Marion lives at home with her dad, Simon, and sister, Judy. Their mother died tragically and they were raised by their father. Marion is set to get engaged to Nathaniel, even though she really doesn’t want to. Simon works as an executive for Metropolitan Power and Judy is his assistant. Marion is a dance teacher and gets an incredible opportunity to join the Rockettes, which she jumps at, despite the disapproval from both her father and her soon-to-be fiance.

For 16 years, the Big Apple Bomber has been terrorizing iconic locations within NYC. One night, while Marion is performing, a bomb explodes in Radio City Music Hall. Marion is sure she’s seen the bomber and tries to convince the police of the same. They choose to ignore her. She meets Peter through another dancer, Bunny, and Marion and Peter start investigating this matter on their own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book for an honest review.

The Spectacular by Fiona Davis

Set in 1950s Manhattan it follows dancer, Marion Brooks as she gets the once in a lifetime chance to follow her dreams and perform as one of the famous Radio City Hall Rockettes. A string of bombings is terrorizing the city though and the public is in an uproar. Marion, along with her doctor friend Peter are determined to catch the bomber. Even if it means risking everything she’s worked for and standing out from the crowd.

I absolutely loved this book and felt a deep connection to Marion with my dance background. Fiona Davis is truly a master of her craft and knows how to write the perfect historical fiction. Every time I pick up one of her books I know I’m in for a treat and The Spectacular, like its title implies, is by far no exception. Get ready to be dazzled, moved and on the edge of your seat while you read this stunning book!

Thank you Dutton for the advanced copy of this book!

I love books by Fiona Davis and was so very excited to see her newest, The Spectacular. Can we just admire this cover for at least thirty-five minutes? It’s perfection- from the colors to the font and everything in between!

I knew before I began that I would love it. I so appreciate a well-written historical book that takes place in old New York City. I wish I could go back in time and see NYC during the 1950s.

This book was just everything.

Synopsis:

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 years long 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 into 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.

Don’t miss this one! Its such a beautiful and well-written story. Out on June 13.

Spectacular! Spectacular!

Synopsis: Set in NYC in 1956, Marion impulsively auditions for the Rockettes and is selected. While it is an honor to be selected to this glamorous, prestigious dance troupe, her father does not approve. During a performance one night, a bomb explodes in the theater. It is the latest of a series of bombings throughout the city by a terrorist the press are referring to as the “Big Apple Bomber.” The police continue to struggle to find any real leads, and at Marion’s encouragement turn to psychological profiling. Marion quickly finds herself deeply entrenched in the investigation all while trying to keep up the demands of being a Rockette.


Thoughts: This was my first Fiona Davis (The Magnolia Palace has been on my TBR for way way too long). As a resident New Yorker who just saw her first Rockettes performance last year, I absolutely loved this book. Davis captured the intensity of the NYC performer scene, as well as desiring a parent’s approval despite taking a path they don’t support. I particularly enjoyed the psychological profiling component, which added some welcomed suspense and intrigue. This book straddles a variety of genres and will surely win over many readers!

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House-Dutton for the digital ARC of The Spectacular by Fiona Davis. The opinions in this review are my own.

Big Apple Bomber, Rockettes, dual timelines -- what could be better? This is another homerun by Fiona Davis and a must read if you are a fan of her work.

There is so much to say about The Spectacular by Fiona Davis. The first thing I will say is that it made me think of my mother. My mother didn’t leave the house much. She wasn’t really exposed to the arts and to NY City. We lived 45 minutes away and never took advantage of that. But she did get to see The Rockettes in the Christmas Spectacular one day. And the look on her face was priceless every time she talked about it. The way Fiona describes the audience watching the show is exactly the way I imagine my mom watching. The look of awe and amazement. As if they are seeing the lost magical thing in the world.

Ok, now, about the book. It has everything you would want in a book. And it all comes together so well! It has drama, suspense, love, heartache,, betrayal, dreams being followed and dreams being crushed. Fiona Davis captured my attention from the very beginning to the very end.

Marion Brooks has big dreams of being a dancer. She knows there has to be more to her life than becoming a housewife and a mother. She knows that those would be safe, but she doesn’t want safe. She wants adventure. Her father tries with everything he has to keep away home. Where the only job outside of the home for women is being a secretary.

A madman, nicknamed the Big Apple Bomber, is going around planting pipe bombs. When Marion’s world collides with the Big Apple Bomber, she can’t just sit around and do nothing about it.

