The Dollhouse by Fiona Davis

Fiona Davis’s latest novel, The Dollhouse, is about two different people, in different time periods, whose paths inevitably cross. The story is set within the famous Barbizon Hotel in New York City, once known for the countless aspiring models, editors and secretaries it housed during the mid- to late-1950s. One of the hotel’s residents, Darby McLaughlin, is everything her modeling agency hall mates aren't: plain, self-conscious, homesick, and utterly convinced she doesn't belong—a notion the models do nothing to disabuse. She soon befriends with a maid that works in the hotel and is introduced to the underground jazz clubs and nightlife of the city. Flash-forward 50 years, Rose Lewin is a journalist living in the same building, and rumors of Darby's involvement in a deadly skirmish with a hotel maid back in 1952 haunt the halls of the building. She and Darby cross paths in the elevator one day and Rose is intrigued by the history of the ‘Barbizon girls’ she’s heard so much about and embarks on a journey to find out what happened all those years ago. As she becomes consumed with uncovering the dark secrets buried deep within the Barbizon's glitzy past, Rose’s ethics surrounding the ordeal become increasingly muddied and when the shocking truth is finally revealed, both of the women's lives are completely changed. The intrigue and constant surprises within this story will keep you on the edge of your seat. We simply could not put it down!