The Works of Fiona Davis

 The Spectacular by Fiona Davis

This is the most recent book by this author, and like everything of hers that she has written, I loved it. This book revolves around Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Marion is a dancer, who is let go from teaching at the ballet school she has attended most of her life. She's nineteen, and lives at home with her father, Simon, and older sister, Judy. She has a boyfriend that she dated all through high school, Nathaniel, who is on the brink of proposing to her. 

Simon is not bothered by the fact that Marion was fired. He wants her to get married and raise a family like a woman is supposed to want to do. But, she is like her deceased mother, who was an actress. She wants to do what she loves while she can. 

On her last day at the ballet school, one of the other girls from her class mentions that she is going to try out for the Rockettes the next day. Initially, Marion blows it off, but the more she thinks about it, the more she wants to do it. After a long and arduous auditioning process, Marion finds out that she will be a Rockette for the 1956-57 season. She's excited, but afraid to tell her dad, knowing he will not react well. She meets Bunny, a veteran Rockette, and they become fast friends. It is because of Bunny that Marion is able to find a place to live in the city, which is good because her dad kicked her out. It is also because of Bunny that Marion meets Peter Griggs, a friend of the married man that Bunny is seeing. 

During this time, the Met Power bomber has resurfaced after being gone for sixteen years. Sometimes the bombs detonate, and sometimes they don't, and he focuses on iconic places in New York to place the bombs. One of the bombs that detonates happens on the opening night of the Christmas Spectacular. That is also the night that Marion's sister attends the performance. Judy is sitting in the seat next to where the bomb went off, and Marion saw it from the stage. 

Finding the bomber becomes important to Marion, so with the help of Peter Griggs, they try to help the police, but are more or less shunned. Still they keep trying. I won't ruin it for you, so to find out the rest, you're going to have to read this.

What I like about Ms. Davis' books is that they are always told in two time periods, often with two different perspectives. This was no exception. This one takes place in the 1950s and the 1990s, all told by Marion. I enjoyed this very much, but I am not in any way surprised, as I was hooked on her books from the very first one. 

I was introduced to Fiona Davis' books on the Saturday after Thanksgiving 2021. My son and I were driving back to his apartment outside of Washington DC from Manhattan. We were tired, but he doesn't listen to music when he's tired and driving because it will make him even sleepier, so he listens to audio books. I am not much of an audio book person, but I can appreciate them from time to time. 

So that first book? It was The Lions of 5th Avenue. It takes place in the New York public library. It's told by two women, some fifty years apart. I was enthralled. So much so that I bought the book for my kindle so I could finish it on the plane ride the next day. 

After that, I was hooked. I borrowed as many books as I could from Overdrive, bought one for my kindle, and got one as a Book of the Month selection. I loved them all. They all take place in New York City. There's usually an element of mystery, and I love the dual timelines. I won't go into specifics on each of the books, as it's been more than a year since I read them and I have slept since then, but I will share the names and the locales that are represented in them.

The Dollhouse takes place in the Barbizon Hotel. The Address takes place in the Dakota, which is also the building where John Lennon lived. The Masterpiece is in Grand Central Station. The Chelsea Girls centers around the Chelsea Hotel. And last, The Magnolia Palace is in the Frick Museum, and one of the narrators is the woman whose image is used in several sculptures around the city. You can't go wrong with this woman's books. 

As for me, I am on to the next one, whatever that ends up being. I promise I will take some time before summer is over to reflect on as many of the books as I can remember reading during my absence from this blog. I read some great ones.