The Spectacular

A Novel

By: Fiona Davis

Narrated by: Rachel L. Jacobs, Kimberly Farr

From the New York Times Bestselling Author of The Magnolia Palace: A thrilling story about love, sacrifice, and the pursuit of dreams, set amidst the glamour and glitz of Radio City Music Hall in its mid-century heyday.

New York City, 1956: Nineteen-year-old Marion Brooks knows she should be happy. Her high school sweetheart is about to propose and sweep her off to the life everyone has always expected they’d have together: a quiet house in the suburbs, Marion staying home to raise their future children. But instead, Marion finds herself feeling trapped. So when she comes across an opportunity to audition for the famous Radio City Rockettes—the glamorous precision-dancing troupe—she jumps at the chance to exchange her predictable future for the dazzling life of a performer.

Meanwhile, the city is reeling from a string of bombings orchestrated by a person the press has nicknamed the “Big Apple Bomber,” who has been terrorizing the citizens of New York for sixteen years by planting bombs in popular, crowded spaces. With the public in an uproar over the lack of any real leads after a yearslong manhunt, the police turn in desperation to Peter Griggs, a young doctor at a local mental hospital who espouses a radical new technique: psychological profiling.

As both Marion and Peter find themselves unexpectedly pulled in to the police search for the bomber, Marion realizes that as much as she’s been training herself to blend in—performing in perfect unison with all the other identical Rockettes—if she hopes to catch the bomber, she’ll need to stand out and take a terrifying risk. In doing so, she may be forced to sacrifice everything she’s worked for, as well as the people she loves the most.

Dancer story

An interesting story that represents a 1950’s professional dance team. The Dad’s storyline was hard to believe, so seemed drawn out. Could not stomach the “fianceé’s” character. Loved reading the sisterhood segments where players were allowed to have fun.

liked the plot

Hated the jerky narration. It was very distracting. I almost chose to stop listening to it. Pleasant voice but terrible reading for the main character.

The Spectacular is Spectacular

This book blends my two favorite fictional genres of mystery & historical fiction. I loved rooting for the main character Marion!

excellent historical fiction of the NY bomber

Starts slow but really picks up and the characters really develop and the tie into the bomber and how it changes crime was perfect!

The best book by Fiona Davis.

The story was intriguing. As in her other books, it incorporates true historical events. I have been to Radio City Music Hall's Christmas Spectacular many times, and I enjoy the Rockettes.