The Spectacular pays homage to Radio City's Rockettes--the grit and determination it takes to succeed--while tackling the mystery behind the Big Apple Bomber. Davis does a fantastic job capturing the soul of these young performers and how one woman chooses to carve her own path. Without giving too much away, I cried through the last pages at the resiliency and courage of main character Marion (and her creator, Davis). A spectacular, unputdownable tale of glamour and glitz and heartache and healing. Highly recommend.

As someone who enjoys historical fiction and stories set in New York, I was excited to read The Spectacular. It follows the story of Marion who becomes a Rockette at Radio City in the 50’s. During this time there is a “Big Apple Bomber” who is bombing New York landmarks and this is based on a real person who set off bombs during this time in New York.

I found myself swept up in the story and very invested from the get go. While it was very predictable, it didn’t really bother me. I also found some of the conversations to be a bit stilted and feel inauthentic and was surprised this didn’t seem to take away from the story for me.

This was my first Fiona Davis book and I will definitely be checking out the rest of her catalog! If you like historical fiction I would recommend this one.

Thank you netgalley for the advanced reader copy!

I've loved all of Fiona Davis's books, including The Spectacular. It's set in 1956 New York, where a bomber has been terrorizing the city for 16 years. Marion is a Rockette in Radio City Music Hall, her dream job, and she refuses to give it up, despite her father's insistence that she marry, stay home, and have children. One night, when Marion has invited her sister Judy to a performance, the Big Apple Bomber strikes at the Music Hall, and Judy dies. Now Marion is on a mission—to unmask the killer, with the help of a physician who is the first to attempt criminal profiling.

I love Fiona Davis's novels, and was thrilled to be granted access to her upcoming The Spectacular. When I learned that it involved Radio City Music Hall and that the main character was one of the famed Rockettes, I just knew I would be completely lost in the novel. For the most part, I was not disappointed in The Spectacular, though it isn't my favorite of Ms. Davis's books.

I loved the setting of Radio City Music Hall and New York City in the 1950's. As a teen, I dreamed of what it would be like to be a Rockette, and to this day, I love to see the troupe perform on the television specials and parades. I learned a lot about the grueling practice and performance schedules, as well as the audition process. The Mad Bomber, that the story is based on, was something that I was completely unfamiliar with, and reading about how psychological profiling that was in its infancy at the time brought about a solution to the case was very interesting.

I struggled some with the role of Marion in solving the case, some of it just seemed over-the-top ridiculous and unrealistic in the extreme, and this aspect kept me from absolutely loving the book. The dual timeline, which is a key aspect of Ms. Davis's books, also seemed a little forced, and honestly could have been skipped entirely without affecting the story whatsoever, though the ending would have required an adjustment.

Overall, I loved most of the book, and would recommend it to those who have loved Fiona Davis's previous novels, or are interested in The Rockettes or psychological profiling.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House-Dutton for the digital ARC of The Spectacular by Fiona Davis. The opinions in this review are my own.

It's 1956 and Marion Brooks is a dance teacher. After her mother passed away, she and her older sister Judy were raised by their strict father who believed that women should be secretaries or teachers. Certainly not dancers. After Marion is fired, she goes to an open audition at Radio City Music Hall to try out to become a member of the Rockettes. While her father is expecting Marion to get engaged and settle down as a housewife, she is terrified to tell him that she has gotten the job as a Rockette. She moves to New York City into the Rehearsal Club boarding house with fellow Rockette Bunny. Through Bunny's paramour, Marion meets Peter Griggs, a psychiatrist who intrigues her. While Marion is working tirelessly to become part of the dance troupe, Manhattan is being terrorized by a man dubbed "The Big Apple Bomber" who targets major New York landmarks. He's already hit Radio City before and his most recent attack changes everything for Marion. Griggs, who has great insight into the troubled mind, gets involved with the case.

Leave it to Fiona Davis to keep bringing the most iconic places in New York City into her fabulous works of historical fiction. In The Spectacular, she has chosen one of my favorites. If you're old enough, you may remember when you not only saw the Rockettes perform but you also saw a top movie. Some of my best memories with family took place within this art deco masterpiece so this reading journey was such a pleasure. Not only do we get a behind-the-scenes look at what it took back then to become a Rockette, but Davis incorporates the true story of the "Mad Bomber of New York," the first case that used criminal profiling. But read the book first before checking out the details. A dual timeline element set in 1992 adds to the appeal as Marion returns for a Special Christmas Spectacular - Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the Rockettes.

Every book by this author brings me great joy. And that cover!!

