Marion has managed to pass the difficult auditions to become a Rockette. As she learns the choreography and gets to know her fellow dancers, she realizes she can make a career doing something she loves. However, her dad is strongly against Marion continuing with dancing and demands that she return home and marry her boyfriend. Her father is also an executive at the same company that a serial bomber has been mentioning in the notes they leave at each bombing. When a bombing impacts Marion, she teams up with a new acquaintance Peter, who is a doctor working on profiling. Together they profile and investigate the bomber's identity, all while dealing with her father's increasing insistence that she quit her job. Overall, an interesting mystery about a string of bombings set in 1950s New York. The background on the Rockettes was the strongest part of the book and the ending tied up the plotlines well.

adventurous dark informative mysterious medium-paced
Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

I love Fiona Davis’ historical novels and was excited to receive the ARC from #Netgalley for “The Spectacular.” It was fun reading about the origins of The Rockettes and Radio City Music Hall.

Marion’s excitement and the disciplined energy of following that kind of dream was impressive particularly when it is clear that she must also make emotional sacrifices.

The back story tackles the expectations of women and the traps that were set when they didn’t follow a path that benefitted a patriarchal system. I loved Marion’s strength and determination even as she struggled with losing the support of her father (who in my reading was an unsympathetic character). I also appreciated the love story angles and how they played out.

There were several less preferred elements in this particular novel. One of Davis’ skills is writing a duel timeline. In this case, it felt a little more forced . . . Like the 1992 section could have been an epilogue. And while I was fascinated about the Big Apple Bomber, the extent of Marion and Peter’s investigation felt far fetched - particularly because of their very demanding work schedules. Finally, the characters in 1992 were written in a way that made them feel so old. I was shocked to realize they were only in their mid-50s.

Overall, this was a worthwhile book though not my favorite by the author. I thoroughly enjoyed the final chapters and felt like it was a very satisfying (if bittersweet) ending. And of course the author’s note always adds a helpful fact vs fiction account.

Side note - As someone who lived in the NYC area during the 1993 World Trade Center Bombing and the 9/11 attacks, I was interested to learn through this book about the 16 year 32 bomb spree that happened in NYC.

I mean, this is @fionadavis so we all know that it’s going to be perfection. But I gotta say, I’m thinking this is her best one so far! Fans of Fiona Davis know that each of her books are set in an NYC landmark, and this time we get Radio City Music Hall…and the Rockettes!! We learn all about being a Rockette as we follow Marion audition for the dance troupe and (spoiler alert) make it in. Then she becomes an amateur sleuth while trying to solve the mystery of the Big Apple Bomber with her new friend and budding criminal profiler. As you may know, the author has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and it makes a surprising appearance in the book. This hit a little differently for me than it may for most readers as my mother in law died of Parkinson’s a few weeks before reading this story. Davis’s description of the disease, its progression, and what the doctor’s advice mirrored our own experience and made me set the book down and take a deep breath. This may not be a significant part of the book for most readers, but for those of us who have loved ones with the disease it may be pretty powerful. I will certainly be thinking of Fiona Davis and her family as they continue on their journey with this horrible, horrible disease.

The best part of the book was the historical setting, around a woman who was a Rockette in the 50’s at Radio City Music Hall. The plot was interesting and evolved into a fictional mystery about the true New York City bomber. Some real Nancy Drew vibes. The writing was a little flat at times, specifically with the dialogue. Overall though, I liked it and it was an easy read and I’d like to read more by this author.

If I'm going to read historical fiction, which is rare, I want Fiona Davis to write it. I loved The Lions of Fifth Avenue so I expected to enjoy The Spectacular as well, and I sure did! My mom and I are huge fans of the Rockettes, traveling to NYC to see them about a decade ago, and we always make sure to text each other when we see them on TV. This book follows an unexpected Rockette, Kitty, and her determination to find the Big Apple Bomber, inspired by true events. It's a glamorous book, a nostalgic book, and one that centers a young woman's tenacity, which is what I love about the author. I ended up preordering a copy to send to my mom!

Thank you to the publisher for a free netgalley!

As usual, Fiona Davis does not disappoint. I will say, I highly enjoyed the fact that this one stayed in the past for long periods. Sometimes the constant switching in dual timelines gets annoying.

However, Davis does the opposite here keeping us mostly in the past. And it was so well done. I enjoyed reading about the Rockettes and I enjoyed our main character a lot. Peter was a great character in the story and I kept picturing Q from the new Bond movies 🤣

Definitely recommend this one!

