Escape into Period Pieces

"The Spectacular" by Fiona Davis w/ Dahlia Hamza Constantine


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Welcome back to another Virtual Book Club episode! This time Stephanie and returning guest, Dahlia Hamza Constantine, are discussing "The Spectacular" by Fiona Davis.

"The Spectacular" is set primarily in 1956 New York City with some flashforwards to 1992. Main character, 19 year-old Marion Brooks is a dance teacher in Manhattan and when she loses her job, she tried out to be a Radio City Rockette much to the dismay of her father, sister, and boyfriend. There is also a mystery (crime thriller) element involving "The Big Apple Bomber" who has been terrorizing the citizens for 16 years.

Beware of spoilers in this episode, so be sure to read the book before if you don't want to be spoiled!

References:

  • The Spectacular by Fiona Davis
  • Lovely War by Julie Berry
  • Grantchester
  • The Murder of Mr. Wickham by Claudia Gray
  • Miss Scarlet
  • Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
  • Agatha Raisin
  • The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis
  • Mad Men
  • D.E. Stevenson: Miss Buncle's Book (1934) & The Two Abbotts (1943)
  • British Library Women Writers
  • Tea Is So Intoxicating by Mary Essex
  • Chatterton Square by E.H. Young
  • Father by Elizabeth Von Arnium
  • We Are Not Free by Traci Chee
  • The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu
  • A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn
  • The Davenports by Krystal Marquis
  • In Want of a Suspect by Tirzah Price
  • Sugar Street-The Cairo Trilogy by Naguib Mahfouz
  • CJ Archer's Glass and Steele AND The Glass Library book series
  • Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear
  • Beryl and Edwina Mystery Series by Jessica Ellicott
  • Jane Austen's Bookshelf: A Rare Book Collector's Quest to Find the Women Writers Who Shaped a Legend by Rebecca Romney
  • Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree
  • Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for listening and to those who wrote in with your thoughts!

To contribute in the future:

Instagram: @escape.into.period.pieces

Email: [email protected]

^^Submit your thoughts on season 5 of All Creatures Great & Small AND Miss Scarlet and possibly be featured in a future episode!

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Thanks for being along for the ride :)

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Escape into Period PiecesBy Stephanie Reese

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