This historical novel is set primarily in 1956, when 19 year old Marion breaks free from the conformist life her father wants her to live to become a Rockette at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. And after a serial bomber sets off a bomb at one of their performances, she also gets involved in the police investigation trying to catch the bomber.

I am a huge fan of Fiona Davis, and have been ever since her first book, The Dollhouse, went straight onto my top ten list of 2017, and she became one of my favorite historical fiction writers and I haven’t missed one of her books since. So The Spectacular was one of my most anticipated books of 2023, and I’m happy to say it didn’t disappoint. In fact, it’s one of my favorite Fiona Davis books!

Like her other books, it totally nails the NYC setting and taught me something about a famous building in the city, while also creating a great main character and a little mystery! I totally couldn’t put it down. This one is a little different than most of her others since they usually have dual time periods. This one does have a few chapters set in 1992, but they’re not with a separate character/storyline - they’re about a 55 year old Marion. But it totally worked for this book and maybe made it even stronger. If you love Fiona Davis’s other books I’m sure you’ll love this one too, and if you’ve never read her books but enjoy historical fiction that’s not about wars, you should totally check her out.

Based on the true story of the Big Apple bomber in the 1950s, the story follows Marian as her dream to become a Rockette at Radio City Music Hall is realized. I love how Fiona Davis incorporates NYC landmarks into her novels. The story explored familial expectations, chasing down your dreams, and mental health in a satisfying way. With a bit of mystery, history, and romance, this book is a perfect summer blend of genres. Enthusiastically recommend!

Marion Brooks dream was to dance and she loved being a Rockettette. the Big Apple Bomber, who has been on a 16 year spree, changed Marion’s life when a pipe bomb is set off during a Rockette performance. She sets off to discover who and why the pipe bomber is setting off bombs through out the city.

This book has a bit of everything and it’s definitely one of the best reads this year so far, because it has both fact and fiction, a fully developed story with suspense on the side and multiple interesting themes running through it.
Let me explain.
It’s the story of Marion, who leaves home to become a Rockette in the 1950s. Her father disagrees and would rather see her get married and settle down, he even has the right man picked out. It’s the 50s and it’s not the usual thing for a young woman to live in the city and dance, she should have a family or work in a decent job, such as being a secretary, like her sister Judy. Yet Marion seems to have inherited her love for performing from her deceased mother.
In New York though, a bomber is planting bombs all over the city, and has been doing so for 16 years. Her father and daughter, who work for the company targeted by the Big Apple Bomber, think it’s unsafe for Marion to be in the city. When one goes off during her performance at Radio City, Marion finds herself suddenly involved in the case and even has an idea for a completely new approach to catch the criminal.
While some details have been changed, there has indeed been a criminal called the Mad Bomber, though the story is not very well known. And the way of solving it was revolutionary.
Throughout all this, we have several themes from the time period, such as the recurring choice between a career and a family, the proper choice for a young woman, the underlying questions the daughters still have about their mother, who they don’t know much about, life as a Rockette, and finally the suspense of trying to catch the bomber himself. It was the first time in history profiling was used to solve crime, and again the story depicts how difficult it is for new approaches like these to be accepted by the authorities. It takes Marion and her psychologist friend several attempts to even be heard by the police, despite having information to catch the killer.
And finally, seeing all this review later by Marion in 1992 at the 60th anniversary of the Radio City Music Hall, is a heart-warming way to make all the strings of the story come together.
Overall, I love when books take us into a historic period without making it too obvious, using the discourse and here the image of a young woman in the 50s without it being the centre of the story, and using little known facts to base the story on, which make you want to research it further as you go along or finish.

Thank you to PRHAudio and Dutton for the ALC and ARC!

In New York City in 1956, Marion auditions to be a Rockette - against the wishes of her father and boyfriend. She is thrilled to be selected to be a member of the glamorous dance group, despite her father’s resistance. When he forces her to leave home, she befriends a fellow rockette and lives in a boarding house for artistic girls. There, Marion finds true friendship and through the work of a rockette is exhausting, she is exhilarated and loves it SO much! But one night, during the rockette’s performance, a bomb explodes in Radio City Music Hall, causing devastation and chaos. It’s the latest in a string of explosions that have been occurring around the city for the last sixteen years. As Marion finds herself immersed in the investigation, she begins to question everything she holds dear.