Most of the action here is set in 1950s NYC. 19yo Marion who wants to be a dancer, but whose father envisions a very different kind of life for her. When Marion is fired from her job teaching ballet, she spontaneously decides to audition to be a Rockette and lands a coveted spot. The best parts of this book are the insights into the life and training of a Rockette, but also woven in are snippets into NY history and criminal profiling.

Fiona Davis does it again with this historical fiction novel, set in 1950s NYC, focusing on the "Big Apple Bomber" which was taken from true events about a bomber who left bombs all throughout NYC for 16 years. This was also one of the first times criminal profiling was used to try to find a person. This book focuses on the Rockettes and Radio City Music Hall which was one of the locations that was bombed during this time, but it also added to this story and the characters she wrote. I adore Fiona Davis books and this was no exception.

Fiona Davis can do no wrong. I love her way of writing and the stories she tells about historical NYC culture and landmarks - learning about the Rockette's was really enjoyable, told in Davis signature style and dual perspectives!

I will read anything that Fiona Davis writes! The Spectacular is a wonderful blend of NYC history about the Rockettes, true crime, criminal profiling/psychology, and an examination of how women's roles have changed so much in such a short time. I really enjoyed Marion as a character - seeing her choose her own path, despite pressure from her father to embrace traditional women's roles was inspiring. One element that brought this book down a notch for me was that the Marion from the 1990s was supposed to be in her 50s... which I don't think is really that old. Even in the 1990s. Yet, it seems like that version of Marion is old and decrepit (until the twist where maybe she is not). That part was just a bit off-putting and not realistic. But overall, I really enjoyed this book and its combination of history, mystery, and love.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

Fiona Davis is an author of historical fiction novels that are set in iconic New York City Buildings. Ms. Davis has done it again and this novel, "The Spectacular", takes place in 1956 and follows Marion, a nineteen-year-old who has just auditioned for and has been selected as a Rockette. Marion's story is set against the backdrop of the Big Apple Bombings.

I loved reading historical facts about the early days of the Rockettes and the precision and detail that goes into creating and staging a show. In addition to the historical details, the author has done a great job with the mystery aspect of this novel.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance copy of this great book!!

4.25 stars

The Spectacular
By: Fiona Davis
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The love Davis has for NYC is apparent in all her books. She chooses an iconic building and writes a story involving the buildings and the people.
👯‍♀️
Radio City Music Hall in the 50’s is spectacular. Marion is nineteen and gets a coveted spot as a Rockette. They have so many rules to follow, and she is determined to make her mark as a dancer. Training is fierce practicing multiple times a day.
👯‍♀️
One day a bomb exploded at the theater and it hitting many areas in NYC. The police cannot catch the bomber and Marion starts profiling. Can she find out what is happening in her city?
👯‍♀️
I highly recommend this one!
❓Have you been to Radio Music City Hall?
#thespectacular, #fionadavis, #nyc, #therockettes, #dutton, #booksconnectus, #bookreview, #stamperlady50, #bookstagram

I enjoyed this story a lot. I didn’t realize it was alternating between Marion in 1992 and 1956, but once I figured this out, I was all for it. This is following Marion’s life and dream of becoming a Rockette with some added mystery of the Big Apple Bomber. Figuring out who this is and why he’s targeting certain places. Loved reading about all the history of Radio City Music Hall and the Rockettes. This was very hard to put down and everyone should read this.

The Spectacular is indeed spectacular.

Fiona Davis returns to what she does best, blending New York City history and mystery in this fun and compelling novel.

First, this is a wonderful return to form for Davis, who I felt veered far off course with her last novel, leaning into schlocky drama and doing little incorporate the history of place that the book purported to springboard from.

This one, by contrast, reminds me more of Davis’ terrific previous work, blending historical sense of place with an intriguing plot, and this time giving us a bonus of more action than usual.

It’s especially neat to see two real historical events come together here, as Davis marries the story of early Radio City Music Hall and its Rockettes with that of the mad bomber who terrorized the city for almost 20 years.

That case (and the story Davis built from it here) also both feature the first use of psychological profiling, which Davis spins perfectly into the plot.

