Title: The Address
Author: Fiona Davis
Publisher: Dutton
Publication: July 10, 2018
Pages: 384 pages
Stars: 5 Stars
Where to buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
Summary: After a failed
apprenticeship, working her way up to head housekeeper of a posh London hotel
is more than Sara Smythe ever thought she’d make of herself. But when a chance
encounter with Theodore Camden, one of the architects of the grand New York
apartment house The Dakota, leads to a job offer, her world is suddenly awash
in possibility—no mean feat for a servant in 1884. The opportunity to move to
America, where a person can rise above one’s station. The opportunity
to be the female manager of The Dakota, which promises to be the greatest
apartment house in the world. And the opportunity to see more of Theo, who understands
Sara like no one else...and is living in The Dakota with his wife and three
young children.
In 1985, Bailey Camden is desperate for new opportunities. Fresh out of rehab, the former party girl and interior designer is homeless, jobless, and penniless. Two generations ago, Bailey’s grandfather was the ward of famed architect Theodore Camden. But the absence of a genetic connection means Bailey won’t see a dime of the Camden family’s substantial estate. Instead, her “cousin” Melinda—Camden’s biological great-granddaughter—will inherit almost everything. So when Melinda offers to let Bailey oversee the renovation of her lavish Dakota apartment, Bailey jumps at the chance, despite her dislike of Melinda’s vision. The renovation will take away all the character and history of the apartment Theodore Camden himself lived in...and died in, after suffering multiple stab wounds by a madwoman named Sara Smythe, a former Dakota employee who had previously spent seven months in an insane asylum on Blackwell’s Island.
In 1985, Bailey Camden is desperate for new opportunities. Fresh out of rehab, the former party girl and interior designer is homeless, jobless, and penniless. Two generations ago, Bailey’s grandfather was the ward of famed architect Theodore Camden. But the absence of a genetic connection means Bailey won’t see a dime of the Camden family’s substantial estate. Instead, her “cousin” Melinda—Camden’s biological great-granddaughter—will inherit almost everything. So when Melinda offers to let Bailey oversee the renovation of her lavish Dakota apartment, Bailey jumps at the chance, despite her dislike of Melinda’s vision. The renovation will take away all the character and history of the apartment Theodore Camden himself lived in...and died in, after suffering multiple stab wounds by a madwoman named Sara Smythe, a former Dakota employee who had previously spent seven months in an insane asylum on Blackwell’s Island.
One hundred years apart, Sara and
Bailey are both tempted by and struggle against the golden excess of their
respective ages—for Sara, the opulence of a world ruled by the Astors and
Vanderbilts; for Bailey, the free-flowing drinks and cocaine in the nightclubs
of New York City—and take refuge and solace in the Upper West Side’s gilded
fortress. But a building with a history as rich—and often tragic—as The
Dakota’s can’t hold its secrets forever, and what Bailey discovers in its
basement could turn everything she thought she knew about Theodore Camden—and
the woman who killed him—on its head.
Review:
The Address was one of the best
books I have read in a while. I really enjoyed the flipping back and forth from
present day to the past. The way the author wrote the two stories so in line
with each other keeps your attention. I particularly enjoyed the chapters in
the past more. But not only did she keep your attention, she added an air of
mystery that kept you reading. The book was fast paced and very enjoyable. I
would recommend anyone to read this. The romance, lies, secrets, and betrayals
it is everything wrapped up into one novel. I am going to look for Fiona Davis's first novel and I can't wait for The Masterpiece to come out!
-Victoria
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