to the game with this author – the only benefit is, I now have several more to read and I have high hope for all of them! The Address is a dual history timeline with one story taking place in the 1880s in New York City and the other in the 1980s in New York City. Both storylines are centered around the Dakota, a grand apartment house built in the 1880s that has been home for Lauren Bacall, Harlan Coben, Boris Karloff and most famously, John Lennon (he was killed outside of the building). Both stories also center around the fictional architect of the building, Theodore Camden, and his family.

In the 1880s, Sara Smythe is working in England when she is offered a position as manager of the new apartment building being completed in New York City, the Dakota. This opportunity is too good for Sara to pass up, so she moves to New York City and begins the position. She has the opportunity to work alongside Theodore Camden who is living at the Dakota with his family. I do not want to say too much about Sara’s story, but I loved the history of this period and enjoyed a cameo appearance from Nellie Bly.

A century later, Bailey Camden, descendant but-not-heir, of Theodore Camden, is just out of rehab and needs a place to live. Her “cousin,” Melinda is set to inherit the estate soon, including the Dakota apartment. Bailey is a designer and Melinda is having renovations done to the apartment. She offers Bailey a position as live-in designer and she gratefully accepts. While living in the building, she learns about Theodore Camden and his death due to multiple stab wounds inflicted by a former employee of the Dakota, Sara Smythe.

I enjoyed both of the storylines in this book and cheered on both of our main characters as they struggled with issues of class, gender equality and addiction. After finishing the story, I took to Google to look up the Dakota and other places and events in the book. I loved the story, the characters and the New York City history it captured. Now, I am off to catch up on more by Fiona Davis!

Check out The Address by Fiona Davis at the Library (https://catalog.lclibs.org/polaris/search/title.aspx…) or in eBook through OverDrive at https://lclibs.overdrive.com/media/3081702.