Author: Fiona Davis
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery & Suspense
Publisher: Dutton
Release Date: 2023
Pages: 368
Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: 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 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 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.
My Review: Marion is ecstatic to be chosen as a Rockette. However, she learns that becoming a Rockette is not all that she thought it would be. They have four shows a day plus rehearsals. Therefore, it could be very stressful. When the theater is bombed, Marion embarks on a quest to find the bomber. While looking for the bomber, Marion realizes that she may be forced to give up everything that she has worked for. Could Marion make the sacrifice to protect those she loves?
After reading this book, I came away disliking the main character. Marion is insufferable and a typical Mary Sue. She is perfect at everything and can do no wrong. She comes across more like a superwoman than a real human. Therefore, I could not relate to her. I also did not like that she constantly looked down on others because they were not as perfect as herself. She was also very narcissistic because she was beautiful and could dance. Thus, Marion was one of the most annoying characters that I have ever come across in literature.
Overall, this novel is about ambition, choices, and sacrifice. I found all of the characters to be flat and stereotypical. The characters are not given any depth and are very cliche. The mystery was interesting, but it was overshadowed by Marion’s drama. There were also some scenes that were so unconvincing that they made me laugh. I did like learning about the Rockettes, however. Those parts were believable and interesting. Nevertheless, I expected a fun, cozy historical mystery. I did not get it, unfortunately, and I was very unsatisfied. I have read other novels by Fiona Davis which are superior to The Spectacular. It feels like she did not put in as much effort as she usually does. I recommend this book for fans of Louise Hare, Emily J. Edwards, and Stephanie Morrill. However, I advise you to read better historical mysteries from this author such as The Magnolia Palace.
Rating: 2 ½ stars out of 5 stars
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