This story was magical! Told in dual timelines, we get to reflect with Marion on her past as she celebrates a reunion with the Rockettes. I hadn’t known much about the dancers, except that their routine is beautiful and mesmerizing, but I enjoyed hearing about the day-to-day work and routines they had as well as the storyline of how criminal profiling first came to be used. I found that aspect fascinating, from the point of a view of a doctor/psychologist, and how it was incorporated into this storyline worked well. Fiona Davis is my favorite historical fiction writer and if you enjoy this genre, you won’t want to miss this one! “The Spectacular” releases June 13th!

This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly.

In 1956 in glamorous NYC, 19 year-old Marion auditions for the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes against the wishes of her father and boyfriend. But Marion quickly realizes it's not all glitz and glamour. With 4 shows a week plus a grueling rehearsal schedule, Marion rides the roller-coaster of entrancing highs and devastating lows. Especially when her beautiful theater is bombed by the criminal known as the Big Apple Bomber, Without any real leads and a yearslong search for perpetrator, the police turn, at Marion's urging, to a new technique - psychological profiling.
Marion finds herself pulled deeper into the investigation, even though she has been trained to be identical. She must learn to stand out.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for this e-arc.*

This is the second of Fiona Davis' historical fiction novels relating to New York City landmarks that I have read and I enjoyed this one even more than the first one!

The Spectacular is set primarily in New York City in 1956 and revolves around the incredible art deco building Radio City Music Hall and the Rockettes glamourous precision-dancing troup that performs there. 19 year-old Marion is a dancer who auditions for the Rockettes on a whim and accepts an offer to join the troup despite the objections of her father. Marion moves from her suburban home to a rooming house for young female performers in the city when her dad kicks her out because she won't give in to his demands to quit dancing and marry her high school boyfriend. Marion is enjoying her newfound freedom and her life as a Rockette when a bomber who has been terrorizing New York City for 16 years sets off a bomb in Radio City Music Hall. The police don't seem to be making any progress in catching the bomber and Marion is drawn into the investigation as she urges them to use psychological profiling to identify the suspect. There's a second timeline with just a few chapters set in 1991 with Marion attending a reunion event at Radio City Music Hall.

Another great New York story that brings the history of Radio City Music Hall to life in an engaging and enjoyable read! Based on a true story, The Spectacular combines historical fiction, family drama and mystery with just the right amount of suspense. I had never heard about this bombing spree and the early use of psychological profiling in criminal cases was quite interesting. The story also highlights some of the struggles faced by young women in the '50s who were expected to sacrifice their dreams to raise families instead. Mostly I just loved reading about Radio City Music Hall and the Rockettes. I have attended a performance of The Christmas Spectacular and toured Radio City Music Hall - I love the magic of it all and reading a novel set in that world was just fun!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

After Marion unexpectedly loses her job, she decides to take a wild chance and audition for the Rockettes. Much to her surprise she nabs one of the coveted positions. While her father isn’t thrilled, Marion doesn’t have much time to worry about him with the grueling schedule of four shows a day, seven days a week, for three weeks straight before a single week off. When a bomb explodes during a performance, Marion makes it her mission to find out who has been setting off these bombs around the city. Little does she know how much more it will help her find out.

Fiona Davis you kill me. This book was so damn good. I was sitting by the pool reading and having to pretend I wasn’t crying. Like seriously, Im already the girl at my apartment complex that is always by the pool with a book, now Im the crying girl too! I just loved every single second of the dancing, the mystery of the bomber, and the detective work of Marion as the book went on. Her father drove me insane, and I wanted to shake him, but I also kind of (not really but if I really push myself really hard I can) understood where he was coming from. I loved learning a bit of history about New York that I hadn’t known, and after finishing I found myself googling the Big Apple Bomber and reading more to find out the inspiration for this book! Five stars all around for The Spectacular!

Thank you to Penguin Group Dutton and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel.

I have been a fan of Fiona Davis for many years, so was very excited to receive the ARC of this book. I love that her novels are set in New York City and provide history of many of the city's iconic buildings and are centered around historic events. This book is no exception and what I liked about this novel. The Spectacular's main character, Marion is a Rockette, so much of the novel takes place in Radio City Music Hall, during the 50's. We learn about the "Big Apple Bomber", who was a person I knew nothing about. He terrorized New York City for 16 years, setting bombs in crowded places and landmark buildings. I loved learning about these historical events, but the book, unfortunately fell short for me. I didn't find the main character likeable or engaging. I also felt that there were too many unbelievable events that took place in the story and I found myself rolling my eyes at the impossible feats that the main character performed. I also found the first part of the book rather slow. It was definitely my least favorite of her novels, but it is still worth reading to learn about the life of a Rockette and the events involving the "Big Apple Bomber".