By: Fiona Davis
ISBN: 978-1524744588
Publisher: Dutton
Publication Date: 07/30/2019
Format: Hardcover
My Rating: TBR From Fiona Davis, the nationally bestselling author of The Dollhouse and The Address, the bright lights of the theater district, the glamour and danger of 1950s New York, and the wild scene at the iconic Chelsea Hotel come together in a dazzling new novel about the twenty-year friendship that will irrevocably change two women's lives. From the dramatic redbrick facade to the sweeping staircase dripping with art, the Chelsea Hotel has long been New York City's creative oasis for the many artists, writers, musicians, actors, filmmakers, and poets who have called it home—a scene playwright Hazel Riley and actress Maxine Mead are determined to use to their advantage. Yet they soon discover that the greatest obstacle to putting up a show on Broadway has nothing to do with their art, and everything to do with politics. A Red scare is sweeping across America, and Senator Joseph McCarthy has started a witch hunt for Communists, with those in the entertainment industry in the crosshairs. As the pressure builds to name names, it is more than Hazel and Maxine's Broadway dreams that may suffer as they grapple with the terrible consequences, but also their livelihood, their friendship, and even their freedom.
Spanning from the 1940s to the 1960s, The Chelsea Girls deftly pulls back the curtain on the desperate political pressures of McCarthyism, the complicated bonds of female friendship, and the siren call of the uninhibited Chelsea Hotel.
Praise for Fiona Davis and Her Novels
“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.”—USA Today on The Masterpiece
"Fiona Davis achieves a world in which fictional characters and real life seamlessly meld… The Masterpiece is a beautifully crafted, meticulously researched story." —New York Journal of Books on The Masterpiece
"Fiona Davis delivers another stunning narrative." —US Weekly on The Masterpiece
“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.”—Library Journal (starred review) on The Masterpiece
"A delicious tale of love, lies and madness.”—People on The Address “The Address is compelling, historically minded fiction with unexpected--and entertaining--twists and turns...the novel delights...”—Ms. Magazine “Lively and detail rich--set against the backdrop of NYC's infamous Dakota building--with a thread of mystery that makes it easy to enjoy, hard to put down.”—Family Circle “Spanning over 100 years, Fiona Davis' mystery is packed with deceit.”—US Weekly “Rich both in twists and period detail, this tale of big-city ambition is impossible to put down.”—People on The Dollhouse
“The Dollhouse is a thrilling peek through a window into another world—one that readers will savor for a long time.”—Associated Press
“An ode to old New York that will have you yelling for more seasons of Mad Men.”—New York Post on The Dollhouse
About the Author
Fiona Davis is the nationally bestselling author of The Dollhouse, The Address, and The Masterpiece. She lives in New York City and is a graduate of the College of William & Mary in Virginia and the Columbia Journalism School. Read More
