The Dollhouse by Fiona Davis was released by Dutton of Random House on August 23. It is an excellently executed mystery novel that combines the life of a modern day journalist with the life of a 1950’s dreamer. The story weaves the time periods together into something beautiful and suspenseful.
Rose is a journalist in 2016 who lives in a condo that used to be the famed Barbizon Hotel for women. When her own life starts tearing apart, she finds herself delving deeper into the mystery of a disfigured woman who has lived there since the ‘50s, Darby McLaughlin.
As a young woman, Darby went to secretarial school by day while exploring seedy jazz clubs by night until a deadly skirmish with a hotel maid sent her into hiding. Rose becomes obsessed with her investigation. Her tactics become unethical, leading to a colossal change in both women’s lives once the truth comes to light.
This novel was brilliantly written. The suspense and starlit historical storyline kept me turning pages long past my bedtime. I’ve never been that interested in the 1950s, but in Davis’s hands, they are magical and intriguing. I love that instead of a novel about famed Barbizon resident Sylvia Plath, Davis makes the story her own by creating new characters that jump to life. Darby is a star and Rose is just what she needs to help her get her life back on track.
This story is stunning and the characters are striking. I highly recommend this book to people who love historical fiction or are interested in a darker side of the 1950s. You definitely get your money’s worth in thrills.