I would have liked a bit more about the history of the theater itself and more fluffy fun Rockettes content, but this is just a terrific story and very much in line with Davis’ best previous work.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review. Davis is back with another juicy historical novel. I've always admired the Rockettes, mostly from watching their annual performance on the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade each year on TV. I only briefly did dance as a child, but know that to do the performance they do, so in sync and so well, must be a grueling behind-the-scenes experience. Marion is determined to join the Rockettes, despite everyone around her trying to discourage her from doing so. Thanks to a harrowing time in NYC, Marion ultimately becomes entangled in the investigation for the Big Apple Bomber. This book was clearly deeply researched and shone a light on a time, situation, and experience very removed from my own. Well done!

Fiona Davis knocks it out of the park every time; there is no better realistic fiction author out there right now! I honestly feel like I'm living in the era of her books; that's how realistic her writing and stories are. I'm not sure anyone else could write a story about the Rockettes, a bomber, and criminal profiling and make it all work. This is a highly entertaining novel, and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

The Spectacular by Fiona Davis, set in 1950s New York, tells the story of 19-year-old Marion Brooks, who auditions to be a Rockette at Radio City Music Hall. By doing this, she defies the wishes of her father, who wants her to marry and settle down.

Meanwhile, The Big Apple Bomber is planting bombs all over the city, including Radio City Music Hall. Directly impacted by this particular incident, Marion becomes embroiled in the investigation, forging a bond with Dr. Peter Griggs, who introduces the concept of criminal profiling.

The story is filled with suspense and intrigue, but was a bit predictable at times. The alternate timeline of the 1990s only became significant at the very end of the novel. As usual, Ms. Davis deftly weaves in a real-life incident (in this case, The Big Apple Bomber) with her vivid fictional characters. She also addresses topic of mental illness, which is important in our current times.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House-Dutton for the digital ARC of The Spectacular by Fiona Davis.

Thank you to the publisher for an early release copy of this novel. I love everything Fiona Davis has written and this one is no different. I loved learning more about Radio City Music Hall and being a Rockette. What a fun but difficult time to be a young woman. Typically Fiona Davis' books have a split timeline that is equal in storyline but The Spectacular mainly stayed in the 1950s with about 5-10% of the story taking place in the 1990s. Frankly this was the right call in this story as the interest was truly in the 1950s. I highly recommend this and can't wait for her next novel!

It's not often a story fits its title so perfectly, but that is definitely the case with The Spectacular! I loved this historical fiction look at the Rockettes through the eyes of Marion. Not only did it have a cool New York City theater feel, but it also reminded me of the Nancy Drew novels I grew up reading.
This was such a great story from start to finish with the combination of Marion's family drama, her dancing aspiration, the terror of not knowing when the bomber would strike next, and even the romantic subplot. I could easily visualize everything going on as if I were watching it on the big screen. It made me think of when I watched Annie as a kid and they had the Rockettes in the "Let's Go to the Movies" scene. (Start at 2:22 for this part.) I haven't actually gone to a Rockettes performance, but they're always performing at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. I didn't know that there were other performances along with theirs, before the movie would start. I also was fascinated by how the choreography had to be so incredibly precise at all times and one difference would be completely noticeable.

The bombings remind me so much of what is happening now, down to the greed and ignorance that was keeping them from stopping long before they did. Just replace the bomber with a shooter, except there are many more of those and it feels unsafe to go almost anywhere these days. And it's not the greed and ignorance of a particular company, but instead the people who are supposed to be in charge of our country. I love how Marion worked so hard to get to the bottom of things since no one else was willing to step up and take control of the situation. She was wise beyond her years.

The 1950s sexism in this story was also frustrating to me. It reminded me of Lessons in Chemistry in some ways, as well as some of the shows I've been watching that take place in the 1950s. Marion was ahead of her time in that respect and wanted to have a career before getting married and having kids. And as more information comes to light about her mother, who can blame her for that?

This novel kept me riveted the entire time. It was really well done and now my favorite of everything I've read by Fiona Davis. (I still have a few of her earlier ones waiting to be read, but now I'll be measuring them up to this one, I'm afraid.) Don't hesitate to pick this one up and be ready to devour it!

Movie casting suggestions:
Marion (1956): Daisy Edgar-Jones
Judy: Liana Liberato
Bunny: Violett Beane
Nathaniel: Carson Rowland
Peter: Hunter Doohan
Simon: Dean Norris
Marion (1992): Frances O'Connor

wow this is a spectacular book! The characters are wonderful and the story has so many facets to keep you entertained. There is so much going on. Heartbreak, bombing, hard work, lots of twists and turns. Very colorful and informative, unpredictable and inspirational. I love Marion and her story moved me. I recommend this book, it is a real page turner and a must must read! Fabulous author has written another fabulous book!!!